TIME TO CLEAR OUT THOSE DRUGS, GUNS

Probation Agent Taking Inventory In The Evidence Room

When Adult Probation and Parole agent Tim Roybal decides to do some spring
cleaning in his office, it requires more than just rearranging a few papers
on his desk.

Roybal's 10-by-20-foot room is stacked to the ceiling with computers,
printers, rifles and drugs. He is in charge of AP&P's evidence room and
responsible for holding all items seized by parole officers.

This week, Roybal is doing an inventory of the evidence collected in 2000
to determine if there is still an active case attached to the confiscated
item or if it can be taken to a plant in Layton and burned.

On the floor is a giant pile of bags and envelopes full of meth and drug
paraphernalia waiting to be taken to the burn plant. Two sawed off shotguns
are on the floor next to the bags.

In one corner of the room is a large locker stuffed with a variety of
weapons including rifles, crossbows and even swords. In another corner is a
stack of computer equipment including monitors, hard drives and printers.
This particular stash was confiscated in a recent bust involving a group of
people allegedly printing counterfeit checks.

Another drawer is filled with keys used in auto thefts.

All of the evidence was seized from people on probation or parole. They are
people who have already been convicted of a crime and are supposed to stay
clear of all alcohol, drugs and weapons while on probation. But Roybal says
his room gets more crowded every day. "We are getting tons and tons of
drugs," he said. "We find so much dope it's not even funny,"

Meth continues to be a big problem, Roybal said. But marijuana and black
tar heroin are also showing up on a regular basis.

Another item agents are seizing more and more is computer equipment. The
computers are used to print phony checks and credit cards to support drug
habits.

In one case, a parolee was discovered printing phony checks after she got a
little greedy. Agents found a check for $55,000 sitting on a computer. The
woman quickly added that she meant to make it for only $5,000,
incriminating herself even further, Roybal said.

Roybal has seen his share of unusual items pass through his room, including
vacuum cleaners and tires, items that were stolen and purchased with
fraudulent checks. In one case, his evidence room had to store a saddle
that a parolee had stolen and actually carved his name into. A drug bong
with Scooby Doo on it sat in the evidence room for a while. In another
incident, agents were forced to seize tanks of fish purchased with illegal
money.

Other items that have been seized recently include bolt cutters, stereos,
scales, golf clubs and police scanners. In fact, the bad guys had their own
handheld scanners with the 800 MHz frequency before AP&P even had its
system running, Roybal said.

About 90 percent of the evidence confiscated from parolees is eventually
burned, Roybal said. Other items will be held and used in training classes
for parole agents.