Kinnelon Man Found Guilty Of Theft By Failure To Make Required Disposition
Published on December 01, 2013
Acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announces that late yesterday a Morris County Jury found Dennis Aiello, 59 years old, of Kinnelon, New Jersey guilty of Second Degree Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition and Second Degree Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition.
The jury returned its verdict after one day of deliberations. Assistant Prosecutor/SDAG Sahil Kabse and Assistant Prosecutor/SDAG Amy Knutsen represented the State in the trial which had commenced on December 2, 2013 and continued through December 11, 2013.
The victim entered into an agreement to purchase a vehicle from the defendant, who was the owner of Any Auto Sales, Inc. in Riverdale, New Jersey, for $105,000. The victim provided the funds in the form of a check and a wire transfer. Defendant did not provide the vehicle nor did he return the funds. Defendant's bank records revealed that he spent the sale proceeds on his business and for his personal expenses.
Justin Aiello, a cooperating co-defendant who is the defendant's son, testified at his father's trial. Justin Aiello had previously pled guilty on October 17, 2013 to Third Degree Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition regarding the $10,000 share of the money he kept.
Defendant Dennis Aiello faces 5 to 10 years imprisonment on each of the two counts upon which he was convicted.
After the guilty findings, the trial judge, Honorable Mary Gibbons Whipple, J.S.C. remanded the defendant to the custody of the Morris County Correctional Facility pending sentencing. The defendant's sentencing is scheduled for February, 2014.
Acting Prosecutor Knapp stated: Assistant Prosecutors Kabse and Knutsen both worked extremely hard on this case. Notwithstanding excellent defense representation, they presented a clear picture to the jury as to how the defendant perpetrated these crimes. Both Assistant Prosecutors are being commended for their work on this very difficult case along with Detective Leah Atterbury of our Fraud Unit who conducted the investigation along with the Riverdale Police.
Acting Prosecutor Knapp thanks Chief Kevin Smith and the Riverdale Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Fraud Unit whose efforts contributed to this result.
Any inquiries can be directed to First Assistant Morris County Prosecutor/SDAG Thomas Zelante at 973-285-6252 or tzelante@co.morris.nj.us.