Stafford Township, NJ – On March 25, 2026, the Stafford Township Police Department Detective Bureau concluded a credit card theft/fraud investigation that occurred at Home Depot located at 197 Route 72 in Manahawkin, NJ between late February and early March. As a result of the investigation, Charles Markey Jr. (51 years old of Nugentown Road in Little Egg Harbor) was placed under arrest on scene during the execution of a residential search warrant, pertaining to an unrelated case, conducted by the Stafford Township Police Department Drug Enforcement Unit, Stafford Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department Drug Enforcement Unit, and the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression Unit. Markey was ultimately charged with one count of 3^rd degree fraudulent use of a credit card in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6H, one count of disorderly persons possession of stolen property in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7A, and one count of disorderly persons theft by deception in violation of 2C:20-4. The charges were approved on a criminal complaint warrant, and Markey was transported to Ocean County Jail.

On March 27, 2026, the Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department apprehended an additional suspect in reference to this investigation, Michael A. Mele (35 years old of Nugentown Road in Little Egg Harbor). Mele was ultimately charged with one count of 4^th degree credit card theft in violation of N.J.S.A 2C: 21-6C(1), four counts of 3^rd degree fraudulent use of a credit card in violation of N.J.S.A 2C:21-6H, and four counts of 4^th degree theft by deception in violation of N.J.S.A 2C:20-4. The charges were approved on a criminal complaint warrant and Mele was transported to Ocean County Jail. Detective Zac Halliday was the investigating officer. 

As a reminder, the Stafford Township Police Department does not release arrest photos of defendants. All individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.