MAYS LANDING, N.J. — Michelle Calderon, 39, a former Code Enforcement Officer for Ventnor City, has been sentenced to five years in New Jersey State Prison for stealing more than $75,000 in public funds, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office announced Tuesday.
Calderon pleaded guilty to second-degree theft by failure to make lawful disposition of entrusted property and was sentenced by Judge Donna M. Taylor in Atlantic County Superior Court.
Before sentencing, Calderon paid $50,000 in partial restitution to the City of Ventnor. She is required to pay the remaining amount upon release. Additionally, high-end items bought with the stolen money were seized from her home and forfeited. She is now permanently barred from working in public employment.
The investigation began after Ventnor City officials noticed financial irregularities in the city’s ledgers. Calderon, who worked in the Department of Code Enforcement from 2021 to 2023, reportedly insisted on personally handling all cash transactions for permits and fees.
Investigators from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and Ventnor City Police found that Calderon manipulated financial records and pocketed cash intended for city services.
