DOCUMENTS: UP Animal Control Officer Stole $1,469 From Crime Scene, Charging Papers State

Prosecutors have charged University Place Animal Control Officer Travis Lyons with allegedly taking $1,469 from a crime scene that involved a marijuana grow operation this week.

Lyons, who turned 28 in July, was charged in Pierce County Superior Court on Friday with second-degree theft, tampering with physical evidence and official misconduct.

He was also fired from his job Friday with the city, according to The News Tribune. The City of University Place contracts with the agency for police services.

The allegations occurred Wednesday, when Lyons was called to a home in the 7700 block of 35th Street West. A deputy was called to the residence for a report of a burglary and eventually discovered a marijuana grow operation.

Lyons was called to the home to assist with the handling of a dog, according to charging papers.

During the initial sweep of the house, the deputy reported a stack of cash on a bedroom dresser.

“At some point between the time of the sweep and when members of the Special Investigations Unit came to execute a search warrant, it was discovered that the cash was missing,” court papers state.

When the home’s owner – who told authorities she had a legal grow operation for a Tacoma dispensary – arrived, she claimed there was money missing.

The four deputies  - including Lyons - who initially responded to the scene were called back to the home, where they learned of the missing cash. Each consented to a search of their vehicle.

During a search of Lyons’ vehicle, authorities “discovered a large quantity of cash beneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle,” court papers state. “The money was located as (Deputy) Johnson slid the driver’s seat forward and began to search the area directly behind the seat.”

A K-9 unit was brought in and responded to the money in a manner that indicates there was drug residue.

Lyons and his partner were interviewed. Each denied stealing the money and blamed each other.

But on Thursday, court papers state, Interim Police Chief Mike Blair received a call from Lyons.

“Hey, it’s Travis,” Blair recalled Lyons saying to him. “I wanted to tell you that I did take the money yesterday and I want to come clean about it.”

After coming into the station, Lyons initially claimed he found the money in the grass near where he parked his vehicle, but he later admittedthat wasn’t the truth. After trying to hide the money from fellow officers at the crime scene, Lyons said he “panicked and threw the money in the back seat.”

“When asked why he had taken the money, Lyons told Blair, ‘I’m not sure. I’ve just never seen money in a stack like that.”

Lyons is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 23.