Troy

A city police officer got probation and must resign from the force after admitting in court Tuesday that he tipped off a drug dealer about a raid last year.

Brian Gross, 33, of North Greenbush, who was assigned to the Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, will get three years probation, 100 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine, Judge Andrew Ceresia said as Gross and his attorney, Stephen Coffey, stood before him.

"Did you improperly disclose to another information contained in an eavesdropping warrant?" Ceresia asked Gross.

"Yes, sir," Gross responded.

Gross must immediately resign and never work as a police officer again.

He was accused of telling a female friend that a narcotics team was investigating her brother and planned to raid his home in February 2014. The raid was part of a large drug sweep of five sites in the North Central neighborhood, and police became suspicious after no drugs were found at any of the spots following the raids.

The Times Union earlier reported Gross allegedly told his friend in phone conversations, text messages and in person to warn the suspect about the impending raid and to tell him to "watch his back." Gross also allegedly told his friend to tell the target "if he was doing anything he needed to ... get any drugs out of his house." Gross allegedly made several other remarks, including an admission he went to Puerto Rico with one of the people targeted in the probe.

He was arrested on charges brought by the Office of the State Attorney General.

As his family and supporters looked on, Gross pleaded guilty to divulging evidence secured by eavesdropping to its intended target and official misconduct, both misdemeanors.

According to a statement on file with the court, Gross gave State Police an explanation for how he got caught up in the case.

"I did this all for a piece of (expletive)," Gross stated to the investigators, adding they would find plenty of racy pictures on his cellphone. "Is there anything we can do here?" the 10-year veteran of the city police department allegedly asked a State Police investigator on July 29 at Troop G headquarters in Latham.

"Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe, and revealing confidential information that could jeopardize their safety is unacceptable," Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a prepared statement.

He was on paid suspension.

Gross, who will be sentenced Aug. 18, had faced a sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison if he had been convicted on all the counts.

bgardinier@timesunion.com • 518-454-5696 • @BobGardinier