Andrea Stacy
A 26-year-old woman stood before the bench in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday and begged to be put in prison because she believed that would help her get off drugs.
Andrea Stacy told Circuit Judge John Putman her life had basically been one long series of taking drugs, winding up in jail, and starting the cycle all over again when she was released.
She said her arrests began when she was 18-years-old and since then she had been jailed 56 times.
Her narcotics habit started when she was 14-years old, Stacy told the court. She said she had not enjoyed a stable life because of drugs and other factors.
After serving time in jail, Stacy said she would go right back to drugs. She told Judge Putman, “I would stick a needle in my arm as soon as I got out.”
Circuit Judge John Putman told Stacy she might want to consider going to one of the Community Correction Centers in the state.
He said she could get the treatment she wanted, but it would be in a less hard-edged atmosphere than would be the case in one of the women’s units of the state prison system.
Judge Putman said the centers were prisons, but the emphasis was on treatment and that would appear to better meet Stacy’s goals.
Stacy agreed to try the Community Correction Center. In a voice choked with emotion, she told the court, “I am sick and tired of this and don’t want to live my life this way.”
She was sentenced to six years in prison with a judicial transfer to a Community Correction Center.
Arrangements were made to “fast track” Stacy into one of the centers. She is expected to be transported before the end of the week, according to Prosecutor David Ethredge.
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