Full Breakdown
Former Lumberton Mayor and Husband Charged with Fraudulent Primary Petition Signatures
8/12/2026, 10:31:57 PM
Allegations and Legal Actions
On August 10, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office announced that former Lumberton Township mayor and current committeewoman Gina LaPlaca (47) and her husband Jason Carty (49) were each charged with multiple offenses for allegedly submitting a nominating petition that contained fraudulent signatures to place LaPlaca on the June 2026 Democratic primary ballot for the Lumberton Township Committee. The charges include:
- Making a false statement under oath (fourth-degree) – LaPlaca only
- Knowingly filing a false petition (third-degree) – both defendants
- Two counts of tampering with public records or information (third-degree) – both defendants
- Falsifying or tampering with records (fourth-degree) – both defendants
Prosecutors said the petition, filed by Carty with the township clerk, was accompanied by an affidavit in which LaPlaca swore she “personally circulated the petition” and that each signer did so in his or her own handwriting. Investigators found that multiple individuals listed on the petition reported they never signed it. Without those signatures, LaPlaca would not have met the required threshold to appear on the primary ballot.
Background & Context
LaPlaca served as Lumberton’s mayor from 2021 until the end of 2025 and retained a seat on the township committee thereafter. Earlier in 2025 she pleaded guilty to a DUI and child-endangerment charge after being stopped for erratic driving while her toddler was in the vehicle; she entered a pre-trial intervention program, attended AA, and installed an ignition-interlock device. In May of the same year, Carty faced separate assault-related charges, though LaPlaca later recanted her allegation that he attempted to strangle her. The fraudulent-signature case follows LaPlaca’s loss in the June 2 Democratic primary, where she finished last in a three-way race for two committee seats.
Data & Statistics
- Required signatures for the Lumberton Township Committee primary ballot: not specified in sources.
- Number of alleged fraudulent signatures: not quantified; prosecutors only state that “multiple” individuals denied signing.
- LaPlaca’s blood-alcohol concentration at the time of her 2025 DUI stop: .30 % (more than three times New Jersey’s legal limit of .08 %).
Official Statements & Responses
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. declined further comment.
“I’m still in process of retaining counsel so there’s not much I can say other than these charges are absolutely baseless.” — Gina LaPlaca
“I have never felt more humbled than I do standing before my community today. The weight of my actions is something I carry deeply. What I did was wrong. It was dangerous. It was inexcusable. I drove while intoxicated with my child in the car — a choice that could have caused irreversible harm. That reality is something I will live with, and learn from, for the rest of my life.” — Gina LaPlaca
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The exact number of signatures deemed fraudulent has not been disclosed, leaving uncertainty about the scale of the alleged misconduct.
- While prosecutors allege that both LaPlaca and Carty collected signatures, the extent of each individual’s involvement is not detailed in the available reports.
What’s Next
LaPlaca and Carty are scheduled for their first appearance in Superior Court in Mount Holly on September 21. The court will determine whether the charges proceed to trial and what additional penalties may apply if convictions are secured. No further court dates have been announced.
