Ryan Epperson, the former Hamilton County jailer who broke into Erlanger and other area hospitals disguised as a doctor, enters his plea agreement of guilty to numerous counts in front of Judge Don Poole on Wednesday, January 27, 2016.
Ryan Epperson, the county jailer who posed as a surgeon to steal narcotics from Chattanooga’s three major hospitals, was sent Wednesday to Drug Court after pleading guilty to several charges.
Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Don Poole accepted a plea agreement in which Epperson’s numerous drug, vandalism, burglary, impersonation and trespassing charges were reduced to a six-year sentence.
However, the judge said Epperson will enter Drug Court, an alternative sentencing program founded in 2005 that allows addicts to recover outside of prison. If Epperson is kicked out of that program, he will serve his sentence.
According to Drug Court records, Epperson is the third person to enter the program this week, rounding out the total number of participants to 113.
Bill Speek, his attorney, was pleased with Wednesday’s outcome.