Teen has chance to clear record

MANALAPAN - A student leader at Manalapan High School who was arrested at the school in February on drug charges has been accepted into a pretrial intervention (PTI) program.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin told the News Transcript last week that once Eric Goldman, 18, completes the requirements of PTI, he will have the benefit of not having been convicted of a crime and eventually see his criminal record expunged.

Goldman was the president of the student council at Manalapan when he was arrested by police and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), possession with the intent to distribute and possession of a CDS on school property. Police said 10 vials of a substance believed to have been cocaine were confiscated by school authorities.

Valentin said Goldman initially entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in March, but then applied for and was accepted in the PTI program on June 1.

The prosecutor said the conditions of the PTI program require Goldman to perform community service, attend counseling for substance abuse and to either be employed or attend an educational institution.

Goldman paid a bail of $15,000 at the time of his arrest and was released without having to spend any time incarcerated.

A restraining order issued by the court barred Goldman from returning to the high school.

- Kathy Baratta