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Former Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Investigator Sworn in as Acting Morris County Prosecutor

Morris County

In a ceremony at the Morris County Administration Building on Wednesday, former New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice James R. Zazzali administered the oath of office to Acting Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll.

Also sworn in were Special Deputy Attorney General/ Acting First Assistant Prosecutor Thomas A. Zelante and Special State Investigator/Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker.

Both First Assistant Prosecutor Zelante and Chief Kimker held their positions prior to the appointment of the Acting Prosecutor.

Acting Prosecutor Carroll said, “I am deeply honored by this appointment. I sincerely appreciate the trust and faith of Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal in enabling me to lead the MCPO, which has always enjoyed a reputation for professionalism and fairness.

I look forward to working with our dedicated State, County, and local law enforcement agencies and with the input and support of our communities, I pledge to work together to resolve any divisive societal challenges that have been confronting all levels of government.”

Prior to this appointment as Acting Morris County Prosecutor, Robert J. Carroll had served since 2018 as Director of the Law Department for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the largest toll road authority in North America.

He previously served as Acting Sussex County Prosecutor.

Carroll was appointed in 1986 to Supervising Deputy Attorney General, Organized Crime and Racketeering Task Force at the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, being prompted to task force Chief/Assistant Attorney General in 1989.

In that capacity, Carroll investigated and prosecuted major New Jersey criminal enterprises and public corruption.

Among the convictions of major figures, Carroll’s unit investigated and he secured a conviction of the infamous “Iceman” killer, Richard Kuklinski, and prosecuted the hierarchy of the Lucchese Crime Family.

Carroll also served as an Assistant Prosecutor/Supervisor of Organized Crime and Special Prosecutions Section and County Investigator at the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Aside from public service, Carroll also engaged in the private practice of law between 1993 and 2018, a partner at Michael & Carroll, P.C., a law firm based in Point Pleasant, and as a partner at Brown, Michael & Carroll, P.C., a law firm based in Atlantic City. In the private practice, Carroll represented New Jersey labor unions, as well as major corporations and federally- recognized Tribes in the gaming industry in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

He helped establish new gaming regulatory systems, developed governmental infrastructures such as police departments, compliance units, judicial systems and drafted regulatory codes, regulations, statutes, ordinances and laws.

He served as Vice President of Compliance at Foxwoods, the largest casino in gaming history.

From 2013 through 2015, he led a team of investigators to establish a completely new gaming jurisdiction and launch a new agency, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Carroll has acted as an instructor for a number of law enforcement institutions, including the New Jersey State Police Academy and Essex County Police Academy, and served as a member of such organizations like the International Association of Gaming Regulators and Chitimacha Tribal Court.

Carroll earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Wake Forest University where he was a scholarship football player.

He holds a J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law. He also holds an Executive Certificate for Leadership Development from Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations.

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