Two Plead Guilty in Cinnaminson Sewerage Authority Scandal

Two former Cinnaminson Sewerage Authority (CSA) employees have pleaded guilty to using their positions for personal financial gain, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.

Brothers Carmelo Colon, 28, of Dartmouth Avenue, Cinnaminson, and Mike Colon, 24, of Morgan Avenue, Cinnaminson, were part of wide-ranging scheme that investigators estimate cost Cinnaminson taxpayers more than $100,000 in corruption and stolen resources.

The Colons each pleaded guilty to one count of official misconduct. Under the terms of their plea agreements, they will each be sentenced to five years in state prison and must serve two years before being eligible for parole.

Sentencing for both defendants is set for Nov. 15.

Following a lengthy investigation into corruption at the CSA, 10 individuals, including seven CSA employees, were arrested in February 2012 on charges that included stealing equipment, creating fraudulent invoices to order items such as televisions, grills and motorcycle parts for personal use, and operating a private business that used materials and supplies paid for by the authority.

The Colons are the only defendants to plead guilty thus far. Carmelo Colon’s charge involves operating a private enterprise on company time, the prosecutor’s office said. Mike Colon was charged with obtaining items for personal use.

Two of the other defendants in the case have died since charges were filed. Former superintendent Paul Phillips, of Cinnaminson, died Feb. 15—one year to the day after he was arrested—at the age of 54. The cause of death was not disclosed. Carmelo Colon was Phillips’ son-in-law.

Joseph Lehman, a subcontractor with the authority who was charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft, died Oct. 13, 2012, in a motorcycle crash in Cherry Hill. He was 27.

Charges are still pending against the following individuals:

• CSA assistant superintendent William Yannarella, 53, of Ithaca Avenue, Delran. Charged with two counts of official misconduct, two counts of conspiracy to commit official misconduct, theft, conspiracy to commit theft, corruption of public resources, conspiracy – corruption of public resources.

• CSA operator Jeffrey Lehman, 22, of Nassau Road, Cinnaminson. Charged with three counts of official misconduct, three counts of conspiracy to commit official misconduct, three counts of theft, two counts of conspiracy to commit theft and corruption of public resources.

• Joseph J. Lehman Jr., 62, of Nassau Road, Cinnaminson. Charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft.

• CSA part-time employee Scott Mayes Jr., 21, of Dartmouth Drive, Delran. Charged with corruption of public resources and conspiracy – corruption of public resources.

• CSA employee Scott Mayes, 53, of Dartmouth Drive in Delran. Charged with one count of theft of services.

Among other accusations, the investigation revealed that Phillips, Yannarella, Jeffrey Lehman and Carmelo Colon operated a private environmental company, identified as J&B Environmental Services, that provided sewer maintenance to the Wyndham Hotel in Mount Laurel—often during regular work hours and using parts and supplies paid for by the CSA, according to the prosecutor’s office.

The investigation further revealed that Phillips reportedly used CSA funds to fraudulently order items for his and other CSA employees’ personal use from a business in Camden known as Contractor Services. The fraud was perpetrated with the help of a sales manager at the business, the prosecutor's office said. No charges have been filed yet against that person.

All told, corruption at the sewerage authority cost taxpayers more than $100,000 in stolen public resources, according to the prosecutor's office.

For more coverage of the Cinnaminson Sewerage Authority scandal, see: 

• BREAKING: Cinnaminson Sewerage Authority Employees Arrested
• Prosecutor: Corruption at Sewerage Authority Cost Taxpayers More Than $100,000
• Two More Relatives Charged in Sewer Authority Scandal
• Eighth Man Arrested in Sewerage Authority Theft Case
• Termination Notices Sent to Arrested Sewerage Authority Employees
• Questions on Sewer Authority's Powers, Role Arise After Corruption Scandal
• Sewerage Authority Has Nepotism Policy, But Was It Violated?
• Stronger Controls Promised After Alleged Sewerage Authority Fraud
• Sewer Authority Commissioners Pass Stringent Ethics, Nepotism Policies
• Sewerage Authority Employees Slapped with More Charges
• Township Committee to Discuss Vehicle Tracking System After Sewerage Authority Scam
• Ethics Board: Does Cinnaminson Need One?
• Man Charged in Sewerage Authority Scandal Dies in Accident
• Former Cinnaminson Sewerage Authority Superintendent Dies