The Sweetwater Police Department will have to pay back the more than $23,000 in cash seized from six poker suspects in August 2007.
SPD Chief Eddie Byrum said the Criminal Court Office confirmed the court's ruling the money must be returned, however the chief said early Wednesday afternoon he has yet to receive any paperwork on the ruling.

Officers had seized the money, $23,375, when they discovered six men allegedly playing poker at a motel along Interstate 75.
But prosecution of the case hit a snag when the money turned up missing from SPD's evidence locker just a few weeks after the bust. The case against the poker suspects was dismissed this year.
In April 2008, a former part-time police officer, Chris Greene, 47, was indicted for theft over $10,000 in connection with the missing evidence money.

Greene is believed to have fled the country and has yet to be arrested.
The city has already filed a claim with its insurance carriers in hopes of getting them to pay the suspects back.
 "That's what we have insurance for," Byrum said.
The TBI is in charge of the case against Greene.

Byrum said at one time, TBI agents believed they were close to finding Greene, but his capture has yet to materialize.
Byrum said if Greene is caught and convicted, any sentence could involve restitution with Greene having to pay back the insurance companies if they pay the claim.

tommy.millsaps@advocateanddemocrat.com | 337-7101