Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray has announced that Essex County Sheriff’s Officer Robert Andrews , 28 of Union has been charged with interfering in an investigation.
Mr. Andrews who has been suspended from the Sheriff’s Department since July 1,2015 was charged by the Prosecutor’s Professional Standard Bureau this afternoon with :
Hindering the investigation , prosecution and conviction of another. 4 degree. Obstructing Administration of law, 4th. Degree.
These charges emanated from Mr. Andrews while employed as a Sheriff’s Officer did interfere and obstruct an investigation after disclosing information to the subject of an investigation and did assist in identifying law enforcement to further the criminal activity .
The investigation Andrews interfered and obstructed was Operation TIDE which was a five month investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force which 48 people were charged on June 30,2015.
Mr Andrews was processed and released on a summons pending his arraignment on July 29,2015. The investigation is ongoing .
Mr. Andrews was hired by the Sheriff’s Department in 2012 after being laid off by the Newark Police Department in 2011. He was hired by the Newark Police Department in 2008.
These are accusations. All defendants are innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.