A police officer in Marion is facing serious charges following a months-long investigation into his alleged illegal activities. The man voluntarily surrendered to Arkansas law enforcement. The officer, a lieutenant in the Marion Police Department, faces charges of drug crimes, including possession of a controlled substance.
Reportedly, suspicion about the officer’s activities led the Marion Police Department narcotics division to set up hidden cameras in the evidence room. Reportedly, these cameras recorded the man entering the evidence room some 13 times between Oct. and Dec. 2018. During some of these visits, they say the video shows the man hiding drug-based evidence in his pants before leaving the room.
Arkansas State Police secured a warrant for his arrest, and he surrendered to authorities at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 12. He reportedly signed an affidavit in which he confessed to stealing and smoking marijuana from the evidence room. He now faces charges for drug possession, evidence tampering and violating the rules of conduct by a county officer, the first two of which are felony charges.
Drug crimes are serious no matter who perpetrates them, but in this case, the career of a dedicated law enforcement officer could be on the line. It will be up to Arkansas prosecutors to present the alleged video evidence to the court and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the individual depicted in the recordings is indeed the accused man. They will also seek prove he actually took evidence from lockup. The officer will be represented by a criminal defense attorney who will take every step necessary to carefully investigate the supposed evidence to determine its admissibility in court, and to ensure the man’s rights are respected throughout the criminal proceedings.