NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Andrew Carey of New Providence is now entering his third week as Acting Middlesex County Prosecutor, but not much is known about the new appointee.
Jim O’Neill, longtime spokesman for the prosecutor’s office confirmed that his new boss has not yet re-located to Middlesex County. Â O’Neill said Carey’s move is still in the works, but declined to say which municipality the prosecutor intends to move to.
As we reported in March, Governor Chris Christie had been planning to replace Bruce Kaplan, whose term expired this January, with Carey for some time now.
Still awaiting confirmation from the State Senate, Carey suddenly ascended to the Acting County Prosecutor role when former prosecutor Bruce Kaplan left the position to take a lower-paying job in the state Attorney General’s Office on May 6.
Carey was sworn in that same day by state Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa in Trenton’s state justice complex, according to a report by the Home News Tribune’s Bob Makin.
The report says Carey’s salary is be $165,000 per year.
Carey has been Assistant U.S. Attorney under U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman. Â He has served in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Newark for eight years, working as Chief of the Narcotics/Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
In 2011, Carey reportedly represented the government in the prosecution of a man charged with flying millions of dollars worth of cocaine and heroin into Essex County Airport in Fairfield, NJ.
Prior to his term in the US Attorney’s office, Carey served in various capacities as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York District Attorney’s Office, according to a report on New Providence’s Patch.com.
In the NY District Attorney’s office, he served as Deputy Bureau Chief of the Trial Bureau, where he trained other staff members on federal law and prosecuted members of narcotics and money-laundering organizations, according to the same report.
Carey earned a bachelor’s degree from the American University in Washington, and attended law school at Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Carey will have his work cut out for him, as the existing political establishment in the county, which has been dominated by Democrats for decades, is skeptical of the Christie appointee serving as the county’s top law enforcement official.
One official in the county justice system told NewBrunswickToday.com that Carey, “won’t be in for too long.”
“He thinks he’s gonna come into New Brunswick like Snow White,” joked the source. “But it’s the Wild West out here.”
“They’ve already got people investigating him… He’s human, he’s gonna mess up. Even if he gets caught using his prosecutor badge after being pulled over, it’ll come right back to him.”
The anonymous source speculated that Carey will “probably get moved to a superior court judge position in time.”
“Either that, or they’ll bribe him.”
Molly O'Brien started writing for New Brunswick Today as a freelance reporter in February 2013.
Molly writes stories on government, arts, free events, bilingual events, education and more.
Molly graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in French Linguistics and Linguistics, where she also studied Writing and Journalism. Molly also graduated Rutgers Law School.
She is open to any suggestions for stories or tips. You may contact her via text at 732-743-8993.
