Area digest 05/12/04

Two get prison terms for weapons violations

Two Cape Girardeau County men were sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Cape Girardeau in separate cases for firearms violations. Gary Lee Harris, 44, of Cape Girardeau was sentenced to 35 months in prison on a felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Harris had previously been convicted of second-degree murder and assault. Ronald Gene Brown, 48, of Whitewater was sentenced to 15 1/2 years on a felony count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of ammunition. Brown had previously been convicted of felony driving while intoxicated and distribution of a controlled substance. According to sentencing guidelines, he is considered to be an armed career criminal.

Man gets more than 15 years on meth charge

A New Madrid, Mo., man was sentenced to 15 1/2 years in prison in federal court in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday. Ronald L. Hall, 43, was sentenced on a felony count of conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine for the manufacture of methamphetamine. Police said Hall threw a plastic bag containing 75.6 grams of pure pseudoephedrine out the passenger-side window during a May 2003 chase after police approached Hall and a co-defendant, who were in a parked vehicle. Upon release from prison, Hall will be placed on a three-year supervised release. The co-defendant, Jeffrey D. Creasey, was sentenced to 87 months and three years of supervised release on Feb. 27.

-- From staff reports