Former FHP employee gets 180 days probation in missing drug evidence case

WFTV9, wftv.com
BYLINE: Tim Barber

Orlando, FL


Eric Blackmon

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A former Florida Highway Patrol employee at the center of a missing drug evidence case struck a deal to avoid time behind bars.

Eric Blackmon, 39, was arrested last month, but the investigation began last year after 250 pounds of marijuana, 1,400 grams of cocaine and 30 oxycodone pills vanished from the evidence locker he was in charge of as an evidence custodian for the FHP.

Investigators said they uncovered surveillance video that shows Blackmon removing 11 boxes from the evidence room.

Blackmon was supposed to bring the boxes to Fort Pierce, but records show he arrived with only five boxes.

He resigned last year.

This month, he pleaded no contest to an attempted official misconduct charge and was put on probation for 180 days.

Former Chief Judge Belvin Perry said it does not appear the evidence was strong enough to bring the case to trial.

“It was one of the classic examples of ‘all that glitters is not gold.’ But once you open that package up and start sorting out what was contained in there, they obviously found some proof issues,” said Perry.

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