Ritacco Sentencing Postponed

The sentencing of former Superintendent Michael Ritacco is postponed, and no new date has been set.

According to the case docket, a court clerk's note entered June 11 says the sentencing is postponed.

The sentencing of former Toms River Regional was originally scheduled for July 12, before U.S. District Court Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton.

Ritacco plead guity April 5 to two of the 27 charges he was facing, and admitted his role in years of corruption at the school district, where as much as $2.5 million in bribes were allegedly passed between Ritacco, insurance brokers and intermediaries.

He pleaded guilty to mail fraud and conspiracy to impede the IRS. Ritacco could face 11 to 14 years jail time, according to sentencing guidelines.

As part of the plea Ritacco will forfeit $1 million dollars, his 2010 Mercedes e550, and $8,960 from his home found as part of an FBI raid.

The man also charged in the Ritacco indictment, Francis X. Gartland, was originally scheduled to be sentenced July 9. Last month, the sentencing date was rescheduled, and then also postponed without another date named for sentencing.

On April 2, Gartland plead guilty to four charges: mail fraud, conspiracy to defraud the IRS and perjury in the Ritacco case.

Gartland admitted to his role with co-conspirators who paid $1 million to $2 million in bribes to Ritacco in exchange for inflated insurance contracts from 2002 to 2010, according to U.S. District Attorney Paul Fishman.

Gartland faces sentencing for charges elsewhere, such as out of South Amboy. Sentencing for those charges is also postponed with no new sentencing date set, according to the court docket.