A charge of extortion against Larry Teeples, 77, of Jefferson was dismissed Tuesday in Greene County district court. The Honorable Joseph B. McCarville dismissed the Class D felony charge against Teeples in granting a motion for dismissal by Greene County attorney Thomas Laehn.
Court costs were assessed to the state.
Teeples resigned from the Jefferson city council last week.
He had served on the city council since 1992. He was charged with extortion in January after allegedly telling Jefferson police chief Mark Clouse he would withhold support for the JPD as a council member unless the JPD quit taking enforcement action against his grandchildren.
Greene County sheriff Jack Williams filed the charge against Teeples after consulting with Laehn. Laehn told him the statement met the definition of extortion. When Williams spoke with Teeples before filing the charge, Teeples said he was been angry and said things he should not have said. He told Williams in January he would resign from the council if the sheriff thought he should.
