Three New Jersey sheriff’s officers have been accused of stealing several pairs of high-end sneakers while executing a search warrant at a drug suspect’s home.
The alleged theft happened in January 2023 when Kirk Mansook, of East Orange, was arrested on minor narcotics charges, Essex County prosecutors said Friday. After he was released and returned to his apartment, Mansook discovered “multiple boxes of high-end sneakers and a designer belt” were missing.
Surveillance video later revealed that Essex County sheriff’s officers Jimmy Rodriguez, 39, and Fabian Caicedo, 45, removed the belt and Nike shoes while executing the warrant, “placed them in plastic bags, and loaded them in their work vehicle.”
Rodriguez and a third officer, 44-year-old Erik Udvarhely, later transferred the items to their personal vehicles, authorities said.
All three officers were charged on Thursday and suspended without pay per attorney general guidelines, the prosecutor’s office told the Daily News.
Rodriguez has been charged with third-degree theft and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. Caicedo has been charged with third-degree theft for helping remove the items from the home, while Udvarhely is charged with third-degree receiving stolen property.
Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II said the investigation highlights his office’s commitment to transparency.
“No one is above the law and when law enforcement officers betray the public trust, they will be held responsible,” Stephens said in a statement.
