on sale now at amazon

on sale now at amazon
paperback or ebook

Opelousas police officer charged with selling drugs to inmates




Sgt. Kenneth Edwards, a 21-year veteran of the Opelousas Police Department, is in the St. Landry Parish Jail today, charged with distributing Schedule III drugs to inmates in the Opelousas City Jail.
Edwards, who has been on paid sick leave since August, was arrested Friday morning and charged with two counts each of “doctor shopping,” distributing of narcotics and introduction of contraband into a penal institution.
Doctor shopping involves obtaining a legitimate prescription for an actual injury, but then going to multiple doctors and seeking a new prescription for pain medications from each.
Trooper Stephen Hammons with State Police, whose agency handled the investigation, declined to say how many doctors Edwards had visited, but said it involved “doctors throughout the area.”
If convicted, Edwards faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a $15,000 fine on each of the distribution charges and up to five years in jail on each of the other charges.
Opelousas Police Chief Perry Gallow, who served as Edwards training officer when Edwards first joined the force, called this a sad day.
“Sgt. Edwards did an outstanding job. He was a very caring person. This is unfortunate but this is a profession and we have professional standards that can’t be compromised,” Gallow said.
Edwards was a highly decorated officer who most recently served as a patrol officer, though Gallow said he had also served as warden the city jail for about 18 months in 2011 and 2012.
After his return to patrol duty, Edwards suffered injuries to both his back and shoulder while making an arrest in August of 2012 and has been on paid sick leave since.
Gallow said the possible violation came to his attention in October of last year when he received a letter accusing Edwards of supplying pain pills to inmates.
As this involved one of his own officers, Gallow immediately turn the matter over to state police.
Hammons said state police were able to confirm that Edwards delivered pills to inmates at least twice since then.
“This is certainly a sad day for the Opelousas Police Department and the citizens of our great city,” Gallow said. “The public has placed its trust in us and we can not violate that trust. This is an extremely difficult day for our entire department.”
Hammonds said Edwards was arrested without incident and the case is being turned over the St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
This is the second arrest of a serving OPD officer in as many years. Earlier last year Yolanda Lewis was charged with malfeasance in office after allegedly interfering with an investigation involving her husband.