BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Prosecutors said former Burke County Sheriff’s Office narcotics Officer Jody Price embezzled more than $13,000 from drug investigations he oversaw.
On Wednesday, Price was ordered to pay it back to the Sheriff’s Office.
An assistant district attorney said Price violated the public’s trust.
[SBI investigating improper use of drug funds in Burke County Sheriff's Office]
Price was a lieutenant for the narcotics task force when a secretary noticed some irregularities with special funds to make undercover drug buys, prosecutors said.
The secretary alerted the sheriff who asked for the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the missing money.
“We believe he violated the trust given to him by the citizens of Burke County,” Assistant District Attorney Lance Sigmon said. “He stole taxpayers’ funds and, at the same time, was asking for more money from the county. It actually led to a fractured relationship between county leaders and the Sheriff’s Department.”
After a six-month investigation, the grand jury indicted Price for embezzlement by a local government employee. Prosecutors told the judge Wednesday that several drug cases Price worked had to be dismissed because of the felony charge.
The sheriff also announced the task force Price once supervised was dissolved and replaced by a new narcotics division within the Sheriff's Office.
“It does hurt you because you trust everybody who’s here, obviously, or they wouldn’t be here,” Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisenant said. “But the public has to be able to trust the local law enforcement.”
In court, attorneys told the judge the embezzlement started around the time Price’s wife lost her job. Price was given four years of probation and told to pay back more than $13,000.
Price apologized to the judge.
“I’m sorry,” Price said. “I (worked) 19 years (in law enforcement) -- about all I can say.”
He has 10 years to repay the money he stole from the department.
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