Atlantic County Department of Public Works employee charged with official misconduct

4 NJ men accused of stealing Atlantic County-owned diesel fuel

A supervisor in the Roads and Bridges Department within the Atlantic County Department of Public Works has been charged with official misconduct for using Atlantic County-owned diesel fuel to fuel trucks for his private business.

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - Four men are facing charges after police say they stole Atlantic County-owned diesel fuel to fuel trucks for a private business.

What we know:

On May 27, Atlantic County Fleet Management authorities noticed a large box truck being fueled at the county-owned fueling station in Northfield, NJ. 

As the staff approached, officials say the vehicle operators drove away. 

Thereafter, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Professional Standards and Accountability Unit started an investigation.

Upon digging, officials determined a diesel bypass code used in the computer system had authorized the fueling. 

They discovered that Joseph L. Ridley, 47, had provided the code to employees of his business: Z5 Logistics LLC. 

Officials say Ridley is also supervisor in the Roads and Bridges Department within the Atlantic County Department of Public Works. 

On June 2, detectives arrested employees of Z5 Logistics LLC while they were fueling the business' trucks at the Atlantic County fuel site without authorization. 

Ridley, of Mays Landing, was charged with Second-Degree Official Misconduct, Second-Degree Pattern of Official Misconduct, Third-Degree Theft by Unlawfully Taking, and Third-Degree Conspiracy to Commit Theft. 

Zakar Ridley, 26, of Mays Landing, Jason Meredith, 34, of Absecon, and Corey Smith, 27, of Pleasantville, were all charged with Disorderly Persons Theft by Unlawful Taking.

What we don't know:

This investigation is ongoing to determine the total amount of fuel stolen.