A former Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy accused of stealing pain pills during "Operation Medicine Cabinet" is now on trial for grand theft.

  • Steven Smith fired last October
  • Smith accused of stealing hydrocodone pills
  • Pills turned in last September to Dunedin substation

Prosecutors maintain that former deputy Steven Smith took advantage of his position to steal a bottle of hydrocodone pills while he was working the front desk at a Sheriff's Office substation in Dunedin in September, 2016.

The pills, according to prosecutors, were turned in by Tonyia Holt -- they belonged to her deceased sister. But Holt's testimony about how many pills were in the bottle did not match the evidence.

"One hundred twenty in each bottle," said Holt under cross-examination by Smith's attorney, John Trevena.

"Are you sure of that, 120?" Trevena asked.

"Yes," said Holt.

But later in her testimony Holt confirmed that the bottle, in fact, indicated it contained 100 pills.

Trevena believes this is the first time the state has prosecuted a drug case without any evidence of the drug itself, outside of a photo taken by Smith's former girlfriend, Jessica Jimenez.

“You’re not going to see any hydrocodone tablets. You’re not going to hear any testimony that the tablets were ever examined by any competent person to determine what they really were. There’s no laboratory report,” said Trevena during a statement to the court.

The evidence -- the photo and the bottle -- were enough, however, for Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri to fire Smith in October.

Jimenez testified Wednesday that she found the stolen pills in Smith's dresser, which prompted her to take the photo and contact the Sheriff's Office. She also said Smith told her the pills were going to be thrown away, anyway, and the pills would serve him as a backup once his own prescription ran out.

The defense, however, maintains that Jimenez is out to destroy Smith because he cheated on her. Jimenez will be the first to take the stand May 4 for cross examination when the trial continues.

If found guilty, Smith faces up to 15 years in prison. Sheriff Gualitieri also said Smith pawned his service weapon -- that case is being prosecuted in Pasco County.