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EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP An Egg Harbor Township man was charged Friday, April 10 with second-degree terroristic threats during his arrest on alleged weapons and drug charges, Attorney General Grewal announced in a release about enforcement actions against violators of Gov. Phil Murphy's Emergency Orders related to COVID-19.
During his processing on an outstanding warrant, William Wolverton, 50, allegedly said he was COVID-19 positive and was going to infect everyone in the police station. He refused to submit to fingerprints, spat on the floor and toward an officer, and refused to comply with booking procedures.
In addition to being processed on weapons and drug charges, Wolverton was charged April 10 with making terroristic threats. He is lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
Violations of the emergency orders constitute a disorderly persons offense carrying a potential sentence of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, Grewal said. However, violators can potentially face criminal charges including second-, third- and fourth-degree indictable offenses.
Enhanced charges against Wolverton included making terroristic threats during a state of emergency, which is a second-degree offense and carries a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Grewal said the Attorney General's Office and New Jersey State Police will continue to work with law enforcement throughout New Jersey to deter non-compliant behavior during the pandemic.
Grewal said anyone seeing a lack of compliance with the governor's emergency orders should contact the local police department or report it at https://covid19.nj.gov/violation.
Additionally, no one should take advantage of this pandemic to further their own biased agendas, Grewal said.
"COVID-19 is no excuse to promote anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and or other biased stereotypes, he said.
You can report bias crimes at 1-800-277-BIAS.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
