Topline: Craig Cardella is facing more than 70 criminal counts after prosecutors say he drugged and sexually assaulted tenants while they were unconscious.
Published: January 23, 2026 2:02 pm ET
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Craig Cardella (via Burlington County Prosecutor's Office)
MOUNT HOLLY, NJ — A New Jersey landlord has been formally accused of repeatedly drugging and sexually assaulting two men who rented rooms in his home, according to an indictment unsealed by prosecutors.
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced that Craig Cardella, 60, of Mansfield Township, was indicted on a sweeping list of charges tied to alleged assaults that prosecutors say occurred over the course of several months and involved two separate victims. Cardella entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment in Superior Court in Mount Holly on Wednesday, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
A grand jury returned the indictments in December, charging Cardella with 17 counts of first-degree kidnapping, 18 counts of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, 18 counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, 18 counts of third-degree endangering another person, and one count of fourth-degree stalking, prosecutors said.
The charges stem from allegations that Cardella drugged the men while they slept and then assaulted them, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities said the two victims were attacked during separate time periods, each spanning several months. Their identities and additional details are being withheld to protect their privacy.
The investigation began in December 2024 after one of the tenants contacted Mansfield Township police, according to the news release. The man reported that he awoke during the night to find Cardella in bed with him, holding a mask over his mouth and nose while touching him sexually, prosecutors said.
As part of the investigation, police executed a search warrant at Cardella’s residence, where they discovered a safe in his closet containing two bottles of liquid later identified as chloroform, along with prescription sleep medication, medical masks, a camcorder, and digital storage devices, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators believe Cardella used the chloroform to keep his victims unconscious, rendering them unable to resist.
The case was investigated by the Mansfield Township Police Department, with Detective Ken Allen serving as the lead investigator, according to prosecutors. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Keith Carmy of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The case will now proceed to trial.
Authorities are urging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Cardella to contact Detective Allen at allen@mansfieldpd.org.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Craig Cardella is facing more than 70 criminal counts after prosecutors say he drugged and sexually assaulted tenants while they were unconscious.
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Published: January 23, 2026 2:02 pm ET
Craig Cardella (via Burlington County Prosecutor's Office)
MOUNT HOLLY, NJ — A New Jersey landlord has been formally accused of repeatedly drugging and sexually assaulting two men who rented rooms in his home, according to an indictment unsealed by prosecutors.
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced that Craig Cardella, 60, of Mansfield Township, was indicted on a sweeping list of charges tied to alleged assaults that prosecutors say occurred over the course of several months and involved two separate victims. Cardella entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment in Superior Court in Mount Holly on Wednesday, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
A grand jury returned the indictments in December, charging Cardella with 17 counts of first-degree kidnapping, 18 counts of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, 18 counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, 18 counts of third-degree endangering another person, and one count of fourth-degree stalking, prosecutors said.
The charges stem from allegations that Cardella drugged the men while they slept and then assaulted them, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities said the two victims were attacked during separate time periods, each spanning several months. Their identities and additional details are being withheld to protect their privacy.
The investigation began in December 2024 after one of the tenants contacted Mansfield Township police, according to the news release. The man reported that he awoke during the night to find Cardella in bed with him, holding a mask over his mouth and nose while touching him sexually, prosecutors said.
As part of the investigation, police executed a search warrant at Cardella’s residence, where they discovered a safe in his closet containing two bottles of liquid later identified as chloroform, along with prescription sleep medication, medical masks, a camcorder, and digital storage devices, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators believe Cardella used the chloroform to keep his victims unconscious, rendering them unable to resist.
The case was investigated by the Mansfield Township Police Department, with Detective Ken Allen serving as the lead investigator, according to prosecutors. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Keith Carmy of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The case will now proceed to trial.
Authorities are urging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Cardella to contact Detective Allen at allen@mansfieldpd.org.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
New Jersey Man Accused of Drugging, Sexually Assaulting Sleeping Tenants
Craig Cardella is facing more than 70 criminal counts after prosecutors say he drugged and sexually assaulted tenants while they were unconscious.
By Jacob Charles
Published: January 23, 2026 2:02 pm ET
Craig Cardella (via Burlington County Prosecutor's Office)
MOUNT HOLLY, NJ — A New Jersey landlord has been formally accused of repeatedly drugging and sexually assaulting two men who rented rooms in his home, according to an indictment unsealed by prosecutors.
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced that Craig Cardella, 60, of Mansfield Township, was indicted on a sweeping list of charges tied to alleged assaults that prosecutors say occurred over the course of several months and involved two separate victims. Cardella entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment in Superior Court in Mount Holly on Wednesday, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
A grand jury returned the indictments in December, charging Cardella with 17 counts of first-degree kidnapping, 18 counts of third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, 18 counts of third-degree invasion of privacy, 18 counts of third-degree endangering another person, and one count of fourth-degree stalking, prosecutors said.
The charges stem from allegations that Cardella drugged the men while they slept and then assaulted them, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities said the two victims were attacked during separate time periods, each spanning several months. Their identities and additional details are being withheld to protect their privacy.
The investigation began in December 2024 after one of the tenants contacted Mansfield Township police, according to the news release. The man reported that he awoke during the night to find Cardella in bed with him, holding a mask over his mouth and nose while touching him sexually, prosecutors said.
As part of the investigation, police executed a search warrant at Cardella’s residence, where they discovered a safe in his closet containing two bottles of liquid later identified as chloroform, along with prescription sleep medication, medical masks, a camcorder, and digital storage devices, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. Investigators believe Cardella used the chloroform to keep his victims unconscious, rendering them unable to resist.
The case was investigated by the Mansfield Township Police Department, with Detective Ken Allen serving as the lead investigator, according to prosecutors. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Keith Carmy of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The case will now proceed to trial.
Authorities are urging anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Cardella to contact Detective Allen at allen@mansfieldpd.org.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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