Hunterdon County couple charged with making false sexual assault claims against state troopers
TRENTON, NJ – A man and woman from Bloomsbury are facing criminal charges after allegedly fabricating claims that multiple New Jersey State Police troopers sexually assaulted one of them during a domestic incident response, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.
Randal Kelco, 35, and Lisa DeStefano, 45, have each been charged with making false reports to law enforcement, a second-degree offense. Authorities say the pair falsely accused several troopers of sexually assaulting Kelco, triggering multiple investigations and hospital examinations. However, investigators now allege the entire account was a deliberate hoax.
The allegations stemmed from an incident on October 23, when troopers responded just before 4 a.m. to a reported domestic disturbance at the couple’s home on Brunswick Avenue. Officers spent roughly 40 minutes at the scene, ultimately transporting Kelco to a nearby hotel. According to body-worn camera footage reviewed by investigators, the troopers then left the area without further contact with either individual.
Roughly 21 hours later, Kelco and DeStefano arrived at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and informed staff that Kelco had been assaulted by the troopers. They repeated the same claims to responding officers from the New Brunswick Police Department and later filed a formal complaint with the State Police Office of Professional Standards.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), working alongside the NJSP Office of Professional Standards, launched an investigation. Officials say body-worn camera footage from the troopers, as well as video recorded on Kelco’s cellphone, contradicted every detail of the alleged assault and showed no misconduct.
Authorities allege the defendants intentionally made false statements to hospital personnel, local police, and internal investigators. Prosecutors from the OPIA Corruption Bureau are now pursuing the case, which carries a potential sentence of five to 10 years in prison and fines up to $150,000 if convicted.
The charges were announced by Attorney General Matthew Platkin and OPIA Executive Director Eric Gibson. The investigation remains ongoing. Defense counsel for Kelco and DeStefano has not been identified.
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Key Points
- Randal Kelco and Lisa DeStefano of Bloomsbury were charged with making false reports to law enforcement after alleging a sexual assault by troopers
- Investigators say body-worn and cellphone video contradict the claims and show no misconduct by New Jersey State Police
- The charges carry penalties of 5 to 10 years in prison and fines up to $150,000 if convicted