Body-Camera Footage Undercuts Couple’s Claims of Trooper Misconduct in N.J. Domestic Dispute Case
A Hunterdon County couple faces serious criminal charges after state investigators found no evidence to support their horrifying allegations of sexual assault by New Jersey State Troopers and contradicted by body-camera footage from the night of the occurrence.
State officials reported that in October 2023, troopers went to a domestic dispute at the Bloomsbury residence of 35-year-old Randal Kelco and 45-year-old Lisa DeStefano. The pair claimed the officers who intervened sexually assaulted Kelco, turning a domestic-violence episode into a crime.
Authorities claim the couple made the terrifying charge to hospital staff, local police, and New Jersey’s Office of Professional Standards. Many troops allegedly assaulted Kelco inside and outside the home.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin stated the encounter footage contradicts him. Trooper body-worn cameras recorded 40 minutes of investigation inside a nearby motel before sending Kelco there. Kelco’s cellphone video was examined. Authorities said none of the film showed misconduct, inappropriate contact, or behaviors supporting the couple’s claims.
Officials said the tapes disproved the claims. Investigators deemed the claims unfounded and intentional.
The couple accused troopers of assault, drugging, and civil-rights abuses weeks later in a federal complaint. The lawsuit claimed multiple attacks and injections of unknown chemicals before and after Kelco was abducted from home. Prosecutors claimed the entire investigation, including house and transit film, did not support the lawsuit’s medical data showing assault-like injuries and a diagnosis.
State officials think dependable body-worn cameras solved the crime. The video showed troopers were under tremendous public scrutiny for conduct they did not commit, said Office of Public Integrity and Accountability Director Eric L. Gibson. He said body-camera footage verifies events, protects people and police, and holds police accountable.
Second-degree false reporting to police carry a lengthy jail penalty for Kelco and DeStefano. Court records revealed no criminal defense attorney for the couple on Tuesday, and the federal lawsuit’s attorney was unavailable for comment.
The case shows how quickly police misconduct allegations can rise and how important objective evidence is in conflict resolution. State officials said the probe emphasizes following facts, even if they contradict early charges.
Criminal prosecution and the original federal complaint continue, raising doubts about how the additional findings may affect civil claims. State officials say the evidence contradicts the couple’s medical, police, and legal statements.
Sources:
New Jersey Attorney General’s Office
New Jersey State Police Office of Public Integrity and Accountability
