Former Essex County Deputy Sheriff Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Money Laundering

CAMDEN, NJ—A former Essex County DeputySheriff was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for laundering money hebelieved was the proceeds of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishmanannounced.
Eric Hawkins, 44, of Union, New Jersey,previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with money laundering.He entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler inCamden federal court.
According to documents filed in thiscase and statements made in court:
In addition to serving as a deputy withthe Essex County Sheriff’s Department, Hawkins owned a non-profit business,Urban Community Unification Inc. Hawkins met with an undercover law enforcementofficer who held himself out to be a broker who laundered cash for a drug dealer.Hawkins agreed to launder cash—proceeds of the drug dealer’s drug traffickingbusiness—through Urban Community Unification, listing the cash as a “donation.”Hawkins accepted $25,000, $35,000, and $20,000 in cash on three separateoccasions and laundered the money through his company’s bank account. Hereturned a portion of the cash, less a 5 percent fee he charged for launderingthe money. Hawkins also accepted $75,000 in cash to launder.
In addition to the prison term, JudgeKugler sentenced Hawkins to three years of supervised release and ordered himto pay a $10,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited specialagents from the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction ofSpecial Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark; and special agents fromIRS-Criminal Investigation in Mays Landing, under the direction of SpecialAgent in Charge Victor W. Lessoff; and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Officewith the ongoing investigation leading to today’s sentence.
The government is represented by AssistantU.S. Attorney R. Stephen Stigall of the U.S. Attorney’s Office CriminalDivision in Camden.