The Post-Journal, post-journal.com
BYLINE: Michael Rukavina (mrukavina@post-journal.com), The Post-Journal

Jamestown, NY

City Detective Pleads Guilty In Evidence Tampering Case

A 14-year veteran of the City of Jamestown Police Department could face up to a year in county prison.

Eric Corey, a former detective who was charged with an official misconduct in November 2012, pleaded guilty to the Class A-misdemeanor charge on Wednesday in Ellicott Town Court.

According to Chautauqua County District Attorney David Foley, the court has ordered a pre-sentencing investigation to be conducted by the Department of Probation.

"They'll recommend a sentence when we get to the time of sentencing ... It could be a month to a month and a half out."

A Class A-misdemeanor charge could result in up to a year in county jail, three years probation or a fine.

In September 2012, Foley, along with Harry Snellings, Jamestown police chief, held a press conference to announce the resignation of Corey, who was under investigation into evidence tampering.

"On Aug. 9, I met with District Attorney Dave Foley to discuss a complaint that he had received, which involved a member of the Jamestown Police Department," Snellings said during the conference. "After reviewing the information, I advised my staff of the situation, and the detective was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation."

It was revealed that Corey had taken Vicodin and Hydrocodone during the time he was custodian of the police department's evidence room. According to Snellings, Corey was the custodian of the vault for two years.

"He was systematically opening sealed evidence bags and was removing a variety of different types of prescription pain killers," Foley said.

As a result, the integrity of evidence filing in certain cases was questioned, but according to Foley his office has not yet received any motions pertinent to that argument.

"That is open to any defendant bringing any sort of motion under criminal procedure law at any time. We have not received any to date so it's not something where we received an influx of motions or anything like that," Foley told The Post-Journal Friday.

"They would have to point out very specifically in their case whether or not there was something done incorrectly before a court would be willing to open it."

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International Association for Property and Evidence
"Law Enforcement Serving the Needs of Law Enforcement"
www.IAPE.org