Cocaine sale in restroom garners 15-year sentence

For selling crack cocaine in a Wal-Mart restroom, a Cape Girardeau man will spend the next 15 years in prison.

On Tuesday, New Madrid County Circuit Judge Fred Copeland handed down the sentence to Jeremy Nelson, 32, for selling crack in the bathroom at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Cape Girar-deau on Nov. 17, 1999. The case was handled in New Madrid County on a change of venue.

Nelson pleaded guilty on Nov. 14, 2000, but failed to show for his sentencing on Jan. 6, 2001. Recently apprehended, his appearance in court before Copeland was his first since he absconded.

Nelson, immediately fired from Wal-Mart after his arrest, had been a low-level employee at the time of the sale. Cape Girardeau detectives Brad Smith, Billy Sullivan and Roy Rippe had made the case against him, sending a confidential informant to make the buy. After Nelson sold 0.2 grams of crack to the informant for $40, the detectives entered the restroom and arrested him.

Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle was pleased with the sentence imposed.

"The 15-year sentence was the maximum sentence for a class B felony," he said. "It was justified because of Nelson's prior criminal record and his failure to appear at his sentencing two years ago."

Swingle couldn't resist adding, "Although the amount of crack cocaine wasn't large -- only 0.2 grams at the everyday low price of $40 -- this defendant deserved his 15-year sentence."

Nelson had prior felony convictions for assault and drug possession.

While sentencing him, Copeland noted that if he had shown up back in 2001, he might not have received the maximum.