NYPD Sgt. Guilty Of Firing Gun At Watchung Man's Car: Prosecutor

WATCHUNG, NJ — An off-duty New York City Police sergeant was found guilty of firing her service gun at a Watchung man's vehicle in 2014, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson announced.

Wanda Anthony, 47, of Staten Island, New York, was convicted on Oct. 12 of second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and disorderly persons criminal mischief following a three-week jury trial in Somerville.

On April 30, 2014, Anthony, who was off-duty at the time, was on a date with a High Tor Drive resident. While at the resident's home, Anthony got into a physical altercation with the girlfriend of the resident, Robertson said.

Anthony showed her NYPD issued 9mm handgun and fired one round into the High Tor Drive resident's vehicle parked in the driveway. The round shattered the rear driver’s side door window and lodged in the vehicle’s right front A-pillar, Robertson said.

Anthony fled the scene after firing the shot, and was located nearby and arrested by Watchung Police Officer Brian McLaughlin.

Anthony denied firing her weapon, but a forensic technician employed by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office later recovered two projectile fragments from the resident’s vehicle, and a Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office ballistics expert matched the projectile fragments to Anthony’s handgun.

After the incident, Anthony was terminated by the NYPD.

Anthony is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1, 2017, at which time she faces 10 years in prison with a mandatory minimum 42 month period of parole ineligibility.

(Image via Somerset County Prosecutor's Office: Wanda Anthony, 47, of Staten Island, New York and former New York City Police Sergeant.)

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