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Stefan Keco, 29, who spent more than 15 months in the Passaic County Jail, also was ordered to attend counseling and to not have any contact with Chief Ibrahim Baycora, in addition to the three-year probationary sentence.
Rather than face trial, Keco took a deal from prosecutors following an investigation by city police and including the FBI, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and other law enforcement agencies.
In exchange for leniency, Keco pleaded guilty early last month to two counts of making terroristic threats, telling a Superior Court judge in Paterson that he sent the texts to Baycora in February “with the purpose to terrorize him and in reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror.”
Baycora had been sworn to the position only a few weeks before receiving the threats, which “caused a disruption to the day-to-day operations of the police department,” Paterson Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale said at the time.
“He also made threats towards City Hall, causing the police department to institute security measures for both facilities,” the director said.
Baycora “has a very demanding job,” Mayor Andre Sayegh added, “and the last thing he needs is his life threatened.”
Senior Passaic County Assistant Prosecutor Vivian Khalil secured the plea and sentence.
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