JACKSON TWP., N.J. — A township man surrendered to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office on Aug. 28 after being charged with theft by deception for the misappropriation of association finances, a third degree crime.
According to a press release: Eugene M. Nieratko, 42, surrendered to Economic Crime Unit Detectives James Conroy and Stephen T. Shadiack Jr.
Nieratko was the President of the N.J. High School Rodeo Association and allegedly accepted monies from Sept. 1, 2016 to Aug. 31, 2017 from families that were to be applied to cover the insurance and fees for each rider. The investigation began when OCPO was notified by several of the families that they had suspicions their payments were not actually being applied for the described services.
The partnering detectives investigation alleges that Nieratko took the money in the form of cash and checks that he requested to be made out to his name. He would allegedly keep the cash and cash the checks at a check cashing facility in Lakehurst, N.J. The investigation and review of records provided by the families and the National Rodeo Association out of Colorado revealed that Nieratko had allegedly taken approximately $32,000 without applying the monies to the riders’ insurance or fees.
