4 at Cape pool hall, doctor arrested

Tips to the Southeast Missouri Drug Task force resulted in the arrests of five people in two separate raids Friday, including four who were charged with exchanging the powerful synthetic narcotic OxyContin at a Cape Girardeau pool hall.

The other arrest was of a Cape Girardeau doctor who was charged with possession of crack cocaine, powder cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

An informant tipped the drug task force to the narcotics transactions at the Billiard Center, 26 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau police Cpl. Jason Selzer said Saturday.

The informant reported that Roger D. Stanley, 60, and Jerry W. Fields, 68, both of Poplar Bluff, Mo., had legally purchased 60 OxyContin pills each and were delivering them to James W. Dodd II, manager of the pool hall, Selzer said.

An undercover officer took part in the investigation and witnessed the transaction, according to a sworn statement by William Sullivan, a task force officer, that accompanied the charges filed against Dodd, 29, of 209 Marlin Drive.

According to Sullivan's statements about each defendant, Dodd bought 120 pills from the two men, then resold some of the narcotics to Herbert S. Williams, 36, of 1540 Whitener St. When officers raided the pool hall, they also discovered numerous Vicodin pills, another strong narcotic.

The arrests took place about 2 p.m. in the Billiard Center, Selzer said. When Williams was arrested, he was found snorting a white powder in the back room, according to a sworn statement from Sullivan.

OxyContin, also known as "hillbilly heroin," is one of the most powerful pain medications on the market. In pill form, it has a time-release action, but users can get the full effect of the dose at once by crushing and snorting the pills.

Stanley and Fields were each charged with a single count of distributing a controlled substance. Associate Circuit Judge Gary A. Kamp set their bail at $50,000 each, and Saturday evening they remained in the Cape Girardeau County Jail.

Dodd was charged with two counts of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He posted a $50,000 bond and was released from jail. Williams was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. His bond was set at $35,000 by Kamp, and he posted bond Saturday.

A lengthy investigation led narcotics officers to raid the home of Dr. Reno R. Cova Jr., 63, of 40 Schonoff Lane, on Friday evening, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said in a news release.

Cova was home when officers from the drug task force served a search warrant. After being advised of his rights, Cova led Daniel Seger, a Cape Girardeau police officer assigned to the task force, through the home and showed him where the drugs and pipe were hidden, Seger wrote in a sworn statement that accompanied the charges.

Cova's office operates as MedStop One at 3065 William St.

Kamp set a $75,000 cash-only bond for Cova, who remained in custody Saturday evening at the Cape Girardeau County Jail.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126