Employee took drug evidence from Montana State Crime Lab - The Missoulian

The Montana Department of Justice has alerted county attorneys across the state that after an investigation it determined an employee at the state crime lab in Missoula took portions of drug evidence that had been submitted for analysis.

Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst said Thursday the incident is under investigation by the Missoula Police Department and she anticipated that charges would be filed in the near future.

In a letter, Forensic Science Division administrator Scott Larson said the crime lab is confirming all evidence in the employee’s possession to determine if any cases were affected, and said that it will reach out to all prosecutors with a list of cases that they had on which the employee worked. The state Department of Justice confirmed the letter and the investigation.

Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito told the Billings Gazette he received a copy of the letter, but didn’t think the incident would impact cases in eastern Montana because drug evidence on that side of the state is sent to the crime lab in Billings.

At this time, Larson wrote that they are not aware of any inaccuracies with the results of their reports.

Some evidence in cases with a pending trial will be brought back to the crime lab for retesting.

Larson also said the crime lab started a drug testing policy earlier in the month that includes random testing quarterly, and is reviewing the rest of its policies.

A similar evidence breach occurred in early 2015, when former evidence technician Steve Brester stole opioids that were being stored as evidence in criminal cases. Charges against 69 defendants across the state were dropped as a result of that breach.

Brester was charged with felonies for tampering with public records and drug possession and eventually received a 10-year fully suspended sentence in Missoula County District Court. Before joining the crime lab, Brester was an officer with the Missoula Police Department for 20 years.

At his sentencing hearing, Brester’s wife said her husband was injured on the job when he patrol car was rear ended, and that he became addicted to pain medication.

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