Hunterdon County man faces additional indictment for alleged false accusation against police officer
TRENTON, N.J. — A Hunterdon County man previously indicted for allegedly making false accusations against New Jersey State Police troopers now faces an additional second-degree charge after a state grand jury returned a superseding indictment tied to a separate alleged false report against a municipal police officer.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Thursday that the superseding indictment charges Randal Kelco, 36, of Bloomsbury, with an additional count of making false reports to law enforcement authorities by falsely incriminating another person. The new charge stems from an alleged false report made to the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office involving a Washington Township police officer in 2025.
Kelco and Lisa DeStefano, 46, also of Bloomsbury, were previously indicted on charges of making false reports to law enforcement authorities by falsely incriminating another person and conspiracy to commit false reports to law enforcement, both second-degree offenses.
Authorities allege the pair falsely accused New Jersey State Police troopers of sexually assaulting Kelco after troopers responded to a domestic dispute at their residence in Bloomsbury in October 2023.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, investigators with the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability later learned of additional allegations Kelco made in March 2025 against a Washington Township police officer. Authorities allege those claims also were false, leading to the superseding indictment returned by a state grand jury on July 30.
“As this investigation progressed, OPIA became aware of an additional instance in which, as alleged, one of the defendants invented yet another baseless, disturbing story about a police officer,” Davenport said. “Fabricated allegations of sexual assault constitute an injustice and a disservice to not only law enforcement but also to real victims. We will stand up for all officers and troopers when they are falsely accused, and those who make meritless claims in bad faith will be held to account.”
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability first filed criminal complaints against Kelco and DeStefano in December 2025 in connection with the allegations involving the New Jersey State Police.
Deputy Attorneys General Michael Angermeier and Diana Bibb are prosecuting the case for OPIA’s Corruption Bureau.
If convicted, second-degree crimes in New Jersey are punishable by five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
