TOMS RIVER, NJ – Political opponents of Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick engaged in a criminal act of impersonating an elected official amid a heated debate over township EMS expansion. The township published a public notice warning residents of the imposter account Friday afternoon.
“A fake Facebook account impersonating Mayor Dan Rodrick was discovered this week. The account which bears the township seal as a profile picture, is not the mayor’s account and we have reported the incident to the proper authorities for removal and investigation,” the township’s official Faceboo page said. “Do not add this profile as a friend as it could be an attempt to gain access to your personal account and/or infect your computer with malware. If you added this account, we advise you to ‘unfriend’ and ‘block’ the account for your security and privacy.”
At this time, the township has not responded to the matter or specified whether or not a criminal investigation has been initiated.
The act of impersonating a public official is a crime under New Jersey state law.
a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, a person commits a disorderly persons offense if he falsely pretends to hold a position in the public service with purpose to induce another to submit to such pretended official authority or otherwise to act in reliance upon that pretense.
b. A person commits a crime of the fourth degree if he falsely pretends to hold a position as an officer or member or employee or agent of any organization or association of law enforcement officers with purpose to induce another to submit to such pretended official authority or otherwise to act in reliance upon that pretense.
Title 2C – The New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice
Section 2C:28-8
In this instance, the account was adding ‘friends’ in the Toms River area in order to trick residents into thinking it was an official account of the mayor, even using the official township seal as a profile photo. The benefits in this case would be political, or even financial if it turns out the account was used by anyone with a financial interest in harming the reputation of the mayor through the impersonation.