Major discipline · 2024[1]
Terminated- Rank as reported
- Senior Correctional Police Officer
- Sustained charge(s)
- (a)(6) a Public Employee. (a)(12) . N.J.A.C. 4A.2-2.7 Actions involving criminal matters C11: an employee. E1: Violation of a rule, regulation, policy, procedure, order or administrative decision. N.J.S.A. 2C: 27-2( C ). Bribery. N.J.S.A. 2C: 5-2A (1). Conspiracy to commit bribery.
- Separated while IA pending
- No
Plain-language summary (this site, from the cited record only)
On October 17, 2022, Senior Correctional Police Officer Christopher Smoaks was arrested following an Internal Affairs investigation that found he agreed to bring tobacco into the secured facility for an incarcerated person in exchange for cash payments. On July 19, 2024, Smoaks pled guilty to second-degree conspiracy to commit bribery and was required to forfeit his employment with the Department of Corrections, which terminated him.
Synopsis as reported by the agency
On October 17, 2022 Officer Smoaks was arrested after an investigation from the Internal Affairs Division. Officer Smoaks engaged in conduct that constituted bribery with an incarcerated Person by agreeing to bring prohibited items (specifically tobacco) into the secured facility in exchange for cash payments. On July 19, 2024 Officer Smoaks entered into a plea agreement wherein he pled guilty to 2nd Degree Conspiracy to commit Bribery and it was determined he must forfeit his employment with the NJDOC.