Former PG Cop Receives Probation for Alerting Suspects in Drug Ring

A former Prince George’s County police officer who admitted to leaking details about secret federal wiretaps used in a drug investigation to a prison inmate and others will not spend time in prison for the crime.

Officials announced that Vanessa Edwards-Hamm, 38, will receive 30 months of probation and spend four months of that time under house arrest after she was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, The Washington Post reports.

Chief Judge Richard W. Roberts also required Edwards-Hamm to complete 100 hours of community service and banned her from getting a job in law enforcement while on probation.

Edwards-Hamm pleaded guilty to a single charge of unlawfully disclosing wire, oral or electronic communications, says WJLA TV. She was one of 17 people indicted in connection to a drug network that dealt in marijuana, cocaine, pills and heroin in the D.C. area. According to prosecutors, during the course of her work, she found out that the brother of one of her close friends, Aaron Vaughn, was being investigated for drug trafficking.

Authorities said Edwards-Hamm then called Vaughn's brother to tell him that wiretaps had been placed on his phone and that enough evidence had been collected for an indictment. In turn, the brother told Vaughn to change his phone number and leave the area.

Among the others indicted in connection with the scheme was Mark Edwards, Vanessa's brother, the TV station said.

Prince George’s County police helped federal officials arrest Edwards-Hamm after learning of the investigation against her. She eventually resigned from the force as part of her plea agreement.

Mark A. Magaw, county police chief, said in a statement: “The Prince George’s County Police Department remains dedicated to ensuring the highest standard of integrity and maintaining the public’s trust in our agency.”