DRUG-EVIDENCE THIEF TO COVER COSTS OF CASE

DELAND -- A former sheriff's evidence manager who stole more than a million
dollars worth of drugs on his watch must repay the state more than $48,000
for the investigation and an audit that led to his arrest, a judge said Friday.

Timothy Wallace, was arrested in February 2004 and pleaded guilty to
conspiracy to traffic cocaine and official misconduct. Charges of
conspiracy to traffic marijuana and petty theft were dropped.

The state offered Wallace an opportunity to waive the $48,191 debt in
exchange for "truthful testimony," about the drugs he took from the Volusia
County sheriff's evidence facility, but Wallace refused.

"We wanted to hear from Wallace exactly how it took place," Assistant State
Attorney Jeanne Stratis said. "The Sheriff's Office has a new system, and
we wanted details from Wallace to find out if what we have in place now is
effective in protecting evidence."

Wallace was sentenced to three years in state prison and 10 years
probation. He will pay $401.50 monthly after his sentence, although his
attorney Brett Hartley, argued the huge bill is a "tremendous burden" on
Wallace, who has no money or assets and is unemployed.

"It is not fair that Mr. Wallace be attributed all the costs of the
investigation," Hartley said.

The money Wallace was ordered to pay Friday is in addition to the $50,000
he was fined when he pleaded guilty.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent Camiel Dayton Long, who
investigated the Wallace case, said six agents and an analyst worked many
hours, some up to 21 hours a day. They conducted interviews, collected
evidence, examined packages tampered with, sent specimens to the lab,
prepared subpoenas and did out-of-state interviews during the nine-month
investigation.

Also included were the hours and manpower from Tallahassee auditors who
conducted an audit requested by the Sheriff's Office, said John Bisland, an
FDLE supervisor.

Stratis said Wallace did not present evidence of his financial difficulties
and is an able-bodied man who can find work after his jail sentence.

"The investigation showed he had some very expensive race car habits,"
Stratis said. "He can forgo some of those expensive habits, and there is no
reason why he can't repay the restitution."