Two arrested for drugs following investigation by deputies

CHARLESTON - A trespassing complaint turned into a narcotics investigation leading to the arrest of two Mississippi County residents.

Ronnie Dale Brawner Jr., 33, and Ashley Nicole Cobb, 30, of East Prairie are to be arraigned Wednesday in Division II of Mississippi County Circuit Court. Brawner is charged with distribution of a controlled substance near government housing and trespassing while Cobb is charged with possession of a controlled substance.

According to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore, the investigation began Thursday evening after Deputy Marc Tragesser was informed Brawner was trespassing in the Eagles Landing community while visiting Cobb, who is a tenant. Due to prior incidents, Brawner is prohibited from visiting Eagles Landing, Moore said.

Tragesser arrested Brawner, who then asked the deputy to secure his vehicle.

"During that process, the deputy observed a significant quantity of narcotics and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle," the Sheriff said in a news release. "Deputy Tragesser seized the items and then transported Brawner to the Mississippi County Detention Center."

For the full story see Wednesday's Standard Democrat