A recent audit by the Tennessee Comptrollers Office has uncovered unethical and illegal behaviors by members of both the 24th Judicial Drug Task Force and District Attorneys Office.

While the media has focused on activities such as unlawful use of seized vehicles and items, missing drugs and unauthorized use of government equipment, they have failed to broadcast other, more serious (and illegal) violations which have been reported, including, yet not limited to:

- DTF director Steve Lee admitted to us and the TBI that he delivered a large screen television that had been seized by the DTF to administrative assistant Leona Longworth’s home. He swapped the large screen television for a smaller television belonging to Ms. Longworth and returned it to the DTF office. Ms. Longworth’s smaller television was subsequently auctioned off by the DTF.

- While performing the various maintenance tasks, the trustees were often left unsupervised in the shop area of the DTF where drug evidence was stored. As a result of the lack of supervision, the inmates gained access to drugs. DTF director Steve Lee discovered these trustees had compromised some of the drug investigation files; smoked crack cocaine and marijuana; and stole cash, old coins, and other equipment.

- DTF administrative assistant Leona Longworth admitted to the TBI that she removed drug evidence from the DTF office and sold the drugs for her personal benefit. She also admitted to removing and pawning jewelry that had been seized by the DTF.

- Edgar Longworth, the administrative assistant’s ex-husband, was contracted by DTF director Steve Lee to construct walls and partitions at the DTF’s former office in the City of McKenzie. While performing this work, Mr. Longworth informed us and the TBI that he stole drugs being held as evidence from a burn box. A burn box is a device used to destroy drugs by incineration. Mr. Longworth admitted he sold the stolen drugs for personal gain. Ms. Longworth also admitted to the TBI that Mr. Longworth gave her part of the proceeds from the sale of the stolen drugs.

- DTF director Steve Lee admitted to us and the TBI that he allowed DTF administrative assistant Leona Longworth to have or to use certain confiscated items. Ms. Longworth took home two utility trailers that had been confiscated by the DTF. She later bartered one of the trailers for $200 worth of mechanical work on a personal vehicle. She also admitted to the TBI she sold a set of speakers removed from a seized vehicle.

- Lee advised us and the TBI that he allowed DTF administrative assistant Leona Longworth to periodically take home two DTF four-wheelers and to take possession of two handguns and other DTF equipment and materials.

- The TBI returned a car stereo system found at DTF director Steve Lee’s home that had been removed by the director’s son from confiscated vehicles that were later sold at auction. The TBI also returned a gold bracelet with diamonds and a laptop computer to the DTF that were in the custody of the director’s son.

- District Attorney General McCadams advised us and the TBI that he had occasionally used equipment confiscated by the DTF such as a Harley Davidson motorcycle, golf cart, go-cart, four-wheeler and trailer, and BMW Z-3 for personal use. It should be noted the BMW Z-3 was maintained at an airport hanger for limited use by certain other individuals.

- DTF director Steve Lee gave a 150-horsepower surplus boat motor to a DTF agent. The agent advised us and the TBI that he sold the motor along with his personal boat. - While performing an inventory at the DTF, we noted six cases of file boxes labeled “Finished Cases – Hardin County” that apparently had been compromised. Some of the evidence bags that contained cash and drugs had been ripped open and were empty.

- DTF director Steve Lee allowed his son, who is not a DTF employee, to use a DTF vehicle to commute back and forth to work from McKenzie to Jackson, and he also allowed his son to use another DTF vehicle to move personal property from a storage facility. Also, the director allowed his son to have possession of a DTF firearm.

- District Attorney General McCadams disclosed to us and the TBI that he had flown on the DTF airplanes and helicopter on numerous occasions that were not related to official DTF operations. Furthermore, he allowed the Henry County High School administration to use the helicopter to fly dignitaries to football games.

- Inventory records reflected 557 cases with seized drugs being held as evidence on hand at the DTF office; however, we were unable to verify this in 297 of the 557 cases. We observed 310 additional cases with seized drugs held as evidence on handthat were not included in the inventory records. - Inventory records reflected 53 confiscated vehicles on hand; however, we were unable to locate 29 of the vehicles.

- Inventory records reflected 11 items of various types of confiscated property that we were unable to locate.

- Inventory records reflected 40 confiscated firearms that should be on hand; however, we were unable to locate eight of those firearms.

- Inventory records reflected four DTF firearms that we were unable to verify as being on hand. We also inventoried 16 additional firearms that were not included on the DTF inventory.

- We identified an additional 579 items that were not found on any of the DTF inventory records. We did not attempt to categorize these additional items to any of the above-noted inventory classifications. The 579 items included: two airplanes, a helicopter, riding lawn mowers, all terrain vehicles, televisions, electric welders, farm tractors, federal surplus equipment, and hand tools.

For the full report including unauthorized use of state issued credit cards, no-bid contract wining, etc: http://www.comptroller1.state.tn.us/repository/CA/2010/24DASpecialReport.pdf