FBI charges Bloomfield officer was a bookie

Friday, July 8, 2005 | 9:20 a.m.

NEWARK, N.J. -- FBI agents and state troopers on Thursday arrested a Bloomfield police officer on charges he operated an illegal sports gambling business.

The officer, William Abendschoen Sr., collected debts while on duty in uniform and a wiretap revealed that he took bets by phone, according to a federal complaint filed by the FBI.

Abendschoen, 46, was taken into custody at his home in Bloomfield. He was released on bond following a brief appearance before U.S. Magistrate Mark Falk, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Boxer.

Abendschoen's lawyer, Timothy M. Donohue, said his client did have a gambling problem. "However," said Donohue, "he was never part of any gambling business. He was nothing more than a gambler, and there's no crime in that."

He said Abendschoen attended Gambler's Anonymous meetings and that his performance as an officer has not been questioned.

Bloomfield police Capt. Michael Behre said a decision on Abendschoen's status would be made within a few days.

Abendschoen has been an officer for 24 years in the department, which has 126 officers, Behre said. He was assigned to the patrol division, regularly responding to calls, Behre said.

The FBI complaint said Abendschoen ran the bookie operation from February to October 2003, when he was confronted by agents.

Federal authorities said they could not discuss why the officer had remained on duty since then; Behre said he did not believe Bloomfield had been advised.