Former Flemington councilman indicted on Democratic organization theft charges

Susan Loyer, MyCentralJersey.com
·2 min read
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A former Flemington councilman, already indicted on drug charges, has now been indicted on charges of stealing $1,000 from the Flemington Democratic Club.

Malik D. Johnston, also known as Pippin J. Folk, 47, was indicted Thursday by a Hunterdon County grand jury on a third-degree charge of theft by unlawful taking, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson said.

On June 2, 2023, Johnston allegedly withdrew $1,000 in cash from the Flemington Democratic Club’s bank account at a bank branch in Bridgewater. At the time of the transaction, Johnston was a former officer of the club who did not have permission to make the cash withdrawal and keep the funds, authorities said.

Malik Johnston
Malik Johnston

An arraignment is scheduled for April 22.

Third-degree charges carry up to five years in prison.

Johnston was indicted last year on two counts of third-degree possession of cocaine, two counts of third-degree possession of methamphetamine, second-degree distribution of cocaine, second-degree distribution of methamphetamine, second-degree possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and second-degree possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Johnston, a Democrat who was serving his first term on the Flemington Borough Council, was arrested in February 2023, following a joint investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office’s Narcotics Task Force and the Flemington Borough Police Department.

Authorities say that in January and February of last year in Raritan Township, Johnston allegedly sold a half-ounce or more of cocaine and a half-ounce or more of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer.

Further investigation revealed Johnston was allegedly in possession of a half-ounce or more of cocaine and a half-ounce or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute while in Flemington.

A pretrial conference on those charges is scheduled for June 3 in Hunterdon County Superior Court. Johnston faces up to 10 years in prison on those charges.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Ex-Flemington NJ councilman indicted on Democratic organization theft