Losing Candidate, In-Law Spared Prison After Secretly Recording NJ Mayor: Prosecutor

On Monday, July 1, Christina Albrecht, a 45-year-old Flemington woman placed a recording device on the fence at The Rail, a restaurant in Whitehouse Station, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson said. Albrecht captured the private, oral communications of Readington Township Mayor Adam Mueller and Deputy Mayor Vincent Panico, Robeson said.

Albrecht later retrieved the device and transcribed and shared the recorded conversations with Jacqueline Hindle, a 49-year-old Whitehouse Station resident, who uploaded the recordings on a shared device, Robeson said.

Albrecht is married to Hindle's running mate, former mayor Ben Smith, who ran against current Mayor Adam Mueller and committee member R. Juergen Huelsebusch in last June's primaries.

Albrecht returned to The Rail a week later and again place the device on the fence, where it was discovered by police, Robeson said. After the cops seized the device, Albrecht and Hindle conspired to purchase another device to once again record Mueller and Panico, Robeson said.

As part of the 30-month pre-trial intervention program, both are required to have a mental health evaluation, comply with treatment recommendations, complete community service, and have no contact with the victims except under limited circumstances, Robeson said.

Albrecht was originally charged with burglary, possession of an intercepting device, interception of an oral communication, disclosure of an oral communication, use of an oral communication, and conspiracy to commit interception of an oral communication while Hindle was originally charged with disclosure of an oral communication, use of an oral communication, and conspiracy to commit interception of an oral communication.

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