State Trooper Gets Himself Arrested for Pulling Over Women in Search of a Date

A New Jersey state trooper was arrested and could face time in prison for pulling over women to ask them out.

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A state trooper in New Jersey was the one getting put in handcuffs for a change when he was arrested for pulling over women to ask them out on dates and then trying to cover it up, reported the Associated Press. Previously, a state trooper found himself on the other side of the law when he posted ads looking for “traffic stop sex” and stalked women on Facebook.

The trooper, from Linden, New Jersey, has been identified as 37-year-old Marquice Prather. Prather, who patrolled the Garden State Parkway as a part of the Holmdel barracks, joined the police force in 2013. He was arrested last Friday for third-degree tampering with public records and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. Prather has since been released and been suspended without pay. State payroll records show Prather makes $60,749 a year.

Police started investigating Prather after several women lodged complaints about his behavior. According to NJ.com, authorities said an investigation into Prather showed "A pattern of pulling over young women between the ages of 20 and 35 and soliciting them to go on a date with him or give him their phone numbers."

Prather tried to hide the volume of women drivers he pulled over by manipulating data. In addition, investigators said Prather would claim his wireless microphone malfunctioned during the traffic stops when in reality he turned the microphone off. Prather’s lawyer has said the trooper will plead not guilty.

If convicted of the third-degree tampering charge, Prather could face three to five years in state prison and would have to pay a fine as high as $15,000. If convicted of the fourth-degree tampering charge, Prather could face as many as 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

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