Joseph Graves, the former Pensacola crime laboratory chemist accused of stealing prescription pain pills and replacing them with over-the-counter medications, likely affecting the outcomes of hundred of cases, was arrested Tuesday, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.
Graves was arrested at the Escambia County Jail at approximately 6:30 p.m. and bond was set at $290,000.
Graves faces charges of grand theft, 12 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and nine counts of trafficking in illegal drugs, FDLE said.
FDLE and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation on January 30, into missing prescription pain pills from the evidence room in Escambia. The investigation led straight to Graves, who began working as a crime lab analyst in FDLE’s Pensacola laboratory in December in 2005.
Graves worked nearly 2,600 cases for 80 law enforcement agencies, spanning 35 counties, FDLE said.
Graves could face additional charges.
