MILLSBORO, Del. - A Millsboro police sergeant has been indicted after a Delaware Department of Justice investigation revealed that he tampered with and used drugs stored in an evidence locker.
Matthew Dufour, 34, faces ten charges including multiple felonies like first degree tampering with public records. Dufour is currently on administrative leave without pay or benefits from the Millsboro Police Department. He was reported to the Department of Justice by officials at the Millsboro Police Department, who began an investigation into his alleged actions once they became aware of them and referred the investigation to Delaware State Police.
"Honor is the characteristic that all law enforcement must uphold," said Millsboro Chief of Police Brian Calloway. "Officers must always do the right thing, even when no one is watching. When our agency discovered an officer was suspected of criminal misconduct, our department immediately reported these allegations to the Department of Justice, requesting a full investigation."
On Feb. 19, Dufour was found unresponsive inside his police vehicle and showing signs comparable to a drug overdose. He was treated with Naloxone before being taken to a hospital. According to the Department of Justice, a toxicology analysis later revealed fentanyl, oxycodone, and cocaine were in his system.
Another investigation followed that included a complete audit of all drug evidence in Millsboro Police Department's custody. Instances of misconduct occurred from November 2022 through November 2023, according to the Department of Justice.
The department said the investigation indicated that Dufour had deliberately mishandled drug evidence that was set for destruction on as many as 13 occasions. It also said that Dufour only tampered with evidence on closed cases and that was set for destruction, though doubt around drug evidence from Dufour's misconduct led prosecutors to drop several pending criminal cases in March.
In one example, Dufour was found to have removed suspected cocaine from an evidence envelope and replaced it with suspected cocaine from a separate case's envelope. He is accused of then forging another Millsboro police officer's initials without his permission to conceal his actions. In another example, Dufour allegedly logged false entries into a law enforcement information system.
"We are empathetic to everyone grappling with drug use and are grateful that the defendant survived his overdose but accountability matters, particularly in matters of public trust," said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. "The defendant's actions put his own life in danger, jeopardized the work of his department, and effectively undermined the lawful investigations of his fellow officers."
Dufour faces felonies for two counts of first degree tampering with public records, one count of second degree forgery, and four counts of obtaining controlled substances by theft. He has also been charged with misdemeanors for two counts of offering a false instrument for filing and one count of official misconduct.
If convicted on all charges, Dufour's sentencing ranges from 0 to 27 years.
"I want to commend the men and women of the Millsboro Police Department who continue to service our community with honor, because that is the commitment our agency has made to our community," said Calloway.
