Wall police sergeant admits $115K theft from police union, football league

FREEHOLD - A suspended Wall police sergeant on Wednesday admitted stealing more than $115,000 from a local Pop Warner football league and his own police union, including money that had been raised for various charities.

James R. Cadigan had his back to the courtroom gallery where about a dozen of his fellow officers were seated as he pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at a hearing before Superior Court Judge Christie L. Bevacqua.

Cadigan, 41, a member of the Wall police force since 2005, admitted stealing $91,486 from the Wall Township Policemen's Benevolent Association, which he formerly served as president, and $24,153 from Wall American Youth Football, a Pop Warner organization where he served as a coach.

The money stolen included funds raised to benefit charities, including Special Olympics and the Susan G. Komen Foundation to support breast cancer patients and research, Cadigan admitted.

Cadigan even admitted raising $10,000 in an online fundraiser to benefit the family of a close friend who had suffered a brain aneurysm, but giving the family only a portion of that and, when they asked about the remainder, paying them with money stolen from the PBA.

Melanie Falco, an assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, said the state will recommend that Cadigan be sentenced to five years in prison if he makes full restitution by his sentencing date. If not, the state will recommend an 8-year prison term, she said.

Cadigan's attorney, Mitchell Ansell, said his client already has repaid most of the stolen funds.

Bevacqua scheduled Cadigan's sentencing for March 14.

Cadigan, who has been suspended without pay from the force since he was first charged a year ago, permanently forfeited his $158,540-a-year job and any chance for future public employment. The judge signed the forfeiture order during the hearing.

Cadigan's criminal activities were outlined during the hearing through a series of questions posed by Ansell and answered by the defendant. They established that Cadigan, while serving as president of the PBA local, stole money from the union raised in 2022 at its annual picnic. Proceeds of the picnic were supposed to benefit Special Olympics. It included $5.904 in cash that was collected on the day of the picnic, which detectives located in the closet of Cadigan's home in November 2022.

Cadigan, in answering Ansell's questions, also admitted stealing $57,221 from the PBA's bank account through cash withdrawals and checks he wrote to himself .

He said he used the football league's debit card to make numerous purchases at Amazon, Home Depot and other retailers. Cadigan acknowledged some of the things he bought using the card included home improvement materials, landscaping equipment, holiday decorations, electronics and an inflatable movie screen.

He admitted he pocketed more than $3,000 that was raised through a football game he organized to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Wall Police Chief Sean O'Halloran was among police officers who attended the hearing. He said the officers who attended the hearing were there to support the prosecutor - not Cadigan.

"The actions of this officer completely go against what we stand for,'' O'Halloran said.

"Police officers are held to a higher standard and, while employed as a police officer, James Cadigan violated the oath he swore to uphold and the trust that was placed in him by his fellow officers, civilian staff and Police Benevolent Association,'' O'Halloran said.

"To the people of Wall Township, James Cadigan's actions do not reflect the integrity, commitment and professionalism of the women and men of the Wall Township Police Department,'' the chief said. "We are committed to building your trust and providing you with the best public safety services possible.''

O'Halloran thanked the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office for its investigation into the thefts and commended the Wall police officers who reported the crimes immediately upon discovering them, "even when it involved one of their fellow officers.''

Following the hearing, Ansell issued an apology on behalf of his client.

"James Cadigan wants to sincerely apologize to the Wall PBA, the Wall AYF (football league) and all the residents of Wall Township for the mistakes he has made,'' Ansell said. "His intention in accepting responsibility here today and agreeing to make full restitution prior to sentencing is to hopefully allow people to begin the healing process and put these matters behind them.''

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Wall police sergeant admits stealing from Pop Warner, police charities