Former Ephrata officer Geer pleads not guilty

EPHRATA — A former Ephrata police officer accused of keeping a stolen truck pleaded not guilty in Grant County Superior Court.

Leonard L. Geer, 39, is charged with possession of stolen property in the second degree and obstructing justice-official misconduct.

Ephrata Police Chief Mike Warren asked Moses Lake police to investigate allegations Geer stored a stolen truck and parts from the truck in his garage.

Geer recovered the stolen 1986 Toyota pickup in Ephrata in the spring of 2008. At the time, he contacted the owner, Peter Cannon, of Fruitland, telling him the engine was missing and the tires were different. Geer reportedly offered to allow the truck to stay at a friend’s house, while he tried to recover the missing parts, according to the police report.

Moses Lake Police Capt. Dave Ruffin, who conducted the investigation, said it was highly irregular to leave the truck there.

“That’s not an accepted business practice anywhere in law enforcement,” he said.

About two to three weeks later, Geer reportedly called Cannon again, telling him he was interested in buying the truck.

The missing parts were recovered, and Geer entered them into evidence, according to the police report.

When Geer and a family member visited Cannon during fall 2008, he showed Cannon photos of the items, reportedly telling him he needed his signature to prove the items were his. The forms he signed showed the items were returned to Cannon, but Geer reportedly took the items out of evidence and stored them at his home, according to the police report.

After not hearing from the officer for several months, Cannon wrote a letter stating he wanted $2,000 for the truck, according to the police report. Geer denied getting the letter.

After roughly a year and a half of sitting where it was found, Geer reportedly moved it to his house along with the missing pieces, according to the police report.

Cannon didn’t hear from Geer again, until he was contacted by the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office. After speaking with the victim/witness coordinator about the situation, Geer called reportedly saying he sent $50 for the vehicle. Cannon said he never received the money.

Once the Ephrata Police Department’s internal investigation started, Cannon told investigators he received a threatening call from Geer, according to the police report. Geer denied calling Cannon after the internal investigation started.

“Officer Geer was nearly shouting at him, and telling him that he had spoken out against him, and that if he felt that way ... that Cannon could just come and get the vehicle from him,” Ruffin wrote.

Geer told investigators he only offered to buy the vehicle after Cannon asked if he knew anyone interested in buying the vehicle. Geer also said Cannon “released all interest” in the vehicle to the officer.

The officer claims he told Cannon he was signing documents to release the evidence, so Geer could put the parts back on the truck. When he was asked if he’d gotten permission to take possession of the evidence, he claimed then Deputy Prosecutor Albert Lin said it would be OK, “as long as he could get the truck back for the trial.”

Lin did not give Geer permission to store the truck at his home, according to court records. He did send a letter to the Ephrata Police Department, stating the evidence could be released to the owner as long as the he didn’t sell it before the trial.