Somerset County prosecutor to be replaced next month

Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano will leave his position on March 7 and will be replaced by a federal prosecutor, Gov. Chris Christie's office said in a statement Thursday.

“Geoffrey Soriano will be departing the position of Somerset County Prosecutor.  He will be succeeded by Basking Ridge resident Michael Robertson," the Governor's office said in a statement. "Mr. Robertson is a seasoned attorney with over a dozen years of experience in private practice and as a prosecutor, including the last eight years as an Assistant United States Attorney. Robertson will begin in that position on March 7.”

The governor's office would not offer any additional comment on the reason for Soriano's departure from his post.

The announcement comes on the heels of a letter released to the public Wednesday by the “Friends of John & Joyce Sheridan.” The group of more than 200 New Jerseyans - including three former governors - is calling for investigators to re-open the case involving the Sept. 28, 2014 deaths of John Sheridan — CEO of Cooper Hospital and a highly politically connected former state transportation commissioner — and his wife. The exact cause of their deaths has been an ongoing cause for speculation.

The couple's sons as well as many friends and family members have maintained that the cause of death involved foul play while the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office released findings indicating that Sheridan killed his wife then took his own life.

Sen Christopher 'Kip' Bateman, (R-16), a close friend of Soriano's, told MyCentralJersey.com he spoke to Christie, who assured him that the ongoing controversy involving the Sheridan case was not a factor.

But Bateman, who recommended Soriano for the position, told New Jersey Advance Media, "The governor said it didn't but the timing is just too coincidental. There was the letter signed by so many prominent people. I'm just disappointed. I think (Soriano) did an outstanding job. He did the best he could with the Sheridan investigation. If it came down to that, it's wrong."

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor for news at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.