CENTENNIAL — Authorities began investigating former Araphoe County Sheriff Patrick Sullivan after a Centennial man called police in September and said “an old guy” was trying to get his roommates back into drugs and had been smoking methamphetamine with them, according to a police report.

When the Centennial man asked Sullivan to leave and said he was going to call 911, Sullivan told the man “If you want the police I am the police,” the man told officers.

Sullivan later told detectives he is on a meth drug task force and helps recovering addicts get clean, according to another report. He also said he worked for the state health department’s drug treatment office.

When police interviewed the three roommates, one of them said Sullivan has power of attorney for him. The 34-year-old man also said Sullivan cashes the man’s Social Security checks, gives him cash from them, and takes the man shopping when needed.

A spokesman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said this afternoon there is no record of Sullivan working there, or of the department having a meth treatment program.

The reports give the first insight into how a well respected, longtime law enforcment icon came to be standing before a judge this morning facing drug charges.

After a brief huddle with a prosecutor and defense attorney, a Judge William Sylvester this morning doubled Sullivan’s bond from $250,000 to $500,000.

Prosecutor Karen Pearson would not comment on why she sought to increase the bond and Sylvester offered no explanation. He issued a mandatory protection order preventing Sullivan from having contact with any potential witness in the case.

An investigative report filed in court in support of Sullivan’s arrest says officers from the South Metro Drug Task Force, including Arapahoe deputies, used confidential informants and audio and video surveillance in the investigation.

According to the court papers:

After a complaint in early October to the Arapahoe sheriff’s office that an “unwanted party” was at a home in Centennial, a deputy arrived and identified the person there as the former sheriff.

Agent Matt Hanagan of the drug task force was brought in to the case and asked two confidential informants who worked with the task force whether they thought they could purchase methamphetamine from Sullivan. Both of them said they had engaged in sex acts with Sullivan in the past and said they would be willing to ask him for meth in exchange for a sex act.

After several phone calls and text messages, Sullivan agreed to meet one of the men at an Aurora home and bring meth to exchange for sex.

Officers set up audio and video surveillance at the house and, Tuesday afternoon, Sullivan arrived and was seen to hand suspected meth to the informant.

He was taken into custody and officers found additional suspected meth — a total of 0.7 grams.

Sullivan was booked into the jail that bears his name on a charge of unlawful distribution, manufacturing, dispensing or sale of a controlled substance. The Class 5 felony carries a penalty of up to six years in prison.

During this morning’s brief hearing, Judge Sylvester asked Sullivan if he had any questions, and Sullivan said no. He kept his head down and leaned on a cane through the proceedings. He was handcuffed and wore an orange jail jumpsuit. No members of his family appeared to be in the courtroom.

Sullivan’s attorney, Kevin McGreevy, declined to comment.

Sullivan is being held in the Patrick J. Sullivan Jr. Detention Facility. He was sheriff from 1984 until his retirement in 2002.

Sullivan retired from law enforcement to become director of safety and security for Cherry Creek Schools in 2002, retiring from there in 2008.

Former Arapahoe County Commissioner Jim Dyer, who was not on the commission when Sullivan was sheriff, said Tuesday night he was shocked when told of the sheriff’s arrest.

“I knew he had a distinguished career,” Dyer said. “I think he was a good guy. That’s shocking. I am absolutely astounded.”

Steve Ward, a former county commissioner who worked with Sullivan, said he “couldn’t be more shocked.”

Former Arapahoe County District Attorney Jim Peters, who worked with Sullivan, said the allegations against the former sheriff are “totally out of character” for the man he knew and are “hard to believe.”

“He was completely ethical, upright and honest,” Peters said. “He just oozed honesty and integrity. He was an outstanding sheriff.”

Carlo Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com.