Hearing sheds light on Stiles
A judge denies bond for the former deputy accused of stealing prescription pills from elderly victims.
Even after he was fired from the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office for allegedly stealing prescription pills, former deputy Jessie Stiles went to a victim’s home and took 74 pills, according to a detective’s testimony in court Thursday.
Stiles has been charged with three counts of felony theft by taking, three counts of possession of controlled substances, two counts of exploitation of elder persons, two counts of first- degree burglary and one count of violation of an oath by a public officer. He was denied bond Thursday. Stiles has stolen drugs at least three different times, twice while he was a deputy and a third time after he was fired, Floyd County police Sgt. Chris Fincher testified.
Stiles was fired on Jan. 22 and Fincher said Floyd County 911 received a call about a deputy wearing plainclothes asking about pills on Jan. 23.
Stiles went to a house on Ohio Drive and told the residents he was working undercover. He told the residents he had just been to a house where pills had been stolen and was investigating if any had been stolen at their house, Fincher said.
The grandson got his grandmother’s pills and gave them to Stiles. He took them to his car to review them. When he gave them back, 74 hydrocodone pills were missing, Fincher said.
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Read this story online to see previous reports about Jessie Stiles, who was fired from the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.
Stiles visited five other houses that day, but no medication was stolen during those visits, Fincher said.
While he was still a deputy, Fincher said, Stiles stole about 30 OxyContin and 30 Lorcet tablets from a woman in Lindale.
Stiles told the residents a relative of theirs in prison was found with a pill bottle belonging to the woman’s husband, Fincher said.
He said he needed to compare their other medications with those found in prison.
More charges are pending and the investigation is still ongoing, Fincher added.
Fincher was asked to investigate Stiles by the sheriff’s office after a complaint was filed against Stiles in January.
Defense attorney Brian McWhorter asked Fincher if there was any indication Stiles bought the drugs. Fincher said he hasn’t found any evidence of that.
McWhorter told Judge Tami Colston that Stiles was an exemplary employee of the sheriff’s office for 11 years and got hooked on pain pills after he experienced serious injuries and had to have three surgeries.
He asked that Stiles be released so he could receive treatment for his addiction.
Colston denied bond, saying the potential for relapse while out on bond would just get Stiles in more trouble.