What to Know
- A South Jersey police officer has been ordered to spend at least 15 months on probation on a commercial bribery conviction.
- NJ.com reports that 33-year-old Thomas McWain, who was employed with the West Deptford police department, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a third-degree charge separate from the original accusations against him.
- His plea agreement requires him to forfeit his job as an officer.
A New Jersey police officer has been ordered to spend at least 15 months on probation on a commercial bribery conviction.
NJ.com reports that 33-year-old Thomas McWain, who was employed with the West Deptford police department, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a third-degree charge separate from the original accusations against him.
McWain was originally accused of scheming to get an offender into a drug rehabilitation program in which the officer had a financial interest.
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He had a second job as a trainer with a company that teaches first responders how to handle overdoses and other addiction-related matters, and his attorney said his failure to inform trainees that the company also owned a drug rehab facility was a breach of his fiduciary responsibilities.
As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors dropped the original charges, which had included official misconduct, computer crime and record-tampering offenses. Prosecutors declined to discuss the case's disposition but said the outcome was “conviction of a sworn law enforcement officer who betrayed the public trust."
In a statement before his July 31 sentencing, McWain said he took responsibility for his conduct and characterized his record as that of someone who sought more training to become a better officer. His plea agreement requires him to forfeit his job as an officer.
