Pill addiction blamed in Jonesborough woman's admittance of stealing from elderly ward

Jama Curtis

An addiction to prescription pain pills is what led a Jonesborough woman to steal more than $80,000 from an elderly man she helped take care of, she told a Washington County Criminal Court judge Monday.

In the process of entering a guilty plea to the charge of willful exploitation of an elderly adult, Jama Curtis, 40, 1412 Mill Springs Road, said her husband had nothing to do with taking the money and he had no knowledge she was doing it.

Tony Curtis had also been charged along with his wife, but part of her plea agreement included the charges against him being dismissed by Assistant District Attorney General Erin McArdle.

Judge Lisa Rice told Jama Curtis she should be happy her attorney, Don Spurrell, worked out the plea and sentence because if it had been left up to the judge, Curtis would face a harsher outcome.

The agreement called for two other charges — theft over $60,000 and theft over $10,000 — being dismissed. Curtis was sentenced to four years in prison, which was reduced to probation. She must serve a total of 120 days in jail, but that will come in 30-day blocks for each of the years she’s on probation.

Rice ordered that first jail stint to begin Nov. 30.

“That will give her Thanksgiving with her family, but she will be in jail over Christmas,” Rice said. “Don’t ask me to reconsider.”

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Pill addiction blamed in Jonesborough woman's admittance of stealing from elderly ward