Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
Sgt. Vinales was arrested by the FBI on January 17, 2024, and placed on indefinite suspension, according to the Passaic County Sheriffs Office. On May 19, 2025, he pled guilty to the federal charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice and was removed from the agency as of that date. The record shows both a 331-day suspension and termination for conduct unbecoming a public employee.
N.J.A.C. 4a 2-2.3 (6) a Public Employee / N.J.A.C. 4a 2-2.3 (12)
Separated while IA pending
No
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On January 17, 2024, Sgt. Vinales was arrested by the FBI and charged with Criminal Complaint Mag. No. 24-1000. He was served on January 29, 2024, with a Preliminary Notice of Disciplinary Action (31-A), and an Indefinite suspension as of January 17, 2024. On May 19, 2025, Sgt. Vinales pled guilty to the federal charge of Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice. As a result, on June 15, 2025, Sgt. Vinales was served with a Final Notice of Disciplinary Action (31-C), removing him from our agency as of May 19, 2025.
Compensation and pension
No confident pension match found. This officer's record shows a termination; a terminated officer would not have an active PFRS/SPRS record at this agency, which is one reason no match may exist here. This site links a pension record to a named officer only when the name and the exact employing agency both match a New Jersey Treasury record. Other general possibilities include insufficient vesting, a role not covered by PFRS or SPRS, a deferred or vested status not reflected in a current snapshot, or a data-matching limitation. See methodology for how these matches are made and what is withheld.
Similar records
AnalysisComputed by this site from shared agency, year, charge category, and sanction outcome. Not a legal or factual equivalence.
Jose Gonzalez · Passaic County Sheriff's Department · 2025
TerminatedSuspended 336 days
Sustained charge(s): N.J.A.C. 4a 2-2.3 (6) Conduct Unbecoming a Public Employee / N.J.A.C. 4a 2-2.3 (12) Other Sufficient Cause
same agency · same year · similar sanction outcome
Lorenzo Bowden · Passaic County Sheriff's Department · 2024
TerminatedSuspended 203 days
Sustained charge(s): 18 U.S.C. 242 Deprivation of Civil Rights Under Color of Law; 18 U.S.C. 1512(k) Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice; 18 U.S.C. 1512(k) False…
What is a summary of Donald Vinales's major discipline record?
Sgt. Vinales was arrested by the FBI on January 17, 2024, and placed on indefinite suspension, according to the Passaic County Sheriffs Office. On May 19, 2025, he pled guilty to the federal charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice and was removed from the agency as of that date. The record shows both a 331-day suspension and termination for conduct unbecoming a public employee.
What is Donald Vinales's major discipline record at Passaic County Sheriff's Department?
Donald Vinales has one major discipline record at Passaic County Sheriff's Department in the New Jersey Attorney General's 2020-2025 releases, from 2025. These are final, adjudicated actions, not allegations.
Does Donald Vinales's record show a termination?
Yes. At least one of Donald Vinales's major discipline records shows a termination, reported for 2025.
How does Passaic County Sheriff's Department score on this site's report card?
This site's report card places Passaic County Sheriff's Department in the second-highest fifth of its peer group on reported internal affairs volume and discipline severity. The grade is analysis by this site, not an official rating, and it describes the department, not Donald Vinales individually.
Sources
[1]New Jersey Major Discipline Data, 2020-2025. New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Sheet "Major Discipline Data", row 506. Snapshot retrieved 2026-07-03. ↩