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Peter Byron, 68, pleaded guilty to three charges on Friday, Sept. 27, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a news release on Monday, Sept. 30. Byron resigned as mayor in September 2023 after he was indicted in the case.
According to court documents and statements, Byron, current Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr., and Deputy Mayor Steve Mikulski enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) despite being ineligible. The SHBP is only open to full-time employees who work 35 hours or more per week.
The city and SHBP paid nearly $609,000 in premiums and medical claims for Byron from July 2011 through October 2021.
"Illegally obtaining benefits is not what holding public office should be about. Rather, it should be about honorably serving the people you represent," Platkin said in a statement. "This was a self-serving, nearly decade-long betrayal of the public’s trust that saddled New Jersey residents with a six-figure bill for the defendant’s personal gain."
A state grand jury indicted Byron, Mayor Troiano, and Mikulski in July 2023.
Byron was also indicted in April 2024 after he was accused of using his previous position as a city commissioner to get a job from an attorney who worked for the city government. He didn't disclose the job on mandatory forms in 2017 and 2018, and didn't pay state taxes from his salary.
Byron also didn't pay required state income tax on income earned in New Jersey in those years.
"As this case demonstrates, the career prosecutors in OPIA’s Corruption Bureau will relentlessly pursue those who abuse public resources and public office and will hold them accountable," said Drew Skinner, executive director of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).
Byron pleaded guilty to second-degree theft by unlawful taking in the state health benefits case. He also pleaded guilty to third-degree filing a fraudulent tax return and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records in the other case.
Prosecutors said they're seeking three years in state prison for Byron. He would also have to pay restitution and receive a ban on holding public office or employment.
The cases against Mayor Troiano and Mikulski remained ongoing.
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