Man Claims Cop Extorted Him for Drugs

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (CN) - A police officer in a tiny Kentucky town extorted prescription drugs from a man repeatedly by threatening to frame him and throw him in jail, the man claims in court.

Billy Wayne Stokes II sued Elkton Police Officer Russell Lloyd Morris Jr. and Elkton Police Chief Bruce Marklin, in Federal Court.

Elkton, pop. 2,194, is in southwestern Kentucky, in Todd County, which is "100 percent rural," according to city-data.com.

Stokes claims that from November 2012 until January 2013, Morris extorted his prescribed prescription drugs from him.

"On the aforementioned occasions ... defendant Morris did threaten plaintiff by stating if he did not turn over his prescription pain medication to Morris he would either frame him or find some other means to see that he was incarcerated," according to the lawsuit.

Stokes claims he gave Morris his medications, at the expense of his health, "as he was unable to control pain for which he had been lawfully prescribed the aforementioned prescription pain medication."

Stokes told Kentucky State Police that Morris was extorting drugs from him, and in January the police "established and set up a 'sting operation' at which time a controlled delivery of 10 Percocets was made to Morris while he was on duty from Billy Stokes," the complaint states.

It adds: "When contacted and arrested by the Kentucky State Police Morris admitted he had taken the pills from Billy Stokes."

Morris pleaded guilty to first-degree official misconduct, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a synthetic cannabinoid, Stokes says in the lawsuit.

During the criminal investigation and trial, Stokes claims City of Elkton "ordered that no routine police service or protection be given to plaintiff Stokes." And he claims the police department "had a policy of harassing Stokes by ... driving by his house slowly, sometimes stopping and shining lights at his house, to intimidate him."

Stokes seeks $1 million in damages for constitutional violations and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

He is represented by Kenneth Haggard, of Hopkinsville, Ky.

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