Stone County Court News Week of Feb. 2, 2021
Child abuse case delayed
Dessa Barton and Katherine Kost, defendants in the child abuse case, were set over to March 1 while waiting to see what judge will be appointed to their cases. William McLendon was already set for that date. All three have also filed for a change of venue. Richard Hilliker is set to appear on April 6.
Wright to serve five years for tampering
Preston Wright, 37, of Springfield, pled guilty to felony charges of tampering with a motor vehicle and possessing methamphetamine. According to Stone County Prosecuting Attorney, Matt Selby, on September 7, 2020, surveillance video at a Stone County business recorded a small white vehicle pull onto the business property during the night. A male and female exited the vehicle and stole a truck from the business. The business owners believed that they had seen the vehicle in the Cape Fair area. Stone County investigators, who were familiar with the defendant, knew that he lived in that area and drove a similar looking car. Upon watching the surveillance video, the investigator observed that the male looked similar in appearance to the defendant, even noticing that he had a tattoo in the same place on his arm. Officers then went to the defendant’s residence in Cape Fair. The defendant appeared to be wearing the same clothes as the male in the video. He was arrested and brought to jail. A search warrant was obtained and during a search of the residence the officers found and seized methamphetamine. The defendant was charged by the Prosecutor’s office. On Monday, the defendant was sentenced to five years in prison.
Selby further stated that “this case was solved quickly because the victims, Deputy Billy Frisbie, and Stone County detectives all worked together, using knowledge that they had of the local area, to develop a suspect and put together the evidence needed for his arrest and for my office to successfully prosecute the case.”
Drug trafficker heads back to prison
Richard Ford, 57, was sentenced to fifteen years by Stone County Associate Circuit Judge, Alan Blankenship, on February 1. Stone County Prosecuting Attorney, Matt Selby, reported that on September 14, 2017, Deputy Caleb Leimkuehler, made a traffic stop of a vehicle on Highway 13 in southern Stone County. The driver was identified as Richard Ford, and a check of his license status showed that he was revoked. At that point, the officer had Ford exit the vehicle and noticed that his pockets were very full. For safety purposes, Ford was asked to remove some of the items from his pockets and the officer observed what he recognized as marijuana. At that point, a further search was conducted, and two bags were found hidden in the defendant’s waistband that contained a large amount of what appeared to be methamphetamine. The officer also located over $3,000 in cash on the defendant’s person.
The drugs and cash were seized, and the defendant was arrested. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Brynna Howell, filed felony drug charges and filed to revoke the defendant’s probation. Howell successfully had the probation revoked and the defendant was sent to prison on an eight-year sentence.
Meanwhile, the drugs seized during the 2017 arrest were sent to the Missouri Crime Lab, were tested, and determined to be over 110 grams of methamphetamine. Prosecutor Howell then filed and prosecuted Ford on second-degree drug trafficking charges. On Monday, the defendant received the maximum sentence to fifteen years on those charges. Howell also filed a separate action to have the cash forfeited to the state as “drug money” and was successful in that proceeding as well.
“Congratulations for a job well done to Deputy Leimkuehler and Prosecutor Howell,” said Selby. “Through their efforts a large amount of methamphetamine, a dangerous and highly addictive illegal drug, and money associated with those drugs, were taken off of the street and the person responsible for having them has been taken out of our community for a long time.”
Dessa Barton and Katherine Kost, defendants in the child abuse case, were set over to March 1 while waiting to see what judge will be appointed to their cases. William McLendon was already set for that date. All three have also filed for a change of venue. Richard Hilliker is set to appear on April 6.
Wright to serve five years for tampering
Preston Wright, 37, of Springfield, pled guilty to felony charges of tampering with a motor vehicle and possessing methamphetamine. According to Stone County Prosecuting Attorney, Matt Selby, on September 7, 2020, surveillance video at a Stone County business recorded a small white vehicle pull onto the business property during the night. A male and female exited the vehicle and stole a truck from the business. The business owners believed that they had seen the vehicle in the Cape Fair area. Stone County investigators, who were familiar with the defendant, knew that he lived in that area and drove a similar looking car. Upon watching the surveillance video, the investigator observed that the male looked similar in appearance to the defendant, even noticing that he had a tattoo in the same place on his arm. Officers then went to the defendant’s residence in Cape Fair. The defendant appeared to be wearing the same clothes as the male in the video. He was arrested and brought to jail. A search warrant was obtained and during a search of the residence the officers found and seized methamphetamine. The defendant was charged by the Prosecutor’s office. On Monday, the defendant was sentenced to five years in prison.
Selby further stated that “this case was solved quickly because the victims, Deputy Billy Frisbie, and Stone County detectives all worked together, using knowledge that they had of the local area, to develop a suspect and put together the evidence needed for his arrest and for my office to successfully prosecute the case.”
Drug trafficker heads back to prison
Richard Ford, 57, was sentenced to fifteen years by Stone County Associate Circuit Judge, Alan Blankenship, on February 1. Stone County Prosecuting Attorney, Matt Selby, reported that on September 14, 2017, Deputy Caleb Leimkuehler, made a traffic stop of a vehicle on Highway 13 in southern Stone County. The driver was identified as Richard Ford, and a check of his license status showed that he was revoked. At that point, the officer had Ford exit the vehicle and noticed that his pockets were very full. For safety purposes, Ford was asked to remove some of the items from his pockets and the officer observed what he recognized as marijuana. At that point, a further search was conducted, and two bags were found hidden in the defendant’s waistband that contained a large amount of what appeared to be methamphetamine. The officer also located over $3,000 in cash on the defendant’s person.
The drugs and cash were seized, and the defendant was arrested. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Brynna Howell, filed felony drug charges and filed to revoke the defendant’s probation. Howell successfully had the probation revoked and the defendant was sent to prison on an eight-year sentence.
Meanwhile, the drugs seized during the 2017 arrest were sent to the Missouri Crime Lab, were tested, and determined to be over 110 grams of methamphetamine. Prosecutor Howell then filed and prosecuted Ford on second-degree drug trafficking charges. On Monday, the defendant received the maximum sentence to fifteen years on those charges. Howell also filed a separate action to have the cash forfeited to the state as “drug money” and was successful in that proceeding as well.
“Congratulations for a job well done to Deputy Leimkuehler and Prosecutor Howell,” said Selby. “Through their efforts a large amount of methamphetamine, a dangerous and highly addictive illegal drug, and money associated with those drugs, were taken off of the street and the person responsible for having them has been taken out of our community for a long time.”