Johnson County, Arkansas sheriff takes plea deal in drugs case, agrees to resign
Johnson County Sheriff Jimmy Stephens pleaded guilty to felony possession of hydrocodone Wednesday morning as part of a plea deal that includes his resignation.Stephens was given a 6-year sentence, but the judge suspended it, conditional on good behavior.Stephens will have to surrender his law enforcement certificate and submit his resignation as sheriff to the governor’s office by Friday. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.If convicted on the original charges of charges of possessing illegal drugs and simultaneously having drugs and firearms, Stephens could have faced up to life in prison, according to the prosecutor.Stephens was arrested in Crawford County in Dec. 2022 as part of an FBI investigation.Stephens was reelected to the office of Johnson County sheriff in May 2022. Because he didn’t resign and hadn’t been convicted of any crime until today, he has remained sheriff since his arrest.A judge put in place a no-contact order barring Stephens from the sheriff’s office or detention center during the duration of legal proceedings. The chief deputy has been handling day-to-day operations at the sheriff’s office.Drug AllegationsAccording to December’s probable cause affidavit from state police, FBI agents were watching Stephens and asked a state trooper to stop him after he left a house in Crawford County.The affidavit said the trooper found pain pills, marijuana and marijuana butter inside Stephens’ county-issued patrol vehicle.According to the affidavit, the people who Stephens met with told FBI agents they sold him the pills and marijuana products that police recovered, but Stephens said he was visiting his confidential informants.Stephens’ Time As SheriffStephens was elected sheriff of Johnson County in 2018. He was reelected to another four years in office in May 2022.The Johnson County clerk told 40/29 News the sheriff’s annual salary is $80,460.
Johnson County Sheriff Jimmy Stephens pleaded guilty to felony possession of hydrocodone Wednesday morning as part of a plea deal that includes his resignation.
Stephens was given a 6-year sentence, but the judge suspended it, conditional on good behavior.
Stephens will have to surrender his law enforcement certificate and submit his resignation as sheriff to the governor’s office by Friday. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
If convicted on the original charges of charges of possessing illegal drugs and simultaneously having drugs and firearms, Stephens could have faced up to life in prison, according to the prosecutor.
Stephens was arrested in Crawford County in Dec. 2022 as part of an FBI investigation.
Stephens was reelected to the office of Johnson County sheriff in May 2022. Because he didn’t resign and hadn’t been convicted of any crime until today, he has remained sheriff since his arrest.
A judge put in place a no-contact order barring Stephens from the sheriff’s office or detention center during the duration of legal proceedings. The chief deputy has been handling day-to-day operations at the sheriff’s office.
Drug Allegations
According to December’s probable cause affidavit from state police, FBI agents were watching Stephens and asked a state trooper to stop him after he left a house in Crawford County.
The affidavit said the trooper found pain pills, marijuana and marijuana butter inside Stephens’ county-issued patrol vehicle.
According to the affidavit, the people who Stephens met with told FBI agents they sold him the pills and marijuana products that police recovered, but Stephens said he was visiting his confidential informants.
Stephens’ Time As Sheriff
Stephens was elected sheriff of Johnson County in 2018. He was reelected to another four years in office in May 2022.
The Johnson County clerk told 40/29 News the sheriff’s annual salary is $80,460.