3 charged in drug bust have several convictions

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Three Scott City men arrested Saturday night after a monthlong narcotics investigation have several prior convictions for drug-related offenses.

Keith Estes, 37, is charged with three counts of felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of up to 35 grams of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $25,000. If convicted, Estes faces up to 21 years in prison and 2 years in jail.

Claude Coward, 57, is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. If convicted of all charges, Coward faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and one year in jail. Bond was set at $10,000.

Michael Rice, 36, is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use. The charges carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and one year jail. Bond was set at $25,000.

All three were still in Scott County Jail on Tuesday.

Claude Coward

Estes has several misdemeanor convictions for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia and third-degree assault.

Coward was found guilty of a drug violation in Cape Girar-deau County in 1992 as well as drug violation and possession of drug paraphernalia charges in 1996. He also was arrested for drug paraphernalia and a drug violation in St. Charles County in 1996.

Rice has a long list of drug related offenses and is currently on probation for possession of a controlled substance and distribution/delivery/manufacture of a controlled substance.

According to probable cause statements, Scott City police and the Scott County Sheriff's Department served a search warrant at Estes' residence Saturday.

Police found various drugs on Estes and in his residence including marijuana, cocaine and illegally possessed prescription pills, the statement said. Also found were a set of metal scales and metal smoking pipes, according to police.

Keith Estes

Also on Saturday, authorities armed with a search warrant visited Rice's residence, where they found oxycodone, prescription acetaminophen and marijuana. Several metal and glass pipes, plastic bags that field tested positive for cocaine and other miscellaneous drug paraphernalia were also uncovered by police.

Coward, who police say has no current legal address, was sleeping on Rice's sofa.

Police found a small, plastic bag of marijuana, an oxycodone tablet and a prescription acetaminophen tablet on his person, the report said.

Two women were also issued summonses for possession of marijuana in Saturday's drug bust. The Scott County Sheriff's Department did not release their identities.

carel@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127