BECKLEY (WVVA) - 'Scores' of drug-related cases with evidence stored at the Beckley Police Department may be dismissed as a result of missing drugs from an evidence room.
Raleigh County Prosecutor Kristen Keller said cases from approximately the last 15 months could be affected.
She stressed the move doesn't mean evidence from every case was tampered with, but the cases must be dismissed to ensure the integrity of the evidence has been preserved.
Keller said a memo would be sent to attorneys on Wednesday to inform them of the decision.
Keller said some non-drug related cases could also be affected.
Police Chief Tim Deems confirmed Tuesday that an internal inventory was being conducted to determine if anything was missing from the department's evidence room.
The call for the investigation came after the sudden medical leave of the department's evidence technician, Gabi Brown.
Authorities have not implicated Brown in any wrongdoing.
Deems said at a Wednesday press conference that an outside organization may be called in to conduct the inventory.
WVVA's Amir Abbas was at the police department Wednesday and will have the latest details this evening on WVVA News.
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BECKLEY (WVVA) - Beckley's police chief has ordered an internal inventory of his department's evidence room.
Chief Tim Deems told WVVA News Tuesday that the order was prompted by a sudden medical leave of absence by the department's evidence technician.
Further details were not provided.
Deems said the process could take a couple of weeks.
WVVA News will more information as it becomes available.
Prosecutor Kristen Keller
Chief Tim Deems
Gabi Brown
