Two Drug Busts In Area

Deputies, both two- and fourlegged, from the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office were involved in a pair of large drug busts last week.

On Feb. 22, Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team and Newton County SWAT Team served a search warrant at 8485 Eloise Drive in Joplin. ODET is comprised of highly-trained law enforcement officers from McDonald, Newton, Jasper, Barry, and Barton counties.

Detectives located 1,393 grams of suspected marijuana, 15 miscellaneous firearms and approximately 70 prescription pills within the residence. None of the pills were in accurately-labeled bottles and all were controlled substances, deputies reported.

Eugene Baker, 59, was arrested for delivery of a controlled

substance, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

Charges are currently pending with the Newton County Prosecutor’s Office.

The next day, ODET, Newton County, and McDonald County Deputies stopped a vehicle on EE Highway, northwest of Pineville. Cpl. Tim Jeffers and his K-9 partner, Cresso, initiated the stop.

After conducting a sniff-search of the vehicle, Cresso quickly located 260 grams of suspected Methamphetamine — estimated at a street value of $26,000. Two people were arrested. Dominique Louise Carroll, 43, of The Colony, Texas, and Christopher Michael Trevino, 35, of Mesquite, Texas, were charged with trafficking/attempt to traffic drugs. Carroll was also charged with being an out-of-state fugitive.

Carroll’s bail was set at $20,000 and Trevino’s was set at $10,000.