Two Poplar Bluff men will face sentencing in August after they were found guilty on consecutive days last week by Butler County juries.
Adam Rivers, 38, was found guilty Wednesday, June 30, on the offense of possession of a controlled substance, according to Butler County Prosecutor Kacey Proctor.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matt Michel tried the case in front of Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett, Proctor said.
Evidence at the trial, Proctor said in a news release, showed on July 16, 2020, Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman Billie Duckett was dispatched to a business on Highway 142 in reference to Rivers being there with an active warrant.
Duckett made contact with Rivers at that location, where he was arrested on the outstanding warrant.
During a search of Rivers, a glass smoking pipe was located in his pocket, and he admitted it had been used to smoke methamphetamine.
Sarah Brown, a criminalist with the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s crime lab, tested the smoking pipe and determined it did in fact contained methamphetamine residue.
The jury in Rivers’ case, Proctor noted, deliberated approximately 30 minutes before returning its guilty verdict.
Rivers is expected to be sentenced by Pritchett on Aug. 17.
On July 1, Paul Michael Bilskey, 51, also was found guilty in a jury trial in front of Pritchett, Proctor said.
Bilskey, Proctor said, was found guilty on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Proctor presented evidence at the trial that on Nov. 16, 2018, Butler County Sheriff Deputy Cody Wilson was assisting Poplar Bluff Police in the investigation of a stolen vehicle.
Wilson located the vehicle at a residence on Highway 158 and learned from its operator about a pair who had information on it and were driving a white Jeep.
Wilson later conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at Highway 158 and County Road 341, which matched the description of the Jeep driven by the pair he earlier was told about.
At that time, Bilskey had an active warrant for his arrest, and he was taken into custody.
Bilskey also was a convicted felon at the time, and Wilson found a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber revolver between the driver seat and center console of the vehicle he was driving.
On Thursday, Proctor said, the jury deliberated just 22 minutes before finding Bilskey guilty.
Bilskey is expected to be sentenced by Pritchett on Aug. 24.
“Having back to back jury trials in the same week is a testament to how hard the circuit clerk’s office and the court staff are working to try to clear up the case load backlog from COVID-19,” said Proctor. “We’re thankful we have judges and court staff who are working so diligently to clear this case load up.
“This is proof the criminal justice system is back in full swing and is working hard to have a positive impact on crime in our community.”