CELL PHONE COMES IN HANDY DURING BUST

JACKSON, Mo. -- Talk about killing two birds with one phone. A Cape Girardeau patrolman testified Wednesday he was able to use one suspected drug dealer's cellular telephone to catch a second dealer trying to make a buy.

At a preliminary hearing for James Ward Scaggs, officer Daniel E. Seger said he was executing a search warrant on July 23 at an apartment at 45 S. Spanish St.

Seger had just arrested Scaggs, 21, Jerry David Robison, 20, and Richard Matthew Williams, 18, for possession of drug paraphernalia and was searching the trio's apartment when Scaggs' cell phone began to ring.

At first police officers ignored it, Seger said, but the phone continued to ring, so Seger answered it.

He said after exchanging greetings with the caller, whom he described as "male with a foreign accent," Seger said the man asked "can we go play pool?"

Seger said he didn't have time but the caller was persistent, asking him for "pool balls?'" he said.

The officer explained for the court that since an "8-ball" is a common slang term for cocaine, he realized the man was wanting to buy drugs and began to make a deal with him.

After haggling over price, the two agreed the man would bring $600 in cash and some marijuana to the apartment and trade for the cocaine.

When the man arrived, police arrested Volcan Hacigumus, 24, of 207 Alpine for felony possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.

Hacigumus was also charged with attempting to buy cocaine.

Ecstasy found

Meanwhile, while searching Scaggs' apartment and Robison's car, officers uncovered marijuana, cocaine, a Russian SKS-45 semiautomatic rifle and some ecstasy tablets, the officer said.

Seger said it was just the second time he's encountered ecstasy in Cape Girardeau.

Scaggs, Robison and Wilson were charged with felony possession of marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy with intent to distribute.

After the hearing Wednesday before Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp, Scaggs was bound over for trial.

No hearing date has been set yet for Williams and Robison.

Hacigumus' preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 4.