Sikeston man pleads guilty

Wednesday, July 30, 2003

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Sikeston man pled guilty Monday to charges of distributing cocaine base while three other men with ties to Sikeston also appeared in federal court on drug-related charges.

Appearing before United States District Judge E. Richard Webber, Wayne J. Sumlin, 44, pled guilty to two felony counts of distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base.

The charges stem from an incident on March 28, 2002, when Sumlin sold 5.9 grams of cocaine base to an informant for the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Then on April 9, 2002, Sumlin sold 6.1 grams of cocaine base again to an informant for Sikeston DPS. Both sales took place in the Sunset addition of Sikeston which is within the federally targeted Weed and Seed area.

Sumlin now faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and a $4 million fine on each count. Sentencing is set for Oct. 27.

In other action, Christopher Collins, 34, of Sikeston, pled guilty Monday to one felony count of distribution of cocaine base.

Collins admitted that on Jan. 5 he sold 2.94 grams of cocaine base to an informant for the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force. The sale took place inside Jasmine's Sports Bar at 718 Russell St. in New Madrid.

He faces a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $2 million fine. His sentencing is set for Oct. 27.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force investigated the case.

Dennis Lee Andrews, 30, also of Sikeston, pled guilty to one felony count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of cocaine base.

On April 2, Sikeston Department of Public Safety Officer Franklin Adams was on routine patrol in the 1500 block of Osage Street in Sikeston when he observed Andrews engaged in an illegal dice game.

When Adams approached the suspect, Andrews picked up his money and dice and fled. The officer repeatedly called to Andrews to stop, but the suspect continued to flee. Adams said he saw Andrews look back as he reached inside his pants pocket in an attempt to grab something inside. Adams then deployed a taser cartridge, striking Andrews on his back side. Andrews, who was still not compliant, again attempted to pull something from inside his pocket. After Adams administered a second cycle of the taser, Andrews was taken into custody and handcuffed. When Adams searched the suspect, he found 5.2 grams of crack cocaine inside Andrews' pocket.

Following his arrest, Andrews admitted he was in possession of a quarter ounce of crack cocaine which he had purchased from a person named "Levi." Andrews said the crack cocaine was "fronted" to him and that he was going to sell the crack cocaine to make some money. The arrest occurred within the federally targeted Weed and Seed area of Sikeston.

The case was investigated by the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and Drug Enforcement Administration.

Andrews faces a maximum punishment of 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. Sentencing is set for Oct. 27.

A former Sikeston man will spend the next 12 1/2 years in prison for distributing cocaine base. Larron Lamont Watson, 32, of Lithonia, Ga., was sentenced to 150 months on one felony count of distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base.

Watson had pled guilty on Dec. 16, 2002, to distributing more than five grams of cocaine base to a confidential informant for the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

At sentencing, he admitted that over the last several years, he had distributed more than two kilograms of crack cocaine in the Sikeston area. Watson's drug trafficking activities took place within the federally targeted Weed and Seed area of Sikeston.

His case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Scott County Sheriff's Department, Sikeston DPS and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force.

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