Washington Township councilman accused of sending harassing letters to school board members

A Washington Township councilman has been accused of sending unsigned harassing letters to two school board members using the board president’s return address, authorities said Friday.

Board members Patricia Blome and Connie Baker and board president Julie Kozempel filed civilian criminal complaints against council member Richard Bennett alleging harassment, impersonation, falsification, and hindering apprehension.

A spokesperson for the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office in New Jersey confirmed that the charges had been filed and would be reviewed. Each woman lodged four counts against Bennett.

The allegations come amid turmoil for the Washington Township School District, with the school board divided over controversy surrounding the budget for next school year and the suspension of Superintendent Eric Hibbs.

Using the transaction details on the letters, police traced the letters to a post office in the Sewell section of Washington Township. Surveillance video showed a male, later identified as Bennett, allegedly mailing the letters and paying for the postage, according to the police report.

Bennett did not respond to requests for comment Friday. In a statement, council president Peter Del Borrello III said he was “shocked and saddened by the allegations.”

Washington Township Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik said his department completed a criminal investigation into the matter. It advised anyone who wanted to pursue charges to sign complaints directly at the municipal court, he said.

Blome and Baker said they received the letters May 14 and turned them over to police. They said they were suspicious because the letters, dated May 12, had Kozempel’s return address.

The women are close allies on the board amid recent infighting.

Both letters, obtained by The Inquirer, use similar insults, calling the recipients evil, stupid, and dishonest, and accusing them of “playing games with superintendent job.” The letters also call for Blome and Baker to step down from the board.

“You are a disgrace!” was handwritten at the bottom, followed by a typed message that ”God is watching your action!!!" The letters were unsigned.

“I couldn’t believe it. I never expected to be a target of anything like that,” said Blome, a retired kindergarten teacher.

Baker said the board has been divided by infighting and tension recently, but this was different and made her “feel very uncomfortable.”

“As a public official you have to take a lot,” she said. “This rises to a different level. It crossed the line.”

A single mother of three, Kozempel said she was concerned for her family’s safety when she learned the anonymous letters contained her address.

“It’s just a scary feeling,” Kozempel said.

Kozempel said she asked Del Borrello in January to remove Bennett as council’s liaison to the school board, and he accepted her request Friday.

Del Borrello said Bennett has been “going through things in his personal life.” Del Borrello said he would issue an official statement after discussing the matter with Mayor Anthony DellaPia and other council members.

Kozempel said the three women also plan to pursue federal charges against Bennett. She also called for Bennett to resign from council.