A police detective possessing a prescription narcotic is not necessarily surprising or illegal in and of itself. What makes this particular detective’s alleged possession of prescription narcotics illegal is that they are believed to be from the evidence room of the department in Ohio where he was employed for nearly seven years. In March of this year, he resigned his position and is believed to be preparing to plead guilty to charges in connection with the reported drug thefts.
The three counts of theft and one count of theft in office stem from the disappearance of Vyvanse, Oxycontin and Vicodin from the police department’s evidence room between January and March of this year. An investigation into the thefts is said to have led to the detective. Recently, it was revealed that charges were filed against him.
The charging document against the detective is a criminal information. This document is generally used when an individual is being cooperative and is expected to enter a plea of guilty. It is unknown whether any sentencing agreement was reached with Ohio prosecutors. A court appearance in the case is currently scheduled for Aug. 7.
In this case, the evidence may overwhelmingly point to the guilt of the now former police detective who is accused of being in possession of prescription narcotics that were previously stored in the evidence room. He and his criminal defense counsel may have determined that going to trial may not provide the best resolution to the charges. It is under these circumstances that many people may consider negotiating a plea agreement with prosecutors to exchange one’s cooperation and a negotiated guilty plea for favorable considerations, often in the form of a lesser sentence.
Source: cleveland.com, “Parma Heights police detective charged with theft of prescription drugs from department’s evidence room“, James F. McCarty, July 24, 2014