This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A former West Valley City police charged with stealing morphine pills from a deceased cancer patient is doing well six months into his 18-month probation period, according court documents.
Ryan Michael Humphrey was charged last year in 3rd District Court with possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, as well as theft, a class B misdemeanor.
Humphrey entered a guilty plea in abeyance to the drug possession count in May, and the theft count was dismissed.
Judge Vernice Trease ordered six months probation by a private probation provider, followed by 12 months of court supervised probation.
On Friday, Humphey reported he was compliant with the terms of his probation, including random drug testing, and prosecutors did not object to beginning the court-supervised probation. The case will be dismissed in November 2015, if Humphrey completes probation.
Humphrey, 35, was is accused of stealing 22 morphine pills while responding on June 5, 2013, to the death of a terminally cancer patient in West Valley City. A colleague allegedly saw Humphrey place the morphine pills, which belonged to the patient, in his pocket.
The backup officer called a supervisor, who arrived and confronted Humphrey.
"He admitted doing it and was remorseful," said Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robby Russo, whose department was asked to investigate.
The day after the incident, Humphrey resigned from his job.