MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO SEIZURE OF OVER 300 GRAMS OF METHAMPHETAMINE IN POPLAR BLUFFA search of a Poplar Bluff motel room on Sunday led to the seizure of over 300 grams of methamphetamine.
KWOC News spoke with Detective Scott Phelps with the Poplar Bluff Police Department about the seizure.
SCOTT PHELPS:
On Sunday morning at about 7:30 a.m. Officer Tubb with the Poplar Bluff Police Department was on the parking lot of Super 8 Motel checking for stolen vehicles. He observed a vehicle, ran the plate, and discovered that that plate on the vehicle had been recently reported stolen. He also observed a guy looking out the window of the hotel which was the window directly behind that car. A short time later Sergeant Ward arrived at Super 8 motel and at that time two men stepped out of the north exit door of the hotel and they were contacted by Officer Tubb and Sergeant Ward. After Officer Tubb followed Kemp back to the hotel room Kemp was in possession of a Crown Royal bag and when they got back to the room he laid it on the bed and covered it with a jacket. During Officer Tubb’s conversation with Kemp he informed him that he did have a weapon on him. at that time Officer Tubb took the weapon from him, rendered it safe, and then with a consent search looked in the Crown Royal bag that previously was on Kemp’s person and discovered 353.8 grams of methamphetamine. There was around four hundred and something dollars also. The narcotics seized by Officer Tubb have a street value of around $35,000. After the narcotics and gun were located by Officer Tubb, the room was secured at which time I applied for search warrant, received a search warrant, during the search warrant, additional paraphernalia was located in room. An interview I conducted with Kemp also led to another search warrant being served in Corning, Arkansas where an additional 70 grams or 75 grams of methamphetamine was located and an additional 3 weapons. Three other individuals are taken into custody in Arkansas. The subject arrested at the Super 8 Motel was Nicholas Kemp 35 years old from Neelyville, who was being charged with drug trafficking felony drug paraphernalia and unlawful use of a weapon he has $100,000 cash only bond. He's currently being held at the Butler County Justice Center.
Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley commended officers in Poplar Bluff as well as Northeast Arkansas for their roles in the investigation.
DANNY WHITELEY:
First of all I want to complement the two officers Tubb and Ward on doing a follow-up on what was just kind of a routine call out there. Had they not initiated this it would have not gotten anywhere. Myself and Detective Phelps contacted The Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller, and Arkansas Detective at Corning Sergeant Chris King. They were extremely helpful and cooperated extremely well with us as we went to Arkansas, they can talk to you about the search warrant down there, but when we have drugs trafficking between Poplar Bluff, Corning, Jonesboro, St Louis, and so forth if you don't have people that are willing to throw in and help you it's going to be a problem for everybody. I just can't say enough good things about how we were received down there and the professionalism in those two departments. As I've said in the past you may sneak around up here in Poplar Bluff for a while but we know who the majority of you are, we will come and get you, we will put you in prison. So if you choose to come to Poplar Bluff do so at your own risk.
We have spoken with Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller who says that more arrests are expected with this case.
MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING ALLEGED BEATING IN CLAY COUNTY Authorities in Clay County say a man has been arrested in connection to an alleged beating last week.
According to Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller, On February 6th, Clay County Deputies responded to a caller who stated that she had been taken against her will and beaten. The victim advised officers that her attacker had passed out and she was able to get away and use a neighbor’s phone.
Deputies later located 33 year old Joshua Hurte, of Nimmons. Hurte reportedly became very aggressive and disorderly and was taken into custody.
Hurte is being charged with 2nd degree domestic battery, 1st degree false imprisonment, and two counts of 1st degree terroristic threatening. His bond was set at $100,000.
SACRED HEART SCHOOL TO MISS ADDITIONAL DAYS THIS WEEK DUE TO ILLNESS Illness is once again running through Southeast Missouri schools and Sacred Heart in Poplar Bluff has announced they will have to miss additional days this week.
According to a post on the school’s Facebook page, more students were out Monday due to illness and flu than they had last week.
Officials say that Sacred Heart Preschool through 8th grade will not be in session today or Wednesday. As of right now, classes are set to resume on Thursday.
TWO CHARGED WITH FELONY MURDER IN CONNECTION TO ONE YEAR OLD’S DEATH Two people have been charged with felony murder in connection to the investigation of a one year old child’s death.
According to Sergeant Broom with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, shortly before 2 pm on Sunday, Sikeston DPS received a call of a one year old child not breathing.
Upon arrival, first responders found the boy unresponsive and not breathing. They immediately began CPR and transported him to the emergency room where he was pronounced dead.
Medical staff reportedly located injuries and bruising consistent with child abuse on the child’s body along with some type of foreign substance inside the child’s mouth.
The mother, 23 year old Kayla Williamson, of Sikeston, and her boyfriend, 31 year old Louis Hollis, also of Sikeston, have been arrested and charged with child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child, and felony murder through Scott County circuit court.
ARRESTS MADE IN CONNECTION TO CARUTHERSVILLE CLUB SHOOTING Two arrests have been made in connection to a weekend shooting that left one person dead in Caruthersville.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a total of six people were shot and one injured during the incident early Sunday morning at Club Envy. Later on Sunday, Freddie Rodgers, Jr., succumbed to injuries and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
On Monday, authorities arrested Travis Ware II (the second). He has been charged with first degree murder and armed criminal action.
Authorities have also arrested Anton Jones in connection to the shooting.
DELAYS SET FOR THIS WEEK ON ROUTE 25 IN DUNKLIN COUNTY Route 25 in Dunklin County will be reduced to one lane this week as Missouri Department of Transportation crews trim trees along the roadway.
The section of roadway to be reduced is located between County Road 406 and County Road 402.
Weather permitting; work will take place today through Thursday from 7 am to 3:30 pm, daily.
