Highway Patrol Officer Charged With Stealing $1 Million Worth Of Cocaine Evidence

December 27, 2007 4:25 p.m. EST

Santa Ana, CA (AHN) -- A California Highway Patrol Officer has been charged with stealing more than $1 million worth of cocaine from an evidence room.

Joshua Blackburn, 32, stole more than 40 kilograms of cocaine from an evidence locker room at the California Highway Patrol office at about 4 a.m. last Friday, according to the Orange County District Attorney's office. He was scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday but his attorney, John Barnett, requested the hearing postponed because he said he had not received all police reports on the case.

Orange County Superior Court Commissioner Cheryl Leininger scheduled the arraignment for Jan. 9.

Blackburn, a six-year highway patrol veteran, was charged with burglary, possession for sale of cocaine and transportation of cocaine. He has been held on a $4 million bail at an Orange County prison since his arrest last week.