Former Centre Police officer Michael Kilgore pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance after investigators said he unlawfully handled and planted evidence.
Michael Kilgore, 40, was arrested in May 2023 and has been out on bond since. According to court documents, he admitted he conspired with another person to plant methamphetamine, oxycodone, marijuana and other drugs in a woman's vehicle. When he pulled her over, he asked for permission to search her vehicle, and that's when he found the planted evidence.
He arrested the woman and her passenger.
Prosecutors said Kilgore came up with the plan so that he could make a narcotics arrest.
The co-conspirator was a person Kilgore pulled over and found drugs on in January 2023. He offered not to arrest the man if he helped plant evidence on another person.
Kilgore, a K9 handler, had worked for the Centre Police Department for less than a year at the time of the crime.
After Kilgore arrested the woman with the planted evidence, he asked the co-conspirator to do the same thing again but to make sure the amount of drugs was enough to make a trafficking arrest. After the second request, the co-conspirator went to the police.
Kilgore has not been sentenced. He also faces state charges and has a plea hearing on December 9 in Cherokee County.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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