Police evidence clerk held in cocaine theft

Keith Paul

Thursday, March 21, 2002 | 11:14 a.m.

A North Las Vegas Police evidence vault clerk faces criminal charges, accused of stealing cocaine seized during police investigations after her stepson implicated her when he was arrested in Henderson last month on an unrelated matter.

Clark County prosecutors Wednesday approved drug trafficking and misdemeanor embezzlement charges against Geneva A. Kincaid, 40. She will be issued a summons to appear in North Las Vegas Justice Court May 1 and is accused of stealing 57.7 grams of powdered cocaine.

"Our audit has revealed that we do have some narcotics missing from the evidence vault," said Lt. Art Redcay, a North Las Vegas Police spokesman. "We have several different areas where we keep narcotics. (We) still need to check some areas, but they are limited access areas."

The drug evidence Kincaid is accused of taking was no longer needed for criminal prosecution and was slated to be destroyed, police said. "North Las Vegas Police during the investigation found that the drugs came from a 1996 case that was resolved and (the cocaine) was earmarked for destruction," Chief Deputy District Attorney Dan Bowman said. "They found the evidence envelope had been opened and the drugs were taken before it was destroyed."

Bowman said after Joshua L. Kincaid was arrested by Henderson Police, the teen told investigators he took the drugs from his stepmother's purse.

North Las Vegas Police started an investigation into Geneva Kincaid after Henderson police called on Feb. 26 saying they had information implicating her after a drug arrest in Henderson, said Lt. Art Redcay, a North Las Vegas Police spokesman.

Geneva Kincaid has been a department employee for about 7 1/2 years and working in the evidence vault for the past 2 1/2 years. She is married to North Las Vegas Police Lt. Michael Kincaid, who has been cleared in the investigation.

"There was nothing in the investigation that shows he (Lt. Michael Kincaid) knew or should have known about what was happening," Redcay said.

Michael Kincaid, reached by phone Wednesday, decline to comment. Geneva Kincaid could not be reached for comment.

When Henderson Police arrested Joshua Kincaid on Feb. 24 he told investigators he took the drugs from his stepmother's bag. He then repeated the story to North Las Vegas Police.

The 18-year-old Kincaid told police he took the drugs from a bag belonging to Geneva Kincaid in his father and stepmother's home when they were away on vacation, a police source told the Sun, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Henderson Police arrested Joshua Kincaid last month when serving a search warrant at his 1800 N. Green Valley Parkway home in connection with a graffiti investigation. Officers found the teen coming out of the bathroom and arrested him, according to a Henderson Police arrest report.

"Kincaid stated that he was attempting to flush the drugs down the toilet but was unable to get the toilet to operate," the report states.

Officers found a large amount of cocaine and marijuana inside the open toilet in the bathroom. Next to the toilet was an open shoe box containing drug paraphernalia and a metal scale, the report states.

"Inside the box were two pay stubs and an ID in the name of Joshua Kincaid," the report states.

According to the criminal complaint, Joshua Kincaid is accused of possessing 17 grams of cocaine.

Joshua Kincaid did not live with the Kincaids at the time of his arrest, Redcay said.

Geneva Kincaid was put on administrative leave with pay on Feb. 26.

North Las Vegas Police do a yearly audit of the evidence vault and a monthly spot check of evidence, Redcay said. Police also do a random audit of evidence when a senior evidence technician is transferred or replaced. The drug trafficking charge Geneva Kincaid faces is punishable by 25 years in prison with parole after a minimum of 10 years served. The trafficking charge applies when more than 28 grams of cocaine is involved, Bowman said.