Caldwell deputy accused of stealing cash, pills

St. Joseph News-Press, News-PressNOW, newspressnow.com
BYLINE: Jessica Shumaker St. Joseph News-Press

Caldwell County, MO


Brett L. O'Dell

A deputy arrested on a felony stealing charge has been accused of taking cash and prescription pills from the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Department’s evidence.

Court records show Brett L. O’Dell, 27, is being accused of stealing prescription pills and more than $5,000 in cash through his position as evidence officer.

According to the probable cause statement, Mr. O’Dell was employed as a deputy and evidence officer for the department from fall 2013 through approximately March 15.

In an interview held April 16 at the Cameron Police Department, Mr. O’Dell allegedly admitted to Sgt. Kevin Fender of the Missouri State Highway Patrol that he’d stolen numerous pills from evidence bags secured in the department’s evidence vault.

Mr. O’Dell also reportedly admitted to removing a large amount of money from the department’s evidence room. He could not give an exact amount for the stolen cash, nor could he identify which evidence bag it came from. He reported the amount as more than $5,000.

No new details have emerged as the Missouri State Highway Patrol has continued to investigate the case, Sgt. Jacob Angle of Troop H said Wednesday.

Late last week, the Patrol said in a news release that Caldwell County Sheriff Jerry Galloway had initiated the investigation. Mr. Galloway has declined to confirm Mr. O’Dell’s current employment status with the department or to give comment on the case, deferring to the Highway Patrol for comment.

Court records also show that Mr. O’Dell was being held at the Daviess/DeKalb County Regional Jail after being booked there April 16. Jail officials said he was released April 24 after posting 10 percent of his $25,000 bond.

Caldwell County Prosecuting Attorney Brady Kopek told the News-Press that a special prosecuting attorney, Doug Roberts, is representing the state in the case. Mr. Roberts, an attorney based in Chillicothe, Mo., has not returned numerous phone calls by the News-Press seeking comment in the case.

Mr. O’Dell will next appear in court on June 5.

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