DONIPHAN, Mo. -- A Doniphan man is to appear in court Wednesday after he recently was charged with drug trafficking.
Jason Dewayne Lee Jr., 22, is to appear before Associate Circuit Judge Thomas Swindle for arraignment on the Class B felony of first-degree drug trafficking, three Class D felonies of possession of a controlled substance and the Class E felonies of possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful use of a weapon.
Lee is accused of attempting to distribute more than 30 grams of a material containing a quantity of methamphetamine, as well as possessing marijuana and two prescription medications.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Ripley County Sheriff's Department.
On Thursday, according to Sgt. Jesse Drum's probable-cause affidavit, he, Sheriff Mike Barton and Chief Deputy Charles Mays went to a residence east of Oxly, Mo., on Highway 142.
Drum said he had information indicating Lee was living at the residence and had active warrants.
Upon the arrival, Drum said, Mays knocked on the door, and "we heard a mechanical sound of a firearm being chambered."
Drum said he announced they were with the sheriff's department several times before Lee opened the door.
Lee, he said, was taken into custody and checked for a firearm before being told of his rights.
Drum said Lee was asked about "chambering the firearm" and whether anyone else was inside the residence.
"Jason stated: 'No, you can look,'" Drum said. "Upon looking in the residence, I observed a small firearm laying on the dresser in the corner behind the front door.
"I observed a glass pipe with residue I knew to be methamphetamine based upon my training and experience."
In addition, Drum said, he saw a clear bag with a white crystal substance "I knew to be methamphetamine ... ," Drum said.
At that point, Drum said, he asked Lee to sign a consent to search form. Lee reportedly refused to sign the form and asked for an attorney.
Lee was arrested on the warrants and taken to the sheriff's department.
As Mays secured the residence, a search warrant reportedly was applied for and granted.
During the execution of the search warrant, Drum said, he found a Ruger .380-caliber handgun and suspected drug paraphernalia, such as smoking pipes and scales, as well as suspected methamphetamine and marijuana.
Each of the white crystal substances, Drum said, were field tested and were positive for meth.
The suspected methamphetamine, in total, weighed more than 73 grams (2 and 1/2 ounces), said Drum, who indicated more than 57 grams of suspected marijuana had been found.
Several prescription pills, according to Drum, also were found, some of which were identified as being controlled substances.
Drum said a small Bible with Lee's name on it, as well as documents in his name, were found in a backpack where some of the suspected contraband was found.
The various items, Drum said, were seized as evidence.