Denville Cop Admits to Taking Drugs Being Held as Evidence
Eugene Blood, a Denville police officer, plead guilty this week in Morris County Superior Court to third degree official misconduct for stealing oxycodone and heroin from the department’s evidence locker. As part of the plea agreement, Blood agreed to be sentenced to a three year term of state imprisonment, of which he must serve a minimum of two years before he becomes eligible for parole. Blood also agreed to forfeit his rights to his pension and to never seek public office again in New Jersey.
According to the factual basis provided by Blood when he entered his guilty plea, he became addicted to pain medication after it was prescribed to him by his doctors to treat pain from herniated disks in his back, shoulder pain, and elbow pain. Blood used his position as the Denville police department’s evidence officer to gain access to pain medications and heroin that were kept in evidence lockers. The Morris County Prosecutor’s office has admitted that numerous criminal cases that are still pending in various courts throughout Morris County have now been compromised because of blood’s conduct. Sentencing for Blood has been scheduled for January 20, 2012.
Both defense attorneys and prosecutors that practice in criminal courts throughout New Jersey are acutely aware of the problems caused by prescription pain medications. These problems generally fall into two categories. First, there are the cases where individuals need more and more medication in order to treat their pain. Eventually, the amount prescribed by their doctor is not enough and they need to resort to criminal activities in order to get more medication because they are now addicted to the medicine and have developed a high tolerance. Second, there are the cases where a person is initially given pain medication from a doctor and eventually either their insurance runs out or refuses to pay for the medication. Again, these individuals have to resort to the streets to obtain drugs illegally. In either case, this is a problem that society must deal with because it is turning good people into criminals.
Anyone charged with a crime in New Jersey should contact New Jersey criminal defense lawyer Nace Naumoski for representation.
