MISUSE OF DRUG FUNDS COSTS OFFICER HIS JOB

McMINNVILLE - A member of the Yamhill County Interagency Drug Team used
undercover drug-buy money for a New York vacation, resulting in a
confession that ended a 17-year career as an Oregon State Police trooper.

The McMinnville News-Register learned that Detective Dan Lewis pleaded
guilty Oct. 5 to criminal mischief. He was sentenced to probation and
community service.

Police and prosecutors would say little about the case. The newspaper
pieced the story together using edited copies of police reports obtained
under the Oregon Public Records Law. State police confirmed the paper's
version on Friday.

The reports indicate that Lewis was issued $5,000 in "confidential funds"
to pay informants or buy illegal drugs as part of undercover investigations.

But when state police conducted an audit, Lewis warned them that $1,360
would be missing.

He acknowledged borrowing the money with the intent of repaying it when he
got his tax refunds.

When auditors began probing the case, Lewis went to the bank and withdrew
$1,360 to replace the missing money, police reports show. The repayment
apparently came several months after the New York trip.

During an internal investigation, Lewis was removed from YCINT and assigned
to the Salem-based Sex Offender Registration Unit. That was in late April.

At the time, Lewis was told that he faced possible charges of theft and
official misconduct. He was formally charged Oct. 2. Three days later, he
pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor criminal mischief charge. He received a
stipulated sentence of 18 months of probation and 80 hours of community
service, but no jail time. He resigned the same day.