The following is a humanized summary of the legal situation involving Randal Kelco and Lisa DeStefano, structured into six paragraphs.
A Hunterdon County couple, 36-year-old Randal Kelco and 46-year-old Lisa DeStefano of Bloomsbury, New Jersey, is currently facing serious legal consequences following a superseding indictment handed down by a state grand jury. Prosecutors allege that the duo orchestrated a pattern of deceit, aimed specifically at maligning law enforcement officers with grave, fabricated accusations. The case centers on the couple’s claims that New Jersey State Police (NJSP) troopers allegedly sexually assaulted Kelco during a service call at their residence in October 2023. These initial claims led to criminal charges of conspiracy and filing false reports, both of which are high-level second-degree offenses.
As the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) deepened its investigation into the couple’s history, the scope of the case expanded significantly. On July 30, 2026, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment that adds a new, third charge against Kelco. This additional count stems from a separate incident occurring in March 2025, during which Kelco allegedly accused a Washington Township municipal police officer of sexual assault. Much like the previous claims involving the troopers, authorities allege that this story was entirely fabricated, leading to the latest legal action against him.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has spoken out firmly about the nature of these allegations, emphasizing the broader harm caused by such actions. Beyond the immediate impact on the accused officers, Davenport noted that inventing high-stakes stories of sexual misconduct creates a profound injustice. She argued that such fabrications not only malign professional reputations but also insult the community and undermine the credibility of genuine victims who come forward seeking justice. The Attorney General’s office has made it clear that they intend to vigorously defend the integrity of the state’s law enforcement personnel against what they describe as “bad faith” claims.
The gravity of the charges against Kelco and DeStefano cannot be overstated, as they touch upon the core tension between public accountability and the misuse of the legal system. In New Jersey, a second-degree charge is a significant felony, carrying a potential sentence of five to ten years in state prison and fines reaching as high as $150,000. Because the charges are cumulative, the potential legal exposure for the defendants is substantial. The OPIA Corruption Bureau, led by Deputy Attorneys General Michael Angermeier and Diana Bibb, is managing the prosecution, reflecting the state’s commitment to treating these allegations of corruption against the justice system with high priority.
While the accusations are severe, the legal process remains in its early stages, and it is a fundamental tenet of the American judicial system that all defendants are presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in a court of law. Currently, the legal defense is being spearheaded by Jeffrey Patti, representing Kelco, and Elisia Tadros of the Office of the Public Defender, representing DeStefano. They will be tasked with navigating the evidence provided by the state as the case progresses toward trial or further resolution within the Warren and Hunterdon County court systems.
Ultimately, this case serves as a stark reminder of the legal fallout that occurs when the line between reporting actual wrongdoing and filing malicious, false claims is crossed. The transition from an investigation into one incident to a broader indictment suggests that the state’s prosecutors believe they have found a recurring methodology in the couple’s interactions with police. As the proceedings move forward, the central question for the court will be whether these reports were the result of a distorted perception of reality or, as the prosecution contends, a deliberate and criminal attempt to use the power of the state to settle personal grievances through systemic deception.