Ex-Asbury Park cop, two co-defendants face decades in prison

FREEHOLD - Former Asbury Park Police Officer Keith German risks five to 10 years in prison for each of five second-degree charges, among eight for which he was convicted Wednesday afternoon in the four-month trial he stood with two gang members as co-defendants.

Bloods member James Fair was found guilty on 78 counts. Crips member Haneef Walker was convicted of 25 charges. Both are from Asbury Park. German, 49, is from Tinton Falls. His sentencing is scheduled for December 20.

The case stemmed from the 14-month probe of drugs, guns and racketeering that Monmouth investigators labeled Operation Dead End, which began in mid-2013. According to authorities, the centers of activity were Dewitt Avenue, and a stretch of Jesey Street in the Washington Village public housing complex, both dead-end streets.

Prosecutors convinced jurors that German, who served 16 years on the force, used his position to help Bloods avoid arrest, supplying sensitive investigation details and, in one instance, illegally accessing a law-enforcement database.

In return, prosecutors said, German accepted help from gang members in stalking a woman.

German was found guilty of three counts of official misconduct, and charges of computer theft and unlawful access and disclosure, all in the second degree. The jury returned guilty verdicts for third-degree hindering apprehension of another, fourth-degree conspiracy to commit stalking, and a disorderly-persons charge of harassment.

In prepared comments, Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni said, "One corrupt cop and two bad gang members are going to prison. Today's verdict reinforces the message that we are serious about our mission to improve the quality of life for our citizens in Monmouth County. Violent street gangs will not be allowed to terrorize neighborhoods shooting, robbing or selling drugs."

Sentencing for Fair and Walker is scheduled for December 21, a day after German's date. Fair risks 10 years to life for each first-degree charge of racketeering conspiracy, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit murder. Fair would be required to serve 85 percent of his sentence, under terms of the No Early Release Act.

The sentence he incurs for three counts of promoting organized street crime, one first-degree and two second-degree charges, would be served consecutively to his term for the remaining counts.

They include:

• Conspiracy to commit robbery (three counts)
• Robbery
• Attempted armed robbery
• Possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose (eight counts)
• Unlawful possession of a weapon (six counts)
• Armed burglary
• Conspiracy to commit burglary (two counts)
• Burglary (two counts)
• Theft of moveable property (four counts)
• Conspiracy to commit shoplifting as part of an organized retail theft enterprise
• Theft by deception
• Shoplifting as part of an organized retail theft enterprise
• Fencing
• Conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose
• Conspiracy to commit aggravated assault - bodily injury with a deadly weapon
• Aggravated assault - attempt to cause bodily injury to another
• Promoting organized street crime
• Promoting organized street crime to commit aggravated assault - attempt to cause bodily injury
• Promoting organized street crime to commit aggravated assault (first degree)
• Aggravated assault
• Endangering the welfare of a child (two counts)
• Unlawful possession of a community gun
• False public alarm
• Conspiracy to commit stalking
• Distribution of cocaine
• Distribution of cocaine within 500 fett of a public housing complex
• Distribution of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school
• Possession of cocaine
• Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute
• Conspiracy to commit distribution of cocaine
• Conspiracy to commit distribution of heroin
• Distribution of heroin
• Distribution of heroin within 500 feet of a public housing complex
• Conspiracy to commit distribution of methylone (molly)
• Conspriacy to commit distribution of oxycodone
• Possession of oxycodone
• Possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute

Walker faces a possible 20 years to life for first-degree racketeering conspiracy. Charges in the remainder of his conviction include:

• Conspiracy to commit robbery
• Attempted armed robbery
• Possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose (four counts)
• Unlawful possession of a weapon (three counts)
• Conspiracy to commit shoplifting as part of an organized retail theft enterprise
• Shoplifting as part of an organized retail theft enterprise
• Fencing
• Conspiracy to possess a weapon for unlawful purpose (two counts)
• Conspiracy to commit aggravated assault - bodily injury with a deadly weapon
• Aggravated assault - attempt to cause bodily injury to another
• Unlawful possession of a community gun
• Conspiracy to possess cocaine
• Possession of cocaine
• Conspiracy to possess heroin
• Conspiracy to possess methylone (molly)
• Conspiracy to distribute oxycodone

Investigators uncovered armed robberies, house burglaries and thefts, including a shoplifting operation that fenced goods through a pawn shop in Neptune City, plus a drug operation that raised money through peddling of cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and molly, a form of the drug known as ecstasy. They found that suspects targeted rival gans members for shootings, using illegally-possessed guns, and transferring weapons through their organizations.

The probe also exposed counter-surveillance of law enforcement, which is how German was implicated. Monmouth authorities did not indicate whether appeals are planned for any of the three.

German is represented by attorney Robert Ward of Brick Township. Fair's attorney is Jeffrey W. Coghlan of Freehold. Walker is represented by Rumson attorney George Mardinly.