FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mayor James P. Dodd
jdautomotive@optonline.com

MAYOR JAMES P. DODD CALLS ON DOVER FIRST 4TH WARD ALDERMAN CANDIDATE CARLOS VALENCIA TO STEP DOWN AFTER REVELATION THAT VALENCIA IS A TWO-TIME FELON

DOVER, NJ—October 5, 2018 – Dover Mayor James P. Dodd, today, is calling on Dover First Alderman candidate Carlos Valencia to step down as a candidate for 4th Ward Alderman after it was recently revealed that Valencia is a two-time felon.

On May 5, 2005, Carlos A. Valencia was arrested by the Morris Township Police Department and charged with theft, a crime of the 4th degree, for stealing $331.00 in cash from the collection basket at St. Virgil’s Roman Catholic Church (see documents at doverliarsrevealed.com).

Mr. Valencia was admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) Program under the following conditions: 12 months supervised probation, 100 hours community service, $200 in fees, and no contact with St. Virgil’s Church.

On November 9, 2005, less than three months after being admitted into the PTI Program, Mr. Valencia was arrested again, this time for engaging in an ongoing criminal scheme in Rockaway Township. Mr. Valencia had been hired as a handy-man by an elderly township man to do some work around the man’s house. Mr. Valencia befriended the man, obtained his confidence, and eventually gained access to his personal documents inside his home. Over a six-month period between May and October 2005, Mr. Valencia stole, forged and cashed 14 of the man’s personal checks, totaling $6,348.45.

Mr. Valencia also stole the man’s vehicle title to his Dodge pickup truck and falsified it by re-titling it in his own name, so he could illegally take ownership of the vehicle (see documents at doverliarsrevealed.com).

Once the scheme was discovered, Mr. Valencia was arrested by Rockaway Township Police and charged with committing 14 acts of Theft by Unlawful Taking and Forgery for stealing and cashing the checks, and Theft by Deception and Falsifying Records for stealing and altering the vehicle title, all crimes of the 3rd degree.

Fortunately for Mr. Valencia, in a February 8, 2006 deal with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, he was able to plead guilty to the church theft, the check theft and forgery charges (the vehicle title charges were dismissed as part of the deal). He was subsequently sentenced to 2 years’ probation, $6,348.45 restitution to the elderly victim and 100 hours community service.

According to Mayor Dodd, “Carlos Valencia’s crimes shock the conscience. Based upon his criminal record, he is unfit to hold elected office or safeguard the public trust. How can the public trust someone who stole from the elderly and from the church collection plate for the poor?”

Valencia, has been endorsed by:

Boss Chip Robinson and the Morris County Democratic Committee, Inc.;
Tom Malinowski, candidate for U.S. Congress for the 7th Congressional District;
Ed Correa and the Dover First Organization;
Dover Democratic Committee;
Tim Downs and the Dover for Dover Organization;
Sandra Wittner, Dover First Alderwoman Candidate for the First Ward;
Humberto Quinones, Dover First Alderman Candidate for the Second Ward;
Carolyn Blackman, Alderwoman for the Third Ward;
Action Together NJ; and
Michael Soriano, Mayor of Parsippany.

Valencia is the latest Dover First member revealed to have a criminal record, joining Fernando Barrios and Dominic Timpani.

Mayor Dodd added “I’m just curious if Chip and the rest of the politicians who endorsed this guy and the others knew they were endorsing a gang of criminals. Perhaps they should have done their homework and exercised better judgement. Dover deserves better. Maybe it’s time for Boss Chip to step down.”

Mayor Dodd concluded, “As the standard bearer for the New Jersey Democratic party, I am also calling on Governor Murphy to get involved.”