A former New Jersey police chief was sentenced on Monday to spend seven years in prison for sexually assaulting multiple women while he was on duty.
Thomas Herbst, 57, was taken into custody in the wake of the sentencing, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced in a press release. He must serve at least 85% of the sentence before he's eligible for parole.
Herbst Accused Victims of Disobeying Orders if They Resisted His Advances
Herbst was convicted in February of leveraging his position as police chief of Manville to sexually assault at least three women over the course of more than a decade. Between 2008 and 2021, Herbst would allegedly grope, expose himself to and rape a police department employee who reported to him, often assaulting her while the two were on duty at police headquarters.
New Jersey AG Matthew Platkin described one incident where Herbst allegedly called his victim into his office, masturbated and ejaculated into her hair before apologizing and telling her to go home early.
The attacks eventually escalated to rape, according to prosecutors, and included an instance in which Herbst accused the victim of disobeying orders when she tried to resist his advances. He even ordered the victim to wear skirts at work to facilitate his attacks, officials said.
Herbst Solicited Sexual Favors from Subordinate's Wife in Exchange for His Promotion
Additionally, Herbst was convicted of demanding a subordinate officer's wife perform oral sex on him in exchange for her husband's promotion. He also demanded explicit photos of another officer's wife in exchange for a schedule change.
Prosecutors sought a 31-year sentence, while defense attorneys requested Herbst's release on bail, according to the Central New Jersey Home News Tribune. Herbst must also register as a sex offender upon his release.
