Crime

Charleston man sentenced to 15 years on gun charges

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012, 3:53pm

Charleston man sentenced to 15 years on gun charges

CHARLESTON, MO (KFVS) - A Charleston man was sentenced on Tuesday to 15 years on gun charges.

Danny Lee Byrd, 25, was sentenced on one felony count of being a previously convicted felon with a gun. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, on January 20, 2011 at about 3 a.m. a truck was reported stolen from the parking lot at the Pilot Travel Center in Charleston, Mo. Officers later found the truck had been returned to the same parking lot. Officers say Byrd was in the truck and appeared to be sleeping. They say they saw the truck had been damaged, and there were six guns in the cab of the truck, which they say did not belong to the truck owner.

Officers say they found numerous items of mail in the bed of the truck that were addressed to an area homeowner. An investigation revealed that the home had been burglarized that evening, and the guns had been taken from the home.

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Charleston man arrested after high speed chase

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012, 2:50pm

Charleston man arrested after high speed chase

MINER, MO (KFVS) - Officers from the Miner Police Department were led on a high speed police pursuit in the early morning of April 10.

Ned Curtis Watts of Charleston was charged with resisting arrest/detention by fleeing and assault on a law enforcement officer. He is being held at the Miner Police Department on a $1,000 cash bond.

Police say officers stopped 54-year-old Watts for a traffic violation on South Interstate Drive in Miner. During the stop, officers tried to identify Watts because they say they believed he had given a false name, when he sped away from the stop.

According to police, one of the Miner officers were hit by the driver's door of the vehicle that Watts was driving. They say the officer was not injured. The chase ended in Mississippi County when Watts drove his vehicle into a field. They say Watts then ran from the scene and was caught a short time later.

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East Prairie woman sentenced to 10 years on meth charges

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012, 12:32pm

East Prairie woman sentenced to 10 years on meth charges

EAST PRAIRIE, MO (KFVS) - An East Prairie woman was sentenced to federal prison on a felony drug charge.

Elsie Gorostiza, a.k.a. Nika Counts, 53, of East Prairie was sentenced to 10 years in prison on one felony count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of meth. She appeared before U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 30 in Cape Girardeau.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri says after release from prison, Gorostiza will be placed on supervised release for eight years.

The attorney's office says with her plea on the current charge, Gorostiza admitted that on Feb. 28, 2011, while she was on federal supervised release for the previous offense, SEMO Drug Task Force Officers assisted by the DEA executed a search warrant at Gorostiza's home in East Prairie.

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Five arrested on drug charges after attempted traffic stop

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Friday, January 27th, 2012, 5:57pm

Five arrested on drug charges after attempted traffic stop

EAST PRAIRIE, MO (KFVS) - Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore says a traffic stop led to the arrest of five people on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Laeklynn Scott, age 21 of East Prairie, Mo. was charged with possession of marijuana. Scott's bond has been set at $1,000.00 cash only.

Mark Owens, 26, of East Prairie was charged with resisting arrest by fleeing, failure to appear, a parole warrant, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and traffic offenses. He has a cash bond of $26,000.

Brian Haynes, 26, of Charleston, Mo. was arrested and changed with possession of marijuana and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. Haynes' bond was set at $26,000 cash only.

Stephanie Schoffner, 23, of East Prairie was charged with tampering with physical evidence and possession of marijuana. Her bond is set at $25,000 cash only.

Brook Logan Deroush, 21, of Sikeston, Mo. was charged with possession of marijuana. Her bond was set at $1,000 cash only.

Brian Haynes (Source: Mississippi County Detention Center)

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Charleston man pleads guilty to gun charges, faces life in prison

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012, 12:50pm

Charleston man pleads guilty to gun charges, faces life in prison

CHARLESTON, MO (KFVS) - The U.S. Attorney's office announced Tuesday that a Charleston man pleaded guilty to gun charges.

Danny Lee Byrd, 25, pleaded guilty to one felony count of being a previously convicted felon with a gun. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey.

According to the attorney's office, on January 20 at about 3 a.m., a truck was reported stolen from the parking lot at the Pilot Travel Center in Charleston, Mo. Officers later discovered the truck had been returned to the same parking lot.

Officers say Byrd was in the truck and appeared to be sleeping. They say the truck had been damaged and six guns were found in the cab of the truck, which officers say did not belong to the truck owner.

The attorney's offices says officers then found several items of mail in the bed of the truck that were addressed to an area homeowner. An investigation revealed the home had been burglarized that evening and the guns taken from the home.

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East Prairie man arrested on drug charges

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Thursday, January 5th, 2012, 2:05pm

East Prairie man arrested on drug charges

EAST PRAIRIE, MO (KFVS) - The Mississippi County Sheriff's Department says an East Prairie man was arrested Wednesday, Jan. 4 on drug charges.

According to deputies, Dusten Vinson, 21, was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.

They say Stephanie Lynn Thomas, 21, was also arrested in the incident.

Vinson and Thomas each have bonds set at $25,000 cash or surety.

Stephanie Lynn Thomas (Source: Mississippi County Sheriff's Department)

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Wyatt man arrested, charged with child abuse

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Thursday, January 5th, 2012, 1:32pm

Wyatt man arrested, charged with child abuse

MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, MO (KFVS) - A Wyatt man was arrested Dec. 23 and charged with child abuse, first degree domestic assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, Jeffry Hemphill, 25, was arrested after an investigation. The report says the Department of Family Services received a hotline from a mandated report of multiple and severe injuries to an infant. The report said the infant suffered multiple broken bones.

"Crimes against children are the most despicable of all crimes," said Moore. "Rather it is physical, emotional or sexual abuse, victimizing children is horrid and my department and I work diligently to protect these innocent children. Children are our greatest gifts and the future of our world, to abuse or mistreat children is simply something that should not be tolerated by anyone."

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