CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- An Arizona man and a Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman appeared in federal court last week after their recent indictment on drug-related offenses stemming from an intercepted shipment of suspected methamphetamine.
Gregory John Sanders, 54, of Phoenix was arrested Aug. 7 at the Butler County Courthouse prior to him appearing before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth for a preliminary hearing on the state charges stemming from the investigation, said Poplar Bluff Police Detective Corey Mitchell.
Sanders subsequently was taken to the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, where he reportedly made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Abbie Crites-Leoni and was arraigned.
The next day, Mitchell said, Jo Anna Woley "self surrendered" at the federal courthouse to members of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Woley subsequently made her initial appearance before Crites-Leoni and was arraigned.
Woley was released after posting a $10,000 bond, according to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Willis.
Sanders appeared on Thursday for a detention hearing in his case, and the issue of bond was taken under advisement at that time by Crites-Leoni, Willis said.
Sanders and Woley were indicted on July 20 by a federal grand jury.
The two-count indictment alleges on March 2, in Butler County and elsewhere, Sanders and Woley acted together with other "known and unknown persons" to "knowingly and intentionally distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine ..."
Count II of the indictment alleges on July 5, in Butler County, Sanders "knowingly and intentionally distributed a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine ..."
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation regarding about $5,000 in cash, which was seized July 5 at a location in Poplar Bluff.
Willis said Sanders is to appear Oct. 17 for a pretrial motions hearing in his case, while Woley is to appear Nov. 2 for her pretrial motions hearing.
The investigation, according to Mitchell, began when a parcel was intercepted by law enforcement.
Search warrants subsequently were obtained, and the parcel was found to contain a quarter pound of crystal methamphetamine, said Mitchell, who indicated the parcel originated in Arizonan and was "destined for a residence in Butler County."
After his July 5 arrest in Butler County, Sanders was charged with the Class C felony of distribution of a controlled substance and two Class D felonies of possession of a controlled substance (heroin and methamphetamine).
In a probable-cause statement filed with the Butler County Circuit Court, Mitchell wrote the DEA had been investigating Sanders' "distribution of crystal methamphetamine in the Butler County" area since February.
"Through the course of the investigation, investigators utilized a cooperating source, who placed consensual recorded telephone calls to Sanders' cellular telephone," Mitchell said.
During the calls, Mitchell said, the price and amount of crystal meth the cooperating source would want Sanders to allegedly deliver when he came to the Poplar Bluff area were discussed.
It was later learned Sanders had arrived in Poplar Bluff in early July, and a car, with Arizona registration, was found on the parking lot of a local motel, said Mitchell, who indicated the car was not registered in Sanders' name, but it was registered to someone living at the same address as him.
After confirming Sanders was staying at the motel, Mitchell said, the cooperating source contacted Sanders by cellphone and text message to arrange a "meeting with him to obtain the crystal methamphetamine."
Investigation team members, according to Mitchell, followed Sanders and the cooperating source to a predetermined location, as well as equipped the cooperating source with recording devices.
After initially meeting at one location, Mitchell said, Sanders and the cooperating source then went to a Poplar Bluff car wash, where "Sanders approached the cooperating source's vehicle and began to vacuum his/her vehicle.
"After a short period of time, Sanders walked away" from the vehicle and the cooperating source left.
Mitchell said officers subsequently met the cooperating source and recovered about one-half ounce of a crystal-like substance, which was "presumptive positive" for the presence of meth when field tested.
At the same time, Mitchell said, other officers maintained surveillance on Sanders, whose vehicle would be stopped on Westwood Boulevard at Maud Street.
Sanders was arrested on suspicion of distribution of a controlled substance and contacted by other officers, including Mitchell.
After being told of his rights, Mitchell said, Sanders was asked whether there was any meth in his vehicle.
"Sanders stated he had approximately 2 grams in the center console of the vehicle," said Mitchell, who indicated a corner of a plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance was found in the console. The substance also was presumptive positive for presence of meth.
Mitchell said a search warrant subsequently was applied for and executed on Sanders' motel room.
During the search, he said, officers found and seized a plastic bag with two capsules, containing a white powdery substance suspected to be heroin; two additional capsules containing suspected heroin residue and a bundle of U.S. currency totalling approximately $5,000.