Gov. Gary Herbert signed House Bill 200 on March 22, which now requires local law enforcement agencies to submit sexual assault kits to state forensic labs for testing within 30 days of retrieval. March 29, 2017 Some advocates for sexual assault victims are praising Utah's new legislation regarding the processing of rape kits. Gov. Gary Herber...

"I am both embarrassed and disgusted by this case" March 29, 2017 A former evidence custodian for the Florence Police Department has been indicted on more than 100 charges associated with stealing narcotics from the evidence vault. Lauren Ezell, 34, of Rogersville, resigned amid an investigation into allegations she mishandled and stole evidence fr...

Walters, 37, of Madison, was sentenced to two years of probation. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 5. Enter Article DATE HERE MADISON, Wis. - A former lieutenant with the state Department of Veterans Affairs Police Department was sentenced Tuesday for possession of a controlled substance. David Walters, 37, of Madison, was sentenced to two years of p...

March 6, 2017 Putnam, the Simpsonville Police officer arrested Jan. 7, 2016, in connection with the November 2015 robbery of thousands of dollars as well as guns and drugs from the Simpsonville Police Department, had pleaded guilty before Shelby Circuit Judge Charles Hickman in January. Putnam made an open plea, which left the sentence up to the ju...

The case remained unsolved for three decades until it was reopened in 2013 by then Oxnard Police Department Detective Mike Young, who was assigned to the Ventura County Sheriff's Cold Case Task Force. March 23, 2017 A Los Angeles man facing criminal charges connected to the rape and murder of an Oxnard woman 30 years ago pleaded...

Convicted of stealing nearly $70,000 in drug money seized by his department, according to the attorney general's office March 24, 2017 A former South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of stealing nearly $70,000 in drug money seized by his department, according to the attorney general's office....

Analysts in Kentucky are now ranked as the lowest paid in the entire United States, and KSP Forensic Laboratory System Director Laura Sudkamp told Pure Politics she is the lowest paid director in the nation, "by a long shot." March 23, 2017 Editor's note: This is part two in a two-part series on Kentucky's attempts to clear the backlog of untested ...

admitted to stealing money from evidence March 24, 2017 A former South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper who admitted to stealing money from evidence while on the job has been sentenced to five years in the state penitentiary. In addition, 48-year-old Brian William Biehl received a $10,000 fine.  Attorney General Marty Jackley announced the senten...

He was logging into a high-security evidence server to watch child pornography seized from other people. March 22, 2017 For three decades, officer Craig Wattier rose through the ranks of his police department outside Toronto - progressing from tractor-trailer thefts to some of its worst investigations, such as sex crimes against children. One day i...

Halifax police say further evidence testing led to charges laid Thursday in the homicide of Naomi Kidston 12 years ago. March 23, 2017 Halifax police say further evidence testing led to charges laid Thursday in the homicide of Naomi Kidston 12 years ago.  Police said Donald Murray Peters, 50, was arrested without incident on Stanley Street in ...

"Until recently, the state didn't even know the number of untested rape kits in Arizona, which turned out to be in the thousands. Enter Article DATE HERE PHOENIX - Rape kits must be tested within 15 days of being collected, thanks to a new law just signed by Gov. Doug Ducey.The legislation establishes time limits, standards and reporting requi...

In addition, investigators found that the unit did not keep inventory records of drug evidence and seized property. May 22, 2017 An audit of Cheatham County's government spending for the 2016-2017 fiscal year by the Comptroller found that the narcotics unit of the Sheriff's Office had "questionable expenses with confidential funds" and missing evid...

Agents arrested Hunter the next day and recovered 31 firearms, ammunition, narcotics and a decorative sword that were all presumed to be stolen from the Fairfield Police Department Enter Article DATE HERE Cute and Paste Content Here Recent blog posts - International Associate For Property & Evidence Inc. - IAPE News Blog IAPE is a non...

Medical issues postpone trial date for retired Springfield police officer Kevin Burnham March 20, 2017 Springfield-Kevin Burnham, retired Springfield police officer, appears in Hampden County Superior Court where his case was continued until March.  Burnham is facing charges with stealing nearly $385,000 in cash from the police department's ev...

Any and all documents regarding the surrender and disposition of weapons to the Lloyd Harbor Police Department" from Jan. 1, 1987 to present. March 17, 2017 The Suffolk County district attorney's office has issued subpoenas to the Village of Lloyd Harbor for police records, the village's mayor said Friday. One of the subpoenas requested payroll rec...

Monday is the trial date for retired Springfield Detective Kevin Burnham, accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the Police Department's evidence room over four and a half years March 17, 2017 SPRINGFIELD -- Monday is the trial date for retired Springfield Detective Kevin Burnham, accused of stealing nearly $400,000 from the Police Department's e...

Metro has many warehouses around the city that house recovered property March 18, 2017 Burglars stole your stuff. The police recovered it. What comes next? Enter the reason for the Evidence Vault, which isn't really a vault at all, as attendees learned at a recent First Tuesday seminar. On hand for the February talk at Northwest Area Command, 9850 ...

Enter Headline here Enter Article DATE HERE PORTSMOUTH — Police plan to upgrade charges to felonies against a city man accused of growing 51 marijuana plants in his basement, which were seized and stunk up the Police Department and adjacent City Hall. Plans to upgrade charges against Christian Lydon, 47, of 1156 Woodbury Ave., are cited in a m...

The shockingly sloppy evidence control procedures also create uncomfortable questions about the trustworthiness of our criminal justice system. March 16, 2017 Last summer The Coast revealed that an internal audit conducted by the Halifax Regional Police had found widespread problems with the security and record keeping inside the HRP's Drug Vault—t...

The 30-year-old cold case, which led to the filing of charges against Withers on Thursday, was solved after additional DNA testing of the fingernails of the victim, March 16, 2017 In 1987, several days after pleading guilty to a string of burglaries in St. Paul's Macalester-Groveland neighborhood — and being released from jail a day later — Michael...

Later DNA tests on a cigarette butt recovered from the teen's bedroom and a roll of tape used to bound Cox's victims ultimately led to Cox's arrest in January 2015Read more here: March 15, 2017 A man arrested two years ago in a two-decade old rape case could face up to 20 years in state prison after pleading guilty to the sexual assault Wednesday i...

Rather, investigators believe Acosta was hunting for cash. And they say he found plenty of it on a few unsuspecting drivers — and an undercover agent. March 14, 2017 On the night he was arrested, rookie Wynwood-beat cop Jose R. Acosta was patrolling Miami's trendy arts district and making traffic stops — only police say he wasn't interested in enfo...

Abington Police Department disposed of 185 guns that had accumulated in their evidence locker since 1998. February 22, 2017 ABINGTON, PA -- In January, the Abington Police Department disposed of 185 guns that had accumulated in their evidence locker since 1998. The guns had been surrendered to police over the last 19 years and ultimately could not ...

Testing by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement matched DNA from the nasal swabs to DNA on the flannel shirt found in the dumpster Enter Article DATE HERE Twenty-three years ago, 16-year-old Fred Paul Laster went missing, and ever since then, his family has prayed for answers. Those prayers may have been answered with the Tuesday morning ...

"We have 22 guns stolen, along with some narcotics March 7th, 2017 Livingston PARISH, LA - Livingston Parish law enforcement, like many other entities in south Louisiana, has been through the ringer thanks to the August flood. The 911 call center was flooded, as was the prison and the old courthouse building. Apparently, somebody knew not everythin...

"It's very upsetting to me when an officer crosses that line," March 6, 2017 TUCKER, Ga. – A DeKalb County Police officer is behind bars after being charged with several crimes related to an incident over the weekend. According to the DeKalb County Police Department, officer Ajamia Guyton has been charged with theft by taking, tampering with eviden...

The discovery was made by the new sheriff, who's pointing the finger at former Sheriff Joey Dobson for losing nearly a dozen weapons, saying shoddy record keeping is to blame. March 9, 2017 The discovery was made by the new sheriff, who's pointing the finger at former Sheriff Joey Dobson for losing nearly a dozen weapons, saying shoddy record keepi...

Juan Rivera is a $20 million man, receiving the money in a settlement for the 20 years he spent in prison before DNA evidence cleared him. October 17, 2017 CHICAGO (WLS) -- Juan Rivera is a $20 million man, receiving the money in a settlement for the 20 years he spent in prison before DNA evidence cleared him. Rivera invited ABC 7 Eyewitness News t...

"It was a case that they had absolutely no leads on," Lott said. "At that time, we didn't know what DNA was. March 8, 2017 The Richland County Sheriff's Department's cold case squad says a man already serving multiple life sentences for killing four women in 1987 has confessed to another murder, that went unsolved for 30 years. Patricia Ann Green's...

Arrested Jan. 7, 2016, in connection with the November 2015 burglary of thousands of dollars as well as guns and drugs from the Simpsonville Police Department, March 6, 2017 Terry Putnam was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison for a 2015 robbery at the Simpsonville Police Department Putnam, the Simpsonville Police officer arrested Jan. 7, 2016, ...

Enter Headline here Enter Article DATE HERE He was a well-respected police detective, a marathoner, a youth sports coach, and a dedicated dad to four children. Colleagues knew him as someone they could depend on. But Michael W. Gommer, an 18-year veteran of the Upper Dublin Township Police Department, kept a secret for years: He was a drug add...

The theft of $137,609 in currency and 1,096 pills from the evidence room went undetected from the HPD's custody prior to January 2012. ​ March 2, 2017 Broward Inspector General John W. Scott announced Tuesday, February 28 that the Broward Office of the Inspector General (OIG) had issued a final report finding that Hollywood Police Department (...

The state Division of Criminal Justice Services issued a report Wednesday that counted at least 1,622 rape kits across the state that had not yet been sent to a lab for testing. March 2, 2017 "DCJS will contact agencies and offices that did not provide information for this report, reiterate the importance of reporting to the state and work with tho...

Vance's office committed $38 million in grants to 32 jurisdictions in 20 states across the U.S. starting in 2015 to eliminate backlogs of untested sexual assault evidence kits. March 2, 2017 Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. said Wednesday that efforts to eliminate national rape kit backlogs have led to 70 arrests in cold cases. Vance's offi...

Drugs and cash missing from a police evidence room were taken by a police detective who has since passed away. March 2, 2017 UPPER DUBLIN, Pa. - Drugs and cash missing from a police evidence room were taken by a police detective who has since passed away. The Upper Dublin Police Department and Montgomery County District Attorney's office revealed T...

Regardless, police policy requires officers to deposit items they seize into evidence lockers at headquarters. March 1, 2017 LAWRENCE -- An 18-year veteran of the police force has been put on paid leave while the department investigates an allegation that he seized a legally registered handgun during a traffic stop last month and took the weapon ho...

A subsequent investigation alleges that Adams had diverted the cocaine to his own personal use. March 1, 2017 An Ocean County Sheriff's Department officer who legally obtained cocaine to train his canine partner began obtaining the substance illegally, authorities charged Wednesday. Lt. John C. Adams, 40, of Toms River, is facing charges of officia...

Licking County Sheriff's Office Detective Captain Chris Slayman announced the arrest of Gustave Sapharas, 72, of Canton March 1, 2017 NEWARK - More than 25 years after the body of 20-year-old Bonita Parker was found near Pataskala, the person police believe to be responsible for her death is behind bars. Licking County Sheriff's Office Detective Ca...

The report found that the theft of $137,609 in cash and 1,096 pills went undetected because the department didn't establish proper security protocols and then didn't ensure compliance of the protocols that were established. Enter Article DATE HERE HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - The Broward Office of the Inspector General issued a report, Tuesday, de...

Of the 12,000 items in drug-related police evidence almost a quarter were missing, but Halifax police Chief Jean-Michel Blais says nothing 'untoward' happened. February 1,2017 By: Zane Woodford Metro Published on Mon Feb 27 2017 Tens of thousands of dollars and several kilograms of illicit drugs are still missing from Halifax Regional Police eviden...

An audit later determined that approximately $70,000 was missing, according to Healey's office March 1, 2017 RAMINGHAM — A veteran police officer who supervised the department's evidence room admitted in 2015 to stealing money under his care, according to new records filed in court Wednesday. Former patrolman Alan Dubeshter allegedly told several c...

A Bronx man was charged with the 1999 rape and murder of a 56 - year-old woman who lived in his building — after new DNA evidence linked him to the brutal slaying, police sources said. Enter Article DATE HERE A Bronx man was charged with the 1999 rape and murder of a 56-year-old woman who lived in his building — after new DNA evidence lin...

The Chittenden County State's Attorney's office said Christopher Lopez made up a story about smelling marijuana on a suspect, perhaps to strengthen a case February 23, 2017 An alleged lie and a body camera recording cost a Burlington, Vermont, police officer his job. The Chittenden County State's Attorney's office said Christopher Lopez made up a s...

"While I appreciate the progress, this also doesn't account for the other 1,135 unprocessed rape kits that sit untested at the SFPD because they have passed statute of limitations." February 27, 2017 SAN FRANCISCO—In 2010, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors legislated that all rape kits, used to collect biological information from victims of se...

Homicide detective cross-examined over wrongful release of evidence to defendant's daughter February 16, 2017 By Samantha Vicent Tulsa World | 0 comments Witnesses for former Tulsa Police Officer Shannon Kepler's defense will testify Thursday after prosecutors rested their case Wednesday.  The lead homicide detective in the case testified and ...

A high-ranking South Amboy cop stole cash seized in investigations from the evidence room, the county prosecutor says. February 23, 2017 SOUTH AMBOY, NJ - A South Amboy police detective has been charged with stealing money from the evidence room, the Middlesex County prosecutor announced Thursday morning. Detective Matthew Barcheski, 39, who lives ...