Jurors find Jail official guilty of wiretapping

Following a federal jury trial in Newark, the deputy director of the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny has been found guilty of illegally wiretapping his coworkers, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

The trial of Kirk Eady before Judge Jose L. Linares in U.S. District Court lasted four days. The jury deliberated only three hours before returning the guilty verdict March 13, Fishman’s office reported. Eady, 46, of East Brunswick, now faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to authorities, on “more than 10 occasions” from March 8 to July 8, 2012, Eady “used the services of a website. . .to intercept the telephone calls of other Hudson County Correctional Facility employees and another individual who were critical of his work performance.”

Eady also recorded private phone conversations without the knowledge of those who were being monitored, authorities said.

Fishman credited special agents of the FBI with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict. Eady’s sentencing is scheduled for July 8.

 – Karen Zautyk 

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