A former Benton Harbor police officer is facing federal charges as prosecutors allege that he reported false controlled drug buys to his superiors, and then embezzled the money given to him for the purpose. The US Attorney's Office out of Grand Rapids announced today that 26 year-old Andrew Collins is facing indictment for possession with intent to distribute more than five grams of crack cocaine. In February of this year, the Benton Harbor department heard complaints that Collins wasn't following proper protocol with evidence seized in drug busts, and a search of his locker turned up narcotics. The department then took the investigation to State Police and the FBI, who determined that Collins had been keeping seized narcotics for his own use, and in some cases obtaining false search warrants to justify the seizures used to embezzle funds. Assistant US Attorney Brian Delaney says that it was the Benton Harbor Police Department's efforts that made the case possible to pursue:
The investigtion throws into doubt drug cases that Collins had worked on as a narcotics officer. Berrien County Chief Trial Attorney Jennifer Smith says they're all being reviewed. She can't yet say how many:
Meanwhile, Benton Harbor Police Chief Al Mingo wants citizens to be assured that his department has worked to do the right thing throughout this investigation:
Collins could get up to 40 years in prison and two million dollars in fines in convicted. He faces a minimum of five years. He started working for the Benton Harbor Police Department in 2003.
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