Carter County sheriff pleads guilty to possession, sale of stolen firearms

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The former sheriff of Carter County pled guilty to the possession and sale of stolen firearms.

Tommy Lee Adams entered a guilty to two felony counts of possession of stolen firearms, one felony count of sale of a stolen firearms and one felony count of being a drug user in possession of a firearm. He appeared before United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr.

With his plea, Adams admitted that on Dec. 24, 2009, while acting as sheriff of Carter

County, he responded to a complaint at the residence of Milo Couser in Carter County. After obtaining consent to search the residence, authorities located at least 18 firearms.

Adams knew Couser was a convicted felon and could not lawfully possess the firearms. At

Adams' direction, Carter County deputies collected the firearms and, instead of maintaining all

of the firearms as evidence as Adams was obligated to do as sheriff, he and Deputy Steffanie Kearbey kept the firearms and later sold some of them.

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