Newark cop forced dealer to sell coke, give him the cash, police say

NEWARK — A veteran of the city's police department has been charged with dealing drugs and passing a bad check to buy a truck, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Officer Anthony L. Gibson, 50, a city resident has been charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, theft and passing bad checks, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II.

Gibson is accused of forcing a drug dealer to sell cocaine and give him the proceeds, according to Stephens. As part of the arrangement, Gibson would give the dealer, who was not identified, $5,000 to buy cocaine. The dealer would then give Gibson $10,000 in proceeds after selling the cocaine, Stephens said.

"We have no room in the Newark Police Division for people like this," Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said in a statement from the prosecutor's office. "This type of conduct will not be tolerated. This officer does not represent the hardworking men and women of the Newark Police Department."

Gibson is also charged with buying a 2018 Dodge Ram from a dealership in Georgia and passing bad checks to the dealer, according to Stephens. The dealership agreed to let Gibson pay for the truck once it was delivered after seeing his police identification card, but then never got the money it was owed for the truck.

Gibson was also charged with taking unearned sick pay for working a security job at St. Michael's Medical Center while collecting $10,000 in sick pay, Stephens said.

"The arrest today will reinforce to all that the ECPO has a zero tolerance for the violation of their oath by sworn police officers," Stephens said. "While this defendant, like all others, is entitled to his day in court we believe the evidence overwhelmingly shows that he abused his position as a police officer time and time again."

Gibson has been with the department for 25 years and is making a salary of $112,093, according to state pension records. If convicted of all the charges he could face more than 20 years in state prison. He is currently being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility.

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