DOVER, DE - A Delaware Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (ATE) agent has been suspended and charged with multiple felonies for his alleged trading of seized cigarettes for drugs and money.
According to the Delaware Department of Justice, Joseph Dominic, 33, faces five felony charges and a misdemeanor after an investigation by the Delaware ATE and Delaware State Police.
The Department of Justice says an investigation into Dominic began in October 2023 when his supervisors became suspicious of his handling of seized cigarettes. ATE contacted the Delaware State Police to assist with the investigation, the DOJ says.
Investigators allegedly discovered Dominic was entrusted with 30 cartons of cigarettes from ATE supervisors to provide them to other law enforcement agencies, but instead gave them to an unauthorized third party for sale, according to the DOJ. Profits from those sales were allegedly split between Dominic and the seller, who investigators believe also provided Dominic with illegal drugs.
Dominic is additionally accused of giving false information in police reports in order to hide this alleged activity.
"Nobody is above the law or beneath justice,” said Attorney General Jennings. “Misconduct by public officials is not just wrong by virtue of the crime itself — it also erodes public trust and dishonors the good work of the overwhelming majority of law-abiding public servants. We take these cases seriously — they are, in significant part, why we established a permanent Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust. I commend DATE and the Delaware State Police for taking action immediately when they suspected wrongdoing, and am grateful for their leadership in the investigation."
Dominic faces felony charges of Official Misconduct, Theft, Theft by False Pretense, Conspiracy Second Degree, and Tampering with Public Records First Degree, and a misdemeanor charge of Illegal Possession of a Controlled Substance.
