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A state grand jury in Trenton indicted Kevin T. Matthew, 48, of Cedar Grove, after an investigation revealed he had allegedly signed out narcotics from BCPO’s main evidence vault between January 2019 and November 2023, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Wednesday, March 12.
Authorities said Matthew was not part of BCPO’s narcotics unit, but as a member of the Special Victims Unit, he had access to law enforcement databases containing information about seized evidence in drug cases.
Despite having no official role in narcotics investigations, he allegedly searched for drug cases, signed out evidence, and physically removed large amounts of drugs from the vault—including cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, authorities said.
Matthew allegedly returned drug evidence with changes in weight, packaging, and composition, potentially compromising criminal prosecutions tied to the cases, officials said.
During the time period when evidence was allegedly being removed, Matthew made multiple cash deposits totaling approximately $600,000 into his personal bank accounts, authorities said.
Investigators determined that the deposits were not connected to his salary as a law enforcement officer and appeared to be structured to avoid the federal requirement to report transactions over $10,000, officials said.
The indictment also alleges Matthew failed to report the deposits on his tax returns, filing fraudulent returns in both 2022 and 2023. Attorney General Platkin called the allegations a betrayal of public trust.
“The alleged misconduct by the defendant represents a stunning, tremendous disservice to the public,” Platkin said. “Instead of making Bergen County safer, the indictment alleges the defendant repeatedly withdrew from the evidence vault large amounts of dangerous drugs that had already been seized by law enforcement.”
Matthew is facing 50 charges, including:
- Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity (1st degree) for allegedly depositing illegal cash proceeds.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance (1st and 2nd degree) for allegedly removing seized drugs in amounts consistent with distribution.
- Pattern of Official Misconduct (2nd degree) for allegedly abusing his authority over multiple years.
- Tampering with Public Records (3rd degree) for allegedly falsifying evidence records.
- Filing Fraudulent Tax Returns (3rd degree) for failing to report income from the deposits.
If convicted, Matthew could face up to 20 years in prison on first-degree charges alone.
The Attorney General’s Office, Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Assistant Attorney General Mary Catherine Ryan and Deputy Attorney General Amy Sieminski are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Corruption Bureau Co-Directors Jeff Manis and Eric Gibson.
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