Deputy's wife in court accused of stealing inmates' medication

By RODRIGO ZAMITH, Star Tribune

Last update: July 22, 2008 - 3:33 PM

The wife of a Hennepin County sheriff's deputy, charged with stealing drugs intended for treating jail inmates, made her first court appearance.

Sarah DeSpiegelaere, 36, briefly identified herself with a quiet and wavering voice to Judge Peter Cahill before her lawyer requested another hearing, which was scheduled for Sept. 9. She was joined by three supporters in the courtroom.

Charges in the case are pending against her husband, Steve DeSpiegelaere, who was arrested last week in Dakota County. The couple lives in Burnsville.

According to a search warrant filed last Friday, the investigation began last Tuesday when a jail supervisor was notified about suspicious activity involving the distribution of methadone, a painkiller that can also help treat addiction to heroine and morphine.

The supervisor then learned that DeSpiegelaere's distribution could not be accounted for during the previous two days and that another nurse observed suspicious behavior by DeSpiegelaere. After searching office records, the supervisor began to notice discrepancies in DeSpiegelaere's distribution of medication.

According to the warrant, officers approached DeSpiegelaere as she left the jail in her car Tuesday and noticed her attempting to conceal something in the side compartment of the driver's door. A subsequent search of her car by police netted seven prescription pills packaged with the name "Watson."

DeSpiegelaere was arrested at the scene and later released without bond to a medical center to attend to her health. The conditions were not disclosed by DeSpiegelaere's attorney.

Rodrigo Zamith • 612-673-4895