Police officer acquitted of conspiracy

A former Maywood police officer has been acquitted of charges he tipped off a gang leader about a 2005 police drug raid.

An investigation intended to net drug dealers who wanted to bribe officers to not interfere with their drug operations in Maywood led to drug conspiracy charges against Arian Wade.

After a two-week trial before Circuit Judge Matthew Coghlan, the jury delivered its not-guilty verdict after it deliberated for about four hours Monday.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged Wade alerted Gangster Disciples leader Hosie Thurman that police were moving in. Wade and Thurman, 37, of Bolingbrook attended the same high school.

Telephone records show Wade and Thurman talked on the phone, but defense attorneys contended Wade used Thurman only as a source of information.