2003 Media Releases:

CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
VINCENT P. SARUBBI, CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MEDIA   INFORMATION

February 21, 2003

Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi announced that a jury today returned guilty verdicts against Alfred Williams Jr., M/45, on five counts of Theft involving a total of approximately $6,000.

At the request of Assistant Prosecutor Joel Aronow, Superior Court Judge Irvin J. Snyder ordered Williams, a patrolman with more than nine years on the force, to forfeit his position with the Camden City Police Department and barred him from future public employment. The third-degree offenses each carry a maximum term of five years in New Jersey State Prison.

Williams was acquitted of six related charges; the jury was unable to reach unanimous verdicts on five additional counts.

Williams, of the 5500 block Madison Avenue in Pennsauken, remains free on bail pending sentencing by Snyder, scheduled for April 11, 2003, at 9 a.m.

The jury found that Williams stole funds belonging to the Brothers of Distinction Inc., a charitable association of minority Camden Police officers of which Williams was president. Testimony indicated Williams wrote checks to himself for cash and to pay for personal items such as a security system for his Pennsauken home, home fitness equipment, and payments towards a 1997 BMW automobile and a 1999 Mitsubishi Montero sport utility vehicle. The offenses took place between February 2001 and November 2001.

Williams was arrested in February 2002 after the financial irregularities were reported by other association members.

The jury deliberated for approximately 12 hours after a four-day trial. Testimony indicated Williams changed the association's financial practices so that only his signature was required on checks instead of needing multiple signatures.

"Any breach of trust by an officer of a charitable corporation is disturbing," Sarubbi said. "The conduct is even more troubling when the person involved is a police officer. Based on this verdict, it is clear that Mr. Williams is unfit to serve in law enforcement."