Fresno Deputy Police Chief Keith Foster Arrested On Drug Charges
Fresno Deputy Police Chief Keith Foster is in trouble with the law. As ironic as that sounds, the officer was allegedly caught dealing drugs, most likely making him just as bad as some criminals his department has taken down.
According to the FBI, the deputy police chief has been accused of conspiracy to distribute heroin, oxycodone, and marijuana. Foster was arrested alongside three other residents of Fresno on Thursday, two of whom are said to be relatives.
Two other Fresno residents are believed to be likewise involved, but allegedly haven’t been arrested yet. It may be that there hasn’t been any evidence found to make their charges official.
The FBI has been investigating Foster’s dealings ever since he was allegedly involved in suspicious activity with a relative, says Yahoo! News. The Fresno deputy police chief allegedly created cause for alarm when an ATF agent claims he filled out a prescription for 100 oxycodone pills in December of 2014.
Keith Foster was then allegedly caught trying to deliver the pills to a relative. This apparently raised suspicion of undercover drug trafficking, possibly involving relatives, in an attempt to distribute the substance.
Oxycodone itself is not an illegal substance, but being an opiate-style pain reliever, it is considered a level 2 controlled substance. The pills may have been used in a lab to create heroin, much like Sudafed is used to create methamphetamine.
Marijuana, while legal beyond medical use in two states, is still considered an illegal substance by federal law. Nevada could be the next state to legalize it after a vote in 2016, as previously reported by the The Inquisitr.
Fresno deputy police chief, 3 others arrested on drug charges http://t.co/B7CTgAgj57 pic.twitter.com/jQGyiN14Yb
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 27, 2015
While California may have legalized weed for medical use, it’s still a substance you can get arrested for.
Fresno Deputy Police Chief Keith Foster has been put on administrative leave with pay and stripped of his authority and weapons following the arrest, according to NBC News. Police Chief Jerry Dyer says that Foster was responsible for patrol operations for half a million people for eight years. He wasn’t informed of Foster’s arrest until after it happened.
“This is a very, very sad day for the Fresno Police Department, the citizens of Fresno and the law enforcement profession. I really am at a loss for words, quite frankly, other than to say that as the police chief, I’m extremely shocked.”
Jerry Dyer won’t let his deputy’s arrest stop his efforts to continue the war on drugs though.
“It is important that we do everything we can to maintain and enhance the trust that our citizens have in us. When things of this nature happen, it does serve to erode that trust.”
Fresno Deputy Police Chief Keith Foster is in custody and will attend the first hearing on the charges Friday, says U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Lauren Horwood.
[Image via Your Central Valley]
