Jail sergeant accused of cover-up after confiscating contraband

A sergeant at the Atlantic County Justice Facility has been charged with official misconduct and related offenses stemming from an alleged incident involving confiscated contraband.

Fred Gilbert, 37, of Egg Harbor City, is accused of concealing or destroying contraband recovered from an inmate and manipulating an official report to cover his actions.

According to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, the incident occurred on June 12, 2023. Gilbert, a 15-year veteran of the facility, allegedly apprehended an inmate in possession of unspecified contraband.

However, instead of following protocol and documenting the seizure, Gilbert is accused of hiding or disposing of the evidence.

To further conceal his actions, Gilbert allegedly instructed a junior officer to create a false document stating the contraband was never recovered. He then allegedly authored his own report with the same false information.

The investigation was conducted by the Atlantic County Justice Facility with the assistance of the Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards and Accountability Unit.

Charges against Gilbert include: Second-degree Official Misconduct, Third-degree Witness Tampering, Fourth-degree Obstruction, Two counts of Fourth-degree False Reporting to Law Enforcement Authorities, and Fourth-degree Tampering with Physical Evidence.

It is important to remember that these charges are merely accusations and Gilbert is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The Prosecutor’s Office encourages anyone with information about this incident or other serious crimes to come forward. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the ACPO.

Tips website or by calling the Major Crime Unit at 609-909-7666.

Crime Stoppers also offers cash rewards for information leading to arrests and indictments, and can be reached at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477.