4-Year Sentence For Disclosing Confidential Info

Despite some mitigating circumstances, a New Jersey judge has sentenced a former Dover (NJ) police dispatcher to four years in prison for disclosing confidential information to his relatives. In a plea deal, Manny Santana III, 39, admitted giving out the name of a crime witness, several criminal histories and vehicle registrations over his six years on the job. He also admitted improperly funneling business to a tow company and receiving discounted services in exchange. Morris County prosecutor Robert Bianchi said, “This significant sentence should serve to send the message that public officials will be harshly dealt with when they violate their obligations to the public.” Bianchi said no criminal investigations were jeopardized by Santana’s actions, so the judge allowed parole within two years. In exchange for his guilty plea, Santana was charged with only a single count of official misconduct. He resigned last year after being charged. Read more about the plea deal here.