Knoxville News-Sentinel
A former Hawkins County sheriff’s deputy has pleaded guilty to multiple charges and will be sentenced later this fall.
Brad Depew pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, official misconduct, seven counts of burglary, five counts of possession of burglary tools and five counts of theft of $500 or less, according to the Hawkins County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.
He also pleaded to drug charges, according to authorities — possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of oxycodone, possession of alprazolam, possession of dihydrocodeine, possession of diazepam, possession of methadone and possession of clonazepam.
According to the plea agreement, “the defendant will admit on the record under oath that his depression led to unauthorized use of medications that were not prescribed, thus resulting in his actions in this case.”
Depew pleaded guilty on Monday and is scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m. on Nov. 26. The total possible sentence is 10 years with fines totaling $8,650.
On April 21, 2011, agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation arrested Depew on charges of theft and tampering with evidence.
Depew was 42 at the time and a Church Hill, Tenn., resident when TBI agents, with the assistance of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, executed a search warrant at Depew’s home to look for missing narcotics and other evidence from the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, according to a TBI news release.
Depew, formerly a night shift patrol deputy, is no longer employed with the Sheriff’s Office, according to the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office.
Copyright 2012 Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.