Pubdate: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 Source: Deseret News (UT) Copyright: 2002 Deseret News Publishing Corp. Contact: http://www.desnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/124 EX-DRUG AGENT FACES CHARGE A former member of the Weber-Morgan Metro Narcotics Strike Force was charged by information in federal court with one count of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance. Ronald Kevin Walzer is accused of using his position to fraudulently obtain the painkiller hydrocondone between August 1997 and February 2002. Walzer was responsible for investigating forged prescriptions with the task force in Ogden, said Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was able to use his position to illegally obtain his own controlled substances, she said, without going into detail. Walzer was hired by the Ogden Police Department in 1990. Assistant Chief Wayne Tarwater said the department opened an internal investigation after receiving information about Walzer from the DEA. Before that investigation was completed Walzer resigned April 5. Ogden police dropped their investigation at that point and let the DEA continue with theirs. "He was a very good officer and had an excellent work record up until the time of this problem," Tarwater said. The Weber County Attorney's Office is letting the U.S. Attorney's Office handle the case to avoid any conflicts of interest, Rydalch said. Walzer had worked with Weber County on a number of cases. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth