Former Morris County Freeholder pleads guilty in public contract bribery scheme
Trenton, NJ – A former Morris County Freeholder has pleaded guilty to accepting thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for steering public legal contracts to a law firm, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Tuesday.
John Cesaro, 53, of Parsippany, entered a guilty plea on November 17 before Superior Court Judge Peter J. Tober in Somerset County, admitting to conspiracy to commit bribery in official and political matters, a third-degree felony offense.
As part of a plea deal, prosecutors will seek a five-year prison sentence when Cesaro is sentenced on January 16, 2026. He will be required to forfeit the $7,700 he accepted in bribes, pay an additional $23,000 in public corruption profiteering penalties, and permanently surrender his right to hold public office or public employment in New Jersey. Cesaro will also be barred from conducting business with the state or any public agency for five years.
Authorities say Cesaro accepted the payments from a cooperating witness between April and May 2018 in multiple locations, including Randolph, Mountain Lakes, and Morristown. In exchange, he allegedly promised to use his influence on the Morris County Freeholder Board—now known as the Board of County Commissioners—to secure or maintain legal work for the witness’s law firm.
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The prosecution was handled by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), including Assistant Attorneys General Michael Grillo and Andrew Wellbrock, under the supervision of OPIA Executive Director Eric L. Gibson.
Cesaro, a former elected official and lawyer, was first charged in a broader public corruption probe. He is represented by Robert Dunn, Esq., of Morristown.
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Key Points
- Former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery
- Cesaro admitted accepting $7,700 in bribes to steer legal contracts to a law firm
- He faces up to five years in prison, forfeiture of illicit gains, and permanent public office ban
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