MINDEN, La. (AP) — A former Webster Parish sheriff's deputy faces criminal charges that she tried to persuade an underling to illegally buy prescription pain pills for her.

Mandy Wedgeworth, a 38-year-old Sibley resident, was arrested Wednesday and is free on $5,000 bail.

The Minden Press-Herald (http://bit.ly/1SNElJ2) reports Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton fired Wedgeworth after her arrest. Sexton says an employee supervised by Wedgeworth, who was a lieutenant in the communications office, contacted sheriff's investigators. He says Wedgeworth was arrested after she obtained 24 hydrocodone pills provided to the employee by investigators.

Sexton says he's known Wedgeworth was using pain pills for some time, telling KTBS-TV (http://bit.ly/1SNEoEw) that he'd "worked with" Sexton on the problem two prior times.

The sheriff says he learned Thursday that Wedgeworth is seeking treatment for her possible addiction.

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