A former Wall Township police sergeant was sentenced to five years in state prison for stealing more than $115,000 from charity organizations, including his local Police Benevolent Association chapter.

James Cadigan pleaded guilty to stealing from his PBA, a youth football nonprofit organization and charitable campaigns intended to drive breast cancer research.

An investigation was launched in 2022 by the Monmouth County Professional Responsibility & Bias Crime Bureau after a significant amount of cash was missing from Wall Township PBA accounts.

The investigation found Cadigan made several unauthorized cash withdrawals from multiple PBA bank accounts and wrote checks to himself from these accounts.

In his time as president of the Wall American Youth Football nonprofit organization, Cadigan used a debit card intended for purchases to benefit the organization. These unauthorized transactions totaled to $20,000 worth of items for his own personal use including a hammock, a truck hitch and a karaoke machine.

The investigation also revealed two instances in which Cadigan claimed to raise money for charitable purposes but kept the money for himself.

Cadigan pleaded guilty to theft charges and was barred from ever holding public office in New Jersey.