Former first-aider gets probation in theft case

FREEHOLD - On March 16, state Superior Court Judge Paul F. Chaiet, sitting in Freehold, sentenced Charles Yaeger, 28, of Freehold Borough, to two years probation on charges of official misconduct and theft stemming from the former first-aider's theft of approximately $2,500 in supplies from the Farming-dale-Howell First Aid Squad.

Yaeger had previously pled guilty to those charges on Jan. 22.

According to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, an investigation by the New Jersey State Police led to the arrest and ultimate conviction of Yaeger, a volunteer at the Far-mingdale-Howell First Aid Squad.

On March 14, 2006, the state police received a call from representatives of the first aid squad, headquartered on West Main Street, Farmingdale, regar-ding the stolen supplies.

The squad had originally purchased the items at Lowe's in February 2006 and after several weeks of being unable to locate the supplies the squad representatives determined they had been stolen from the office.

Lowe's informed the first aid squad that some of its supplies had been returned to the store for a cash refund of $161.58, according to the prosecutor's office.

The New Jersey State Police reviewed the Lowe's security tapes and subsequently identified Yaeger as the person who had returned the stolen items and received a cash refund. Further investigation revealed that Yaeger had pawned other items stolen from the first aid squad for cash.

As a condition of his probation, Yaeger was ordered to maintain full-time em-ployment and to pay $2,500 restitution to the Farmingdale-Howell First Aid Squad.

In addition, Chaiet entered an order forfeiting Yaeger's position as a first aid volunteer at the Farmingdale-Howell First Aid Squad. Chaiet also ordered that Yaeger be forever disqualified from holding any position of public office.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said, "The sentence imposed by the court ensures that the Farmingdale-Howell community will be made whole as a result of the restitution Yaeger must pay. This sentence also guarantees that Yaeger, now permanently barred from holding any public office, will no longer be in a position to take advantage of the public's trust for his own financial gain."