20-year Sea Bright police veteran pleads guilty to stalking ex, slashing her tires

Jenna Calderón, Asbury Park Press
·2 min read
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FREEHOLD - A former Sea Bright police officer admitted to a series of crimes against his ex-girlfriend, including stalking, disabling security cameras on her home and slashing her car tires, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Wednesday.

Erich A. Bennett, 47, pleaded guilty to third-degree computer theft, third-degree criminal mischief, fourth-degree hindering apprehension and fourth-degree stalking, Santiago said.

Bennett — a 20-year veteran of the Sea Bright Police — admitted that between October 2022 and January 2023, he engaged in activity that would put the victim in fear, including disabling security cameras on the outside of her home, slashing her tires and keying her car, Santiago said. He also admitted to driving by her home and threatening her with physical harm, both in person and through a fake social media account.

Following the breakup, Bennett also showed up at the victim's home unannounced, wanting to talk, an assistant prosecutor told a Superior Court judge during court proceedings. At the end of the conversation, Bennett told her “Well, now I have to cut off your clitoris and slash your face."

Erich A. Bennett, a Sea Bright police officer, appears before Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon via video from the jail Monday, February 6. 2023. He is charged with official misconduct, stalking, cyber harassment, terroristic threats and other crimes related to an ex-girlfriend.
Erich A. Bennett, a Sea Bright police officer, appears before Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon via video from the jail Monday, February 6. 2023. He is charged with official misconduct, stalking, cyber harassment, terroristic threats and other crimes related to an ex-girlfriend.

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While on duty with the Sea Bright Police Department, he also used law enforcement databases to conduct unauthorized lookups of the victim and four of her associates without any real law enforcement purpose, the prosecutor said.

Bennett was arrested without incident in late January and remains at the Monmouth County jail pending court proceedings, according to Santiago. With the guilty plea, Bennett has permanently forfeited the right to hold any public office in New Jersey.

The sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 3, at which time the state intends to recommend a sentence of five years in state prison, Santiago said. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Bennett would also have to submit to surrender of his privately owned firearms, a permanent restraining order barring him from contact with the victim and restitution in the amount of nearly $4,800.

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Jenna Calderón covers breaking news and cold cases in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Before coming to the Press, she covered The Queen City for Cincinnati Magazine in Ohio. Contact her at 330-590-3903; jcalderon@gannettnj.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Sea Bright NJ: Former cop pleads guilty to stalking, threatening ex