Around Southeast Missouri

Twins jailed for assault on Sikeston officers

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Twin men from the St. Louis area are in jail after polic e say they assaulted two Sikeston officers. At about 5:05 p.m. Tuesday, officer Zach Albright of the DPS observed a vehicle parked on the wrong side of the roadway while patrolling near Ruth Street and Branum Avenue, according to Capt. John Martin of the Department of Public Safety. As one of the passengers was observed hiding something in the car, officers told him to exit the vehicle. Another officer observed a firearm in the vehicle, "and the fight started," Martin said. Officers discovered the subjects, Terrance Neal, 18, of Florissant and Torrance Neal, 18, of St. Louis, had earlier supplied false information about their identities. "Three handguns were recovered from the vehicle along with a quantity of marijuana," Martin added. One of the other passengers, Conkeesta Johnson, 23, of Sikeston was also arrested on a warrant from New Madrid County. As of Friday the Neals were in custody at the Scott County Jail. Johnson was taken to New Madrid County Jail, where she was released Wednesday evening.

-- Sikeston Standard Democrat

Ex-jail administrator's charges dismissed

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- The Mississippi County grand jury indictment against a former county jail administrator has been dismissed. Don Chance, formerly the administrator for the Mississippi County Detention Center, was charged with two counts of stealing and five counts of forgery through the indictment. A hearing and oral argument on the charges before Stoddard County Judge Joe Z. Satterfield were held March 15, according to Chance's attorney, Jim Robison of Sikeston, Mo. "The judgment of dismissal was filed on March 23," Robison said. Robison confirmed the charges were dismissed with prejudice which means they cannot be refiled. The indictment of Chance was made using testimony by a witness who was granted immunity but a court reporter apparently did not record the proceedings and no transcript of the testimony was provided to the defendant.

-- Sikeston Standard Democrat