BREAKING: Wildwood Officials Indicted in Health Benefits Case

WILDWOOD – Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron, Commissioner Steve Mikulski and former Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. have each been charged in a 12-count indictment, accusing them of illegally accepting health benefits from the city, the Herald is reporting exclusively. 
Prosecutors alleged the three elected officials were not entitled to benefits during their tenure as public servants because they were not full-time employees. The state also alleged that while serving as elected officials, they falsified timecards to make it appear as though they worked full days, Monday through Friday.
The indictment, which was obtained by the Herald, was filed March 10. The document charged each of the three with the same four crimes: Second-degree official misconduct, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, third-degree tampering with public records, and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. 
The three men were originally charged in June 2022 with only the theft and tampering with public records charges. They appeared in court to answer to those charges in October 2022. 
Troiano received the benefits from July 2011 through December 2019, billing a total of $286,500 to the city and State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), court records indicate. Byron was covered for $608,900 in premiums and claims from July 2011 through October 2021, according to records.
Although Mikulski did not join the city government until 2020, over $103,000 in premiums and claims were paid on his behalf between January 2020 and October 2021, according to court documents.
Since 2010, New Jersey law has required elected officials to be full-time employees “whose hours of work are fixed at 35 or more per week” in their elected positions to be eligible to participate in the SHBP and receive employer-provided health care. 
After none of the three defendants were able to reach a plea agreement with prosecutors, the state presented the case to a grand jury, who returned a true bill, which is a bill of indictment found by a grand jury to be supported by sufficient evidence to justify the hearing of a case. 
When reached for comment March 16, Troiano said he would respond to a reporter after work. He was not able to be reached prior to publication.  
Byron did not immediately return a voicemail or text message from the Herald.
Mikulski referred a reporter to his attorney, David Stefankiewicz, who said he took over the case from defense lawyer John Tumelty last week. 
Stefankiewicz said he does not believe his client is guilty of anything and plans to enter a not guilty plea at his arraignment March 17. Stefankiewicz said he sees Mikulski’s case as different from Byron and Troiano’s, since he only began serving as a commissioner in 2020.  
Stefankiewicz said he does not anticipate accepting any deal and plans to try the case if he is not able to convince prosecutors to dismiss the charges. 
Arraignment is set for March 17 in front of Judge Bernard E. DeLury Jr. in Cape May County Superior Court.