Pinellas County Deputy Fired, Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Confiscated Drugs, Pawning Weapon

A Pinellas County sheriff's deputy has been let go after being accused of stealing drugs on the job and pawning his service weapon.

Deputy Steven Smith, 32, was arrested Wednesday on charges of grand theft and drug possession, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said.

Gualtieri says Smith, who had worked as a narcotics detective, landed on desk duty after his performance started falling off. He was eventually fired.

Smith is accused of stealing "numerous bottles" of Oxycodone pills belonging to a deceased person that were brought into the station for disposal. Gualtieri says Smith was caught on camera swiping about 300 pills instead of destroying them.

His girlfriend turned him in.

Smith denied stealing the pills but admitted to having a drug problem, deputies said.

He's also accused of selling his department-issued gun to a pawn shop for $250. The missing weapon, valued at $450, was discovered when deputies collected Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office property that Smith had, NBC affiliate WFLA. Smith admitted to having pawned the weapon at the New Port Richey Silver Dollar Pawn, investigators said.

It's unclear if Smith has an attorney.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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