Prosecutor: Former Cop Gets Probation for Stealing $80K from PBA

A former Long Branch police officer and PBA Local 10 president was sentenced on Friday for pilfering more than $80,000 from union coffers, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Monday.

Alfred Cistaro, 43, of West Long Branch, was sentenced to a probationary term of one year before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English.

This comes after Cistaro pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree theft by deception on June 14. In pleading guilty, Cistaro admitted the theft took place over a period of approximately one and a half years,  from December 2013 to May 2015.

The plea, struck in cooperation with the Long Branch PBA Local #10, was contingent upon Cistaro paying back the entire $80,138 that he stole from the union. Cistaro did, in fact, pay that entire restitution amount in court at his sentencing hearing on Oct. 19.

The case background … 

A complaint was filed with the Long Branch PBA Local #10 where it stated that from Dec. 7, 2013 through May 14, 2015, 27 checks were drawn on two accounts held by the same PBA, totaling $84,628 that were either received by Cistaro directly or made payable to service providers of Cistaro for services he had received.

Based on the investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Cistaro should have only received approximately $4,500 as approved at a PBA meeting. The remaining funds were taken without approval or authorization from the entire membership.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office