By Rob Parsons
Colusa County Sun-Herald
COLUSA, Calif. — A former Williams police officer claims he was drugged before his arrest for allegedly breaking into a Chico home.
Dustin Stephenson was arrested Jan. 29 after police were called to the Chico home of three college-age women. He was booked into Butte County Jail on suspicion of forced entry causing property damage, a misdemeanor.
Stephenson, 26, said he was drinking with friends at a bar in downtown Chico when he started to feel strange. His friends told him he “just disappeared” around midnight.
When he awoke, he was in the back of a Chico police car, and about $200 was missing from his wallet.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling, but it wasn’t the effects of alcohol,” Stephenson said. “I know the effects of alcohol, and this was very different.”
Based on his police training, Stephenson believes someone spiked his drink with GHB, a so-called “date rape” drug. He said he joined the Williams department in June after serving a four-year stint in the U.S. Navy.
“You just don’t think something like this can happen in a small town like Chico,” he said, “but if it can happen to a trained cop, it can happen to anyone.”
GHB is an odorless and colorless drug that is often mixed with alcohol and is popular at dance clubs and raves, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. In low doses, the drug causes drowsiness, dizziness and visual disturbances; higher doses can cause unconsciousness, seizures and memory problems including short-term amnesia.
No physical evidence
Stephenson, a Chico resident, said the last thing he recalls is entering the restroom of a downtown bar. “The next thing I remember is being put in the back of a police car,” he said, “which was scary because I had no idea what was happening.”
Stephenson has declined to name the bar where he was drinking that night.
“The owner has asked me not to name the bar at this time,” Stephenson said.
Stephenson said he later contacted the bar’s manager and was told other patrons had reported being drugged and robbed the same night.
Chico police Lt. Linda Dye said Monday that investigators have not received any additional drugging claims from that evening.
Stephenson contacted police Sunday afternoon to make a statement, but was told to retain an attorney and wait for his Feb. 27 court date, he said.
Dye confirmed Stephenson contacted authorities Sunday, but declined to comment on what was discussed.
“It’s frustrating,” Stephenson said Sunday. “They don’t want my statement, and I don’t understand. I know it’s not that much work to take a statement. They’re just not being very helpful.”
Stephenson said he asked jail staff to test him for drugs at the time of the arrest, but they declined. GHB is excreted from the body rapidly, and it’s not detected in standard toxicology tests.
“I couldn’t explain myself; I was too intoxicated from the effects of alcohol and the drug,” he said. The following morning, “I was told to wait and explain it in court,” he said.
Dye said proving a person was “juiced” is nearly impossible.
“To my knowledge, we’ve never been able to verify those claims in any case, even sexual assault cases,” Dye said.
“If there was a way I could’ve been tested, I would have done it,” Stephenson said. “It’s hard to defend yourself and frustrating when you don’t really know what happened.”
Career in limbo
Stephenson was released from jail later that day. Within hours, he submitted his resignation to the Williams Police Department.
“I resigned immediately because I think it was in the best interest of the department while I get this cleared up,” he said. “Even though I was a victim of a crime, I still feel responsible. I wasn’t watching my drink and left it unattended several times. There were lots of opportunities for someone to put something in it.”
Stephenson said he wrote a letter of apology to the young women whose home he was arrested in and offered to pay for the damaged door.
“If I were them, I’d have been terrified,” he said. “I can’t even imagine what that must have been like for them. This is just a horrible feeling.”
Attempts to contact the residents were not successful.
Butte County District Attonrey Mike Ramsey said Tuesday that no decisons have been made regarding Stephenson’s case.
“We received the case file on Friday and are still reviewing it,” Ramsey said.
Stephenson said he hopes to resume his law enforcement career. He said he plans to live off savings and fight to clear his name.
“I love helping people. I love police work,” he said.
Copyright 2009 Colusa County SUn-Herald