As a resident of New Brunswick, I am very disappointed with the sentence Judge Joyce Munkacsi gave to Anthony J. Billings, the former appraiser for North Brunswick, who pleaded guilty to tampering with government documents, and failing to file state income tax on some of his earnings for the state of New Jersey.
Since Billings pleaded guilty before the prosecutor’s office completed its investigation, his case did not go before a grand jury.
His attorney said Billings saved the county a tremendous amount of time and money by his willingness to enter a plea agreement before the investigation was completed.
I thought it was the duty of the prosecutor’s office to protect the people of Middlesex County from criminals, not to protect the criminals. By receiving probation, doesn’t that send a message to other white collar criminals, that if you plead guilty before a trial, you will receive the same treatment? I do not believe justice was served in this case.
Polly Canuso
New Brunswick