FBI arrests Trenton mayor, others in corruption probe

  GEOFF MULVIHILLTRENTON -- Federal agents arrested the mayor of New Jersey's capital city early Monday as part of an ongoing corruption investigation into bribery allegations related to a parking garage project that was concocted as part of an FBI sting operation.

Trenton Mayor Tony Mack, his brother, Ralphiel, and convicted sex offender Joseph Giorgianni, a Mack supporter who owns a Trenton sandwich shop, were accused of conspiring to obstruct, delay and affect interstate commerce by extortion under color of official right.

Federal prosecutors alleged Mack agreed to use his influence in connection with a proposed parking garage project in the city. The garage was made up - just a devise created by investigators to try to capture Mack, who has financial problems and attracted legal scrutiny since he took office.

Federal agents began investigating Mack and the others in September 2010. Mack had become mayor in July.

The defendants received $54,000 and anticipated accepting another $65,000 from a cooperating witness who purported to be a developer, according to court documents that laid out the sting and the alleged wrongdoing.

The criminal complaint portrays Giorgianni as a boastful man who did most of the talking with two FBI informants - one who was cooperating to get a better deal in his own criminal case, another who was paid.

Giorgianni complains at one point that Mack cannot take bribes because he's being watched so closely. "It's sickening," he told one of the informants, according to the court papers.

"I like to make money for my friends," he said at another point, according to the papers. "I like to do it like the Boss Tweed way. You know Boss Tweed ran Tammany Hall?"

When Mack was recorded, it was mostly just to say he'd meet someone or exchanging pleasantries. But in April, he was recorded at a meeting with Giorgianni and one of the informants saying, "I really appreciate what you guys have done for us. I appreciate your support and, like before, I support you and I'll keep on supporting you."

Authorities say, though, that Mack, whom Giorgianni referred to as "Napoleon" was involved in the scheme. One piece of evidence they offer is that Giorgianni referred to money by code - calling it "Uncle Remus" - when he spoke with Mack, and that Mack seemed to know what he was saying.

Mack was taken to an FBI office in Hamilton for processing.

Mack's administration has been in turmoil from Day 1, staggering from one crisis to another. A housecleaning of staff at City Hall opened the door for Mack's own appointees, who quickly turned it into a revolving door.

Under an agreement reached last year, the Democrat can hire department heads only from a pool of applicants the state offers or he risks losing $6 million in state aid.

One of his early backers was Giorgianni. The businessman went to prison in the 1980s on charges of carnally abusing and debauching the morals of a 14-year-old girl in the back of his sandwich shop. The case gained notoriety because of weight-related health problems that got Giorgianni, a steakhouse owner who once claimed to tip the scale at over 500 pounds, released and led a prosecutor to charge he "ate his way out of jail."

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New Jersey DWI Arrests

In the year 2003, deaths in the United States resulting from alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes totaled 17,013. This works out to 40% of all traffic accident deaths! The enormity of the problem in New Jersey can be gauged by the fact that during a crackdown on the menace between 8/19/2005 and 9/5/2005, 583 people were arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).

Intoxication can be either from alcohol or from other substances, which can even include certain prescription medicines. Whether a person feels that he can hold his liquor is immaterial. If caught driving with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% or more, he is in serious trouble. New Jersey DWI laws are very specific, and the enforcement officers have vast powers.

A driver can be arrested even without the Standardized Field Sobriety Test. But in such instances the state has to prove that there was sufficient reason to take the person into custody. The police can arrest a driver who has an open liquor bottle in his car, parked or otherwise. Here the probable cause, which again the state has to prove, would be intention to drive after consuming the intoxicant. A person who realizes that he has consumed too much alcohol and decides to sleep it off in his car can also be at risk of arrest. In such cases the problem is that when he wakes up he might feel sober and drive, but the BAC could still be adverse.

The police are under no compulsion to read out the Miranda rights to the suspect during roadside questioning. If an enforcement officer waves you down, stop as soon as possible. Trying to make a dash home will lead to further trouble.

Sometimes a successful defense can be made by exploiting lacunae in the arrest procedure or contradictions in the state's case. For instance, the police vehicle may be fitted with a video camera. The arresting officer perhaps doesn't always refer to the video while making his report. This can lead to inconsistencies, which may be to the defendant's benefit.

The best policy is not to drive while intoxicated. If caught, be polite to the police, and contact a good lawyer as soon as possible.

New Jersey DWI Lawyers provides detailed information on New Jersey Alcohol Treatment, New Jersey DWI Arrests, New Jersey DWI Defense, New Jersey DWI Fines and more. New Jersey DWI Lawyers is affiliated with New Jersey DUI Defense [http://www.e-NewJerseyDUIAttorneys.com].