Investigators allege the officers tried to replace missing narcotics evidence with drugs seized during an unrelated pedestrian stop.
SAN JOSE, CA — Two San Jose police officers have been arrested and charged with tampering with evidence and filing a false police report after an internal investigation into missing suspected narcotics, authorities said.
Officers Raydarius Surry, 29, and Destiney Thompson, 30, surrendered Oct. 28 and were booked into Santa Clara County Jail after prosecutors filed charges earlier that day, according to police. Each officer is accused of one count of tampering with evidence and one count of filing a false police report. The charges stem from allegations that Surry replaced missing evidence from a May arrest with suspected narcotics taken during an unrelated August encounter, while Thompson allegedly helped him plan the replacement.
The investigation began after the Police Department reviewed an arrest Surry made May 3. Police said Surry’s report listed a small bag containing suspected narcotics, but the bag was never booked into evidence. The material was supposed to be tested by the county crime laboratory. The department began investigating the missing evidence in August and informed Surry that the bag could not be located.
Police allege that after learning about the missing evidence, Surry stopped a pedestrian on Aug. 12 who had no connection to the May case. Investigators said Surry found a similar bag containing suspected narcotics, seized it and took no additional enforcement action against the person. Authorities said the August stop and seizure were not documented in a police report.
Surry then allegedly booked the bag seized during the August stop into evidence using the case number from the May 3 arrest, presenting it as evidence connected to the earlier case, police said. The allegation raises concerns about the chain of custody, the documented record used to track evidence from the time it is collected through testing and court proceedings.
Investigators also accused Thompson of helping Surry plan the alleged evidence replacement. Police said Thompson accessed and reviewed body-worn camera footage from Surry’s May 3 arrest. Authorities allege she used the footage to assist Surry in determining how to replace the missing evidence. Police said Surry and Thompson are in a relationship and both live in Gilroy.
Surry has worked for the San Jose Police Department for eight years, while Thompson has served for six years. Surry was placed on administrative leave Sept. 2, and Thompson was placed on leave Sept. 18 as the investigations continued. Both officers were no longer in custody by the afternoon after their surrender, according to published reports.
San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said officers are required to preserve the chain of custody for evidence and provide truthful accounts of their interactions with the public. He said the department acted to remove both officers from duty and seek criminal accountability after investigators uncovered the alleged conduct. Joseph said the allegations, if proven, would violate the standards expected of department members.
Police said investigators also completed a broader review of the officers’ cases, arrests and evidence bookings. The department said that review did not uncover other discrepancies or similar alleged conduct involving Surry or Thompson. The finding does not resolve the pending criminal charges, which remain allegations unless proven in court.
The Police Department has also referred both officers to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training for temporary decertification review while the criminal and administrative investigations remain pending. The criminal cases and the department’s internal proceedings have not been resolved.
Author note: Last updated October 31, 2026.