The Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau obtained a state grand jury indictment today charging Johnnie Thompson Jr., 69, of Irvington, and Wallace Williams, 63, of Newark, with third-degree conspiracy and two counts of third-degree forgery.  An undercover investigation by the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption Bureau revealed that Thompson and Williams allegedly operated an illegal enterprise to produce false New Jersey motor vehicle inspection stickers and sell them together out of Thompson’s cars in Newark.  They were arrested on April 28, 2014.  Third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

During the investigation, the State Police identified two other men who – independent of each other and of Thompson and Williams – also sold false motor vehicle inspection stickers in the same neighborhood as Thompson and Williams.  David Artis, 51, of Newark and Dennis W. Mason, 51, of Newark were arrested on the same day as Thompson and Williams.  Artis and Mason pleaded guilty on Sept. 19 to third-degree forgery before Superior Court Judge Carolyn E. Wright in Essex County.  The state will recommend that they be sentenced to a term of probation condition upon each of them serving 364 days in the county jail.  They are scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 31.

On two occasions during the investigation, an undercover State Police detective allegedly purchased a false motor vehicle inspection sticker from Thompson for $50 as Thompson sat in his silver Mercedes Benz on West Alpine Street in Newark. One of the stickers was purchased on March 17, 2014 and the second was purchased on March 21.  Subsequently, on April 3, the undercover detective allegedly purchased a false motor vehicle inspection sticker from Williams, who was seated on a chair near the sidewalk on West Alpine Street across from where Thompson sat in his parked car.  Williams allegedly retrieved the false sticker from Thompson and sold it to the undercover detective for $60. 

During the investigation of Thompson and Williams, state troopers observed two other vehicles on West Alpine Street occupied by Artis and Mason, who were independently selling false motor vehicle inspection stickers to other individuals.  On the day that Thompson and Williams were arrested, troopers approached Mason’s vehicle and observed fraudulent motor vehicle documents in plain view in the vehicle. The vehicle was searched and troopers seized five temporary registrations, 12 fraudulent inspection stickers in various stages of production, and numerous sheets of square number stickers and other materials used to produce the fraudulent documents.

As the troopers approached Thompson and Williams, they noticed that Artis’ vehicle suddenly drove away, after loitering in the area for some time.  The vehicle was stopped and troopers saw two square number stickers on the console.  After Artis consented to a search of his vehicle, the troopers seized nine false inspection stickers and two bags containing stickers used to produce the inspection stickers.

Deputy Attorney General Jane Khodarkovsky presented the case to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau.  She also took the guilty pleas from Artis and Mason.  The investigation was conducted by members of the State Police Official Corruption Bureau under the supervision of Detective Sgt. Kenneth Lutz, Detective Sgt. David Lysek and Detective Sgt. Danyel Barnes.  Detective Patrick Squitieri, Trooper Martin Halligan and Trooper Thomas Donnelly assisted in the investigation.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Gerald J. Council in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Essex County, where the defendants will be ordered to appear in court at a later date for arraignment.  The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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