NJ animal control officer accused of stealing purebred bulldog

🔶Man pulled over with pricey dog

🔶NJ cops call animal control officer

🔶Officer refuses to give bulldog to owner

FRENCHTOWN — A 50-year-old animal control officer who works alongside local police was busted for keeping a pricey purebred dog that she was called to take from a traffic stop.

Frenchtown Animal Control Officer Carolyn Murphy, of Stockton, was charged with two counts of second-degree official misconduct by a public servant and one count of third-degree theft, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson said.

On April 11, Frenchtown Police carried out a traffic stop on 31-year-old Gerardo Martinez, of Arkansas.

Martinez was driving an American Bulldog for Kingpin Kennels, valued at about $3,500, police said.

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Officers found he had an active warrant so they contacted Murphy to take temporary custody of the dog — which was legally owned by 24-year-old Jose A. Rosado, of Gloucester City.

Murphy later refused to return the dog to Rosado, Robeson said.

A pre-indictment court event was set for Dec. 9 in Hunterdon County Superior Court.

In addition to Frenchtown, Murphy has worked as animal control officer for at least one other town in the area, East Amwell.

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