Former undercover narcotics cop gets a year in prison

LISBON — A judge has sentenced a former undercover narcotics officer to one year in prison for the disappearance of illegal drugs that were under his supervision.

Judge David Tobin of Columbiana County Common Pleas Court today imposed the sentence on Thomas E. Smith, 50, of Lisbon.

Smith had retired from the county sheriff’s office after 30 years in law enforcement, where he made numerous buys as illegal drugs were becoming more common.

But he pleaded guilty to one count of theft in office after a authorities discovered a small amount of cocaine missing in sheriff’s office records Smith had in a storage unit.

For the complete story, see Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.