Sheriff's audit has revealed stolen Rx;

The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
BYLINE: Yolanda Jones, yojones@desotoappeal.com

DeSoto County, TN

Prescription drugs were taken from evidence room

DeSoto County Sheriff Bill Rasco confirmed Friday that an internal audit revealed prescription drugs were missing from a case in the department's evidence room.

Who took the missing drug evidence remains unknown.

"Since this discovery, the Sheriff's Department has fully investigated the matter and there is no available evidence to directly pinpoint the identity of the person responsible for the missing evidence," according to a news release.

The missing drugs were seized in a case in which a suspect later pleaded guilty in DeSoto County Circuit Court. State law requires the sheriff's department to keep the evidence for two years.

The department said the evidence from the case was the only evidence missing and did not "compromise any criminal investigation" nor "allow a guilty party to escape justice."

To make sure no other drug evidence disappears, the department has named Commander Charles Lanphere to be in charge of the newly established Special Investigations Division, according to the release.

Officers with the Street Crimes Unit or the Narcotics Unit will be assigned to the new SID unit or to another department.

- Yolanda Jones: (662) 996-1474

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