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Ludlow Lt. Thomas Foye at his arraignment in Palmer District Court in August. Foye was indicted by a Hampden Grand Jury on charges related to the theft of drug evidence from the Ludlow police station.

(Republican photo by Dave Roback)

SPRINGFIELD — A Hampden County grand jury on Thursday indicted Ludlow Police Lt. Thomas Foye in connection with the theft of drugs from the Ludlow police evidence locker last year.

Foye, 49, was charged with tampering with evidence, theft of drugs from a dispensary and possession of a class B substance, cocaine, according to the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Hampden Superior Court at a later date.

Foye, a 25-year police veteran, was arrested Aug. 18 at the Ludlow police station by members of the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the office of Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni.

Since his arrest, he has been on paid administrative leave.

His arrest was the result of an internal investigation within the department after some drug evidence was found to be missing. Ludlow police contacted the Hampden district attorney, and the DA referred the case to the state Attorney General’s Office.

Foye was arrested after he entered the evidence locker without authorization. At the time he was found to be in possession of cocaine, officials said. The investigation determined that Foye had entered the locker multiple times using a key that allowed him entry without leaving any record of it in his name. They also found empty evidence bags in his office.

Foye denied the charges at his arraignment in Palmer District Court following his arrest. He was released without bail on the condition that he surrender all firearms to the police and that he remain drug free and submit to random drug testing.

At that time, court documents said a video feed captured Foye entering the locked narcotics locker at the Ludlow Police Station, where he appears to manipulate and open evidence bags

Prosecutors charge that between January and August of last year, he removed dozens of pieces of evidence including cocaine and prescription pills. They also charge that he replaced narcotic evidence in evidence bags with pills that did not match the description on the corresponding state lab paperwork.

Prior to his arrest, Foye’s career was described as exemplary. He had been promoted to the rank of provisional lieutenant by the Ludlow Board of Selectmen just three months prior to his arrest.

His salary in 2012 according to town records was $104,629, including $20,987 in overtime.

Foye, a former School Committee member, worked for nine years in the Detective Bureau. In the 1990s, he served on an anti-gang unit.

Two years ago, Foye participated in a forum at Ludlow High School where he warned parents and residents about the growing danger of prescription drug abuse. He said the problem in Ludlow is the worst he has seen it in the 25 years he has been working for the Police Department.