The Essex County Department of Corrections reported multiple terminations and lengthy suspensions involving criminal convictions, falsified reports, inmate safety violations, and misconduct cases during the latest major discipline reporting period.
The Essex County Department of Corrections disclosed a series of major disciplinary actions against correctional officers, including several terminations tied to criminal convictions and misconduct investigations. The cases were included in New Jersey’s annual major discipline report covering actions finalized during the reporting period.
Among the most serious cases was former Correctional Police Lieutenant Gerardo Gonzalez, whose termination was finalized after he was arrested, charged, and later convicted in a child sexual abuse material case. According to the report, Gonzalez admitted possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material through various applications and was permanently disqualified from public employment.
Another terminated officer, Brian Sargent, was convicted of endangering the welfare of a child and sentenced to three years in prison following an investigation involving images and videos allegedly created without the victim’s consent. His termination was finalized during the reporting period.
Criminal convictions led to several dismissals
Officer Efrin Wade was also terminated after pleading guilty in federal court to extortion under color of official right. Investigators said Wade communicated with a person he believed was smuggling contraband into the jail, who was actually an undercover FBI agent. He later served a federal prison sentence.
Officer Andre Jones lost his job after an incident in which he allegedly struck one officer and placed another in a chokehold while reporting for duty. The report states Jones entered New Jersey’s Pretrial Intervention program and agreed to forfeit public employment.
Several probationary officers were also dismissed for performance-related issues, including Brearra Dunns, Annette Hamilton, Emma Mendoza, Jahdajha Sanders-Rodriguez, Ceonnah Tucker, and Shawn Wicker. Investigations cited allegations ranging from false reports and abandoning posts to attempting to bring prohibited items into the correctional facility.
Lengthy suspensions imposed
One of the longest suspensions involved Officer Kevin Belliveau, who received a 120-day suspension after exhausting accrued sick time and accumulating 134 days categorized as sick without pay, according to the report.
Officer Delflesha Clark was suspended for 75 days after investigators concluded she abandoned a constant-observation assignment, left the facility, and failed to complete required inmate monitoring documentation.
Officer Alex Flores received a 60-day suspension after an investigation found he falsely reported being confined to his residence while using sick leave. Information obtained from another law enforcement agency allegedly showed he was elsewhere during that time.
Other misconduct cases disclosed
The report also included a 30-day suspension for Officer Racquel Farmer, who was found to have left her assigned post and maintained ongoing communication with her brother while he was incarcerated at the Essex County Correctional Facility.
Officer Nigeria Jenkins received a 30-day suspension after an internal investigation determined she operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and was arrested by the Hillside Police Department while off duty.
Officer Michael Barbosa was suspended for 15 days after supervisors found him using a cellular phone while assigned to a correctional post where such conduct was prohibited.
The disciplinary actions were disclosed as part of New Jersey’s public reporting requirements for major law enforcement discipline cases.
Key Points
• Essex County corrections officials reported multiple terminations tied to criminal convictions and misconduct investigations.
• Several officers received lengthy suspensions for inmate safety violations, absenteeism, false reporting, and policy violations.
• Cases were disclosed through New Jersey’s annual major discipline reporting process.
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