on sale now at amazon

on sale now at amazon
paperback or ebook

Missing Evidence Leads to Suffield Officer's Arrest, Dismissal


Missing Evidence Leads to Suffield Officer's Arrest, Dismissal

Charges of larceny and evidence tampering led to the officer being fired and arrested.

A Suffield police officer has been fired from his position on the force following his arrest on charges of larceny and evidence tampering.

Suffield Police arrested officer Jeremy DePietro on May 11 after the department conducted an internal investigation related to an evidence-tampering incident and obtained a warrant, according to the Hartford Courant. DePietro was officially dismissed during a meeting of the Suffield Police Commission held May 9.

The charges against DePietro stem from an arrest he participated in on March 3, 2011, when Suffield officers responding to a medical emergency discovered illegal drugs and cash, $332 according to the Courant. Following the resolution of that case, a court order called for destruction of the drugs and placement of the money into the court’s general fund.

The detective asked to retrieve the money from the department’s evidence room noticed that $120 was missing from the amount originally recorded. The discrepancy between the amounts led to an internal investigation, Suffield Police Chief Mike Manzi told the Courant.

The results of that internal investigation pointed department officials to DePietro. The arrest warrant was signed during the week of May 7, the Courant said.

DePietro is officially charged with larceny in the sixth degree and tampering with evidence. He posted a $24,000 bond, according to the Courant. DePietro’s arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday at the Enfield Superior Court.