Crooked lieutenant helped himself to confiscated drugs, NJ officials say

☑️ Lt. Kevin T. Matthew is accused of removing evidence from storage

☑️ He returned it in different condition than when it was taken

☑️ Matthew kept razor blades and cocaine residue in his office

A detective with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office was charged with stealing drug evidence from storage.

Kevin T. Matthew, 47, of Cedar Grove, removed the drugs from storage without authorization and returned the evidence in conditions "substantially different" when he signed it out between October 2022 and November 2023, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability said.

Matthew also kept razor blades with cocaine residue in his office, and structured cash deposits at banks to avoid transaction reporting requirements, according to Platkin.

The evidence Matthew allegedly removed was not stored properly for temperature or in an approved temporary storage area, according to Platkin. The handling of the evidence has compromised the chain of command and their reliability as evidence.

Matthew has been on leave from the Prosecutor's Office since Nov. 3.

Matthew was charged with official misconduct, tampering with physical evidence, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and structuring financial transactions.

“As alleged, the defendant’s conduct constitutes a shocking and brazen disregard of the law by a high-ranking officer who was sworn to uphold the law,” Platkin said. “Serving in law enforcement is a position of public trust. If officers illegally break that trust, we will hold them accountable.”

Matthew was honored in February during Black History Month. According to a post on the agency's Facebook page he started his career in law enforcement as a patrol officer with Newark police.

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