Former DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputy, Larry Pedigo, Jr. said his faith has been restored in the judicial system after he was found innocent of a drug charge against him last week in Warren County Criminal Court following a trial.
The jury, Thursday afternoon, found Pedigo not guilty of fraudulently obtaining drugs (oxycontin) from the Ameri-Care Urgent Care Clinic in McMinnville. He was originally indicted on two counts of delivery of a schedule II narcotic (oxycontin) and two counts of fraudulently obtaining drugs (oxycontin).
On Saturday morning, Pedigo released the following statement:
“This has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever went through. It’s been the longest 16 months of my life. I can’t begin to tell anyone how it was so I won’t go into that too much.”
“I know I was in the news spotlight before I ever got charged. My name came out with the other officers in August 2009 when the Ameri-Care Urgent Care clinic in McMinnville got raided.”
“I chose to resign my position at that time for certain legal reasons and I knew I had lost the respect I had worked so long to gain from the public. I had only been implicated at that time, not charged. I knew the respect and trust was lost by certain events that happened to my family and me after my name and picture came to light. My family and I couldn’t go anywhere in the public without hearing comments or seeing gestures made.”
“When you are in a position as I was, everyone sees you differently when something like this happens to you. There was a certain store in DeKalb County I had traded with for years and I had a charge account there. I would get items and could pay a week or so later. After the clinic raid and my name came out, I went into the store and was going to charge some items. But the same owner that just a few weeks earlier told me I could charge anything in the store, looked at me and said ‘we can’t do that for you anymore. That’s how it’s been for my family and me ever since this happened.”
“In November, 2009 I was indicted in Warren County on two counts of delivery of a schedule II drug (Oxycontin) and two counts of fraudulently obtaining a schedule II drug (Oxycontin). I had to make a $40,000 bond on the charges. I couldn’t figure out how they charged me with two counts of each because I had only received one prescription of Oxycontin for a knee injury that I sustained at work. The injury resulted in surgery.”
“My attorney filed a motion for discovery which means they have to turn over certain evidence and paperwork to us. We discovered that counts 1 & 2 were on a date that I had a rock solid alibi for. I had several credible witnesses who were more than willing to say where I was from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. My attorney, Hilton Conger, submitted that to the state prosecutors and counts 1&2 were dropped. That left me facing two charges.”
“I was offered plea bargains by the state prosecutors but I refused to take any of the offers. I maintained my innocence and insisted on a trial. In fact, my attorney requested a speedy trial date in September, 2009 on my behalf. I was ready to move forward. It had been long enough! I was offered plea bargains so good that any guilty party would have jumped on them. But not me! I wanted my day or days, as it went, in court.”
“My trial started Wednesday, January 19th. That is 14 months after I was indicted. At the end of the state’s so called proof, my attorney made a motion for the judge to give me a direct verdict himself. The judge granted the motion and dropped the delivery charge before it ever went to the jury. That meant there was three (charges) down and one to go. One count of fraudulently obtaining a prescription.”
“We returned to court Thursday morning, January 20th. The state prosecutor made his closing statement and then it was my attorney’s turn. He really did a good job. Then it was left up to the jury. After a few hours of deliberations, the jury had reached a verdict. The jury came in and when the jury foreman read the verdict “not guilty”, I let out a sigh of relief. It was finally over! I walked out of the Warren County Courthouse with a clean slate again.”
” I had been in law enforcement for several years and when this happened to me, I lost some faith in the judicial system. I mean, I was in law enforcement so I had all the faith in the world in the system, but I lost it. But when the verdict was read and I walked out of that courtroom it’s like I gained all my faith back at once. I remembered right then why I had always wanted to be a cop ever since I was a kid.”
“I’m not sure If I ever will be back in law enforcement or not, but at least I can if I want to. I want to thank everyone who stood by me and those who never doubted me through this life changing experience, especially my wife, kids, and family. It wasn’t only me who suffered through all of this. They did too! Also I want to commend my attorney, Hilton Conger. He worked very hard for me and I couldn’t have asked for a better attorney. He did an excellent job.”
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