NJ Firefighter Accused of Sexual Misconduct Loses Appeal for Pre-Trial Intervention

Posted by: Curt Varone March 14, 2016 2 Comments

A New Jersey volunteer firefighter accused of engaging in sexual improprieties with a teenage female member of his department has lost his appeal to be admitted into a pre-trial intervention program that would have allowed him to escape responsibility without a criminal record.

Joseph Dlabik was charged with official misconduct, luring and endangering the welfare of a child. The allegations arouse out of conduct that occurred between January and March of 2014 at the Lawrence Road Fire Company. Dlabik reportedly:

  • texted the teenager to meet him at the station
  • lured her to a secluded area at the firehouse
  • asked her training questions and required her to remove a piece of clothing each time she got a question wrong
  • showed her obscene material on his cell phone

Prosecutors have offered Dlabik a plea deal of five years in state prison, but that offer has been rejected. More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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