Nick Muscavage

(Bridgewater, N.J.) Courier News, (East Brunswick, N.J.) Home News Tribune

BEDMINSTER, New Jersey — A Hawaii resident was arrested and charged with criminal mischief in relation to damaged property at Trump National Golf Club.

Somerset County prosecutors announced the arrest of Clifford Tillotson, 61, of Kaneohe, Hawaii.

Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson said that on Sept. 12, around 8:35 a.m., Bedminster Township Police received a call from the director of security at Trump National Golf Club, reporting that sometime during the evening of Sept. 11 and early morning the next day, nine golf course greens had been damaged by an unknown substance.

The damage consisted of words written on the putting greens and were defaced by the unknown substance. The estimated damage sustained to the golf course was in the excess of $10,000. Trump National is President Trump's private golf club, which he frequently stays at.

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Bedminster police, along with detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, conducted an investigation. A sample from the damaged greens was sent to a forensic lab for further analysis.

The investigation revealed that Clifford Tillotson allegedly defaced golf courses in New York. Somerset County authorities, working with New York authorities, identified Tillotson as the individual allegedly responsible for the damages at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster.

On Wednesday, a criminal complaint was generated and Tillotson was charged with third-degree criminal mischief. Tillotson awaits extradition to New Jersey due to the pending charges he faces in Westchester County for damages he caused at golf courses in New York.