Councilman arrested on Internet sex charge
Allegations against Bodall shocking to fellow officials
BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer
Jamesburg Councilman and historian Thomas Bodall was arrested last week on charges he initiated sexually explicit dialogue on the Internet with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.

Thomas Bodall

Authorities allege that Bodall, 23, engaged in conversations via chat room and instant messaging with the presumed girl, who was actually an investigator from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Computer Crimes Unit. In addition to the alleged sexually explicit dialogue, Bodall is accused of transmitting pictures of his exposed genitals on several occasions.

After obtaining a search warrant, authorities arrested Bodall at his home on East Church Road on Sept. 4, according to Bergen County authorities. He was charged with five counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a minor and two counts of distributing obscene material to a minor. He was taken to the Bergen County jail, with bail set at $15,000.

Bodall reportedly used the screen name "capemayfantasy," and Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli asked that anyone whose child spoke with someone online by that name contact his office.

Bodall is scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 16 in Bogota Municipal Court. Molinelli said the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office assisted in the investigation.

Bodall, who works as a research and curatorial assistant for the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission, became the youngest Borough Council member in Jamesburg history when he was appointed to fill a vacant seat in April 2007. He was elected to his current oneyear term last November.

Mayor Anthony LaMantia said he was shocked to hear about Bodall. He said he has not had any communication with Bodall since the arrest, and he did not think that any other officials had either.

"Total surprise and shock, those are the only words I can use," said Council President Otto Kostbar. He said he did not know much about what happened, and had not tried to reach Bodall.

"There's no way to know how to get in touch with him at this point," Kostbar said.

LaMantia said he does not know what would happen to Bodall's council seat as the case makes its way through the legal process in the coming months.

"It's up to him," the mayor said.

Though Bodall is curator of Lakeview, also known as the Buckelew mansion, and organizes historical programs, LaMantia said programs would continue even without Bodall, as the mansion is run by the borough's Buildings and Grounds Committee.

Councilman John Longo said he was surprised to hear about the arrest and did not yet know the full story.

"I don't really have any comments, I don't know what to say. This is just very unfortunate," he said.

Longo also noted that the case still must be adjudicated.

By the time he joined the council last year, Bodall, whose father is on the Board of Education, already wore several hats. He has been the official borough historian since he was 19, and has served as vice president of the Jamesburg Historical Association, as a member of the borough's civic association, high school alumni association and chamber of commerce. He also created and has continued to run several Web sites that provide information on the town, including www.Jamesburg.net, www.jamesburghistory.com and www.Jamesburg.info.

Bodall's arrest comes a year and a half after Jamesburg Historical Association President Ronald Becker was charged with sexual assault. The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office made the arrest in March 2007 after an alleged victim reported to police that she had been fondled by Becker on numerous occasions starting 20 years ago, when she was between the ages of 3 and 7. The charges against Becker are still pending.