Area briefs 10/6/06

Marble Hill man pleads guilty to drugs

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- An man arrested in a meth lab bust pleaded guilty Thursday to drug possession. David A. Scowden, 26, of Marble Hill, entered his plea to possession of marijuana before Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis, who sentenced the defendant to five years in prison.

Cape man charged with statutory rape

A Cape Girardeau man was charged Thursday with having sex with a minor. A now 17-year-old girl claimed that Jimmy R. Seabaugh, 26, of 110 S. Sprigg St., had sex with her when she was 14 years old, according to a probable cause statement. Seabaugh was charged with three counts of felony statutory rape.

Key witness bound over on drug charge

The key witness to a fatal shooting earlier this year was bound over to Circuit Court Thursday on a drug charge. David McKee, 19, waived a preliminary hearing and was scheduled to appear before Judge William Syler Oct. 16 for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. McKee was robbed by Jacob Bowers, 17, in a botched drug deal Jan. 25 behind Du-Shell's Furniture, 2103 William St., according to officials. Bowers was then killed by an acquaintance of McKee, Bernard Richards.

Perry County man charged with assault

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A $100,000 cash-only bond was set Thursday for a Perry County man accused of attacking his ex-girlfriend. Todd C. Payne, 25, was charged with felonious restraint, armed criminal action, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, assault, resisting arrest and transfer of a concealable weapon without a permit. Perry County sheriff's officers responded to a local hospital emergency room early afternoon Wednesday. A 24-year-old woman being treated for a cut on her forehead said Payne, her ex-boyfriend, attacked her, according to Sheriff Gary Schaaf. The attack occurred earlier on a back road in eastern Perry County, Schaaf said. The former couple had a quarrel during which Payne attacked the woman and threatened her with a handgun, according to a release from Schaaf's office.

-- From staff reports