Pubdate: Thu, 16 Sep 2010
Source: Winston-Salem Journal ( NC )
Copyright: 2010 Piedmont Publishing Co.  Inc.
Contact:  http://www.journalnow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/504
Note: The Journal does not publish LTEs from writers outside its 
circulation area
Author: Michael Hewlett

DAVIE DEPUTY PLEADS GUILTY TO SELLING CRACK COCAINE STOLEN FROM EVIDENCE ROOM

MOCKSVILLE - A former deputy for the Davie County Sheriff's Office pleaded 
guilty to charges that he and a former evidence technician with the 
sheriff's office conspired to distribute crack cocaine stolen from the 
sheriff's evidence room.

Bobby Lee Mabe Jr., 38, of Mocksville, pleaded guilty to being an unlawful 
user of controlled substances while possessing firearms and with 
maintaining a drug-involved premises.

On May 13, Malinda York, the former evidence technician, pleaded guilty to 
conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of crack and possessing a firearm 
in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, the State Bureau of Investigation started 
investigating in September 2009, after Mabe's wife found bags of marijuana 
that had been taken from the sheriff's office in his patrol car.

She searched the car because she suspected that her husband was having an 
affair.

The labels on the marijuana bags showed that the marijuana was not 
connected to any cases Mabe was investigating, the court documents said.

SBI agents searched Mabe's house and found more marijuana.  They also found 
correspondence between Mabe and York in his basement that indicated that 
the two were having an affair.

York was interviewed by SBI agents and admitted to the affair but denied 
any wrongdoing.

SBI agents interviewed her again on Sept.  24, 2009.  During that 
interview, York said Mabe told her he would tell her husband about the 
affair if she did not take drugs from the evidence room.

She said she took small amounts of crack from on June 26, 2009 and July 17, 
2009.  York said she took the crack to Mabe's camper in Mocksville and told 
SBI agents that she took crack from five to 15 different investigations.

SBI agents searched the camper March 3 and then arrested Mabe.

Mabe resigned last October and York resigned last September.

Mabe will be sentenced Jan.  13, 2011.  York will be sentenced Oct.  8.
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