Thirty-two in custody after warrant arrests

SIKESTON -- It took a team effort Thursday to look for 60 people on a variety of warrants.

Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden said beginning at 5:30 a.m. Thursday officers from DPS, Scott County Sheriff's Department, Mississippi County Sheriff's Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the SEMO Drug Task Force served numerous arrest warrants throughout the city. The Missouri National Guard helicopter also provided air support for the teams working on the ground.

By 11 a.m. Thursday, 28 persons were arrested. Five of the subjects that were being sought were in custody in other area departments, which brought the total number in custody to 32.

According to Juden, a couple of the arrests that were made were individuals who were attempting to hide those being sought on warrants. The Chief was quick to point out that many people fail to realize that by harboring or hiding someone from officers, they are committing a crime and can go to jail right along with the person that they think they are protecting.

Classifying the results as "pretty typical" of arrest raids, Juden said anytime a department gets around 50 percent of those being sought "you've had a pretty good day. Many of the wanted subjects have already fled the area, so the information that we have is somewhat dated, depending on how long the warrant has been out."

Warrants ranged from first degree assault and drug violations to failure to pay back fines. Bonds ranged from $100,000 to $100.

"We typically try to do this type of detail at least a couple of times a year and find that it is useful in helping us to reduce the number of people on warrant lists for Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties as well as the municipal list," said Juden. "We still like to do strictly the drug arrests when we have a number of them."

The warrant arrest details also help build and keep good working relationships with area departments that DPS works with on a regular basis, he added. He noted with these events, it is always helpful to have at least two transport vans and Mississippi County allowed use the transport van along with a couple of their deputies.

Taken into custody by DPS were: Tara Williams, Michael Bell, Ivory Blacksure, Matthew Burchfield, Charles Burgess, Jamie Davidson, Teairre Dunn, Gail Files, Donald Gordon, William Henry, Darryl Jordon, Tara McClung, Elex McCracken, Kathryn McGhee, Ian McReynolds, Joseph Myers, Jimmy Pettis, Derrick Reddin, Michael Roberson, Terrance Tidwell, Curtis Walker, Alexis Ware, Erik White and Darrius Williams.