HELENA, Mont. Authorities believe former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf might have broken into Montana homes in search of prescription drugs over the past 1 years. He will face a judge Monday in his latest criminal case.
Police arrested Leaf after a month-long investigation that culminated with Leaf breaking into an acquaintance's home to steal prescription pain medication, the task force commander who led the probe said Saturday.
Other victims to come forward, Central Montana Drug Force Commander Chris Hickman said.
"We do have some information that this may not be an isolated incident," Hickman said.
Leaf faced a similar accusation in 2008, when he was accused of burglarizing a player's home while he was a quarterbacks coach for Division II West Texas A&M. An investigation turned up that Leaf had obtained nearly 1,000 pain pills from area pharmacies in an eight-month span. He reached a plea agreement that gave him 10 years' probation.
The prosecutor in that case in 2009 said he'll file a motion on Monday to revoke Leaf's probation following his Montana arrest.
"I think it's sad," Randall County District Attorney James Farren said. "While I hoped for better results, I'm not surprised it happened."
Leaf was arrested Friday in his hometown of Great Falls and charged with burglary, possession of a dangerous drug and theft. He is free on $76,000 bail and is scheduled to make a court appearance on Monday.
Leaf did not respond to text and voicemail messages left Saturday
Hickman said the task force's investigation began about a month ago when postal workers in Great Falls tipped police that Leaf had been receiving c.o.d. packages once or twice a week worth $500 or more.
The packages were small, they rattled and they were sent from a Florida address that turned out to be a mailbox company, a favored method for distributing illegal prescriptions, Hickman said.
Police were familiar with Leaf's history of prescription medication problems, so they kept watch and decided to act when the packages began to arrive more frequently.
"We felt it was necessary to confront him as soon as possible before it got any further out of hand," Hickman said.
Task force members on Friday told Leaf's probation officer to call in the ex-quarterback. They searched Leafand his truck, finding two prescription bottles in a pocket of a golf bag, which was embroidered with Leaf'sname.
One unlabeled bottle had 28 pills that turned out to be oxycodone, a schedule 2 narcotic for which Leaf does not have a prescription. The other was empty but its label said it was oxycodone prescribed for another person, Hickman said.
That person, whom Hickman did not name, is an acquaintance of Leaf's. Police interviewed him, his live-in girlfriend and his housekeeper, and concluded that Leaf entered the house without permission on Thursday afternoon and took the man's prescription medication .
Leaf knocked on the man's door, then entered without waiting for an answer, Hickman said. Leaf surprised the housekeeper, the only person home, and told her that he was a friend of the owner and had some business to take care of.
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