This is a follow-up to a story that broke in 2007. Thomas Delmer Pyle, known as Artimis Pyle, lives in Asheville now, but faces serious charges down in Florida. Background story is here.
Here’s the story, from the St. Augustine Record:
Whether Thomas Delmer Pyle stays free or spends the next several years in prison may hinge on whether a judge and jury decide he had to register as a sex offender in Florida, even if he lived in another state.
The former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer, who performed as Artimus Pyle, has been charged with failing to properly register as a sex offender and committing unlawful acts in relation to a driver’s license.
He was arrested Nov. 19, 2007, and held for a day in the St. Johns County jail before he was released on $10,000 bond.
His attorneys, Craig Williams and Tom Cushman, argued Tuesday that Pyle had broken no law and the charges shoul be dismissed. St. Johns County Circuit Judge Wendy W. Berger denied the motion to dismiss and set Wednesday for a docket call, the last hearing before trial.
The trial is scheduled for Aug. 24 if an acceptable deal isn’t worked out between the defense and prosecutors.
Pyle pleaded guilty in Duval County in 1993 to attempted capital sexual battery on a child younger than 12 and being a principal to lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 16 years old.
6 Comments
According to various public records, he does indeed live in Buncombe County.
Just wanted to post a show of support for Artimus. I was good friends with his son and know the family pretty well. I remember watching him real close him around my niece and he seemed disinterested in her presence. Not the typical behavior of a child molester from my understanding. While I can’t say for sure what the truth is or isn’t, I tend to believe he was railroaded into the guilty as he didn’t have the cash to defend himself at the time.
If anything, he shows signs of being bi-polar. He’s wild man to be sure.
It’s my understanding that he still lives in Asheville, but I don’t know for sure.
My bad. Do we know if Artimus still lives in the Asheville area?
Johnny, thanks for your note. I was referring to the fact that he was arrested in 2007 for not registering as a sex offender.
Dude, this story did not break in 2007. I remember hearing about the 1993 arrest while I was a young lad living in the Midwest in the mid-1990s. Heard or read somewhere that old Artimus claims he was railroaded and the whole matter involves a vindictive ex wife. Whatever happened, I hope the truth comes out.