12 grams of heroin seized at Poplar Bluff, Mo., home

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff police recently seized what is described as the city's first "substantial quantity" of pure heroin, taking it off the streets before it could be processed for sale.

A few months ago, Chief Danny Whiteley said, his department reported heroin was coming from the St. Louis area into "various individuals in Poplar Bluff for distribution. …

"We said at that time, ‘we know who you are and we're going to be arresting you.'"

Carlos S.K. Rutherford, who was arrested Thursday afternoon, was one of the "unnamed targets we had referred to" then, Whiteley said.

On Thursday afternoon, Det. Jason Morgan and Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Brian Arnold, both of whom are assigned to the SEMO Drug Task Force, saw Rutherford leaving a residence in south Poplar Bluff. The residence, he said, had been under surveillance.

Rutherford's vehicle was followed and later stopped in the 400 block of Main Street, where he was arrested on suspicion of driving while revoked, Morgan said.

Suspected drug paraphernalia, including a straw with residue, which tested positive for the "presence of heroin," was found in Rutherford's vehicle, Morgan said.

Rutherford, 31, of St. Louis was arrested on suspicion of driving while revoked, possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After Rutherford was taken to the police station for booking, Morgan said, he and Arnold executed a search warrant on the south Poplar Bluff home.

"As a result of that search warrant, 12 grams of heroin and packaging materials were seized," Morgan said. "We seized the capsules and ‘the cut.'"

Whiteley described "the cut" as a substance used to dilute the heroin and make it weigh the same. It is used, he said, to increase profits.

In this instance, Morgan said, officers seized bottles of Dormin, a sleep aid, and a bottle of lactose milk sugar, which they suspect were going to be used to cut the heroin.

"There were two types of heroin seized, one being street-named ‘black tar heroin," and the other named ‘China white,'" Whiteley said. " … By our estimates, there was several thousands of dollars worth of heroin seized."

Thursday's seizure is the "first substantial quantity of pure heroin we've located before it had been processed for sales," Whiteley said.

The suspected heroin and other items were found in the tenant's bedroom, "where we also located property belonging to Rutherford," Morgan said.

Rutherford, according to Whiteley, is the cousin of Poplar Bluff resident Sterling Marshall, and was with Marshall when he recently was arrested in St. Louis by the St. Louis Fugitive Violent Offenders Deployment Team on a Butler County warrant for multiple charges, including child abuse and first-degree assault.

"They (Rutherford and Marshall) have known ties to St. Louis street gangs, (who are) predominately heroin and crack cocaine dealers in the St. Louis area, which funnel (the substances) down to here," Whiteley said.

The price of heroin in Poplar Bluff, Whiteley said, is about double what it is sold for in St. Louis.

Further arrests, Whiteley said, are anticipated from this investigation.

Morgan said "other sources" have been identified.

"We are working on that as we speak," Whiteley said. "Just as we told you … we know who you are and we're going to arrest you. This is the first (arrest), with more to come."

Charges, Morgan said, will be sought against the south Poplar Bluff tenant, and Rutherford may also be charged in connection with the evidence seized from the woman's home.

Morgan said a search warrant was executed to obtain Rutherford's DNA, which will be compared to the DNA collected from the evidence seized at the home.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO