Trial to start for ex-Carter County deputy

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Jury selection began Wednesday in Carter County in the trial of a former deputy facing multiple felonies, including burglaries involving two Ellsinore, Mo., homes.

Once seated, the jury will hear the case against Steffanie M. Kearbey, 25, of Ellsinore, who is standing trial on the felonies of receiving stolen property, second-degree burglary, stealing and first-degree burglary. The trial is slated to run through Friday.

Kearbey was charged in connection with an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol into suspected illegal activities committed while former sheriff Tommy Adams was in office.

The former deputy is accused of burglaries involving two Ellsinore homes, possessing stolen firearms and stealing a duffle bag and coins from an Ellsinore home.

The crimes allegedly occurred between July 2010 and April 2011. Kearbey and Adams both were arrested in April 2011, and Adams resigned from office the day of his arrest.

The former officers originally faced charges in state court; however, Kearbey's charges were dropped about three months later by Carter County Prosecuting Attorney Rocky Kingree, who cited a lack of cooperation by state investigators as the basis for his decision.

Kearbey and Adams were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2011, and she subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a stolen firearm and one count of sale of a stolen firearm.

At the time she was recharged in December, Kearbey was serving a five-year sentence in the Federal Correctional Institution at Coleman, Fla.

Adams, 33, of Ellsinore 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.

The former sheriff pleaded guilty in mid-June to felony of distribution of a controlled substance and felony of possession of a controlled substance in Jefferson County.

He had been accused of distributing methamphetamine to a confidential informant and possessing cocaine.

At that time, Adams was sentenced to 12 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on the distribution charge and seven years on the possession charge. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently with each other and with the 10-year federal sentence Adams already was serving.

In July, Adams was charged with felony second-degree burglary, felony first-degree burglary and three counts of felony second-degree arson.

Adams is accused of burglaries involving two Ellsinore homes, as well as damaging three homes, including his own modular home, by fire.

He waived having a preliminary hearing on those charges in August.

No date is set for him to appear before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett, who was assigned by the Missouri Supreme Court to hear the case after Presiding Circuit Judge David Evans recused himself.

Pertinent address:

Van Buren, Mo.

Ellsinore, Mo.