Area couple is given jail time

CAPE GIRARDEAU - A New Madrid County couple was sentenced to prison on felony drug conspiracy charges.

Kenneth "Funk" Fields, 48, was sentenced to 188 months in prison on one felony count of conspiracy to distribute in excess of 50 grams of methamphetamine and one felony count of possession of firearm ammunition by a felon. Upon release from prison, Fields will be placed on supervised release for a period of four years.

Lee Ann Fields, 35, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for her role in the conspiracy and for possession of firearm ammunition by a felon. Upon release from prison, Mrs. Fields will be placed on supervised released for three years.

They were sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court by Judge Charles A. Shaw.

The Fields previously admitted on Dec. 21, 2004, agents of the ATF, DEA and SEMO Drug Task Force served a search warrant at their home. Located was an amount of methamphetamine, digital gram scales, drug records, $8,000 in cash and a number of different caliber ammunition cartridges.

The investigation leading up to the search warrant indicated the Fields had been selling methamphetamine out of their residence on Happy Lane in New Madrid. The Fields told officers they had traveled out of state purchasing methamphetamine and reselling it in the southeast Missouri area. The $8,000 was determined to be the proceeds from the recent sale of eight ounces of methamphetamine by the couple. The money was forfeited as part of their guilty pleas.

Fields has prior felony convictions for second degree assault, first degree assault, robbery and unlawful use of a weapon (firearm). Mrs. Fields has prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon (firearm) and possession of methamphetamine.