Assembly candidate spread fecal matter on daycare center doors

A Republican candidate for State Assembly in the 36th district plead guilty to smearing fecal matter on the doors of a children’s daycare center in East Rutherford following a 2009 neighborhood dispute with the owner, police records show.

Joseph Viso pled guilty to criminal mischief charges after a dispute with the owner of Children’s Studio, whose building was adjacent to an electrical company he owned at the time.   He was fined $250.

“Those people harassed my men every day,” Viso told the New Jersey Globe.  “They had cars ticketed every time my men parked on a side street.”

Colleen Dolaghan, the owner of the daycare center, had notified police that “someone smeared fecal matter over the handles and locks of all the doors of their business,” a police detective, Chris DeCarlo, said in his report.”

After DeCarlo advised Viso that there were pictures and video of the incident, Viso apologized, telling DeCarlo, “I am not proud of what I did.”

Viso, 52, told the New Jersey Globe that he had cleaned up the doors.

“It was done before anyone got hurt,” he said.   “I’m not going to defend it.  It was wrong.  I was a young man.  It was a horrible time, and I made a mistake.  Obama came into office the year before.”

Police reports say that Viso’s company, Viso Electric, would frequently blast loud music with offensive lyrics next to the daycare center playground.

Viso, who is challenging incumbents Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Clinton Calabrese (D-Cliffside Park) in a Democratic-leaning district, has a record of criminal convictions on federal and state drug and gun charges.

In a 2016 plea deal, Viso appeared in federal court and admitted to one count of conspiracy to distribute Methylone.  He was sentenced to three years of probation.

He had been charged with possessing 5,000 grams of Methylone, an ingredient used to manufacture Molly or Ecstasy tablets; one Molly or Ecstasy tablet contains 100 milligrams of Methylone, so Viso had enough to make five million Molly or Ecstasy tablets.

Joe Crifasi, the District 36 Republican chairman, said he knew about some of Viso’s criminal activities but distanced himself slightly.

“I’m not that active with the campaign,” Crifasi said.  “I don’t recruit people.  If they show up and want to run, then they get nominated.  I’m just a figurehead.”