FORMER NARCOTICS OFFICER ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGE

A former Houston County Sheriff's deputy charged with tampering with evidence earlier this month is in trouble with the law again.

Michael Spivey, 28, of Billy Snell Road, and his wife, Christy, 26, were arrested Monday and charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Deputies executed a search warrant at Spivey's residence and recovered methamphetamine, three narcotics smoking devices which contained narcotics, and numerous items belonging to the Houston County Sheriff's Department, according to sheriff's department officials.

Sheriff Lamar Glover said officers were looking for uniforms, flashlights, weapons, and other property belonging to the sheriff's department which Spivey failed to return after he left the department.  They included drugs in the warrant in light of Spivey's arrest for tampering with evidence, Glover said.

Spivey was arrested Sept.  10 and charged with two counts of tampering with evidence.  Spivey was an investigator in the department's narcotics division.  He has since resigned.

"He tampered with drug evidence," Glover said.  "Knowing that he had misplaced evidence we included the drugs in the search warrant."

Glover said they do not believe the recovered drugs had any connection with the earlier charges of tampering with drug evidence.

"This was just his stash," Glover said.  "It was not part of the tampered evidence."

Glover said he is disappointed because Spivey was a good, hard working officer who once had a promising career with the sheriff's department.  Spivey had been employed with the department since 1999.

Glover blamed drugs on Spivey's actions.

"He just got caught up in drugs," Glover said.  "This is a clear indication of what drugs will do to an individual.  It's just a plague and epidemic that ruins a lot of good lives."

Bond for Mr.  Spivey was set at $10,000.  Bond for Mrs.  Spivey was set at $1,000.