NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced on December 9 that Freehold resident Margaret Brennan, age 68, admitted to stealing $57,000 from the Middlesex County Utilities Authority in Sayreville while she was employed there.

Brennan resigned from her Treasurer and Comptroller job on July 1, having worked for the Utilities Authority for 28 years.

The Utilities Authority provides wastewater and solid waste management for most of Middlesex County.

At a hearing in New Brunswick, Brennan pleaded guilty to one count of theft before Middlesex County Superior Court judge Bradley Ferencz.

An investigation into Brennan began after officials at the Amboy Bank contacted the Utilities Authority about suspicious accounts, as we reported previously.

The Amboy Bank handles the Utilities Authority’s financial accounts as well as Brennan’s personal accounts and became suspicious after reviewing them.

The investigation, which was conducted by detective Linda Infusino of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office, determined that Brennan had taken the funds in various amounts between November 20, 2012 and June 16, 2014 by withdrawing funds from a Utilities Authority account and writing checks to herself.

A plea agreement was reached in which Brennan will be sentenced to serve a probationary term, and at the discretion of the judge, may be incarcerated at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center for up to 364 days.

Brennan will also be required to repay the stolen funds and will never again be allowed to hold a public job in New Jersey.

She was determined not to be a flight risk, and had her bail set at $10,000 cash.

Brennan is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2015.  Ferencz is set to retire at the end of January, as we reported earlier today.