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Robbery of officer nets lengthy prison sentence
NEW MADRID, Mo. - A Marston man accused of robbing an undercover Drug Task Force officer will serve up to 20 years in prison.
Larry Tarver Jr., 29, who was formally sentenced Tuesday by Circuit Judge William E. Reeves, was found guilty of first degree robbery following a jury trial in June.
Tarver was arrested May 10, 2018, following a narcotics investigation by officers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force in New Madrid County. During the investigation, Tarver agreed to sell marijuana and Percocet to an undercover officer.
According to the probable cause statement, the undercover officer was waiting in his vehicle at Tarver’s residence when Tarver placed the barrel of a handgun to the officer’s head and demanded money. The officer then handed Tarver $160 in cash.
Additional officers responded to the residence, where Tarver was taken into custody. According to the probable cause statement, as Tarver was being arrested, he stated he knew the undercover officer “was a cop” and also explained “it was just a BB gun” he pointed at the officer.
According to New Madrid County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Lawson, first degree robbery is a felony that carries a range of punishment of not less than 10 years nor more than 30 years or life in prison. By law, Tarver will have to serve 85 percent of his 20 year sentence.
"I'm pleased that Judge Reeves followed the state's recommendation and sentenced this defendant to 20 years to serve,” Lawson said. “He is a career criminal with seven felony convictions on his record. This lengthy sentence will prevent the defendant from victimizing anyone else in New Madrid County until at least 2035."