Former Cop Pleads Guilty to Evidence Theft

Former Benson Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Evidence Theft

The News and Observer by Colin Campbell - March 5, 2012

SMITHFIELD, N.C. - A former Benson police officer pleaded guilty Monday to charges that he'd stolen $850 cash that was evidence in a drug investigation. Randall William "Randy" Beasley, 43, was charged in January with obstructing justice and altering, destroying or stealing evidence of criminal conduct. As part of a deal with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor larceny and obstructing justice, and the other charge was dropped. Superior Court Judge Tom Lock sentenced Beasley to 18 months of supervised probation and ordered to perform 24 hours of community service. He also received two 45-day suspended jail sentences, so he won't serve time unless he violates probation. Beasley had already given the money back to the Benson Police Department, and he'll give up his law-enforcement certification as part of the plea deal. "The District Attorney’s Office and the Town of Benson are grateful that the defendant accepted responsibility for his actions so that this case could be resolved in a timely manner," Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle said in a news release. "The main goal was to ensure that the defendant would never work in law enforcement again, and this plea accomplishes that." According to indictments, investigators found that Beasley took the money from a locked office at the police station sometime between Nov. 19 and Dec. 16, 2010. According to Benson employment records, Beasley served as a lieutenant, detective and canine officer during his first stint with the department from 1998 to 2006. He was hired again as a patrol officer in 2009, serving until he was put on administrative leave on Dec. 16, 2010, as the town started its internal investigation. He resigned 12 days later. ccampbell@newsobserver.com