New Arrest Made In Alleged Theft Of Chemicals From Secaucus Town Pool

SECAUCUS, NJ — Secaucus Police just announced a brand-new arrest Monday in the case of town employees accused of stealing chemicals from the town pool:

The latest person to be arrested is Casey McClelland, 26, of Branchville, NJ, in Sussex County.

McClelland is not employed by the town of Secaucus. It is believed he worked for the pool company, Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management, co-owned by Secaucus recreation facilities director John Schwartz, who was previously arrested and charged with theft, plus other charges.

It is now a total of seven people arrested in connection with the alleged pool chemical thefts: Four Secaucus town employees, and three non-town employees who worked for Crystal Clear.

McClelland was arrested at 8:31 a.m. last Tuesday by Secaucus Police and charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft.

Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management is the privately-owned pool maintenance company owned by Schwartz, who for years was employed by the town of Secaucus as its director of recreation facilities.

It was Schwartz' job to oversee the day-to-day running of the town pool on Koelle Blvd. But Secaucus Police allege he stole chemicals from the town pool and used them to service pools for his private clients. He was charged with theft, conspiracy to commit theft and theft of service.

Schwartz is represented by criminal defense attorney Peter Willis of Jersey City. Willis did not return a call from Patch.

Frank Flanagan, his wife Megan Wofsy-Flanagan and Joseph Ferrara — who also all work for the town of Secaucus — worked for Schwartz at Crystal Clear, and they were all charged similarly with theft, conspiracy to commit theft and theft of service.

Flanagan, his wife and Ferrara were additionally charged with burglary.

So, in total, that is four town employees accused of stealing the pool chemicals, and it is now a total of three other people who worked for Crystal Clear (but not for the town of Secaucus) who were also criminally accused of stealing chemicals:

• Casey McClelland, 26, of Branchville, NJ, arrested June 17 and charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft.
• Johvanny Leveque, 24, of Bogota, arrested June 10 and charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft.
• Marlon Guzman, 47, of Secaucus, arrested June 10 and charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft.

They stole the chemicals from the town pool sometimes daily, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said previously. He declined to reveal the total dollar value of chemicals stolen. But he previously said it was "in the thousands."

Secaucus Police have been investigating the alleged thefts since March. Secaucus Police detectives got a tip that several people employed by the Secaucus Recreation Department were stealing chemicals from the town pool for use in their private business.

Secaucus Police then set up a surveillance of the town pool, and police said they watched them steal the chemicals. A town of Secaucus vehicle was also used on occasion during the servicing of a private pool, said police. Also, some of the town employees worked for their private company while getting paid on the clock by the town of Secaucus.

Additionally, Wofsy-Flanagan is in charge of overseeing the town of Secaucus’ lifeguard program. Police say she doubled-billed both the town of Secaucus and clients of Crystal Clear Pool and Spa Management to certify lifeguards hired by the pool company. She taught these lifeguard certification classes at the Secaucus Rec Center.

Original report: 4 Secaucus Town Employees Accused Of Stealing Town's Pool Chemicals For Their Own Business (June 10)

Follow-up report: 2 More Arrested In Alleged Theft Of Secaucus Pool Chemicals By Town Employees (June 11)