By: Richard L. Smith
A former Paterson zoning inspector has been sentenced to state prison for his role in a scheme that provided fraudulent city permits to applicants in exchange for money.
According to information released by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Jose Fermin, 54, of Prospect Park, was sentenced Friday to three years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Sohail Mohammed in Passaic County.
Fermin was also ordered to forfeit public employment and is permanently barred from holding public office or employment in New Jersey. He pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to commit official misconduct.
State investigators said the scheme operated from approximately December 2020 through February 2022.
Fermin and others allegedly arranged for people seeking Paterson zoning permits to receive illegitimate permits and other fraudulent documents, some bearing the forged signature of the city’s Planning and Zoning Director.
Authorities said some applicants were told they could obtain permits without submitting required building plans.
Fermin then received payments in exchange for producing the fraudulent documents.
Two other defendants previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced.
Jose Juan Guerrero-Cruz, 46, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, received three years of non-custodial probation, while Alfonlly Monegro-Camilo, 28, of Paterson, was sentenced to two years of non-custodial probation.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said the case demonstrated how public corruption can financially harm residents and undermine confidence in government.
Officials noted that investigators found no evidence indicating the fraudulent permit scheme resulted in unsafe structures that placed the public at risk.
The case was investigated by the New Jersey Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.