MANTI, Utah — The former chief of the Gunnison Valley Police Department pleaded guilty to two counts of drug possession and one count of official misconduct. Seth Hendrickson, 42, entered the pleas Dec. 9 at the state courthouse in Manti. All the counts are misdemeanors.
The drug possession counts carry up to a year in jail. The misconduct count carries up to six months in jail.
Prosecutors dismissed four other drug counts. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27.
The Gunnison Valley Police Department protects the towns of Gunnison and Centerfield. Hendrickson was the chief of the department in February of this year when problems emerged.
According to an audio recording of the plea hearing, a K-9 handler with Gunnison Valley prepared to recertify a drug-sniffing dog. The department was storing drugs to train the animal.
“The drugs had been placed in his office desk drawer that was behind locked doors and accessible only to police employees,” Deputy Utah County Attorney Jordin Albers explained to the judge.
“When the officer went to retrieve the drugs, the box was missing from his drawer,” Albers continued.
“Subsequently, it was determined that the defendant had taken the drugs.”
“The heroin is missing, and he tested positive for heroin.”
Hendrickson also tested positive for codeine and morphine, Albers added.
Attorneys in the courtroom told the judge that Hendrickson has already completed some drug treatment, has agreed to undergo more and will not contest state regulators taking away his police certification.
Hendrickson resigned from Gunnison Valley in late July as an investigation into him was underway. The Utah County Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the case to avoid conflicts for counterparts in Sanpete County, filed the criminal charges in September.
