A state trooper is in jail after allegations and an ensuing investigation involving weapons misconduct, the Arizona Department of Public Safety announced Friday morning.

Recently, DPS was provided information containing serious allegations against a department employee.

John Petculescu (MCSO)

DPS identified the trooper as John Petculescu, 45, who has served with DPS for 18 years. He has spent eight years in the firearms training unit.

Officials conducted an immediate investigation into those allegations and as a result, Mr. Petculescu was arrested late Thursday night and booked into a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office jail on eight counts of theft and eight counts of misconduct involving weapons.

The trooper was also administratively suspended.

Court documents show the wife of Mr. Petculescu reported she believed he had illegally taken agency weapons or ammunition, resulting in a search that led to his arrest.

The probable cause statement supporting theft and weapons misconduct charges against Mr. Petculescu was released after he appeared in court Friday. A judge ordered him released without bond but said he must be fitted with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet.

He had no lawyer present and there wasn’t a listed phone number.

The records show DPS detectives went to Mr. Petculescu’s home in New River Tuesday, and his wife allowed them to search the home. The search turned out thousands of rounds of loose ammunition and other ammo that was in boxes similar to what the agency buys. They also found eight “flash-bang” grenades used by SWAT teams that were traced to DPS.

The charges Mr. Petculescu faces stem from possessing the grenades.

“AZDPS holds our employees to the highest standard,” the department stated. “AZDPS is committed to full transparency and will provide an update as the investigation continues.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.