Sea Bright cop accused of stalking, harassing ex-girlfriend
FREEHOLD – A Sea Bright police officer was arrested and charged with a series of crimes he allegedly committed against an ex-girlfriend, including stalking, making terroristic threats and cyber harassment, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Friday.
Erich A. Bennett, 46, of Sea Bright is charged with second-degree pattern of official misconduct, two counts of second-degree official misconduct, two counts of third-degree computer theft, third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree making terroristic threats, fourth-degree cyber harassment, fourth-degree hindering apprehension, fourth-degree identity theft and fourth-degree stalking, according to the announcement.
An investigation revealed that Bennett and the victim, an adult woman, were in a brief relationship that the victim ended late last November, Santiago said. On Dec. 5, Bennett showed up unannounced to the woman's residence and threatened her with physical harm, prompting her to block him from contacting her electronically and to install security cameras outside her home, according to the release.
On Jan. 8, the victim started to receive harassing and threatening messages on social media from an online persona, Santiago said, which the investigation connected to Bennett.
The next weekend, as she was leaving her home, she noticed all of her car tires had been slashed, the news release said. Then, over the course of the weekend, she saw that her car had been keyed, a flagpole was torn off the front of her house and her Ring doorbell camera and two other security cameras had been removed.
The investigation placed Bennett in the area of the victim’s residence at the suspected time of the incidents, Santiago said.
The investigation also found that from October 2022 through January 2023, Bennett had accessed law-enforcement databases on more than 30 occasions for non-law-enforcement purposes, said Santiago. Bennett had specifically been accessing personal identifying information of the victim and other people she knew.
Bennett was arrested without incident on Jan. 25, and is in the Monmouth County jail pending a detention hearing, scheduled to take place on Feb. 6 in Monmouth County Superior Court, according to the press release. The Prosecutor’s Office has filed a motion to keep him detained pending the resolution of the criminal case against him.
“We acknowledge that when incidents such as this occur, the trust bestowed to us by our residents and governing body may be called into question," Sea Bright Police Chief Brett M. Friedman said. "But know that the Sea Bright Police Department is dedicated to providing the highest level of service to all we are called to serve.”
Bennett is currently suspended without pay from his job as a Sea Bright police officer, said Santiago.
“The facts of this case highlight a pattern of disturbing behavior,” Santiago said. “When a law-enforcement officer so egregiously harms a member of the very public they are sworn to protect and serve, it necessitates a swift and diligent investigation and apprehension.”
The Prosecutor's Office is asking anyone who has information about Bennett’s activities to contact MCPO Detective Ryan Mahony at 800-533-7443.
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 police officer arrested for stalking, harassing ex
