Former Floyd County Sheriff’s deputy Jessie Stiles was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation after he pleading guilty Thursday to stealing prescription pills.

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Former Floyd County Sheriff’s Deputy Jessie Stiles was indicted by a grand jury Friday on 53 counts. Reports said that an investigation was launched earlier this year into allegations that Stiles stole prescription drugs from people while on duty.

The grand jury indicted Stiles on 12 counts of theft by taking, 22 counts of Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, five counts of exploiting an elder person, three counts of first-degree burglary, one count of exploitation of a disabled adult and 10 counts of violation his oath of office.

Stiles has remained in jail since his arrest after being denied bond.

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The Floyd County Police Department has charged a former deputy with criminal offenses that allege he acted inappropriately and used his position as a peace officer to steal from innocent persons under the pretense of investigating a crime. Corporal Jessie Stiles has been charged with violation of oath of office, three counts of possession of controlled substances, two counts of first degree burglary, three counts of theft by taking as a government employee and two counts of exploitation of the elderly.

On Wednesday Stiles was denied bond by a magistrate judge.

Warrants also reported that victims told authorities that Stiles would come to their home and ‘inspect medication’ as he presented a business card that identified himself as a sheriff’s deputy. He would also tell victims that he worked for the drug task force and was following up on a prescription bottle that was found with the label partially destroyed.

Warrants added that on January 23rd he took 74 hydrocodone pills from a 76-year-old woman. This was several days after he had been terminated from the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

On January 15, he is accused of taking 30 Lorcet pills from a couple, and 21 OxyContin pills from an 80 year-old woman. .

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The deputy was arrested at his home without incident and later transported to the Floyd County Jail for temporary holding.

Investigators with the Floyd County Police Department started the investigation at the request of Sheriff Tim Burkhalter following a citizen complaint to his office last week. As a result of interviews with numerous victims, the police department has charged Jessie Stiles with the offenses – many of which occurred while on duty at the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

The Floyd County Police Department has charged Stiles with offenses based on allegations from three separate victims. Investigators suspect that Stiles visited several other homes over the past few weeks and request that anyone who has had a suspicious interaction with the deputy contact the police department.

In some cases Stiles claimed he was assisting the drug unit but in some he informed victims that he was following up on a prescription bottle that was found and the label partially destroyed. In all of the listed charges, even the one that occurred after his termination from the sheriff’s office, victims allege that the deputy asserted himself as a peace officer acting under color of law.

Stiles was an 11 year veteran of the sheriff’s office, but was terminated Friday, January 22 after being placed on administrative leave.

A complaint filed with the Sheriff’s Office launched an internal investigation which initiated a criminal investigation that has been completed by

Floyd County Police Department.

“Mr. Stiles’ actions will bring discredit toward the operations of the sheriff’s office and that is truly unfortunate,” commented Sheriff Burkhalter. “As we always have, we will continue to be transparent with our employees who fall short of the standards expected by our community.”