4 Secaucus Town Employees Accused Of Stealing Town's Pool Chemicals For Their Own Business

SECAUCUS, NJ — On Tuesday, Secaucus Recreation Department employees John Schwartz, Frank Flanagan, Joseph Ferrara and Megan Wofsy-Flanagan were all arrested by Secaucus Police. All four are accused of stealing chemicals from the town pool and re-using them for their private pool maintenance business.

Schwartz, 61, Flanagan, 32, Ferrara, 27, and Wofsy-Flanagan,31, all Secaucus residents, were charged with Theft [2C:20-3a], Conspiracy to Commit Theft[2C:5-2/2C:20-3a] and Theft of Service [2C:20-8]. Flanagan, Wofsy-Flanagan and Ferrara were additionally charged with Burglary [2C:18-2a(1)].

They were released pending scheduled court appearances. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s office helped make the arrests Tuesday. Other Secaucus Rec. Center employees say they were questioned by Secaucus Police to see if they were involved in this alleged theft scheme.

• Schwartz is manager of recreation facilities. He is the supervisor of the other three.
• Flanagan is special events and maintenance
• Ferrara, assistant manager of Secaucus town pool
• Wofsy-Flanagan, head lifeguard

Here is how this all began: In March, Secaucus Police detectives got a tip from a resident that several people employed by the Secaucus Recreation Department were stealing chemicals from the Secaucus town pool for use in their private business, Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management.

All four of the above work at that company, or own it.

Secaucus Police detectives used surveillance and undercover police officers to investigate. Police allege all four stole various pool chemicals purchased by the town and stored at the Secaucus town pool on Koelle Boulevard. Thefts sometimes occurred on a daily basis when they were both on and off the clock of the town’s payroll. They stole chemical amounts valued in the thousands, said police.

They would use the stolen chemicals to service pools for Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management, said police, charging customers thousands of dollars. These private pools were located in Secaucus, but also in towns in Hudson, Bergen, Morris and Somerset counties. Also, some of these four town employees would work for their private company while getting paid on the clock by the town of Secaucus, allege police and the town.

“The town of Secaucus is very disheartened by the alleged actions of the employees who have been charged,” Secaucus town administrator Gary Jeffas said. “That being said, we have taken swift action and can ensure the public that any violation of their trust by a town employee, or anyone else, will not be tolerated.”

Additionally, some people who don't work for the town of Secaucus, or live in Secaucus, were involved in the pool chemical thefts, but they have not been named. Two more were arrested Tuesday, said police. Police say they were observed committing thefts of the town’s pool chemicals alongside Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management employees. A town of Secaucus vehicle was also used on occasion during the servicing of a private pool, said police.

Also, Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management, for a fee, procures lifeguards to work at various private pools. Wofsy-Flanagan is in charge of overseeing the town of Secaucus’ lifeguard program, and police say she used her personal company as the entity to certify lifeguards. However, a fee had to be paid to Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management for their certification. The same individuals certified by Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management became employed by the town of Secaucus. Despite the fee charged by Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management to the student for the certification, the town of Secaucus was also billed to certify the students as lifeguards. Additionally, some instructors were also being paid by the town to teach the class, despite Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management charging the students their own fee.

These certification classes were taught at the Rec Center, predominately by Wofsy-Flanagan, the town's head lifeguard. Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management never paid a fee to rent the Secaucus Rec Center to conduct its lifeguard trainings there.

Also Tuesday, June 10, court-authorized searches were conducted at the Secaucus Rec Department, both at 20 Centre Avenue and 1200 Koelle Boulevard, the home of Frank Flanagan and Megan Wofsy-Flanagan and some vehicles. Evidence was found in these searches, said police.

“The Secaucus Police Department will investigate all allegations of criminal conduct, regardless of the positions or titles held by those involved,” Chief Dennis Miller said. “It is unfortunate that the public’s trust has been violated, however the Secaucus Police Department will attempt to restore that trust by holding the individuals involved accountable.”