Former Middletown Police Sgt. David Ringkamp Maintains His Innocence

MIDDLETOWN, NJ ? The former Middletown Police sergeant indicted last week on 22 criminal counts, ranging from abusing his authority as a law enforcement officer to illegal drug possession, maintains he is innocent and will be cleared of all charges.

"Mr. Ringkamp remains very confident in the legal process and maintains his innocence," read a statement from David Ringkamp's lawyer, distributed to the media Saturday. "It is certain that once the full and true facts of this case come to light in open court, Mr. Ringkamp will be vindicated."

Ringkamp's defense lawyer is Peter O?Mara, of the O?Mara law firm in Shrewsbury.

"Much of what is alleged has come as a surprise to Mr. Ringkamp, as he was unfortunately with the wrong people, at the wrong place and wrong time," said O'Mara. "We ask the public and the media to reserve judgment and respect the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty."

"Upon review of the evidence known to the defense at this time, we are confident that once all the facts are presented, Mr. Ringkamp will be cleared of any wrongdoing. Unfortunately, we may have to wait until the time of trial for the truth to be fully revealed," said his lawyer.

Ringkamp, 43, who used to live in Union Beach is accused of helping a New Jersey man hide what are called "ghost guns" from law enforcement. "Ghost guns" are makeshift firearms assembled from individual parts, which makes them impossible to trace and illegal in the state of New Jersey.

The man is Nicholas D?Ambrosio, 33, who owned a vape shop, ?JR Vapors,? in Millstone. Prosecutors say D?Ambrosio purchased several kits to manufacture the illegal guns and was keeping the kits at his vape shop.

Ringkamp is accused of helping D?Ambrosio hide the guns from law enforcement who were investigating D?Ambrosio.

D?Ambrosio already pleaded guilty and was sentenced in August to eight years in state prison after pleading guilty to a second-degree drug charge, third-degree Possession of Ghost Gun Parts, fourth-degree Hindering Apprehension, a third-degree drug charge, and second-degree Manufacturing a Ghost Gun.

Ringkamp's lawyer said his client formerly served in the U.S. Army as an infantrymen, and was a military police officer from 2007-2012, where he was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. He served in multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan as well as Guatanamo Bay, Cuba, before beginning his career as a police officer.

He was first hired by the Ocean City Police Department in 2012, and transferred to Middletown Township Police in 2013, where he was promoted to sergeant in 2020. During his tenure at Middletown Police Department, he had been a member of Monmouth County Regional SWAT team as well as Middletown EMS. He was a firearms instructor, rifle instructor and a less-than-lethal munitions instructor for Middletown Police.

After Ringkamp was first arrested in 2021, he was terminated from the Middletown Police force on April 22, 2022, said Middletown Police Chief R. Craig Weber.

Ringkamp is not currently in jail and will have his first court appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court sometime in the new year.

"The truth and reality of this case will eventually come out in open court," said Ringkamp's lawyer on Dec. 21. "The defense remains confident that a just and fair result will be attained, and once again asks the public to reserve judgment until such time."

Last week: Former Middletown Police Sgt. David Ringkamp Indicted (Dec. 19)