Passaic Sheriff's Officer Indicted On False Report Charges

PATERSON, NJ – A Passaic County Sheriff’s Officer was indicted on charges of falsifying reports, according to authorities.

A Passaic County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Joel Familia, 36, of Lake Hopatcong with one count of official misconduct and one count of fourth degree false reports, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office said.

According to the prosecutor’s office, on March 22, 2018, Familia allegedly made false statements in a police report and in an affidavit of probable cause. He was initially charged by way of complaint summons and is not subject to pretrial detention on the charges.

The official misconduct charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years in state prison, while the false reports charge could mean up to 18 months in prison, the prosecutor’s office said.