CHULA VISTA : Ex-Officer Pleads Not Guilty in Theft
After being indicted by the county grand jury, former Chula Vista Police Officer George Hart Sr. pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of stealing cocaine and money from law enforcement agencies.
Hart, 46, is an 18-year veteran of the Police Department who received a medical retirement last year after working with the countywide Integrated Narcotics Task Force.
The eight-count indictment alleges that Hart stole more than 3 pounds of cocaine that had been seized by his own department and $1,000 that had been seized by the task force.
After Hart’s arraignment, defense attorney Daniel R. Krinsky said sloppy accounting procedures may account for some of the missing narcotics.
When the indictment was issued, the grand jury also recommended that an investigation of evidence procedures be conducted in Chula Vista and two other South Bay cities.
Trial date was set for Sept. 21.
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