|
TRENTON
— Division of Criminal Justice Director
Gregory A. Paw announced that a field collections
representative formerly employed by the
New Jersey Division of State Lottery has
been ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution
after pleading guilty to stealing cash receipts
collected from Lottery agents.
According to Director Paw, Christopher Vitoritt,
41, Hamilton, Mercer County, was ordered
by Mercer County Superior Court Judge Maria
Marinari Sypek to pay $5,000 restitution
to the New Jersey Lottery and to serve three
years probation. As part of the sentence,
Vitoritt forfeited his government position
and was permanently barred from future public
employment.
Vitoritt pleaded guilty to a criminal accusation
filed by the Special Prosecutions Bureau
of the Division of Criminal Justice on Feb.
1. In pleading guilty to a charge of theft
by unlawful taking, Vitoritt admitted that
from July, 2003 through July, 2005, while
employed as a field collections representative
for the New Jersey Division of State Lottery,
to diverting approximately $5,000 in monies
collected from Lottery agents as proceeds
from the sale of Lottery tickets. The investigation
determined that Vitoritt was assigned a
territory spanning several northern New
Jersey counties and that he was responsible
for collecting Lottery monies from agents
who had not remitted the funds electronically
from their Lottery accounts. The Accusation
charged that, in some instances, Vitoritt
collected cash from Lottery agents and failed
to account for the monies on official reports.
Paw noted that an internal investigation
initiated by the New Jersey Lottery uncovered
the theft, which led to Vitoritt’s
suspension and termination from his public
employment in July, 2005. The results of
the New Jersey Lottery’s internal
investigation were forwarded to the Division
of Criminal Justice for criminal prosecution.
The prosecution was coordinated by Deputy
Attorney General Anthony Picione assigned
to the Division of Criminal Justice - Special
Prosecutions Bureau. The investigation was
conducted by New Jersey State Police DSG
Keith Dangler and Det. Gerald Nachurski
and State Investigator Anthony Luyber assigned
to the Division of Criminal Justice - Special
Prosecutions Bureau.
#
# #
|
