Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said today that an Edison Township police officer has been indicted for official misconduct, hindering prosecution, tampering with evidence and obstruction of a criminal investigation.
Officials say Nicholas R. Lunetta, 31, an Edison Police Officer from Scotch Plains, was charged with two counts of official misconduct in the second degree, one count of hindering prosecution in the third degree, one count of tampering with physical evidence in the fourth degree, and one count of obstruction of the administration of law – a criminal investigation, a fourth-degree crime.
The indictment was handed up following a presentation to the grand jury by Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Anny Lopez.
Lunetta was indicted following an investigation by the Edison Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit in conjunction with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation determined that from March 20 to April 28, 2018, Lunetta tampered with and destroyed evidence that he believed would be included in a pending official proceeding or investigation.
He remains suspended from the Edison Police Department without pay as a result of the criminal charges brought against him.
The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Captain Kenneth M. Schreck of the Edison Police Department at (732) 248-7400, or Detective Joseph Chesseri of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732)745- 4335.
As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Lunetta are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.