A 34-year-old Florham Park police officer is facing second-degree aggravated assault and stalking charges after a Roseland woman told investigators he squeezed her neck with both hands until she blacked out inside her own apartment. Gregory Dietz was arrested in July following the alleged attack, and remained on the Florham Park Police Department roster as of press time.
According to Daily Voice, the woman told NJ Advance Media that she had allowed Dietz into her apartment on July 5 intending to end their friendship, and had already told him she wanted no further contact — going so far as to block him on her phone, Instagram and email. Instead, Dietz allegedly entered the building without an access card, attempted to kiss her, and struck her across the face before allegedly squeezing her neck with both hands until she blacked out, per court records and the outlet's reporting.
The woman told the outlet she had met Dietz in June 2025, and separately alleged that in November 2025 he touched her buttocks without her consent and forced her onto his lap. She also accused him of repeatedly sending her inappropriate messages, the outlet reported. She contacted authorities on July 18, and Florham Park police allegedly investigated the allegations before notifying Roseland police that same day.
Case Moves From Roseland To Essex County Prosecutors
A warrant for Dietz's arrest was issued on July 19, and court records show charges were filed against Gregory M. Dietz that same day. The warrant was executed the following morning, July 20, and he was committed to Essex County Jail. The case originated in Roseland Municipal Court but was transferred to the prosecutor's office on July 21.
The case moved from Roseland Municipal Court to the prosecutor's office. The alleged conduct occurred in Roseland, in Essex County, while Dietz works for a department based in Florham Park, in Morris County.
Dietz was released from Essex County Jail after four days, on July 24, according to jail records. That release without cash bail reflects New Jersey's Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2017, which changed the state's bail system while retaining bail or detention proceedings, per the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall.
Why The Choking Allegation Carries Felony Weight
Dietz faces charges of second-degree aggravated assault, harassment, stalking and criminal trespassing, according to court records cited in the outlet's report. The aggravated assault charge stems from New Jersey's decision in July 2021 to elevate non-fatal strangulation during a domestic violence incident under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b)(13) from a third-degree offense to a second-degree felony, carrying 5 to 10 years in state prison and a mandatory presumption of incarceration, per the same law firm's analysis. Lawmakers made the change to reflect the high lethality risk strangulation poses in domestic disputes. According to the New Jersey State Police, the risk of homicide was found to be approximately 750% higher for domestic violence victims who had experienced strangulation previously with their intimate partners.
The stalking charge Dietz faces also carries real exposure. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-10, stalking is generally a fourth-degree crime punishable by up to 18 months in prison, but it can rise to a third-degree felony carrying up to 5 years if committed while violating a court order or as a repeat offense, according to Villani & DeLuca, P.C.
Dietz's Path Into Florham Park Policing
Dietz was sworn in as a probationary patrol officer with the Florham Park Police Department on February 1, 2019. Before that, according to Morris Focus, he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a psychology minor from Lock Haven University in 2014 and spent two years as a federal correctional officer at FCC Allenwood, where he was named Rookie Officer of the Year. He entered municipal law enforcement through the state's Alternate Route program, which allows self-funded civilians to complete academy training before being hired by a police department, after graduating from the 91st Basic Police Class at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy.
Dietz serves as a patrol officer, badge #575, in the Patrol Division of the Florham Park Police Department, which is commanded by Chief Karl E. Svenningsen, according to the Borough of Florham Park. Daily Voice has reached out to the department about Dietz's employment status and whether any disciplinary action has been taken.
State Rules Could Still Cost Him His Badge
Even without a department announcement, the effect of the case on Dietz's career remains unclear. The Attorney General's Office has described New Jersey's police licensure program, but the available information does not establish what action, if any, the state commission or department will take regarding his badge and license status.
Cases like Dietz's are far from rare within New Jersey's police ranks. The Attorney General's Office reported in June that state law enforcement agencies opened more than 16,000 internal affairs investigations in 2025 involving over 10,000 officers, with unpaid suspensions accounting for 14% of disciplinary outcomes in closed cases. It remains to be seen whether Dietz's case will result in a grand jury indictment or what formal action, if any, the Florham Park Police Department and the Police Training Commission will take regarding his badge and license status.
