EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — A former state trooper from Wayne County has pled guilty to multiple charges including stealing drugs from an evidence room.
Former Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Brian Rickard pled guilty to stealing drugs from the evidence room, taking them while on the job, and using office computers to cover up the thefts, the PA Attorney General’s Office announced Thursday.
In November of 2021, Rickard was charged and suspended without pay after he was found in a “compromised state” while working. According to the AG, another corporal had been in Rickard’s office and saw multiple heroin baggies and a crumpled evidence envelope.
Police investigated the evidence room and noted that there were heroin baggies missing. Police also remarked that when they searched Rickard’s home additional empty heroin packets with the same branding were found.
“Stealing evidence is a serious crime, and with today’s guilty plea Corporal Rickard has been held accountable for his actions. Opioid addiction harms Pennsylvanians in many ways, from making our communities less safe, to ruining livelihoods, to claiming thousands of lives,” the media release stated.
Rickards pled guilty to the acquisition of controlled substance by misrepresentation, obstructing administration of law, tampering with physical evidence, forgery, and theft by unlawful taking. His sentencing will take place in September.