Dozens are arrested as part of regional roundup

Friday, May 25, 2007
Sikeston DPS officers arrest Chell Baker (foreground) and Linnie Andrews.

SIKESTON - Thursday's warrant roundup put dozens of criminal suspects behind bars.

But there was another purpose, authorities said. They wanted to send a message that those using and selling drugs aren't wanted here.

Although the list of individuals taken into custody in the roundup which crossed city and county lines throughout Southeast Missouri included those charged with assault, armed criminal action, burglary, theft and failure to pay child support, most of Thursday's arrests were drug-related, said Kevin Glaser with the SEMO Drug Task Force,

"We are trying to make it very unpleasant for anyone running drugs in Southeast Missouri. We want them to know they should get off the streets or get out of state," said Glaser.

Officers from the sheriff departments in Cape Girardeau, Butler, New Madrid, Mississippi and Stoddard counties along with the Cape Girardeau Police, Poplar Bluff Police, Dexter Police, Portageville Police, Charleston Department of Public Safety and Sikeston Department of Public Safety Department were joined by members of the SEMO Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol in the group operation.

"We had good cooperation from everyone," said Glaser.

According to Glaser, this is the first time for a regional center roundup, which he said was the result of a suggestion by DPS Director Drew Juden.

Glaser estimated investigation on some cases was under way for some six months to a year before Thursday morning's arrests began. By working together, officers were able to share information on suspects and cases, he added.

"If you have communication, you are going to get a good grasp over what drug activity is overall," said Glaser. "If you don't communicate, you can rapidly see things go down the drain."

Another advantage of working together, officials agreed, was the ability to combine manpower as the warrant roundup began around 6 a.m. Thursday.

"This gave us the resources - the personnel, the vehicles - to carry out such a series of raids," said Capt. Mark Crocker with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

With one of the smallest departments, New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens said such a series of arrests would not have been possible had it not been a group effort. "There is no way we could have done alone what we did today," said Stevens.

The sheriff went on to point out that in addition to 11 arrests and three others taken into custody with warrants pending the roundup broke up a major crack cocaine distribution ring in New Madrid County. While serving a search warrant in Portageville, a 1/2 ounce of crack cocaine and a 1/2 pound of marijuana was seized by authorities.

In Sikeston, Crocker said at least two cases involved federal charges of distribution of crack cocaine. David Mills of Sikeston and Eddie Mills of Memphis, Tenn., were arrested in connection with bringing drugs from Memphis to sell in Sikeston, he said.

All the officers agreed the success of Thursday's operation, which netted those on the warrant list as well as others, will prompt future regional warrant roundups.

"We will do this again," said Stevens. "There will be another one and another one and another one after that."

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