Former New Jersey Sheriff's Deputy Cops Guilty Plea in Money Laundering Scheme
By Alicia Cruz The New Jersey Newsroom A former Essex County Deputy Sheriff pleaded guilty Wednesday in Camden federal court to laundering money through a non-profit community program he believed was proceeds from a drug trafficking operation. According to a press release, while serving as a Sheriff's deputy Eric Hawkins, of Union, New Jersey met with an undercover police officer posing as a broker who laundered money for a drug dealer. The two men entered into an agreement where Hawkins would launder the money from drug trafficking activity, listing the cash as a “donation” to the non-profit organization he owned, Urban Community Unification Inc. U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said Hawkins accepted a total of $155,000 and laundered the money through his non-profit's bank account. He returned a portion of the cash to the undercover cop, minus a 5 percent fee. Hawkins guilty plea carries a 20 year prison sentence and $250,000 fine. His sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Decembe...