TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, recently provided an update on enforcement efforts regarding the COVID-19 guideline violations.
Two Ocean County cases were listed among the incidents that occurred around the state. The two enforcement actions related to Gov. Phil Murphy’s Executive Order 107.
Kevin R. Brady, 49, Point Pleasant Beach, was charged on April 16, with theft of personal protective equipment. He is accused of unlawful taking and conspiracy to commit theft, both third-degree charges, in connection with the robbery of up to 1,600 respirator masks from Prudential Financial in Iselin.
Brady was charged in an ongoing investigation by the New Jersey State Police, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Woodbridge Police Department, and Point Pleasant Beach Police Department, based on a referral from the National Hoarding & Price-Gouging Task Force headed by New Jersey U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.
He is an on-site electrical contractor who had access to storage areas in the Prudential Financial facility and between March 27 and April 1, Brady allegedly stole seven to eight cases of N95 respirator masks, each case containing 200 masks.
Prudential Financial had intended to donate the masks to a local hospital.
The second incident involved 22-year-old Kayla Kraus, of Point Pleasant, was arrested on April 14, by the Point Pleasant Police and charged with two counts of terroristic threats (3rd degree) and aggravated assault on an officer (4th degree).
Kraus allegedly struck officers and threatened to infect them with COVID-19 when the officers responded to the Point Pleasant Inn on a report of an emotionally disturbed woman.
“Our police officers are working bravely and tirelessly every day to protect us during this health crisis. Regrettably, they are being called upon far too often to deal with people violating the emergency orders— or what is more egregious, people using the virus to spread fear or impede officers in their vital work,” Attorney General Grewal.
Grewal added, “Staying home and maintaining social distance isn’t just the best advice to stay healthy, it’s the law. Make no mistake, we will do everything in our power to keep our residents and officers safe, and that means we won’t hesitate to file charges against violators.”
“Law enforcement and medical professionals are on the frontlines of this battle to protect the citizens of New Jersey from the COVID-19 virus, and we cannot stress enough how important it is that each person follow the guidelines set forth in the Executive Order,” Callahan said.
Callahan added, “because lives are at stake, enforcement action will be taken without hesitation against those who are blatantly placing the lives of others at risk.”
Violations of the emergency orders constitute a disorderly persons offense carrying a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. However, violators can potentially face criminal charges including second, third, and fourth degree indictable offenses.
Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
If you are seeing a lack of compliance with the Governor’s emergency orders in your town, contact your local police department or report them via covid19.nj.gov/violation
The Attorney General’s Office and New Jersey State Police will continue to work with law enforcement throughout the state to deter non-complaint behavior. No one should take advantage of this pandemic to further their own biased agendas. COVID-19 is no excuse to promote anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and or other biased stereotypes. Report bias crimes at 1-800-277-BIAS.
