UPDATE: Former county commissioner taken into custody
UPDATE (8/12/25 12:28 p.m.): The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirms Stokes is now in custody.
BENTON COUNTY, Tenn.– An arrest warrant has been issued for a former county commissioner. Former Benton county commissioner Stephen Stokes was indicted on one count of sexual battery with a minor, however he did not appear for his scheduled court date.
Stephen Stokes was indicted on June 3rd with one count of sexual battery with a minor.
That indictment was related to an offense from 2022.
At the time of the indictment, Stokes was county commissioner for District 1.
Earlier this year residents in his district and other districts asked for his removal from office.
One reason for the request of his removal was due to the amount of absences from office that Stokes had from December of 2023 until his arrest in June of 2025.
Stokes was originally let out on a bond of $100,000 dollars.
At the time of his indictment, Stokes was requested to turn in his passport and wasn’t allowed to contact the victim.
According to the circuit court of Benton county, Stokes was set to appear in front of a judge on Monday, August 11th.
The Benton county sheriff’s department has shared that the whereabouts of Stokes and the details of this case are both part of a pending investigation.
It has not been confirmed if he has officially stepped down as District 1 County Commissioner.
Stokes is expected to appear in front of a judge on October 20th, 2025 at 9am in Benton County.
