FDLE Arrests Local Crime Lab Chemist

February 5, 2014

Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents arrested former Pensacola crime-lab chemist Joseph Graves Tuesday evening, three days after announcing he might have compromised hundreds of state drug cases, the agency said.

Graves was arrested at the Escambia County Jail, and  he was released a short time  later on a $290,000 bond. Graves is charged with grand theft, 12 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and nine counts of trafficking in illegal drugs. Additional charges are possible.

Investigators believe that Graves, while processing drug cases, replaced prescription pain pills with over-the-counter medications.

“The actions of Joseph Graves are disgraceful,” FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey said in a statement. “FDLE is working with state attorneys’ offices statewide to ensure he is held accountable for his actions.”

FDLE began the investigation last month, collaborating with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and State Attorney Bill Eddins, after prescription pain pills from the evidence room at the sheriff’s office went missing. Investigators determined that each case involving missing drugs had been analyzed by Graves, who was relieved of duty Friday. He had been a crime lab analyst in Pensacola since December 2005, and was promoted to supervisor in July 2009.

FDLE teams are inspecting evidence from all cases handled by Graves to determine which of the cases could be compromised. He handled nearly 2,600 cases for 80 law enforcement agencies spanning 35 counties and 12 judicial circuits. Eddins will prosecute the case; the investigation is ongoing.

Comments

8 Responses to “FDLE Arrests Local Crime Lab Chemist”

  1. Roger on May 13th, 2014 2:25 pm

    Just another symptom of the failed war on drugs. The sheer waste and destruction inflicted on humanity because the war on drugs is obscene. Prohibition against alcohol was inflicted back in the 20’s and 30 and what happened?Law enforcement and government corruption, organized crime flourished, people flaunted and disrespected the law, and otherwise law abiding citizens were criminalized. Fast forward and no lesson learned-this modern prohibition has been an utter failure-for what? The government has no business telling people what they can do to their own bodies. Drugs have been around since the beginning of mankind-some people are going to abuse drugs. It is a lot smarter and humane to deal with those people without criminalizng them. The government machine that has become the drug war now feeds off of humanity.Court ordered drug treatment programs, private prison industrial complex, drug testing industry, militarized police forces, all in the name of this insanity. Your boyfriend is feeding at the drug war trough-

  2. Mary G Freeman on May 13th, 2014 1:32 pm

    What about recent DNA testings as late as last September? It is confusing to me that one would be found positive, and the dates dont add up for this particular person to be the father.

    How do we ask for those samples taken for DNA (paternity) so another one can be done independantly.?

  3. emschick on February 5th, 2014 11:46 pm

    You can bet that FDLE is going to make sure that he is tried(as they should) and convicted of these crimes. I,for one, would love to be a juror in his trial(sarcasm intended). Every case that he worked on and every case that FDLE was involved in during the employment of this man will now be suspect, scrutinized and unfairly many people that were rightfully convicted on evidence this man handled will now be(wrongfully) set free. The reputation of FDLE and the 80 agencies that he did work for has been compromised. The long hours and hard work of all the men and women who worked these cases(my boyfriend included), the tax dollars it took to investigate and convict the criminals arrested has all been for nought (what a disheartening thought for those leo’s that already feel that they are fighting a losing battle on the war on drugs)). Even more of our tax dollars will now be used to investigate,arrest and incarcerate these same individuals wrongfully released AGAIN for the same crimes they were rightfully convicted for in the first place because they have been given a free get out jail card by this man. What has this world come to when you can’t trust those that you put your faith and hopes into to do what is right. The ultimate betrayal is being betrayed by a person you thought was a good guy? Sad…

  4. molino jim on February 5th, 2014 1:14 pm

    @ Jeepman— while some of the cases are old a lot of them will be current. The drugs in those cases can be retested and the charges on him can stand. Just because a person is tried and found guilty the evidence is not destroyed that day. If an appeal is made in the case the evidence has to still be available. Some of the old sexual assault cases have been over turned due to the victims clothing being retested and checked many years later because of new DNA evidence.

  5. jeeperman on February 5th, 2014 9:56 am

    I bet all charges will be dropped.
    If they prosecute and he is found guilty, all of the cases where he handled the evidence and resulted in the conviction of someone else will have to be re-visited.
    At least that is what has been implied in other media articles.
    His arrest and the investigation is just a smoke screen.

  6. John on February 5th, 2014 7:09 am

    I bet the $29000.00 he paid to get out of jail came from him selling what he stole. 10% of $290000.00.

  7. SMH on February 5th, 2014 6:52 am

    Wow! Such a shame! It’s truely sad what people bring themselves to these pays!
    Worst part is you would think there were honest people working for our LEO. Wonder
    If he is any relation to Dr. Graves who was charged with the same crimes years ago.

  8. 429SCJ on February 5th, 2014 4:47 am

    Should have dropped that resignation letter at the post office on his way to the airport.

    Should have done a lot of things different, like not compromising his position.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News