Breaking News
UPDATE: HCSO Internal Affairs Confirms Misconduct Findings Against Hudson County Sheriff’s Lt. Matthew Fedrow
(Follow-up to our previous investigative report on misconduct and political favoritism within the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office.)
A newly obtained Internal Affairs letter dated October 3, 2025, confirms that the complaint filed against Lieutenant Matthew Fedrow has been sustained, meaning investigators concluded that the allegations were supported by credible evidence.
The letter, authored by Lt. Sheila Czachorowski of the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Unit, states that the complaint “is sustained” and that the officer “will be subject to appropriate discipline under our agency’s procedures.”
Verified Finding of On-Duty Misconduct
According to materials submitted with the complaint and verified by the Internal Affairs finding, the incident occurred on March 17, 2023, when Lt. Fedrow signed in for duty at 7:00 a.m.
Less than three hours later, at 9:44 a.m., an explicit image of a sexual nature was taken and sent to a colleague without consent while he was still in uniform and on duty.
Such conduct, allegedly confirmed in the Internal Affairs report, would constitute a grave breach of both ethical standards and public trust—especially for a sworn officer carrying a firearm and representing law enforcement during an active shift.
Colleagues and whistleblowers have since questioned how such behavior could occur while an officer was on duty, and why no immediate suspension followed despite the Internal Affairs determination.
As of mid-October 2025, Lt. Fedrow reportedly remains calling out “sick”, and disciplinary measures appear to be pending until his return to work.
It is reported the Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, has issued an immediate order of suspension and demanded termination to the Hudson County Law Department. However, suspension cannot be initiated if Lt. Fedrow continued to call out sick, evading the suspension.
It is also reported the Law Department, lead by Hudson County Counsel, Alberico De Pierro Esq., is giving the Sheriff political push back from taking disciplinary action against Lt. Fedrow because of his political affiliation with Hudson County Executive, Craig Guy, the current Executive Undersheriff Andrew Conti, and the Democratic nominee for Hudson County Sheriff, Jimmy Davis.
Whistleblower Who Filed the Complaint
The Internal Affairs case originated with a complaint filed by Melissa Mathews, the former Business Administrator for the City of Bayonne, who has been outspoken about misconduct within Hudson County government.
Mathews is also the plaintiff in a separate whistleblower and retaliation lawsuit against Bayonne, alleging that she faced harassment and removal after exposing improper conduct and misuse of public resources.
Public filings and reporting by Hudson County View and The New Jersey Globe show that Mathews has repeatedly raised alarms about political corruption, lack of oversight, and the mishandling of taxpayer funds.
In her more recent complaint to county authorities, Mathews outlined additional concerns about Lt. Fedrow’s role in local political fundraising, the dissolution of the Bayonne “Hometown Fair” committee and the location of its funds, and alleged improper contracting and illegal dumping connected to a landscaping company associated with him.
Those claims were forwarded beyond Internal Affairs, with documentation copied to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Division of Criminal Justice, and the U.S. Department of Justice, along with a blind-copy to the FBI.
The complaint was later forwarded to the IRS for potential review of financial-reporting concerns.
Political Ties and Delayed Accountability
Multiple officers have voiced frustration that, despite the sustained Internal Affairs finding, no public disciplinary action has yet been announced and government officials are attempting to protect Lt. Fedrow.
Several point to Lt. Fedrow’s political role as chairman of the Bayonne Democratic Organization, President of the Fraternal Order of Police, are possible reasons for the delay.
They accuse the Hudson County Law Department, the County Executive’s Office, and certain political allies of protecting him from accountability—allegations county officials have not publicly addressed.
In a serries of Facebook comments, Ms. Mathews called on Albrieco De Pierro, general council for Hudson County, to comment on the veracity of the letter. Mr. Depierro promptly blocked ms. Mathews.
Jimmy Davis
It should also be noted that Mayor Jimmy Davis, who is the Democratic nominee for Hudson County Sheriff, has been the subject of his own scandal involving sexually suggestive text messages sent to a former Bayonne City Hall employee. The fact that his own workplace conduct is under scrutiny only deepens concern about systemic failures of accountability across Hudson County’s law-enforcement and political institutions. When a candidate for Sheriff is already tied to allegations of misuse of power, how can the public trust the office will enforce standards when those same figures are involved?
Brian Stack
Mayor Brian P. Stack — a key supporter of Jimmy Davis’s run for Hudson County Sheriff — brings his own controversy to the spotlight. Union City has faced repeated public complaints of sexual harassment, retaliation and abuse of power across the police department, other city departments and even the school board. Recent reporting described lawsuits alleging harassment by city officials and retaliation against those who spoke out. The fact that someone so deeply embedded in the local political machine backs Davis raises serious concerns about whether Hudson County’s law-enforcement and oversight institutions are operating without political interference. It’s remarkable — one scandal leads to another — and the connections only deepen the sense of systemic failure.
Questions of Double Standards
Observers note a stark contrast between the treatment of Lt. Fedrow and a 2019 case in which a former sheriff’s officer was terminated following unrelated misconduct allegations later reported by NJ.com.
That earlier case was resolved swiftly, whereas the Fedrow matter—despite a sustained finding—remains unresolved nearly two years after the underlying incident.
This disparity has prompted renewed criticism of uneven discipline and political favoritism within the Sheriff’s Office.
Public Demand for Transparency
Citing the sustained Internal Affairs outcome, whistleblowers and residents are demanding that the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, the County Law Department, and the County Executive publicly disclose what disciplinary steps have been taken.
They further call for an independent review by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to ensure that political influence does not obstruct enforcement of departmental standards.
As of publication, no agency has publicly commented on the matter.
For further background and the full timeline of earlier developments, see our initial report on this investigation. Click the link below for our initial report.