3 guilty of taking bribes start federal prison terms

With Tuesday's incarcerations, 15 Bid Rig defendants ? both public officials and businessmen ? have either served time behind bars or are currently imprisoned.

Operation Bid Rig became Operation Big House for three more Monmouth County public officials who reported to federal prisons in Pennsylvania and West Virginia Tuesday to begin serving jail sentences for extorting bribes.

The three ? former Keyport Mayor John Merla, and former county officials Anthony Palughi and Joseph McCurnin ? join six other ex-officials from around the county now behind bars for crimes committed during the FBI undercover investigation code-named Operation Bid Rig.

Another two former mayors snared in that FBI operation ? former Ocean Township Mayor Terrance D. Weldon and former Brick Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli ? are scheduled to begin serving federal prison sentences later this month.

When they do, it will bring to 17 the number of Bid Rig defendants ? both public officials and businessmen ? who have spent time in prison, or are currently incarcerated. Merla, 46, arrived at the federal prison in Lewisburg, Pa., at 10:31 a.m. to begin serving a 22-month sentence, according to a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Prisons.

He pleaded guilty to accepting a $2,500 bribe from an FBI informant posing as a demolition contract in the Bid Rig investigation. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.

Palughi, 71, the former superintendent of the Monmouth County Division of Bridges and a confidant of the late Freeholder Director Harry Larrison Jr., reported to the federal facility in Schuylkill, Pa., at 12:12 p.m.

Palughi, who cooperated with the FBI during the late stages of Operation Bid Rig, was sentenced to eight months in prison and fined $7,000 after admitting that he accepted bribes from undercover FBI agents.

Joseph "Joey Buses" McCurnin, the former operations manager for the county Department of Transportation, reported to federal prison in Morgantown, W.Va., at 11:17 a.m. to begin serving a three-month sentence.

McCurnin, 66, admitted to helping arrange a $1,500 bribe from an FBI undercover company to Richard Iadanza, a former Neptune committeeman. McCurnin was fined $3,000.

4 imprisoned recently

Over the past several weeks, four additional Bid Rig defendants began serving time in federal prison. They are:

Paul Zambrano, 51, the former mayor of West Long Branch.
Zambrano, who admitted accepting a $2,500 bribe, reported to federal prison on Dec. 28. He is incarcerated at McKean Federal Correctional Institute, a medium security facility housing male inmates near Bradford in northwest Pennsylvania. Sentenced to 12 months and one day, he is projected to be released Nov. 10, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

John Zambrano, 45, a former Long Branch councilman and Paul Zambrano's brother.
John Zambrano, who admitted taking a $1,000 bribe ? passed to him by his brother, Paul ? reported to prison Dec. 10.
He is incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, which is an administrative facility that houses male and female inmates. Sentenced to four months, he is projected to be released April 8, 2008.

Richard Iadanza, 52, a former committeeman in Neptune.
Iadanza admitted accepting $3,000 in two cash payments and reported to federal prison Dec. 10.
He is assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution Ashland in northeastern Kentucky, a low-security institution housing male inmates with a satellite camp that houses minimum-security inmates. Also sentenced to four months, Iadanza is expected to be released April 8, 2008.

Robert Feldman, 50, a former salesman for International Trucks of Central Jersey in Howell.
Feldman, of Brick, pleaded guilty to mail fraud in relation to a bribe and was sentenced to four months and a $10,000 fine.
On Jan. 3, he reported to prison at Fort Dix, Burlington County, which is a low-security facility housing male inmates. He is expected to be released May 1, 2008.


In your voice
Read reactions to this story

nagirroh wrote:

Why doesn't the article state whether they are democrats or republicans.
1/9/2008 8:38:08 PM


serendipitydo wrote:

honeybaby - Did they or their families have sympathy for us while they were stealing and spending our hard earned money? As long as the corrupt politicians keep their hands in the cookie jar, the newspapers will never run out of stories.
1/9/2008 7:54:16 PM


DAVE77 wrote:

What I always liked about this story from the very beginning is that people think these CRIMINALS committed the crimes once and by some miracle they got caught. Anyone following the story knows these activities have been going on for years and years. Over 10 years ago Merla was charged with similar charges but managed to get out of it. This criminal activity has cost the residents of Keyport untold thousands of dollars that we'll never get back. For the Merla family they have plenty of money and properties in town. Funny how things work.
1/9/2008 7:45:33 PM


charley wrote:

Not easy for their families...I do agree it must be a major inconvenience to the personal households. It is also an inconvenience to households within the districts that obviously paid inflated tax bills because of the corruption. If we were actually able to stamp out corruption....how much would we save? No-ones bill is going down so I am not sure we are there yet. Between taxes and insurance and corruption...NJ families are suffering.
1/9/2008 6:36:21 PM


DAVE77 wrote:

I for one am very happy to hear this news. Too freakin bad for the friends of these low life thieves. Merla robbed money from the TOWN THAT THEY WORKED FOR and supposedly loved all the while insisting he was innocent and that the truth would come out. Well it did. After his term he pleaded guilty and stuck it to everyone who wanted to believe he would never misuse our trust. Now, Everyone who behind these CONVICTED CRIMINALS should just shut up and let them due their time and allow us town folk, who are still insulted by the the conduct and the lies that they swore they were innocent. I knew the town seemed brighter today
1/9/2008 5:47:53 PM


kevinb wrote:

No way keep the stories coming. Every time a town official Says its necessary to raise taxes maybe he will look in his own Back yard first. We need to see what a bunch of scumbags we have in NJ. And lets make sure we follow up on there pensions and benefits Learn from history or repeat the mistakes
1/9/2008 5:13:48 PM


honeybaby wrote:

Are the newspapers running out of stories I am sure all involved are aware of their crimes and are paying for it. Have some sympathy for their families. You keep bringing up old news start the new year off wilth something different. LEAVE IT ALONE ALREADY
1/9/2008 9:19:22 AM

http://app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AI ... /newsfront