Former DeKalb Officer/Clarkston Police Reservist Charged with Tipping off Drug Ring to Pending Search Warrant

Defendant Also Ran Car Tags and Names in Government Databases for Drug Dealers

ATLANTA—GABRIEL HOSKINS III, 39, of Atlanta, has been indicted by a federal grand jury and was arrested today by federal agents on charges of unlawfully accessing government databases and tipping off drug dealers to a pending federal search warrant. HOSKINS was arraigned on the charges by United States Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker this afternoon.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “It is always disappointing when we uncover evidence of law enforcement collaborating with criminals. The actions alleged in this case undercut police morale, damage law enforcement’s reputation in the communities in which they work, and endanger the many officers who daily uphold their oath to protect and serve.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the indictment, and information in the public record: HOSKINS, a former DeKalb County police officer and most recently a reserve patrolman with the City of Clarkston Police Department, served as the courtesy officer at an apartment complex in Atlanta. While working there, he befriended certain individuals who were involved in trafficking marijuana. On two occasions, at the request of the marijuana traffickers, HOSKINS used his law enforcement position to have names and/or vehicle tags run through the National Crime Information Center (“NCIC”) database. (The NCIC database is maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is used by law enforcement around the country to obtain addresses, criminal backgrounds, registration information, and other information. The NCIC database is not available to the public and is not for personal use by law enforcement.)

Also, in June of last year, HOSKINS, through his role as courtesy officer, learned that federal agents were planning to execute a search warrant at the drug dealers’ apartment. HOSKINS shared this information with the drug dealers so that they could avoid detection and remove any incriminating evidence.

Each charge against HOSKINS carries a maximum of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent; it will be the government’s burden to prove HOSKINS’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case was investigated by special agents of the FBI, with assistance from the DeKalb County Police Department and City of Clarkston Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Robert McBurney is prosecuting the case.

For further information, please contact Sally Q. Yates, United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is Justice.gov/usao/gan.