Beckley , West Virginia

A civilian evidence technician with the Beckley Police Department has resigned after police said she allegedly took close to a couple dozen oxycodone tablets from the evidence room at the department.

Gabriella Brown, 31, has been charged with stealing the about 22 of the pills from inside the department's evidence room. U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin made the announcement Friday morning.

According to a court document Goodwin filed, Brown committed a federal felony by obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception and subterfuge. Brown was employed as the Beckley Police Department’s evidence technician at the time the missing evidence was disclosed. The charge against Brown was filed in a court document known as an information, which often indicates that the defendant is cooperating with prosecutors. Brown faces up to four years' imprisonment.

The evidence holding room for the police department has been the subject of controversy. In August, City Police Chief Tim Deems ordered an inventory of the evidence room. Goodwin said in September that missing prescription drugs from the evidence room would not affect federal cases.

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