Idaho Falls police sell guns to clear out evidence room

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The Idaho Falls Police Department is selling 346 firearms to make more space in its evidence room, a move that began after a former city prosecutor was convicted of stealing some of the guns.

The department Wednesday showed the guns to between 50 and 100 federally licensed firearm dealers in the basement of the Law Enforcement Building.

About 25 guns were on each of the 13 tables. Dealers have until Tuesday to bid on the guns through the Idaho Falls Purchasing Department.

The sale follows an August 2006 audit that found the Police Department’s evidence room contained too many guns, about 450.

The $6,000 audit came about after former city Prosecutor Kimball Mason was convicted of stealing guns from the evidence room. Mason is serving up to 10 years in prison for stealing the guns and for falsifying public documents.

Mickey Callow, evidence technician, has led a project to confirm that the guns being sold don’t already belong to someone. She said she did that by reviewing the history of each gun and checking to see that the case the gun was connected with had been concluded and that it couldn’t be returned.

“There’s a story behind every one,” said Callow, noting that several hundred other guns were returned to owners.

Officials said some of the guns were in the evidence room because people had used them to commit suicide.