FAIRBANKS, Alaska — A former evidence custodian abused her access to pilfer more than $100,000 from the North Slope Borough Police Department’s evidence vault, stuffing stolen cash into her own pockets while erasing the paper trail. Margaret Ann Solomon, 48, of Fairbanks, was sentenced Monday in federal court for transporting stolen property across state lines, the fallout from an 18-month crime spree that gutted public trust in Barrow’s law enforcement.
Solomon, who worked at the NSBPD from November 2006 until July 16, 2012, exploited her rotating shifts in the evidence room to siphon cash from sealed envelopes. Between January 2011 and June 2012, she was one of three custodians with full access. When left alone, she retrieved evidence bags, removed money, and often shredded or discarded the records to hide her thefts. U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline handed down an eight-month prison term, three years of supervised release, and ordered $109,623 in restitution to the department.
The thefts weren’t just brazen—they were funded by broken systems. An audit in 2014 revealed at least $207,563.96 missing from the evidence room, with 82 items either partially or fully unaccounted for. But investigators couldn’t pin every loss on Solomon—poor tracking, unlocked doors, and unattended evidence during business hours made accountability nearly impossible. Still, prosecutors tied $109,623 directly to her through bank records showing unexplained deposits into her Wells Fargo account in Barrow.
Solomon didn’t just stash the money—she burned it fast. She linked her bank account to PayPal, then funneled the stolen cash into online gambling through Facebook. The digital footprints led federal agents straight to her. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Hattan, who prosecuted the case, laid out how Solomon’s access, combined with institutional neglect, created the perfect cover for embezzlement.
Judge Beistline made it clear: this wasn’t just about repaying the cash. “The sentence must carry consequences beyond restitution,” he said, stressing the need to deter public corruption and uphold integrity in law enforcement. “Solomon’s betrayal hurt the police department, hurt the community, and potentially hurt victims whose cases may have been compromised.”
U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler praised the FBI’s investigation, reiterating that corruption within the justice system “will not be tolerated at any level.” The case stands as a grim reminder: when custodians become criminals, the entire system pays the price. Solomon’s fall from trust to prison marks another scar on Alaska’s thin blue line.
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Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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