Former sheriff pleads guilty to drug charges

HILLSBORO, Mo. -- More than two years after resigning as Carter County sheriff, Tommy Adams on Monday pleaded guilty to drug possession and distribution charges in a Jefferson County courtroom.

Adams pleaded guilty to felony distribution of a controlled substance and felony possession of a controlled substance, according to Nanci Gonder, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Attorney General's Office.

Adams, 33, of Ellsinore, Mo., entered his plea before Circuit Judge Gary Kramer after the state filed a "first amended information" with the court Monday, Gonder said.

The amended information alleged that on April 2, 2011, Adams knowingly distributed methamphetamine to a confidential informant and between March 21, 2011, and April 1, 2011, he possessed cocaine.

Adams received a 12-year sentence on the distribution charge and a seven-year sentence on the possession charge, which will run concurrent with each other and to his 10-year federal sentence, Gonder said.

Adams originally was charged with two counts of felony distribution of a controlled substance -- methamphetamine and cocaine -- and felony possession of a controlled substance -- methamphetamine -- with intent to distribute. He was accused of distributing meth and cocaine to a confidential informant and possessing five bags of a white powder substance, which field tested positive as methamphetamine and were found in his personal truck.

In addition to state charges, Adams was indicted by a federal grand jury, as was former deputy Steffanie Marie Kearbey. The former officers subsequently pleaded guilty and were sentenced in July.

Adams is serving a 10-year federal sentence after having pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, one count of sale of a stolen firearm and one count of being a drug user in possession of firearms.

Kearbey, 25, of Ellsinore was sentenced to five years in prison on one count of possession of a stolen firearm and one count of sale of a stolen firearm.

Kearbey also has charges pending in Carter County. She is to stand trial Aug. 22 and 23 on the felonies of receiving stolen property, second-degree burglary, stealing and first-degree burglary. She is accused of burglaries involving two Ellsinore homes, possessing stolen firearms and stealing a duffle bag and coins from an Ellsinore home.

Adams and Kearbey initially were arrested in April 2011 as part of an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol into suspected illegal activities involving Adams, who resigned as sheriff on the day of his arrest.

Also charged in connection with the patrol's investigation was Gary W. Bender, 48, of Ellsinore. He pleaded guilty earlier this month to four counts of second-degree arson and two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Bender was given seven-year sentences in prison on each of the arson charges and 10-year sentences on each drug charge. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Bender was accused of burning multiple Ellsinore homes in 2010 and 2011, including a modular home of the former sheriff, and of distributing methamphetamine to a confidential informant and an undercover officer.

Bender also was indicted Feb. 28 on a one-count Medicaid fraud indictment by a federal grand jury.

From about May 2010 to April 2011, the indictment says, Medicaid paid Endeavor Home Care LLP at Ellsinore almost $15,000 for in-home services that were never provided to Bender.

Bender is to appear in federal court at 10 a.m. July 17 for a pretrial motion hearing in his case.

Pertinent address:

Hillsboro, Mo.

Ellsinore, Mo.