TOMS RIVER, NJ – Former Ocean Gate Mayor, Paul Kennedy, has been sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison, as announced by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. The sentencing, handed down by the Honorable Kimarie Rahill, J.S.C., on January 26, follows Kennedy’s guilty plea to a charge of Pattern of Official Misconduct. The sentence includes a mandatory two-year parole ineligibility period, and Kennedy is permanently barred from holding any public office or employment in the future.
The conviction stems from an extensive investigation led by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards/Corruption Unit and the Economic Crime Squad. The investigation uncovered that Kennedy, during his tenure as Mayor of Ocean Gate, engaged in several illegal activities. These included failing to turn over proceeds from the sale of borough assets on GovDeals.com, misappropriating borough parking meter funds, and attempting to privately sell borough office furniture on Facebook Marketplace for personal gain.
Kennedy’s misconduct was further exposed when it was revealed that he had pocketed cash from the sale of scrap metal from the Borough Recycling Center instead of depositing it into borough accounts. Additionally, he was found to have misused funds from his re-election campaign and that of his running mates, channeling these to his personal use.
Kennedy initially faced charges of Official Misconduct and Theft on March 18, 2022, and surrendered to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, later being released on a summons pending court appearances. Subsequent investigations led to additional charges of Official Misconduct.
Prosecutor Billhimer condemned Kennedy’s actions, stating, “This is a textbook example of public corruption.” He emphasized that while most public officials serve with integrity, Kennedy’s actions betrayed the trust of the citizens he was sworn to serve. The prosecutor reaffirmed the commitment of his office to investigating and prosecuting such breaches of public trust vigorously.