MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Chief of Investigations Stephen Wilson announce nine promotions effective on Monday, July 30, to fill vacant positions in the Prosecutor’s Office. These vacancies were created by previous promotions in the office, as well as retirements. The following personnel will be promoted and assigned as indicated below:
Senior Trial Counsel and Supervising Assistant Prosecutor John McNamara to Chief Assistant Prosecutor, will supervise the Appellate and Professional Standards Units. Chief Assistant Prosecutor McNamara joined the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 1996, left for a short time in 1998 for private practice, and was re-hired in 2000. During his tenure at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, he served as the Chief of the Major Crimes Unit until being named the Supervising Assistant Prosecutor for the Professional Standards Unit. Chief Assistant Prosecutor McNamara is currently serving his fifth term as a designee to the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Model Criminal Jury Charges, and is a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Criminal Practice Committee.
Lieutenant V. Harrison Dillard to Captain, will command the six units that fall under the Special Operations Division including the Intelligence, Homeland Security, Fugitive, High Tech Crimes, Forfeiture, and Special Enforcement Units. Captain Dillard, a veteran of the United States Army, has over twenty-three years of law enforcement experience, including over thirteen years with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. Prior to joining the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Captain Dillard spent four years with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and five years as a Military Police Officer in the United States Army. He is a lead instructor at the Undercover Narcotics Investigations Training (UNIT) course and the Top Gun training course for undercover drug investigations, and is also a certified expert in drug trafficking as determined by the Superior Courts of Morris and Passaic Counties.
Lieutenant Christoph Kimker to Captain, will command the various Units of the Specialized Crimes Division. Captain Kimker has been a member of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office since 2004 and an employee of Morris County since 1992, when he was hired by the County as an Environmental Specialist where he supervised the Environmental Services Unit. He has been assigned to the Major Crimes Unit, Arson/Environmental Crimes Unit, and the Specialized Crimes Division. Captain Kimker has also been a member of the Crisis Negotiation Team since 2008 and a Firearms Instructor since 2010.
Sergeant Jan-Michael Monrad to Lieutenant, will supervise the various units of the Special Operations Division. Lieutenant Monrad has been a member of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office since 2002. Prior to joining the MCPO, he was a Patrol Officer and eventually Detective in the Boonton Township Police Department. Lieutenant Monrad has worked in the Special Enforcement Unit, Domestic Violence Unit, High Tech Crimes Unit, and Intelligence/Homeland Security Unit. He is recognized as an expert in electronic surveillance, and has conducted over 1,000 lawful intercepts of communications, many of which led to the convictions of illicit drug traffickers.
Sergeant Stephen Ortiz to Lieutenant, will continue to supervise the Specialized Crimes Unit inclusive of the Financial Crimes Unit, Insurance Fraud Unit, Fire Environmental Unit, and the Professional Standards Unit. Lieutenant Ortiz’s law enforcement career began in 1999 as a Sheriff’s Officer in the Union County Sheriff’s Office and then the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation. He has been a member of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office since 2004, and has worked in the Fraud and Insurance Fraud Units, the Intelligence Crime Task Force, and the Homeland Security Investigations Task Force. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist, and a Certified Arson Investigator.
Detective/Supervisor Michael Gomez to Sergeant, will supervise the Intelligence Unit. Prior to joining the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 2013, Sergeant Gomez served multiple overseas tours of duty in the United States Army. During a deployment in Afghanistan, he received a Bronze Star medal by then Secretary of the Army John McHugh for bravery and acts of merit while serving in a combat zone. Sergeant Gomez still serves today as a Special Agent in the US Army Reserves. His law enforcement career began in 2007, when he became a Patrol Officer with the Randolph Township Police Department. During Sergeant Gomez’s time in Randolph, he led the department in DWI arrests and was awarded multiple Life Saving Awards as well as the Honorable Service Award, and the Outstanding and Distinguished Service Award.
Detective/Supervisor Joseph Soulias to Sergeant, will continue to supervise the Financial Crimes, Insurance Fraud, Professional Standards and Fire/Environmental Crimes Units of the Specialized Crimes Division. Sergeant Soulias has been a member of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office since 2015, where he has been a member of the General Investigations Unit and Financial Crimes Unit. Prior to joining the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, he was a member of the New Jersey State Police where he retired after 25 years with the final rank of Lieutenant, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.
Detective Patrick LaGuerre to Detective/Supervisor, will continue in his assignment in the Office of the Chief of Investigations supervising Bias Crimes, Community Outreach, and Recruitment. Prior to joining the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 2013, Detective/Supervisor LaGuerre began his law enforcement career with the East Orange Police Department in 2000, where he was assigned to the Patrol, Criminal Investigation, Narcotics, Executive Protection, and the Enhanced Community Safety Team Units. He has been recognized in the past for disarming a middle school student carrying a handgun in a classroom, as well as arresting and prosecuting ten juveniles charged with Bias Intimidation, Criminal Restraint, and Harassment.
Detective Julio Torres to Detective/Supervisor, will assist in the supervision of the Fugitive Unit. Detective/Supervisor Torres has been with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office since 2002, during which time he has been assigned to the General Investigations, Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment, Megan’s Law, Intelligence/Narcotics, Major Crimes, and the Fugitive Units. Prior to joining the MCPO, Detective/Supervisor Torres worked as support employee with the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Newark Division, as well as a Detective with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. He is a certified Polygraph Examiner, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Crisis Negotiator, and Police Instructor. Detective/Supervisor Torres has also presented at the Morris County Police Academy on Sex Crimes, Gangs, and Major Crimes-Strict Liability investigations.
Prosecutor Knapp stated, “I am extremely proud to announce the promotion of these outstanding career law enforcement professionals. It is a tribute to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office that we have members with the expertise and experience of these individuals to fill vacancies created by recent retirements. I know that they will continue to serve the County of Morris with distinction”.
