A former mayor from New Jersey, who had previously admitted guilt in a drunk driving incident involving a child, is now facing fresh charges alongside her husband. This development comes as prosecutors allege that they submitted false signatures on nomination petitions for the Democratic primary.
Gina LaPlaca, who was the mayor of Lumberton Township and continues to serve on its commission, faces several charges. These include making false statements under oath, knowingly filing a false petition, and tampering with records, as stated by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
Her husband, Jason Carty, is also charged with similar offenses, namely knowingly filing a false petition and falsifying documents. The petition submitted by Carty to the township’s city clerk included a statement from LaPlaca claiming she had personally distributed it. However, signatures must be in the handwriting of each individual signatory.
According to prosecutors, their investigation indicated that LaPlaca, 47, and Carty, 49, were gathering signatures for this petition. They found that many names on Carty’s nomination petition were not authorized by those individuals to be signed, which, if true, would mean LaPlaca’s petition lacked enough valid signatures for her to qualify as a candidate in the upcoming June 2026 Democratic primary.
LaPlaca, who served as mayor from 2021 until stepping down in 2025, is scheduled to appear in court in Mount Holly, New Jersey, on September 21. Though she was not re-elected, her term on the Town Commission continues until the end of the year.
Previously, LaPlaca had sought re-election in the primary but finished third behind other candidates for the available seats. This new set of charges follows her earlier plea of guilty to DUI charges relating to an incident where she was under the influence while picking up her child from daycare.
In that incident, LaPlaca exhibited erratic driving, nearly hitting a utility pole. Her blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.30%, which is significantly above the legal limit. As part of her sentence, she was ordered to undergo supervision and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
