06/02/2026
Three Detectives Join Morris County Prosecutor’s Office
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll and Deputy Chief of Detectives Jan-Michael Monrad announce three new Detectives have joined the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office – Dean P. Cerdeira, Christina L. Dimitriou, and John M. Simonetti Jr.
A swearing in ceremony was held on Monday, June 1, 2026.
Det. Cerdeira will be assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit within the Tactical Division.
Over the past decade, Det. Cerdeira held the position of Detective at the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, where he was assigned to the High-Tech Crimes, Special Victims, Major Crimes, and Grand Jury units. Additional duties included serving as a crime scene investigator, field training officer, providing technical services and robot operation on the Hunterdon County SWAT Team, and being a member of the Narcotics Task Force. He previously served as a patrol officer with the Winfield Township Police Department.
Det. Cerdeira graduated from the College of New Jersey with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology. He holds multiple professional certifications and has undergone several training courses, including drone operation, fire death investigation, advanced crime scene investigation, interview/interrogation, narcotics investigation, ICAC investigations, and more. He has also received several commendations for his work on noteworthy investigations and contributions toward educational programs.
Det. Dimitriou will be assigned to the General Investigations Unit within the Courts and Administration Division.
Det. Dimitriou began her law enforcement career as a police officer with the Stanhope Borough Police Department, where she responded to calls for service and led the agency’s community outreach program. In 2023, she joined the Suss*x County Prosecutor’s Office as a Detective. While assigned to the Major Crimes and S*x Crimes units, Det. Dimitriou investigated crimes involving serious bodily injuries/death, assisted the NJSP Cold Case Homicide Unit, and was a supervisor in the Fugitive Unit.
Det. Dimitriou graduated from Suss*x County Community College with an Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. She has completed several professional development courses, including specialized interview training, crime scene processing, crisis intervention, and other topics, and is a certified Resiliency Officer. She has also received several commendations for her service to the SCPO and Stanhope Police.
Det. Simonetti will be assigned to the General Investigations Unit within the Courts and Administration Division.
Det. Simonetti recently served as a patrol officer and field training officer for the Mount Olive Police Department, having joined the agency in 2020. In addition, he is an instructor of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training. Det. Simonetti had previously served overseas in a number of roles – a Security Forces Member, Patrolman, and Alarm Monitor/Entry Controller at Vogelweh Air Base in Germany; the Quick Reaction Force at Camp Lemonier in Djibouti, Africa; an Elite Guard at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska; and a Fly Away Security Team Member at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
Det. Simonetti has earned a Master of Science degree in Cyber and Homeland Security from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh. He was recognized with the Project Development Award by the Mount Olive Police for initiating a “Connect and Protect” mental health crisis response program, having crafted the federal grant proposal and implementation plan, in coordination with the MCPO.
Prosecutor Carroll said, “I welcome these three, highly qualified investigators to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. I believe their skills and experience will serve our office and the people of Morris well.”
