A former Asbury Park police officer was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole for his involvement with a drug distribution ring, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
According to police, Keith German, a 16-year veteran of the Asbury Park Police Department, used his official position to assist the members of the Bloods, a violent criminal street gang, in avoiding detection and prosecution by providing them with confidential law enforcement information, including on one occasion unlawfully accessing a law enforcement database. As part of his sentence, German is permanently barred from holding any public position in the state.
“This sentence sends a strong message that there will be zero tolerance for cops who commit crimes. It only takes one bad cop to adversely affect the reputation of so many that do the job with honor and integrity. For these reasons, the public should be reassured that we will continue to prosecute crooked cops to the fullest extent of the law.” Prosecutor Gramiccioni said.
Officials added that German, 49, of Tinton Falls, was convicted by a jury on September 27, 2017 of three counts of second degree Official Misconduct, and one count each of fourth degree Conspiracy to Commit Stalking, petty disorderly persons Harassment, third degree Hindering the Apprehension of Another, second degree Computer Theft and second degree Unlawful Access and Disclosure. The four-month-long trial before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley ended with guilty verdicts for German as well as a pair of criminal street gang members – one Blood, one Crip.
“This is a major transgression and should be treated as such,” Judge Oxley stated prior to handing down the sentence on German.
German’s co-defendants, Crips street gang member Haneef Walker, 25, and Bloods street gang member James Fair, 29, both of Asbury Park, are scheduled for sentencing on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Both men were found guilty on numerous counts, including first degree Racketeering Conspiracy, for their respective roles in violent street crimes, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault and other criminal activity in and around the seaside city.
The convictions are the results of a 14-month investigation, dubbed “Operation Dead End,” which began in the summer of 2013 in conjunction with law enforcement efforts to stem violent street crimes and firearms offenses in Asbury Park. During the investigation, members of the criminal organization and their conspirators based their criminal activities out of two dead end streets in Asbury Park – Dewitt Avenue, and a section of Jersey Street in the Washington Village Public Housing Complex.
The investigation also disclosed the coordinated efforts of members of the organization to distract law enforcement and conduct counter-surveillance of law enforcement, which included obtaining the assistance from German who provided information to the leaders of the organization.