OSBI Investigating Missing Drugs In Bartlesville Police Department

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (AP) -- The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the disappearance of drugs from the Bartlesville Police Department.<br/><br/>District Attorney Rick Esser says he

Wednesday, January 17th 2007, 2:16 pm

By: News On 6

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (AP) -- The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the disappearance of drugs from the Bartlesville Police Department.

District Attorney Rick Esser says he asked for the investigation after learning last Wednesday that hydrocodone and suspected methamphetamine that was taken during a drug raid is now missing. He says the disappearance forced him to drop drug charges against two people arrested in the raid.

While Esser says he didn't learn of the missing evidence until last week -- Police Chief Leo Willey has issued a statement saying the evidence was discovered to be missing at the end of 2006 and an assistant district attorney was notified.

Esser also disputes a claim by the chief in a letter that says a police lieutenant in September discussed a situation regarding evidence with an assistant district attorney. Esser says the assistant was told only that the evidence had not been submitted to a lab for analysis.