CAPE MAN SENTENCED

A Cape Girardeau man was sentenced to federal prison on drug conspiracy and possession charges.

Kenneth Wayne Pryor, 37, was sentenced to three years on a felony count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and 5 grams or more of cocaine base and a felony count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

He appeared in federal court Monday before U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel.

Pryor admitted that on July 5, 1999, he drove to a Memphis, Tenn., Greyhound bus station and picked up Willie Smith and an acquaintance of Smith's, known as Austin Bain. Bain had traveled from Los Angeles with Smith.

Pryor brought Smith and Bain to Cape Girardeau. Smith had arranged for a quantity of cocaine to be brought from Los Angeles to Cape Girardeau via a third person that had traveled with him.

On July 6 Pryor, Bain and Smith, left a house at 133 S. Benton, where they had a large plastic bag of cocaine. Smith had weighed the cocaine and put it into his pocket with the intent of converting it into cocaine base. Pryor and Bain intended to help him in the process.

Based on information they had received, police stopped the vehicle in which Pryor, Smith and Bain were traveling. Another officer assisted in the investigation. He saw a clear, plastic bag in the front seat of the car through the right passenger door. The larger bag of cocaine was found under a seat.

Pryor, Bain and Smith were arrested, and the vehicle searched. More cocaine was found, as were the items needed to convert the cocaine to crack. Police found 32.5 grams of cocaine in the vehicle.

Police said Pryor and Bain conspired with Smith to convert the cocaine into crack and then distribute it to another person.