A 76-year-old man from Okeechobee County is facing 13 counts of attempted purchase of a controlled substance after he tried to buy prescription pills during an undercover operation. James “Jim” Stephenson was arrested by the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) Narcotics Task Force during a “buy/bust” operation aimed at curbing illicit drug activity in the region.
Stephenson attempted to purchase six Oxycodone and seven Morphine pills, which were actually placebos, from undercover agents posing as drug suppliers. He was apprehended immediately upon arriving at the prearranged pick-up location.
This is not Stephenson’s first encounter with the law. In September 2024, he was charged with selling narcotics within 1,000 feet of a school or business. At the time of his arrest, he was out on bail. Stephenson had previously served a four-year sentence for selling cocaine near a school or business in 2019 and was released in 2022.
Sheriff Stephen from the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office reiterated the department’s commitment to combating illegal drug activity, stating, “Our Task Force will continue to conduct operations to prevent dangerous drugs from reaching our streets. Those who attempt to traffic or purchase illicit substances in our county will be met with the full force of the law.”
Stephenson was transported to the Okeechobee County Jail and booked on 13 counts of attempted purchase of a controlled substance.
