Sea Bright Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding FEMA’s Transitional Shelter Program

A Sea Bright man will soon learn his fate after confessing to fraudulently staying in hotels on the Federal Government's dime after Superstorm Sandy.  52-year-old William Nagle pleaded guilty to one count of Theft by Deception in Monmouth County Court in Freehold Tuesday.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni says investigators estimate that Nagle defrauded FEMA out of over $12,000 in Transitional Shelter Assistance grant money when he spent 68 nights in various hotels in 2013.

Nagle was arrested as part of an investigation by the Monmouth County Superstorm Sandy Fraud Task Force with the cooperation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He was charged with exploiting the FEMA program between January 14th and March 23rd, 2013 despite having received a Certificate of Occupancy to return to his apartment on December 29th, 2012.

As part of his plea agreement with this Office, the State will recommend the Court impose a probationary sentence conditioned upon 68 days in jail, and restitution totaling $12,114.25, when he is sentenced by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Ronald Lee Reisner, J.S.C. on April 17, 2014.