Pubdate: Sat, 15 Apr 2006
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2006 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author:  Chris Metinko and Karl Fischer,  Knight Ridder
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

EX-COP GUILTY IN DRUG CASE

A retired Berkeley police sergeant pleaded guilty to grand theft and 
two felony drug charges Friday in Alameda County Superior Court.

Cary Kent, 53, pleaded guilty to the charges -- which included 
possession of heroin and methamphetamine -- after an internal probe 
of missing drugs from department evidence lockers.

Kent was an 18-year veteran of the department before retiring in 
January rather than submit to questioning during the internal 
investigation, Berkeley police officer Ed Galvin said.

Police Chief Doug Hambleton and the Alameda County District 
Attorney's Office conducted a joint criminal investigation in January 
after a semi-regular audit of the department's evidence lockers 
showed that more than 100 envelopes containing confiscated drugs had 
been opened and the evidence removed.

Prosecutor James Panetta said that as part of Kent's plea deal, he 
would not receive prison time. Instead, Kent will be placed on five 
years of felony probation and serve up to one year in county jail.

Kent's sentencing is scheduled for May 12.

Berkeley police have contacted the California Commission on Peace 
Officers Standards and Training to review the department's 
evidence-handling procedures, Galvin said. The last audit of 
narcotics evidence at the department was last summer. Police say Kent 
was a member of the department's narcotics unit and the supervisor 
entrusted with handling drug evidence booked into police custody.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman