Newport OR June 9 2013 Oregon State Police arrested one of its evidence technicians Wednesday following the alleged theft of money from the Department's evidence room at the Newport Area Command office.The non-sworn employee has been lodged in jail and placed on unpaid administrative leave pending an ongoing criminal investigation.
OSP Criminal Investigation Division detectives arrested Paula Diane Bell, 37, on charges of first-degree theft and first-degree official misconduct. Bell was located in northeast Oregon and transported by OSP to the Lincoln County Jail early Thursday morning.
An initial arraignment was scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Lincoln County Circuit Court.
OSP started an investigation Wednesday morning after a sworn employee discovered the Newport Area Command office evidence room in a disheveled state including opened evidence packaging. During the day, an undisclosed amount of cash was determined to be missing. The exact amount of cash unaccounted for has not been fully determined.
OSP will conduct an audit to determine what was unlawfully taken from the evidence room. A complete audit of the OSP Newport evidence room, as well as evidence rooms at the McMinnville and Tillamook offices, are pending where Bell was responsible for handling, storage, and disposal of evidence and other property. Bell was hired by OSP as an evidence technician March 31, 2008.
At the request of the Lincoln County District Attorney's Office, the Oregon Department of Justice will handle the prosecution. OSP will brief area law enforcement partners of any potential impacts to pending cases.
Source-Albany democrat