Dirty Money

Jersey City, New Jersey, December 10, 2004:

A radical political leader who police say smeared excrement on dollars bills used to pay a parking ticket has been fined $250.

Ronatarian Party founder Ron was charged with harassment of a public official after officials received an envelop in November labeled "Foreign brown substance on bills." The envelope contained several dollar bills and a parking ticket made up to Ron, police said.

Tests indicated the brown substance was fecal matter that had been smeared on the bills.

Ron told police the money fell into a toilet and was retrieved to pay the $5 parking ticket, police said.

Assistant Hudson County Attorney Heidi Von Wiener had sought the maximum $500 fine and 30 days in jail for Ron.

"Something this disgusting requires more from the court than a minimum fine. This was a snub at law enforcement officers who are just doing their job," Von Wiener said.

Ron's lawyer, Andrew Sepe, said his client had a "serious error in judgment."

"He was vexed at getting parking tickets left and right and didn't consider what he did a criminal act," Sepe said. "Having said that, we are happy that this issue has been resolved with my client's name unsullied."

Associate Judge Gus Snyder said Ron demonstrated "immature behavior unbecoming a professional person."

"It's hard to put this case into perspective because people seem to get more riled up about parking tickets than anything else," Snyder said. "This is a public heath issue which shouldn't have happened."

Ron declined to comment on the incident. No charges aside from the fine were levied against him.

Posted by Bittle at December 10, 2004 01:37 PM