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Suspended Manville Police Chief Convicted of Official Misconduct and Sexual Assault
A jury finds Thomas Herbst guilty of multiple on-duty attacks, sexual coercion, and abuses of power.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) announced that Thomas Herbst, the suspended Manville Police Chief, was convicted by a jury of second-degree Official Misconduct, Pattern of Official Misconduct, Sexual Assault, and fourth-degree Criminal Sexual Contact. The verdict was delivered in Somerset County Superior Court after a three-week trial, with the jury deliberating for about one day. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2025; Herbst faces mandatory prison time, including up to 10 years on each second-degree offense and at least five years of parole ineligibility.
“Earlier this afternoon, a unanimous jury convicted suspended Manville Police Chief Thomas Herbst of sexual assault and public corruption offenses,” said Attorney General Platkin. “For years, Herbst abused his power and tormented his victims. Today’s conviction shows no one is above the law. At a time when corruption prosecutions and protections are being eroded nationally, in New Jersey my office will continue to hold corrupt officials to account.”
“The jury’s verdict sends a message to the victims, to other would-be perpetrators, and to the public that public corruption and sexual abuse will not be tolerated,” said Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA. “Victims of sexual abuse will be heard and believed. This verdict is also a victory for the vast majority of law enforcement who honorably sacrifice to protect the public every day, and the public whom they are entrusted to serve.”
Details of Misconduct
Long-Standing Abuses: Evidence presented at trial showed that from 2008 onward, Herbst subjected at least three women—one a police department employee—to non-consensual groping, exposure, and sexual harassment, sometimes escalating to violent sexual assault. Many of these incidents happened on duty and even inside police headquarters. Over a 13-year period, the primary victim suffered repeated assaults, including forced sexual acts.
Demands for Favors: Jurors found Herbst guilty of using his rank to solicit sexual favors from the wife of a subordinate officer in exchange for favorable job decisions, such as promotions, as well as demanding explicit photos from another subordinate’s wife in return for schedule changes. Testimony also revealed Herbst repeatedly viewed pornography at his department office on a borough-issued computer.
Finally, the jury concluded Herbst violated Manville Police Department policy by retaining a chief’s badge during his suspension and invoking his position to avoid a traffic violation. Investigators from OPIA and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office jointly built the case, which led to Herbst’s conviction on multiple counts of Official Misconduct—a crime that imposes mandatory prison terms to preserve the integrity of public service.
