The Boston Globe, boston.com
BYLINE: Globe Staff
Ashland, MA
An Ashland police officer has been indicted by a Middlesex County grand jury in connection with the destruction of evidence and subsequent conduct, Middlesex district attorney's office said Friday.
Edward Pomponio, 50, was indicted on charges of wanton destruction of evidence and obstruction of justice. An arraignment date has not yet been set.
“With these charges, we allege that this defendant, a police officer, discarded key drug evidence in a pending criminal case and then tried to intimidate another officer from reporting it,” District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement. “These are troubling allegations that reflect a violation of the public trust placed in all law enforcement officials.”
Pomponio, who served as the police department’s evidence officer in July 2011, is alleged to have thrown out critical evidence in an open and active criminal case involving drug charges.
Without this evidence, the case could not proceed and had to be dismissed. Following that, he is alleged to have tried to intimidate the officer who had the case from reporting the evidence tampering to officials who would investigate, the DA's office said.
The police department would not immediately comment.
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