23 Facts About Carmelo Garcia

Carmelo G Garcia was born on April 25,1975 and is an American politician, life coach and convicted felon from the state of New Jersey.

Carmelo Garcia represented the 33rd Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly as part of the Democratic Party for one two-year term.

Carmelo Garcia graduated from Seton Hall University, where he received a BS in Criminal Justice and Sociology, and from Stevens Institute of Technology, where he earned a Master of Science in Information Systems.

Carmelo Garcia was one of 50 people selected in 2012 to participate in NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program, which focuses on affordable housing and includes a three-week session at Harvard University.

Carmelo Garcia was first elected to the Hoboken Board of Education in 2002 at age 26, won re-election three times and served as president and vice president of the board.

Carmelo Garcia resigned from the school board in 2013 when he won election to the state assembly.

Carmelo Garcia left the position in 2007 when he accepted a job as assistant director of the federally funded Hoboken Housing Authority ; he was the first Latino to hold this role.

Carmelo Garcia was terminated as executive director of the HHA in 2014 and subsequently sued the housing board, claiming Mayor Dawn Zimmer was engaging in "ethnic cleansing" by removing minorities from positions of power.

Carmelo Garcia sued the HHA, first in 2013, then again in 2014 when the first suit was denied with prejudice.

In late 2017, the lawsuit was settled and Carmelo Garcia was awarded $700,000.

In 2013, prior to the termination of his HHA contract, Garcia ran for the General Assembly in the June Democratic primary election on a ticket with State Senator Brian P Stack and Raj Mukherji.

Shortly after, an appellate court overturned Judge Bariso's decision based on a change in Hatch Act regulations and Carmelo Garcia was deemed eligible to run for office.

In early 2015, Carmelo Garcia began working for the nonprofit Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, now known as Invest Newark.

Carmelo Garcia was executive vice president and chief real estate officer until April 2018.

Carmelo Garcia was moved into the role of chief of development, which he held until April 2019.

In October 2020, Carmelo Garcia was identified as a co-conspirator in the federal indictment of Malik Frederick, a consultant who worked with real estate developers looking to do business in Newark.

In October 2021, Carmelo Garcia was indicted on charges that he accepted bribes in exchange for using his official positions within Newark "as specific opportunities arose" for conspirators Frank Valvano Jr.

Carmelo Garcia is alleged to have accepted expensive jewelry and more than $25,000 in cash from Valvano and Sablosky.

On June 26,2024, in Newark federal court, Carmelo Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the city of Newark and the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, honest services wire fraud and receiving bribes in connection with the business of a federally funded local government and organization.

Carmelo Garcia's sentencing, originally set for April 15,2025, was postponed until October 7,2025.

Sablosky admitted bribing Carmelo Garcia and pleaded guilty on October 3,2024, and is expected to be sentenced on February 20,2025.

In December 2024, Valvano admitted to bribing Carmelo Garcia and pleaded guilty to two counts of an indictment charging him with honest services fraud and bribery.

Carmelo Garcia has served as a board member for the Act Now Foundation for Alzheimer's Disease and educational group African Views and is the founder of the Save the Youth Academy, an after-school hip-hop dance program at Hoboken High School aimed at at-risk youth.