Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso resigned Friday after pleading guilty to using town employees to run his private business and submitting forged documents.
Bonaccorso, who first came under public scrutiny in 2022 after making racist comments with members of the police department caught on secret recordings, resigned as part of a plea agreement following criminal charges.
The 64-year-old Bonaccorso pleaded guilty to using the town’s resources, like computers and fax machines, while operating his oil tank storage removal business without having the proper licensing. According to court documents, Bonaccorso also directed Clark employees to perform work for his business while being paid by the township.
“Bonaccorso used taxpayer-funded workers for personal gain. He abused his power over municipal personnel, finances, and operations, and he submitted false documents to keep the scheme going,” said Drew Skinner, executive director of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
Under the plea agreement, the mayor and his company, Bonaccorso & Son LLC, will pay a $15,000 fine and be ineligible for any public contracts or conducting any business with the state or its political subdivisions for five years. The company is also barred for three years from conducting, or contracting to conduct, any storage tank removals for any private commercial or residential property owners. Bonaccorso was also “forever disqualified” from holding any future public office and he’s out as the GOP municipal chairman.
