Ex-New Jersey mayor, her husband charged for using fake ballot signatures after she pleaded guilty to DUI

Former New Jersey Mayor and Husband Face Fraud Charges Over Campaign Petition

LUMBERSTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Burlington County prosecutors have filed criminal charges against former mayor Gina LaPlaca and her husband, Jason Carty, alleging they falsified documents to place LaPlaca on the ballot for a local Democratic primary. The case adds to a series of legal troubles for LaPlaca, who previously entered a pretrial intervention program after being convicted of driving while intoxicated with her child in the car.

The Indictment

According to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, LaPlaca, 47, and Carty, 49, are accused of several offenses:

• Making a false statement under oath.
• Knowingly filing a false nominating petition.
• Tampering with public records.
• Falsifying or tampering with records.

The petition that launched LaPlaca’s bid for the Lumberton Township Committee was filed by Carty with the township clerk. It included an affidavit signed by LaPlaca attesting that she “personally circulated the petition” and that “each of the signers thereof had signed it in his/her own handwriting.”

Prosecutors say an investigation uncovered a pattern of deception. “Multiple individuals whose names and purported signatures appeared on LaPlaca’s nominating petition indicated they had neither signed the petition nor authorized anyone to do so on their behalf,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Because of the allegedly fraudulent signatures, the petition would not have met the state’s requirement for valid signatures needed to qualify LaPlaca as a candidate in the June 2026 Democratic primary for the two open committee seats.

Prior DUI Conviction

LaPlaca’s legal troubles began earlier this year when she pleaded guilty to a DUI charge stemming from an incident in March 2025. Witnesses reported seeing her vehicle weave across lanes and nearly strike a utility pole while she was intoxicated and her child was present in the car. Toxicology reports showed a blood‑alcohol concentration of 0.30 percent—more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

She was sentenced to three years of supervised probation under a pretrial intervention program that requires her to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Political Background

LaPlaca served as Lumberton’s mayor from 2021 through 2025. Although she stepped down from the mayoral office, she retained her seat on the township committee, with her current term scheduled to end at the close of this year.

In the most recent Democratic primary, she sought re‑election to the committee but finished third behind incumbent mayor Terrance Benson and his running mate, Kendra Hatfield, who together secured the two available spots.

Next Steps

LaPlaca and Carty are due in Mount Holly Municipal Court on September 21 for an initial hearing on the new charges. The case is still pending, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Community Reaction

Local party officials have not commented on the allegations, while township residents expressed mixed feelings. Some urged patience until the facts are fully presented in court, while others said the incidents underscore concerns about accountability for elected officials.

The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that additional charges may be forthcoming if further evidence emerges.

The developments mark a dramatic turn for a politician who once led Lumberton’s municipal government but now faces criminal accusations that could impact her future in public service.