Seven felons arrested, firearms siezed

Poplar Bluff police officers executed a search warrant Thursday night, seizing multiple firearms and drugs, while arresting seven, who as convicted felons, were prohibited from possessing firearms.

Arrested were Julius Hightower, 44, Kenny Jackson, 32, Mark Buchanan, 35, Alexa Ramos, 26, Gregory Leach, 30, and Drake Duquion, 22, all of Poplar Bluff, and Jervon Gibbs, 25, of St. Louis.

At about 5:45 p.m., Poplar Bluff police officers responded to the 1900 block of Sanders Street in reference to multiple calls of shots fired, Capt. J.R. Keirsey wrote in a news release.

“During an area canvas, spent shell casings were located on the roadway on Sanders near Vaden Street,” Keirsey said. “No victims nor suspects were located at that time.”

Keirsey said no suspects have been identified as the alleged shooter(s).

At about 7:30 p.m., Keirsey said, officers were called in the 1100 block of Mary Street in reference to a vehicle that had been shot.

“Upon arrival, it was determined that this vehicle was the target of the earlier call on Sanders Street,” Keirsey said.

The driver of the vehicle was uncooperative with officers and did not want law enforcement involvement, Keirsey said.

“She advised she didn’t know why her vehicle was targeted; she was just driving down the road,” said Keirsey, who indicated the driver did not live in the Sanders Street area.

Officers, according to Keirsey, had been summoned to the Mary Street residence by the driver’s family due to three children occupying the vehicle when it was shot.

“Inspection of the vehicle revealed that it had been struck three times by projectiles,” Keirsey said.

While officers were on Mary Street, Keirsey said, other officers responded to the 1700 block of Sanders Street in reference to subjects fighting in the yard with guns involved.

“The fight was in about the same location where the vehicle was shot,” Keirsey said. “That’s what led officers to believe the second call to Sanders Street was connected to the vehicle being shot.”

Officers, Keirsey said, saw a “subject walking away from the residence, and two subjects exit a vehicle and run into the residence.

“This vehicle was left with the engine running and unoccupied.”

In the passenger floorboard of the vehicle, Keirsey said, officers saw a “semiautomatic weapon, with a drum style magazine in plain view.”

Keirsey said search warrants were obtained for the vehicle and the residence, which belonged to Hightower.

“Upon execution of the search warrant, officers located eight firearms, several magazines of ammunition, a large quantity of methamphetamine and a Kevlar vest,” said Keirsey, who indicated the items were found in various locations throughout the house.

During the search, Poplar Bluff firefighters reportedly used a saw and a pry tool to open a safe for officers.

Hightower, Jackson, Buchanan, Ramos, Leach, Duquion and Gibbs were all at the residence Thursday.

Some, Keirsey said, had warrants and a probable-cause affidavit will be sent to the prosecuting attorney on Hightower.

“Everybody else was a convicted felon; they’ll be charged with unlawful possession” of a firearm, Keirsey said.

Hightower was arrested on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance.

Jackson was arrested on a failure to appear warrant for non-support, while Buchanan was arrested on two capias warrants for probation violation on original drug violations.

Ramos, Leach and Duquion were arrested on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Gibbs also was arrested on two capias warrants for probation violation on the original charges of possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

All seven were booked at the Butler County jail.

Since officers knew “the majority of these subjects to be involved in the use and sale of illicit drugs and firearms through prior investigations,” Keirsey said, Chief Danny Whiteley contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and Drug Enforcement Administration “in hopes of having this case adopted and prosecuted through federal court.”