Brick Man Charged With Threatening Brick Police Officer, Family

BRICK, NJ — A Brick Township man is being held in jail on charges he threatened a Brick Township police detective and his family, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.

Anthony Chieffo, 25, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the threats, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

"Threats against law enforcement will not be tolerated," Billhimer said.

On Monday, a Brick Township police detective reported receiving threatening phone calls and text messages on his department-issued cell phone, threatening the detective and members of his family, Billhimer said.

Investigators traced the threatening calls and texts to Chieffo's cell phone, he said. Detectives from the prosecutor's office's Major Crime Unit pulled over a vehicle on Tuesday in which Chieffo was a passenger. Chieffo and the driver were arrested and taken to Brick Township police headquarters, where they were charged and then taken to the Ocean County Jail.

Both were charged with retaliation against a witness and three counts of terroristic threats,and are being held at the jail pending detention hearings, the prosecutor said.

The driver, Alexander Santos, was cleared of involvement in the threats and the charges were dropped on Thursday, Billhimer said. Read more: Charges Dropped Against One In Brick Cop Threat; 3rd Man Arrested

Chieffo was arrested in late January on charges of marijuana distribution after authorities searched an apartment in Kentwood Village off Van Zile Road and seized nearly 7 ounces of marijuana, police said.

The Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and High Tech Crime Unit investigated; Billhimer thanked Brick Township Police for their cooperative effort.

NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect that the charges against Santos were dismissed at the request of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

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