A former Washington County sheriff’s deputy was convicted last week of misconduct by a public employee and illegal possession of prescription drugs after he was caught illicitly accessing and stealing from the county’s drug disposal bin earlier this year.
Oakdale resident Ricky Harry Gruber, 44, was originally charged with felony drug possession, felony theft, misconduct of a public officer and unlawful possession of pharmacy drugs. The theft charge was dismissed, and Gruber pleaded not guilty to four of the charges.