Ex-drug cop charged with possession

MANTI — A former drug cop has been charged in Sanpete County with drug possession.

John Earl Stevens, 28, former Sanpete sheriff's deputy and member of the Central Utah Narcotics Task Force, is facing charges of drug possession and theft, according to a case filed Thursday in 6th District Court.

During his time with the Sanpete County Sheriff's Department, Stevens had been on the Central Utah Narcotics Task Force where he was assigned to the K-9 unit and had access to confiscated drugs.

Possession or use of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin and theft constitute the charges against him, all four third-degree felonies. He is also charged with class B misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Though the case was filed in 6th District Court in Sanpete County, it is being prosecuted by the Utah County Attorney's Office.

Sanpete County Attorney Ross Blackham recused himself from the case at the time of Stevens' arrest last September in order to avoid conflict of interest, since Stevens had been a county employee.

Sanpete County Sheriff Kevin Holman did likewise, turning last summer's investigation of Stevens over to Utah County authorities after he became aware of it, "To avoid the appearance of any impropriety," he said.

Early in September, deputies say Stevens admitted to Holman that he had stolen drugs from the K-9 unit several times and had used them. Subsequent urine testing showed traces of the illegal substances.

Shortly afterward when evidence was reported missing from the Millard County evidence room, which Stevens had access too, a search warrant for Stevens' residence in Gunnison was sought and executed by the Utah County Narcotics Task Force.

The evidence from Millard County thought to have been stolen was later located but not before police say they found drug paraphernalia and empty evidence bags at Stevens' home.

They arrested Stevens on Sept. 12. He was released on bail the same day.

Stevens' initial court appearance is scheduled before Judge Wallace Lee on Feb. 27.

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E-mail: john@sanpetemessenger.com