DA investigator says former partner led theft of comics, sports memoribilia

Former Harris County district attorney investigator Lonnie Blevins reached up from the witness stand in a courtroom Wednesday and pointed the finger at his old partner on trial for stealing evidence. He said Dustin Deutsch (pictured), another former investigator, made the move after the power went out at a storage unit containing millions of dollars in memorabilia in a criminal case. less Former Harris County district attorney investigator Lonnie Blevins reached up from the witness stand in a courtroom Wednesday and pointed the finger at his old partner on trial for stealing evidence. He said ... more Photo: Sharon Steinmann, Staff Photo: Sharon Steinmann, Staff Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close DA investigator says former partner led theft of comics, sports memoribilia 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Former Harris County district attorney investigator Lonnie Blevins reached up from the witness stand in a courtroom Wednesday and pointed the finger at his old partner on trial for stealing evidence.

He said Dustin Deutsch, another former investigator, made the move after the power went out at a storage unit containing millions of dollars in memorabilia in a criminal case.

"He said, 'This would be a good opportunity to steal some items from the storage unit,'" Blevins said.

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Blevins, 42, spent Wednesday morning testifying against 44-year-old Dustin Deutsch, his partner and friend since the duo met at the police academy in 2000.

"About 100 comic books were removed by me and Mr. Deutsch," Blevins said. "Mr. Deutsch also took a hockey jersey, an autographed baseball card and a signed baseball."

Deutsch is facing a possible sentence of life in prison, accused of stealing more than $200,000 worth of evidence from a suspect who was later convicted of embezzling $9 million from Tedano, an international crane company.

The suspect in the underlying case converted that staggering amount of money into an outrageously long list of collectibles and memorabilia, including a signed Muhammad Ali robe, a copy of the first edition of Playboy and a $900,000 comic book, the first Batman.

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It was exactly because there were thousands of items, Blevins said, that Deutsch convinced him that no one would miss a few comic books.

"He said a lot of this stuff wouldn't be traced," Blevins said of his partner. "He said, 'There's too much stuff. No one person could keep track of all of it."

After the power went out at the north Houston storage unit compound on June 12, 2012, the two investigators waited for other investigators and prosecutors to leave.

"Easy to get, easy to put in the car and easy to sell," Blevins said.

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Two days later, the duo returned to the storage unit early, took another 100 highly valued comic books then waited for the other investigators to arrive. They took about 200 comic books, most of which were in hard plastic cases and had been professionally graded and valued. Blevins said there were a total of tens of thousands of comics.

"They were put in the trunk of my car again," Blevins said. "My county car."

Blevins is cooperating with a special prosecutor because he was caught selling several comics at a convention in Chicago. After law enforcement became aware that someone was selling comic books that were supposed to be in the evidence cache, the FBI got involved and arrested Blevins.

He pleaded guilty in federal court and faces up to 10 years in prison. He is hoping that his cooperation will be rewarded with less, or even no jail time.

Defense attorneys for Deutsch have made it a point that it was Blevins who was caught. They are expected to argue that jurors should not to trust Blevins.

Deutsch maintains his innocence.

"He didn't do it," Deutsch's lawyer Chip Lewis has said.

The trial, before visiting state District Judge Terry Flenniken, is expected to last through the week.

brian.rogers@chron.com

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