$1,400 heroin sales could get PB man 20 years

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Poplar Bluff man pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to distribution of heroin in 2018.

Marvin D. Price Sr. pleaded guilty to two felony counts of distribution of heroin before U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hahn.

The agreed upon facts of the case say, on Sept. 20, 2018, members of the SEMO Drug Task Force and the Poplar Bluff Police Department conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Price.

“A cooperating individual purchased heroin from Price in a plastic bag, containing several individual plastic bags, for which the cooperating individual paid Price $720,” the plea agreement signed by Price says.

At the time Price “intentionally transferred the heroin,” the plea agreement says, he knew the substance was heroin.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol crime lab analyzed the substance and found the bags reportedly contained 4.97 grams of a substance containing heroin and Fentanyl.

On Nov. 14, 2018, task force and police officers again conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Price.

Price, according to the plea agreement, sold the cooperating individual several individual plastic bags for $720.

The patrol lab reportedly analyzed one of the eight bags sold by Price and found it contained .51 gram of a substance containing heroin.

In total, Price sold 5.15 grams of a substance containing heroin on Nov. 14, 2018.

After accepting Price’s plea, Schelp set sentencing for 10 a.m. March 8.

At that time, Price faces a maximum of up to 20 years in prison on each count, followed by up to a three-year period of supervised release.