Part-Time NJ Prosecutor Facing Bribery Charge

A part-time municipal court prosecutor in northern New Jersey is facing bribery charges after being arrested in a courthouse sting.

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio tells The Jersey Journal that 42-year-old Rakesh Desai was arrested Monday in Bayonne Municipal Court after he allegedly solicited and accepted a $500 cash bribe from a defendant.

The Lincoln Park man could face 10 years in prison if convicted. Officials say Desai handled cases in Bayonne and Secaucus, serving when the prosecutors' in those towns were unavailable.

DeFazio says a preliminary investigation determined Desai was meeting with defendants before court appearances and soliciting cash payments. In return, he would agree to lower their fines or have their charged reduced or dismissed.

A phone message left for Desai late Monday afternoon was not returned.

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