DEPUTY'S ARREST PUTS CASES UNDER SCRUTINY

Hillsborough County prosecutors say they won't know until the investigation
is complete the extent to which criminal cases will be affected by the
arrest of a former sheriff's deputy.

Pam Bondi, a spokeswoman for Hillsborough State Attorney Mark Ober, said
prosecutors haven't been given details of the four criminal cases now in
jeopardy.

Sheriff's officials Monday were tight-lipped on specifics of the
investigation of former Deputy Christopher Madiedo, who is accused of
checking out envelopes of marijuana and cocaine from the sheriff's evidence
room after resigning Friday.

Bondi offered this: "In general, in a drug case the drugs are a crucial
element at trial."

One Tampa defense lawyer predicted even more problems ahead.

" I would assume also any case he handled - it all of a sudden sheds a
whole new light on it," said lawyer Daniel Hernandez.

Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Rod Reder said investigators will share information
with prosecutors.

Madiedo, 26 and a five-year deputy, was charged late Saturday with six
counts of tampering with evidence, possession of marijuana with intent to
sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cocaine, two counts
of impersonating a police officer and possession of a gun while committing
a felony.

Madiedo, released on bail Sunday, could not be reached for comment.

A second probe into the Madiedo case, this one by the sheriff's
professional standards division, will examine how Madiedo managed to walk
away with drug evidence from cases he was not involved in.

The drugs - small amounts of marijuana, crack cocaine and powdered cocaine
- - had not been recovered Monday, Reder said. Before his arrest, Madiedo
returned the evidence envelopes but had replaced the drugs with twigs,
leaves, wax and powdered soap.

Authorities don't know if marijuana found in Madiedo's sheriff's jumpsuit
at the time of his arrest is connected to the evidence he checked out.

As of Monday, deputies had not searched Madiedo's house, Reder said. He
would not say whether deputies planned to obtain a search warrant.

Although Madiedo's resignation was approved Friday afternoon by Sheriff Cal
Henderson, he was not ordered to turn in his badge, gun or patrol cruiser,
Reder said. Unless a deputy is fired, there is no timetable for the items
to be returned, he said.