Former Hoboken Parking Chief Sentenced for Misconduct

The former head of the Hoboken Parking Utility has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for his role in a scheme to steal $600,000 in parking meter revenue.

John P. Corea also must pay $300,000 in restitution to Hoboken and will be permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey under the sentence imposed Monday. He must serve three years before becoming eligible for parole.

The 48-year-old Corea had pleaded guilty last December to official misconduct. He admitted steering no-bid contracts to a Toms River contractor to collect coins from the parking meters, then looking the other way when he discovered the contractor was stealing.

The contractor, Brian A. Petaccio of Toms River, pleaded guilty in 2009 to stealing a total of more than $1.1 million.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)