Recreation director facing serious charges after pocketing cash for field access

Recreation Director Facing Serious Charges After Pocketing Cash for Field Access

Posted by
1 min read
September 6, 2024

BRICK TOWNSHIP, N.J. — He was once named employee of the month in Brick Township, now he’s facing charges for shaking down local sports teams for cash.

The Director of Recreation for Brick Township has been charged with theft and forgery after allegedly creating fake permits and pocketing cash payments from groups renting the town’s softball fields, authorities said.

Daniel Santaniello, 46, was arrested on Thursday following an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Brick Township Police Department, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and Brick Township Police Chief David Forrester. Santaniello, a township resident, has been charged with theft and uttering a forged instrument in connection with his role as Director of Recreation.

Officials claim Santaniello, who was responsible for issuing permits to groups seeking to use the township’s softball fields, required certain organizations to pay him directly in cash. Police allege that instead of depositing the funds into township accounts, Santaniello kept the money for himself and issued fraudulent permits to cover his tracks.

Santaniello was arrested at his home on July 17 without incident, authorities said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office noted that the investigation remains ongoing.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Don't Miss