Ex-Friends head jailed
BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer
Richard Walling, the former head of the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield, has again been jailed on charges he violated probation related to a 2005 third-degree theft charge.

Walling, formerly of East Brunswick, was brought to the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, on July 7. He was sentenced to serve 364 days, according to Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Brian Gillet.

The charges arose after Walling failed to appear, moved out of New Jersey and failed to maintain employment, Gillet said. Walling had moved from East Brunswick to Somerville in recent years, but most recently resided in Warrensburg, N.Y.

Walling was charged in 2005 with stealing $32,500 from the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield, an organization which supports activities at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan. He directed the organization for nearly 10 years. Walling pleaded guilty to the theft charge after prosecutors offered a plea deal that would do away with the thirddegree forgery charge he incurred by allegedly signing the organization treasurer's name to checks.

Thousands of dollars in donations that were meant to help the Revolutionary War property went to paying a variety of Walling's bills. At the time of his trial, Walling told the judge that his mental state had been adversely affected by sexual harassment charges filed against him by a former teenage student of his in 2004, and the negative attention they garnered.

Walling taught history at the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical High School, East Brunswick. He gave up his teaching license when he pleaded guilty in 2004 to a charge of harassment. Despite his plea, Walling said the charges were "baseless."

Walling received a fine in that matter and agreed to undergo a psychological evaluation.

After being found guilty of theft from the Friends of Monmouth Battlefied in 2005, Walling was required to repay a total of $32,670, and received a five-year probation sentence.

Walling was jailed for violating his probation in 2006, when he was charged with failure to report and failure to provide change of address information to authorities. He served 50 days in jail.

According to Gillet, Walling will likely serve about six months of his jail sentence this time, due to the two months credit he has accrued from his previous time in the detention center. At the time of his release, his probation will be terminated.