Deputies mistake kitty litter for meth; after 3 days in jail, suspect cleared
Mug shot, news release on drug bust sent out, before test reveals kitty litter
By Nancy Cook | ncook@ktalnews.tv
(Photo courtesy KETK)/Copyright 2017 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
(KETK) A Houston man has been cleared of a drug charge after authorities realized he'd been arrested for possession of kitty litter.
"They thought they had the biggest bust in Harris County," Ross LeBeau said. "This was the bust of the year for them."
A traffic stop in early December led to the discovery of almost half a pound of what deputies believed to be methamphetamine.
The deputies arrested LeBeau and sent out a press release, including a mug shot, describing the bust.
According to authorities, the arrest was due to deputies finding a sock filled with what they believed to be methamphetamine. It was actually kitty litter that LeBeau kept in his car to reduce fog in his windows.
After the arrest, LeBeau was fingerprinted and booked into a jail where he spent three days before being released.
The problem came after two field tests, performed by deputies, came back positive for meth.
Later a third test was conducted by the county's forensic lab which revealed that the kitty litter was not a controlled substance. The case was later dismissed.
Although LeBeau says the accusation caused him to lose work, he doesn't blame the deputies. According to LeBeau's attorney the field tests could have been the problem.
"Ultimately it might be bad testing equipment that they need to re-evaluate," attorney George Reul said.
Currently, Lebeau will work to expunge his record.
"I was wrongly accused," LeBeau said. "I'm going to do everything in my power to clear my name”…by Haley Hoar, hhoar@easttexasmatters.com
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