Pubdate: Sun, 07 Apr 2002
Source: Deseret News (UT)
Copyright: 2002 Deseret News Publishing Corp.
Contact:  http://www.desnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/124
Author: Pat Reavy

TIME TO CLEAR OUT THOSE DRUGS, GUNS

Probation Agent Taking Inventory In The Evidence Room

When Adult Probation and Parole agent Tim Roybal decides to do some spring 
cleaning in his office, it requires more than just rearranging a few papers 
on his desk.

Roybal's 10-by-20-foot room is stacked to the ceiling with computers, 
printers, rifles and drugs. He is in charge of AP&P's evidence room and 
responsible for holding all items seized by parole officers.

This week, Roybal is doing an inventory of the evidence collected in 2000 
to determine if there is still an active case attached to the confiscated 
item or if it can be taken to a plant in Layton and burned.

On the floor is a giant pile of bags and envelopes full of meth and drug 
paraphernalia waiting to be taken to the burn plant. Two sawed off shotguns 
are on the floor next to the bags.

In one corner of the room is a large locker stuffed with a variety of 
weapons including rifles, crossbows and even swords. In another corner is a 
stack of computer equipment including monitors, hard drives and printers. 
This particular stash was confiscated in a recent bust involving a group of 
people allegedly printing counterfeit checks.

Another drawer is filled with keys used in auto thefts.

All of the evidence was seized from people on probation or parole. They are 
people who have already been convicted of a crime and are supposed to stay 
clear of all alcohol, drugs and weapons while on probation. But Roybal says 
his room gets more crowded every day. "We are getting tons and tons of 
drugs," he said. "We find so much dope it's not even funny,"

Meth continues to be a big problem, Roybal said. But marijuana and black 
tar heroin are also showing up on a regular basis.

Another item agents are seizing more and more is computer equipment. The 
computers are used to print phony checks and credit cards to support drug 
habits.

In one case, a parolee was discovered printing phony checks after she got a 
little greedy. Agents found a check for $55,000 sitting on a computer. The 
woman quickly added that she meant to make it for only $5,000, 
incriminating herself even further, Roybal said.

Roybal has seen his share of unusual items pass through his room, including 
vacuum cleaners and tires, items that were stolen and purchased with 
fraudulent checks. In one case, his evidence room had to store a saddle 
that a parolee had stolen and actually carved his name into. A drug bong 
with Scooby Doo on it sat in the evidence room for a while. In another 
incident, agents were forced to seize tanks of fish purchased with illegal 
money.

Other items that have been seized recently include bolt cutters, stereos, 
scales, golf clubs and police scanners. In fact, the bad guys had their own 
handheld scanners with the 800 MHz frequency before AP&P even had its 
system running, Roybal said.

About 90 percent of the evidence confiscated from parolees is eventually 
burned, Roybal said. Other items will be held and used in training classes 
for parole agents.
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