Corbett's ex-son-in-law guilty of theft

A COMMON PLEAS jury deliberated for less than two hours yesterday before convicting a former narcotics cop of theft charges in a case in which he was caught on camera pocketing $140 from a car.

Defendant Jerold Gibson, whose name has also been spelled Gerold Gibson, did not react when the foreman read five "guilty" verdicts.

Gibson, 45, is the former son-in-law of ex-Gov. Tom Corbett.

Common Pleas Judge Diana Anhalt set sentencing for Oct. 1.

Considering the amount of the theft and Gibson's lack of a prior criminal record, sentencing guidelines would likely call for probation.

Gibson was captured in a Jan. 31, 2013, sting taking $140 from a 1998 Lexus that was set up to look like a drug dealer's car.

The sting was conducted by an FBI and Philadelphia Police Internal Affairs task force. The Lexus was equipped with tiny cameras.

During the trial, the jury saw video of Gibson taking the money while transporting the car from Logan to his Narcotics Field Unit headquarters.

Assistant District Attorney Douglas Rhoads, in his closing argument, told the jury of five women and seven men that "on any day when it's not a sting, it's a perfect crime." What Gibson did was pocket money he thought was a drug dealer's, Rhoads said.

In the off-chance a drug dealer were to report his drug money stolen, Rhoads said, "you know how that plays out."

"That plays out, it's a drug dealer's word against a seasoned police officer's. Who's going to believe that drug dealer?" Rhoads said.

When Gibson was confronted by task force members later that day about what was missing from the Lexus, he took the $140 from his pocket. The money had been marked with an ultraviolet dye.

Defense attorney A. Charles Peruto Jr. told jurors during his closing argument that Gibson never intended to steal the money. He said Gibson hadn't yet finished his work shift that day and if task-force members had allowed him to, they would have seen Gibson filling out the property receipt for the money at the end of his shift, and turning the money in.

But Rhoads said that Gibson didn't even tell his direct supervisor, as he should have, that he had taken money from the car.

After the verdict, Gibson, who is not in custody, said "I'm disappointed, frustrated." When asked whether he stole the money, he replied: "No. Unequivocally."

Peruto later said by phone: "You saw the tape. It's very difficult to get around it."

Rhoads said: "The commonwealth is pleased with the result and the members of the community have spoken and held him accountable for what he's done."

Gibson was married to Corbett's daughter, Kate, who now works at the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office and previously was a prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. She and Gibson were separated at the time of his arrest in 2013; they have since divorced.

Reached by phone yesterday, she declined to comment.

Her father, the former governor, also declined to comment through his former spokesman, Kevin Harley.