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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Former GP police volunteer pleads guilty to gun thefts Comment By Melissa McRobbie Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Melissa McRobbie Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Sep. 16, 2015 at 4:36 PM By Melissa McRobbie Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Sep. 16, 2015 at 4:36 PM » Social News A former Grants Pass Department of Public Safety volunteer accused of stealing dozens of guns from police evidence pleaded guilty on Tuesday to four felony counts of first-degree theft and one misdemeanor count of tampering with public records. The plea was not part of a deal with prosecutors and sets the stage for a battle over whether the defendant will go to prison or get probation. The case had been scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 29; now, that will be the date of his sentencing. Josephine County Deputy District Attorney Lisa Turner said she plans to have several police employees speak at the hearing, and asked that two to three hours be set aside for it. "I'm thinking this is going to be a fairly lengthy sentencing," she said. Darrow's attorney Christopher Mecca said he plans to argue for probation instead of prison time for his client. Darrow, 74, is a retired city firefighter who had been volunteering part-time for several years to help assess the value of certain guns in evidence that the police department was considering auctioning off. The guns were discovered missing during a routine internal audit. The audit included a review of the police department's evidence rooms, which contain roughly 50,000 confiscated items. The thefts were investigated by the Oregon State Police. The stolen guns were found at Darrow's home in Colonial Valley. The defendant initially was charged with 28 counts of first-degree theft before the case was brought back to a grand jury and narrowed down to the five counts, including the tampering charge, to which Darrow pleaded guilty. The weapons believed to have been stolen by Darrow were mostly handguns but also some rifles. Public Safety Director Bill Landis said most, if not all, have been recovered. Under the department's current policy, guns seized as evidence are destroyed once the case has been adjudicated. By Melissa McRobbie Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Melissa McRobbie Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Sep. 16, 2015 at 4:36 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501