Former North Braddock cop indicted on drug trafficking charges

Editor’s note: This story was changed to remove references to the arrest happening in Plum. Incorrect information was provided by the state police.

A former police officer was indicted on drug trafficking charges.

Craig William Gibson, 47, of McKeesport, a former North Braddock police officer, is accused of trafficking drugs and helping another trafficker avoid police detection, according to state Attorney General Michelle Henry.

Henry, along with the FBI and state police, announced the charges Wednesday.

A state grand jury recently recommended charges against Gibson for alleged cocaine trafficking in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties in 2022. The Attorney General’s Office presented evidence that Gibson was a drug runner for another man while he was working as a police officer.

The other man was not identified.

Gibson gave privileged information to the supplier so they could avoid police detection, using resources available to him as an officer, Henry alleged in a statement.

North Braddock no longer has its own police department. The Eastern Regional Mon Valley Police Department now covers North Braddock, East Pittsburgh and Rankin.

The FBI started the investigation into the trafficking and was helped by the State Police Western Organized Crime Unit.

“This collaborative investigation uncovered a cocaine trafficking ring that allegedly involved an officer of the law participating in the dealing and using his resources as an officer to shield the operation from police detection,” Henry said in a statement. “When a law enforcement officer breaks the law they are sworn to uphold, it undermines the entire criminal justice system and scars the reputations of the many officers making daily sacrifices to keep us all safe.”

The arrest of a law enforcement officer accused of abusing his position to enrich himself through the drug trade “stands among the most dangerous and disheartening events for our community,” said Kevin Rojek, FBI Pittsburgh special agent in charge.

“Trust lies at the cornerstone of protecting our communities, and it is critical to carrying out that mission,” he said. “This investigation emphasizes the importance the FBI and our partners place on upholding the law, no matter who you are or what position you hold.”

State police troopers and local police work tirelessly to get drug dealers off the streets and make communities safer, state police Lt. Adam Reed said.

“When someone who is entrusted to protect our communities violates that trust by committing criminal acts, it underscores our unwavering dedication to holding members of law enforcement to the highest standards,” Reed said.

According to Henry, investigators found communications between Gibson and the supplier about police presence and locations. He allegedly bragged about his access to police radios, the 911 dispatch system and other resources that showed how many officers were on drug enforcement duties on any given night and their locations.

The investigation is ongoing, Henry said.

Gibson did not have an attorney listed in court records.

Gibson was charged with corrupt organizations, delivery of cocaine, hindering apprehension or prosecution, criminal use of a communication facility, obstructing administration of law, recklessly endangering another person and criminal conspiracy.

He was arraigned before District Judge Eugene F. Riazzi Jr. and released on a nonmonetary bond pending a preliminary hearing July 8.