Morris County Cop Sexually Abused Female Informant: Lawsuit

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – A woman working as an informant for Hopatcong and Roxbury police departments has filed suit against multiple police officers and their departments for alleged sexual harassment and abuse, along with false arrest.

Angela Schaeffer, of Rockaway Township, who worked as a confidential informant for a year and-a-half for both departments, has filed a $2 million civil rights lawsuit claiming one officer used his position of authority to sexually abuse her and others sent her harassing and sexually explicit messages, nj.com reported.

Schaeffer’s suit also claims she was falsely arrested and jailed in May 2014 on bogus drug charges so the officers could seize electronic communications and evidence she had been keeping, the report said.

The Hopatcong officers named in the suit are Ryan Tracey and Chief Robert Brennan. The Roxbury officers named are Thomas Van Houten and Richard Ricco, along with Chief James Simonetti.

Van Houten is named as the one who used his position to engage in sexual relations with Schaeffer. The officer was not charged criminally, but has resigned from his post, the report said.

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