SHERIFF’S OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY IN OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT CASE

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Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced today that John C. Adams entered guilty pleas yesterday (11/30) before the Honorable Wendel E. Daniels, P.J.Cr.P to Official Misconduct – Second Degree and Theft – Second Degree in connection with his misappropriation of cocaine to which he was entrusted for purposes of canine training.  Adams was serving as the commander of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department canine unit at the time.  He had been a sworn sheriff’s officer for 16 years. It is believed that Adams ingested the cocaine.  As a consequence of his guilty pleas, Adams must forfeit his public employment.  He is also ineligible for any future government employment in the State of New Jersey.  The plea agreement requires Adams to serve a three-year State Prison sentence, which includes a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of two years.

The guilty plea is the result of an investigation that began in January of 2017, which ultimately uncovered that Adams had failed to properly secure cocaine used in the training of canine animals.  Adams initially falsely reported that the cocaine was accidentally discarded with canine training items.  Upon further investigation, it became apparent that Adams had blamed other members of the K-9 Unit for the cocaine’s disappearance after he diverted in excess of one kilogram of the controlled dangerous substance from its intended training purposes and used it for his personal consumption.

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department provided assistance and cooperation from the inception and throughout the investigation.

Adams remains free on bail pending his scheduled sentencing on April 6, 2018.