Sheriff Busted: Drugs, Guns & Federal Investigation | Accountability on Camera

Newly released bodycam footage shows the arrest of 'former' Johnson County, Arkansas Sheriff Jimmy Stephens.The stop was conducted by the Arkansas State Police in coordination with the FBI.

On December 3, 2022, what began as a routine speeding stop in Crawford County quickly evolved into a corruption and narcotics investigation. Troopers discovered suspected drugs and firearms inside an unmarked patrol car driven by the sheriff himself.

Two days later, federal authorities confirmed Stephens had been under surveillance in connection with a larger corruption probe. By January 2023, he was facing multiple charges, including simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and possession of a controlled substance.

In October 2023, Stephens pleaded guilty to felony possession of hydrocodone, receiving a six-year suspended sentence and surrendering his law-enforcement certification. The footage, withheld until February 2025 due to the ongoing federal investigation, was finally released to the public earlier this year.