Woman sentenced in stolen marijuana case

CAPE GIRARDEAU — A Warrenton, Mo., woman recently was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a drug-related offense.

Ashley Purdom was sentenced to 30 months on Tuesday on the felony of aiding and abetting in the possession of marijuana with intent to distribute by U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr., according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell.

Upon her release from prison, Sorrell said, Purdom will be placed on a three-year period of supervised release.

With her earlier plea, Purdom admitted she was living with John Lovell in Ripley County in November 2018 when she called Travis W. Davis of Collinsville, Ill., and asked him to come to Missouri to get her and take her back to Illinois.

“Purdom informed Davis that Lovell was in possession of approximately 8 pounds of marijuana and some firearms that were located in Lovell’s gun safe and that Davis could take the marijuana and firearms by robbery,” the plea agreement signed by Purdom says.

Davis and “his associate,” James M. Judd, reportedly went to the Ripley County home, arriving there late on the evening of Nov. 6, 2018.

Armed with a Mossberg 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun, Davis reportedly attempted to open the front door, but it was locked.

Davis then shot the door three times, striking Purdom with numerous pellets as she went to open the door.

Once inside, Davis and Judd “secured Lovell with zip ties and threatened him with the shotgun in order to obtain the code to unlock Lovell’s gun safe,” the plea agreement further says.

The men reportedly took several pounds of marijuana and firearms from Lovell’s safe.

Davis, Judd and Purdom were captured the next day in Illinois.

“By this plea, Purdom admits that, aided and abetted Davis and Judd, (she) possessed 8 pounds of marijuana stolen from Chris Lovell,” the plea agreement further says.

Purdom is the second of the three defendants to be sentenced in connection with the robbery.

Judd, a 31-year-old Chesterfield resident, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison on the felonies of conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence and interference with commerce by robbery.

Davis is to be sentenced March 2 after having pleaded guilty to the felonies of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence, robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

At that time, he faces up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, up to life in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and 20 years on the robbery charge.

Lovell also was indicted and pleaded guilty to the felonies of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

He is to be sentenced April 24.

At that time, Lovell faces up to five years in prison on the possession charge and no less than a two-year period of supervised release.

Lovell’s gun charge carries a punishment range of up to life imprisonment and up to five years of supervised release. The offense also has a mandatory minimum of five years imprisonment.