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Police officer charged with prostitution

Part-timer for Newport Township arrested in sting at W-B motel.

EDWARD LEWIS elewis@timesleader.com

A Newport Township part-time police officer was working as an escort when he was arrested in a prostitution sting at a Wilkes-Barre motel on Friday, according to arrest papers.

Levi Gibbon Jr., 40, of East North Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged by the state police Organized Crime Unit with a single count of prostitution. He was arraigned before Hanover Township District Judge Joseph Halesey and released on $5,000 bail.

Newport Township Solicitor Richard Shiptoski said Gibbon has been suspended without pay until resolution of the charge, a third-degree misdemeanor.

Gibbon couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.

According to the criminal complaint:

State police and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office were involved in a prostitution sting at the Wilkes-Barre Lodge motel on Kidder Street.

An informant told authorities that Gibbon was working as an escort and was to show up at 4 p.m. to meet a client in room 141.

Gibbon, carrying a blue mini cooler, knocked on the door and was greeted by an undercover trooper posing as a client.

Once inside the room, Gibbon discussed with the trooper sexual acts that would be performed for an amount of money, the criminal complaint says.

Gibbon began to undress as he accepted $200 in marked money. A signal was given to surveillance teams, who entered the room and arrested Gibbon.

Police said Gibbon admitted in a written statement that he was working as an escort and expected to receive money for sexual favors, the criminal complaint says.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Central Court.

Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.