Local law enforcement had plans to bring charges in connection with a lewd text message scandal involving members of the New Jersey Board of Education known for their MAGA beliefs, but Democratic county prosecutors opted against pursuing the case.
This announcement came from the police in Marlboro, a wealthy New Jersey community, stating they had consulted with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, which concluded that the behavior in question “does not meet the criteria for criminal conduct.”
The scandal revolved around Danielle Bellomo, a mother of three, who became the target of a troubling group chat that included phrases like “this bitch needs to die.” During a public board session, a member was caught on camera texting, “Bellomo must be cold. Her nipples could cut glass.”
Bellomo shared on Facebook this week that she was ready to pursue charges for “terrorist threats, cyber harassment, conspiracy to commit harm, and cyber harassment using deep fake videos.”
“Yet, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office ultimately decided not to act on these charges,” she wrote.
A spokesperson from Monmouth Prosecutor Raymond Santiago’s office informed the media that the situation did not constitute an “indictable” crime.
“It’s a misconception to claim that the Crown Prosecution Service has ‘refused to move forward’ on this case,” the spokesperson remarked, acknowledging the disturbing nature of the messages.
“We focus on prosecuting indictable matters, while lower-level offenses are dealt with at the city level. After a careful review, we informed the Marlboro Police Department that the evidence was insufficient for criminal charges to be filed.”
Reactions were swift and emotional.
One woman commented on Bellomo’s post, expressing solidarity: “From woman to woman…I’m relieved you’re safe. I hope the disgusting individuals responsible for this will finally shut up.”
Another commenter questioned, “Does ‘allegation’ mean there was actually no threat?” while a third warned, “This is going to be a total free fall. Things are about to get rough.”
The controversy first emerged in September, involving five men, including Chad Hyett, executive vice president, and Scott Semaya, a former candidate for the board, as well as former public school teacher Renee Thor and her director husband, Mitesh Gandhi, who were part of the group chat.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz called the situation “wrong and evil” in response to a Post article about it.
Following the scandal, Semaya promptly withdrew from the election, along with his running mate, Melissa Goldberg.
“We witnessed what happened to Charlie Kirk,” Bellomo remarked, noting that the conservative activist faced threats before his assassination on September 10. “This same group harbored a lot of hatred toward me, and considering everything, it makes me fearful for my life.”
Bellomo reported the messages out of concern for her family’s safety, emphasizing, “Living with the knowledge that these people are plotting harm against you is not how anyone should have to live in their community.”
She plans to appear in New Jersey state court next week to seek an extension of a protective order against Mitesh Gandhi.
In a statement, Semaya’s lawyers lamented that his privacy had been violated by the release of private communications, maintaining that he committed no crime.
On November 4, voters elected incumbent Michael Lilonski and Valentina Mendez to the board, with newcomer Kelly Ann Jankowski also joining.
Unofficial election results indicated that Goldberg would have won if she’d remained in the race, but she chose to step back, allowing Mendez to take the fourth spot.
The text messages ignited significant controversy during last month’s Marlboro School Board meeting, as residents demanded accountability and change. Bellomo argued that the district’s civility policy should have prohibited chat participants from being on school grounds.
The board subsequently canceled its next meeting, only to hastily reschedule it for Tuesday, though Bellomo did not attend.
Board chairman Brad Cohen reflected, “Why schedule this last-minute meeting when you stated that nothing has changed regarding safety?” He added, “We wanted to hold it.”
