EX-DEPUTY CHARGED IN DRUG THEFTS

Officials Say The Ex-Hillsborough Deputy Stole Drugs From The
Evidence Room Since 1997

TAMPA -- For nearly four years, Hillsborough sheriff's Deputy
Christopher Madiedo would come and go from the department's evidence
room, asking for drugs confiscated during arrests and checking them
out.

But prosecutors say Madiedo was not taking the evidence to prepare
for court. Instead, authorities say, he was using the evidence room
as his personal stash for cocaine and marijuana.

On Tuesday, State Attorney Mark Ober charged Madiedo with 23 counts
of tampering with evidence, trafficking in cocaine, cocaine
possession, and possession of marijuana.

"These are very serious charges," Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said.

The criminal case filed Tuesday accuses Madiedo, 26, of unlawfully
taking narcotics from the Sheriff's Office since November 1997, about
a year after being hired.

His tampering continued for a year, between November 1997 and March
1998, and then began again in December 1999, when he was named
officer of the month, according to the charges. In 2000, he took
drugs in April, May, June and then in September and October, arrest
reports said. He is accused of stealing on numerous occasions in
April, May and June of this year.

How could a deputy walk into the evidence room so often and take drugs?

The Sheriff's Office wouldn't explain Tuesday.

"We didn't release any information; the State Attorney's Office did,"
sheriff's spokesman Lt. Rod Reder said. "We'll be prepared to answer
questions tomorrow."

Bondi, a spokeswoman for the state attorney, declined to discuss the case.

Criminal defense attorneys said the charges will cast doubt on every
case Madiedo made, and then some.

"Everyone knows that every case he's on is dead in the water," said
criminal defense attorney Rick Escobar. "I think a lot of deals are
going to be cut by prosecutors trying to get rid of those cases."

Sheriff's officials discovered Madiedo was taking drugs from the
evidence room on June 30, the day after he resigned. Madiedo wrote in
a resignation letter that he was leaving to pursue other
opportunities. He didn't indicate what they were.

While a deputy, he ran into disciplinary trouble repeatedly. He was
suspended for 15 days in October 1998 after he shot an unarmed
motorist twice in the back. Last December, Madiedo was suspended for
three days after getting into a fight at the Tiny Tap Tavern while
off duty.

A few hours after his resignation in June, Madiedo went back to the
Sheriff's Office wearing a department jumpsuit and asked for
envelopes of narcotics from pending cases. It was a Friday evening.

On Saturday, as Madiedo's resignation was still making its way
through the system, he returned again. The guard became suspicious
and called a supervisor.

That night, Madiedo was asked to return the evidence. He handed over
what turned out to be leaves and twigs instead of marijuana, candle
wax instead of crack cocaine and soap flakes instead of powdered
cocaine, authorities said.

He was arrested that night on six counts of tampering with evidence,
two counts of impersonating a law enforcement officer, possession of
marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine,
possession of a firearm in commission of a felony, and a misdemeanor
charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was released from the Hillsborough County Jail after posting
$30,000 bail. An investigation began that resulted in Tuesday's
charges. His attorney could not be reached for comment.