State audit cites missing funds from Muscatine County drug task force

Auditor of State David A. Vaudt today released a report on a special investigation of the Muscatine County Drug Task Force.

The report covers the period Jan. 1, 2004 through Nov. 30, 2009. The special investigation was requested by officials of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) as a result of concerns identified regarding controls over cash held at the Task Force.

Cash had been kept in a safe in the Task Force's secured evidence room. After the Muscatine County Attorney requested the Task Force release $5,260 of cash seized in a case, Task Force officials discovered the cash for the case was not in the safe.

Task Force staff searched for the missing cash but it was not located in the safe or in the evidence room. Task Force officials later determined $850 of cash associated with two additional cases could not be located in the safe or the evidence room.

Here's Vaudt's report:

Audit