 In 1922 , Hensley resigned from the Church of God , citing " trouble in the home " . His resignation marked the zenith of the practice of snake handling in the denomination . He separated from Amanda around this time , possibly owing to his temper or drunkenness . Arrested on moonshine @-@ related charges in 1923 , he was sentenced to four months in jail and fined $ 100 . ( This occurred during the Prohibition Era , when alcohol production and consumption were illegal in the U.S. ) In lieu of jail time , he was permitted to serve the sentence at the Silverdale workhouse . He was initially placed on a chain gang constructing roads , but the guards found him likable and gave him other assignments . After being sent to a nearby well for water , Hensley fled and evaded recapture , possibly by hiding in the mountains near his sister 's farm in Ooltewah . While a fugitive , he may have been arrested and released on unrelated charges . He ultimately fled Tennessee to his sister 's house in Ohio . 
