Local woman pleads guilty to deceiving co. Carteret resident admits to collecting $895K from company BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer WOODBRIDGE - A Carteret woman pleaded guilty in state Superior Court last week for stealing over $895,000 from Bradco Supply Co. in Avenel, where she worked for the last 13 years. Dawn Capolla, 35, is charged with theft by deception in the second degree, authorities from the Middlesex Prosecutor's Office said. Capolla was employed by Bradco Supply Co., a supplier of roofing, siding and windows, between July 1993 and February 2006 in the Accounts Payable Department. Employees at Bradco Supply discovered discrepancies in one of its vendor accounts in February 2006, authorities said. The investigation revealed that between May 17, 2004, and Feb. 13, 2006, numerous Bradco checks were made payable to a nonexistent vendor and deposited into the defendant's personal account. Capolla was immediately terminated and the matter was referred to the Woodbridge Police Department. The internal investigation as well as the joint investigation conducted by Woodbridge and the Prosecutor's Office revealed that the fraudulent invoices submitted to Bradco and checks subsequently issued by Bradco Supply totaled $895,403.02, authorities said. Capolla admitted to Superior Court Judge Barbara Stolte that she created numerous false invoices and then obtained checks issued by Bradco, authorities said. She admitted that she deposited the Bradco checks into her own account, all without authorization by Bradco. The investigation was conducted by Detective Richard Yanak of the Woodbridge Police Department and Investigator Gary Charydczak of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. Assistant Prosecutor Brian D. Gillet of the Special Prosecutions Unit of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office appeared before Judge Stolte on the guilty plea. Bradco Supply employees said they had no comment on the case. In accordance with the plea agreement, Capolla will be sentenced to a five-year term of incarceration as well as full restitution to Bradco Supply. However, Judge Stolte will make the final decision. Capolla will be sentenced on Feb. 2, 2007. The second-degree crime carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison as well as a maximum $150,000 fine, authorities said.