TRENTON, NJ — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA) announced on Friday that criminal charges have been filed against two individuals accused of soliciting a bribe from a Union Township business owner while falsely claiming to have connections to a township official.
Steven Carr, 54, of Staten Island, New York, and Whitney DaSilva, 38, of Kearny, New Jersey, face charges of bribery and conspiracy, both classified as second-degree crimes. Carr is additionally charged with third-degree theft by deception, according to the OPIA Corruption Bureau.
The criminal complaint states that Carr told the business owner he had a personal relationship with a Union Township official who could resolve the owner’s legal issues in exchange for a payment of over $10,000. DaSilva allegedly assisted in facilitating communication and offered to transfer the money.
Investigators discovered that Carr fabricated the claim regarding the township official’s involvement, and no evidence was found indicating any official participated in the scheme. These crimes are reported to have occurred between February and May while the business owner faced administrative proceedings regarding their establishment.
“As alleged, these defendants tried to get a business owner to pay a bribe. Instead, the owner did the right thing and reported it to law enforcement,” said Attorney General Platkin.
The scheme unraveled after the victim reported the bribe attempt. Documents reveal that DaSilva initially introduced Carr to the business owner. Carr then claimed he knew a township official who could eliminate the business owner’s legal problems for a bribe ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 in cash. DaSilva encouraged the business owner to make the payment and agreed to pass the funds to Carr.
Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA, remarked, “As the charges in this case show, bribery schemes don’t pay. They will only earn you a criminal case.”
If convicted, Carr and DaSilva could face potential prison sentences of five to ten years and fines of up to $150,000 for the second-degree charges. Carr’s third-degree theft by deception charge carries a possible sentence of three to five years and a fine of up to $15,000.
Authorities emphasized that the investigation found no wrongdoing by the Union Township official named in Carr’s false claims. The business owner’s decision to alert law enforcement allowed OPIA investigators to build a case against both defendants.
The charges are merely accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.