[Sativa]

A former reserve Marion County sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in a marijuana trafficking case, according to the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.

Christopher D. Spaulding, 26, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Sarah Barker, according to a news release. He was indicted in federal court in March along with his wife, Brandi Spaulding, and his mother, Darlene Spaulding, as a result of an undercover investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement.

Spaulding pleaded guilty to theft of government property, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, distribution of marijuana and two counts of possessing a firearm to further a drug trafficking offense. He had worked as a reserve deputy and reserve officer for three years.

He received standard police equipment from the department, including a patrol car and a gun. Spaulding used the patrol car and gun as well as police informants to obtain cash and marijuana, according to the release.

On Nov. 29, Spaulding performed a traffic stop in full uniform and seized $7,000 from an undercover officer posing as a drug dealer, according to the release. An informant working with the investigation had told Spaulding about the cash. Spaulding later gave the informant half of the money and kept the rest.

On Feb. 8, he took 20 pounds of marijuana from a hotel room and attempted to sell it through a police informant who told him about the drugs, the press release stated. The FBI and Indiana State Police had placed the marijuana in the hotel and had the informant tell Spaulding it was there.

Later in February, Spaulding sold a small amount of marijuana to an FBI and State Police informant. In early March, he sold 2 pounds of marijuana to an informant while wearing his department-issued gun.

According to the press release, Spaulding also was sentenced to serve three years of probation after his release.

The investigation involved both the Indianapolis Police and Marion County Sheriff's departments in addition to the FBI and State Police. The probe started before the two departments merged in January.

Spaulding's wife and mother each were sentenced to two years of probation for handling small amounts of marijuana.



News Hawk- User http://www.420Magazine.com
Source: IndyStar.com
Author: Meagan Ingerson
Contact: IndyStar.com
Copyright: 2007 IndyStar.com
Website: Ex-reserve Marion sheriff's deputy gets 30 years in prison