HPD lab worker indicted for handling of drug evidence

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A grand jury Tuesday indicted a former criminalist with the Houston Police Department's troubled crime lab on charges related to improperly secured drug evidence, officials said.

James Carpenter, 38, was indicted on two counts of tampering with evidence and one count of aggregate theft by a public servant.

An investigation into Carpenter's work started after he failed to secure drug evidence at his work site according to lab rules. In August, he was removed from the lab after refusing to give a formal statement or submit to a drug test, police said.

Carpenter, who first began working for the lab in 2002, resigned in October.

Irma Rios, the lab's director, said while there was no indication of improper behavior until August, all of Carpenter's work in about 200 drug cases during the previous six months will be reviewed as a precaution.

"We invested a lot of money and training in this former employee, and his actions are harmful to all the hard work and effort our current employees are striving to achieve," said Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt.

It was not immediately known if Carpenter had an attorney.

The Houston crime lab's work has been under scrutiny since 2002, when the DNA section was shut down. Inaccuracies were later found in four other lab divisions that test firearms, body fluids and controlled substances. The DNA section has since been reopened.

Three inmates have been released from prison because of mistakes by the lab.

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