SBI arrests former NC police chief on 73 charges of evidence tampering, drug trafficking

The former police chief of the Chadbourn Police Department was arrested Monday by the State Bureau of Investigation on 73 charges that include embezzlement, tampering with evidence and drug violations. William Anthony Spivey, 35, was arrested about 3:45 p.m. in Fair Bluff by SBI agents with the Coastal District Office, according to a news release. The SBI said it began looking into possible misconduct at the request of District Attorney Jon David on March 2.

A March 4 letter to Chadbourn’s interim town manager, obtained by WWAY TV, shows David was concerned about issues related to the department’s evidence locker and that the police department hadn’t sent narcotics to the state crime lab “for a substantial period of time,” which resulted in the dismissal of “a number of felony drug cases,” according to David’s letter.

Spivey faces the following charges, according to the SBI release: 31 felony counts alter, steal, or destroy evidence; 31 felony counts embezzlement by public official; 4 felony counts trafficking opiates by possession; 4 felony counts trafficking opiates/opioids by transportation; 2 counts obtaining controlled substance by prescription misrepresentation; and 1 count obtaining controlled substance by fraud

Spivey was arrested without incident, the SBI said, and went before a magistrate, where he was issued a $665,000 secured bond. He was transferred to the Columbus County Detention Center.

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