Suspended Wall Cop Hit With More Charges In PBA Theft Case: Prosecutor

FREEHOLD, NJ — More criminal charges have been filed against James R. Cadigan, the Wall Township police sergeant accused of stealing more than $75,000 from his local PBA chapter, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Friday.

And more details are being revealed by authorities about how PBA money was missing, according to the prosecutor's office, including from proceeds of a barbecue "Pignic" fundraiser and also from a breast cancer charity event.

According to the prosecutor's office, Cadigan spent money on a variety of personal items, including an inflatable movie screen.

Cadigan, 41, is charged with second-degree official misconduct, third-degree theft by deception, third-degree theft by unlawful taking, and fourth-degree falsifying records, in addition to the original charge of second-degree theft by unlawful taking made by authorities in December, the prosecutor's office said in a news release.

Cadigan, who joined the Wall Township Police Department in 2005, is now suspended without pay, the department has said.

An investigation into Cadigan’s activities began last year by the Prosecutor's Office of Professional Responsibility and Bias Crime Bureau after a referral by the Wall Township Police Benevolent Association Local No. 234.

The PBA had discovered that a "significant amount" of cash proceeds was missing following the PBA’s “Pignic,” an annual summertime barbecue fundraiser, the prosecutor's office said.

Cadigan was solely responsible for orchestrating and running the event in 2022 and in many preceding years, authorities said. The PBA annually donates proceeds from the event to various charitable organizations.

In addition to confirming the cash was missing from the Pignic proceeds, the investigation revealed that starting at least in 2018 and in each year thereafter, Cadigan made numerous unauthorized cash withdrawals from multiple PBA bank accounts and wrote checks to himself and to cash from these accounts, according to the prosecutor's office.

It was determined that Cadigan would make these withdrawals both while on and off duty, sometimes in street clothes and other times in his full police uniform, the prosecutor's office said.

As the investigation continued, it revealed that from February 2020 to November 2022, in his capacity as president of the Wall American Youth Football (AYF) nonprofit organization, Cadigan also used a debit card intended for purchases to benefit the organization to purchase approximately $20,000 worth of items for his own personal use, the prosecutor's office said.

Such items included pool pumps and chemicals, a quilted hammock, a truck hitch, a karaoke machine, a weight sled trainer, a boot warmer, an inflatable movie screen, grill tools and accessories, a pressure washer, backyard and holiday decorations, and accessories for tapping and serving draft beer, authorities said.

The investigation also revealed facts that are the basis of two additional criminal charges: First, Cadigan did not apply for a required license for a 50/50 raffle held for the 2022 Pignic, instead falsifying the license number for the raffle tickets, authorities said. Second, he organized a powderpuff football game involving mothers of AYF football players, with approximately $3,000 in proceeds earmarked for donation to a breast cancer awareness and prevention charity, but instead pocketed the money for himself, authorities said.

Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran said in a statement at the time of the original charges against Cadigan that "The criminal charge against Sgt. Cadigan is not reflective of the honor, integrity, and fidelity routinely exhibited by the sworn members of this Police Department, as they are about protecting and serving the public in the execution of their daily duties.”

At the time of the original charges, the PBA in Wall made a statement to the public on its Facebook page, saying although it could not comment on the case, "we have taken steps to ensure that this action cannot happen in the future. We have implemented measures to ensure strict oversight of the PBA's finances to ensure that your donations are safeguarded and used for the purposes intended."

Cadigan was served the new charges against him via summons through his attorney on Wednesday, pending future proceedings to take place in Monmouth County Superior Court, the prosecutor's office said.

This case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Melanie Falco, director of the Professional Responsibility and Bias Crime Bureau.

Cadigan is being represented by attorney Mitchell J. Ansell, Ocean Township.

Anyone with information about this or related matters is urged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Detective Brian Hammarstrom at 800-533-7443.

Convictions on second-degree criminal charges can be punishable by up to 10 years in state prison, while third-degree charges are commonly punishable by terms of up to 5 years. A conviction for official misconduct carries a mandatory five-year period of parole ineligibility, the prosecutor's office said.