Decorated NJ police officer sentenced to prison for illicit spending spree

⚠️ A former South Brunswick police officer was sentenced to five years in state prison.

💰 Prosecutors said Abraham "Jason" Gassman stole more than $75,000 from his local PBA over six years.

➡️ The plea permanently bars Gassman from public service and entering Target stores.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A once-celebrated police officer's fall from grace has earned him a ban from Target and a stay in state prison.

Abraham "Jason" Gassman, 53, was sentenced to five years behind bars in Superior Court in Monmouth County, prosecutors said Wednesday. Earlier this year, Gassman admitted that he stole more than $75,000 from a Policeman’s Benevolent Association in Middlesex County.

The former South Brunswick police officer pleaded guilty to second-degree theft. The plea included a ban from Target and public service, plus an agreement to surrender his firearms.

“Crimes of this nature aren’t just betrayals of a solemn oath of service; they undermine the public perception of the overwhelming majority of rank-and-file members of law enforcement who routinely do everything in their power to uphold the law with honor and duty,” Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said.

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Abraham "Jason" Gassman (SBPD)

Shoplifting investigation uncovered years of theft from police union

Investigators began looking into Gassman after he shoplifted about $100 worth of bedding items from a Target in Ocean Township last year, prosecutors said. He left with the stolen items in his police vehicle. That raised serious questions, as Gassman was the treasurer of his local PBA chapter.

Gassman had sole control over the PBA's finances since 2009, when he took the treasurer position. Investigators found he used that control to steal $75,000 in PBA funds over six years.

The trusted police officer stole cash from charity fundraisers and used the PBA credit card to make personal purchases. Gassman bought himself patio furniture, storage containers, vacuums, a leaf blower, propane, televisions, home gym equipment, a microwave, luggage and food.

Investigators found that Gassman had also lied in documents he submitted to the PBA accountant, claiming he repaid personal purchases. After the union's leadership started asking questions, Gassman changed the password to the PBA credit card.

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Award-winning career ended with prison sentence

South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said it's vital for the police department to admit whenever any of its members fall short of its standards.

“We hope that the outcome of this matter, which involved our full cooperation, is suitably reflective of our collective commitment to justice and fidelity," Hayducka said.

It's a blow to Gassman's reputation before his arrest.

In 2015, Gassman received an exceptional service medal. He was one of two officers who chased and caught a pair of suspects in a Route 1 road rage shooting, NJ.com reported. Gassman was also awarded a lifesaving medal for helping to revive a man in cardiac arrest.

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