KENT — A Kent police spokesman said a former Kent jail corrections officer accused of stealing money from inmates was charged Tuesday with nine counts of third-degree theft.
Lt. Pat Lowrey said 42-year-old Michael Pickens was seen on surveillance cameras taking cash from lockers used to store inmates’ belongings. Pickens was fired last week.
Court papers allege that between September and January, Pickens stole $461 from the lockers, including $300 from two lockers on Jan. 17.
Lowrey said Tukwila police investigated the case to avoid any conflict of interest since jail employees are a division in the Kent police department. The Seattle Times quoted charging papers as saying Pickens told a Tukwila police detective he planned to return the money but didn’t have the chance because he was placed on administrative leave.
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