Former Hope Mills police Maj. Bradley Hall Rountree pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Cumberland County Superior Court to obstruction of justice and to alternating or destroying criminal evidence, court records say.
These are felonies.
Superior Court Judge J. Stanley Carmichal issued Rountree a six-month sentence, but suspended it and gave him two years of probation. This means Rountree will not serve the prison sentence unless he violates his probation.
Rountree overdosed on fentanyl in the Police Department in December 2023, Cumberland County Assistant District Attorney Rob Thompson told CityView on Friday. This led to an investigation that uncovered that Rountree had several days prior removed fentanyl from the evidence storage at the police station, he said.
Hope Mills fired Rountree in January 2024, CityView previously reported.
The fentanyl was being stored in connection for two criminal cases, Thompson said. Rountree’s actions interfered with the prosecution of those cases, Thompson said, leading to the obstruction of justice charge and evidence destruction charge.
Investigators reviewed security camera video to see whether Rountree had previously taken fentanyl from the evidence room. They did not find other incidents, Thompson said. Rountree cooperated with the investigation and has sought help for his substance abuse, he said.
As part of his plea bargain, Rountree forfeited his law enforcement credentials.
Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.
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