Police: Man Caught Stashing Crack Cocaine in Interrogation Room Ceiling

A Nebraska man accused of filing a false police report found himself in more hot water after surveillance video caught him trying to stash cocaine in the interrogation room ceiling at the police station, authorities said.

Surveillance video at the Omaha Police Headquarters caught Thomas Hartman, 25, standing on a chair in the police interrogation room and allegedly attempting to hide crack cocaine in a ceiling tile, the Daily Mail reported.

Police took Hartman to the station for questioning for filing a false police report on his brother, Trentell Clifton. Hartman allegedly accused Clifton of stealing $700 cash and a smartphone, according to the incident report.

In the next room, Hartman’s 17-year-old girlfriend told authorities that she had been a sex trafficking victim under her boyfriend’s guidance.

In Nebraska, the legal age of consent is 17 years old.

“Hey! I think they’re going to take me to jail,” Hartman reportedly yelled to his girlfriend through the wall.

An officer could be heard telling the suspect during questioning that he needs to “come clean,” KETV reported.

“You just need to come clean … because I have a visual of [your brother] from the time of this robbery … he’s on the other side of town,” the officer can be heard saying.

Officers charged Hartman with filing a false police report after his girlfriend told police the robbery never took place.

An hour and a half later, Hartman allegedly climbed onto a table to stash the drugs, not realizing that the police had been watching the entire time.

“You’re at the frickin’ police station, man, and you put a chair up and tried to get in the ceiling,” an officer can be heard saying to Hartman on the surveillance tape after catching him in the act.

Police initially thought Hartman was plotting his escape, but a technician clearing out the room found a bag containing a powdery, white substance — which turned out to be the drugs.

After the discovery, police added a charge of controlled substance possession to Hartman’s record. He is currently being held at the Nebraska Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln.