Pubdate: Thu, 15 May 2003 Source: Big Sandy News, The (KY) Copyright: 2003 The Big Sandy News Contact: http://www.bigsandynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1975 Author: Chris McDavid, Johnson County Bureau Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) COPS STILL CAN'T FIND SEIZED CASH PAINTSVILLE -- Mismanagement and sloppy record keeping were cited Tuesday by city police chief Larry VanHoose for the mysterious disappearance of $5,000 in cash from the city police department's evidence lockup. The police chief declined comment on specifics related to a Kentucky State Police search for the cash, which was discovered missing after a judge ordered earlier this month that all property confiscated during a drug bust be returned to its owner. VanHoose noted Tuesday that he implemented a new record-keeping system when he first took the chief's post in January, and added that a new system for storing and tracking evidence is also in the works since the cash was determined to be missing. The $5,000 was seized last year when Middle Fork resident Versie May "Beck" Tackett was charged by former city policeman Brett Meadows with trafficking marijuana and methamphetamines. Those charges were dismissed earlier this year after Meadows reportedly failed to attend court proceedings to testify for the prosecution. Judge Susan M. Johnson ordered the return of the cash to its owner, Mary Jackson, who signed an affidavit stating the cash belonged to her and was in Tackett's possession for safekeeping. VanHoose confirmed Tuesday that the missing evidence had not yet been tracked down. The police chief declined comment when asked how many people had access to the evidence, but he noted a system currently being used by the department is much stricter and more thorough than the apparent laxed practice of the former administration. Vanhoose also said officers had begun taking inventory of evidence remaining in city police possession to make certain that nothing else is missing. He said this week that officers had not yet discovered any more problems. The chief did not say when he expected answers to the missing money case, nor has he said if Meadows had been interviewed for information on the process the former officer used to log the cash into evidence. The former officer reportedly is now working for a Prestonsburg motel, but he is still required to testify in his old cases if he is subpoenaed. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager