Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jan 2003
Source: York Daily Record (PA)
Copyright: 2003 The York Daily Record
Contact:  http://www.ydr.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/512
Author: Rick Lee, Daily Record staff
Bookmarks: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/paraphernalia (paraphernalia)
http://www.mapinc.org/states/pa/ (Pennsylvania)

POLICE: MANAGER STOLE, SOLD EVIDENCE

Half of $40,000 worth of drug paraphernalia to be used in an upcoming
court case is gone, police said.

One of York County's biggest drug paraphernalia cases is set to go to
trial in March in Common Pleas Court.

But about half of the $40,000 seizure of bongs, hookahs and water
pipes is missing.

Last week, Pennsylvania State Police arrested Tangie Sue Krout, former
manager of All-Seasons Storage on Leader Heights Road, on charges of
burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Trooper William Tucker,
state police had placed the alleged drug paraphernalia in a rental
unit at the York Township storage facility in March.

The evidence came from March 7 raids on two Custom Blends and News
stores in York and Adams counties and a search of owner Mark Tucci's
Windsor Township home.

Tucci was charged with three counts of possession with the intent to
deliver drug paraphernalia.

Custom Blends sells tobacco-related products, including pipes,
cigarette rolling papers and loose tobacco. No drugs were found in the
raids.

Because of a lack of storage space at the state police Loganville
barracks, the seized items, which reportedly included business
records, were stored in the rented unit.

According to Tucker's report, sometime between Nov. 13 and Nov. 25,
Krout had the lock cut off the storage unit and carted away the entire
contents.

Tucker tracked some of the items to a "head shop" in Maryland, which
reportedly paid Krout $910, and tracked some to Krout's mother's house
in Adams County.

Krout reportedly told Tucker she burned the documents.

Krout initially told investigators she made an "honest mistake." She
said she cleaned out the storage unit as called for under the rental
agreement when she thought state police had failed to keep current
with rental fees, said Chief Deputy Prosecutor Bill Graff. She told
troopers she threw everything away, according to Tucker's report.

"That was the story she gave originally and it was bogus," said Graff.
"She fessed up after (Tucker) had a serious talk with her."

Krout, free on $50,000 bail, could not be reached for comment. She no
longer is employed at All-Seasons Storage, according to a woman who
answered the phone at the business on Monday.

Graff said, "(Krout) just chose to snap the lock and take it and she
sold it. We got about half of it back."

The county's lead drug prosecutor said the alleged theft could
seriously compromise the pending case against Tucci.

Evidence taken from suspected crime scenes must be handled with strict
protocol, including proof of a continuous "chain of custody" by
authorities.

Graff now is faced with some evidence that was seized by police,
reportedly stolen and sold out of state before being recovered.

"Yeah, we have a serious chain of custody problem," Graff said. "I
don't want to speculate more than that."

Tucci's attorney did not return calls seeking comment.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake