Ex-Cop In Essex County Admits To Bank Fraud Conspiracy, Feds Say

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A former officer with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey has admitted to his role in a bank fraud conspiracy, federal prosecutors announced last week.

Ryan L. Terry, 32, of Piscataway, pleaded guilty on Sept. 11 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office released the following allegations involving the case:

“Terry, who served as a police officer with the Orange Police Department at the time he conspired to commit bank fraud, was part of a multi-person operation that stole checks from the mail, deposited those checks into bank accounts controlled by the enterprise, and then withdrew the proceeds before the bank or the victims became aware of the illegal activity.”

Prosecutors continued:

“For example, in June 2023, Company-1 mailed out a business check for over $50,000. That check was stolen and thereafter the payee information was altered to enable it to be deposited into an account controlled by Terry and his co-conspirators. Then in July 2023, after the stolen check cleared, Terry and his co-conspirators withdrew the money from the account and split the proceeds. Terry then continued to actively recruit other members to the conspiracy. Specifically, he recruited individuals who had long-standing bank accounts to continue the scheme of depositing stolen checks and withdrawing the funds before the bank or the victims of the stolen checks were aware of the fraud.”

The bank fraud conspiracy and the bank fraud charges both carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million, prosecutors said.

Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2026.

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