COUPLE CHARGED WITH ABUSE ALSO FACE DRUG CHARGES

JACKSON, Mo. -- A Cape Girardeau couple charged with child abuse and child endangerment last week were arrested on drug charges this week, a Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said.

After pleading innocent in court Monday, 36-year-old Douglas A. Aubuchon was arrested on three new felony drug charges, assistant prosecutor Lora Cooper said. His wife, Maria M. Harris, 33, was also arrested.

When approaching the door of Aubchon's residence to serve an arrest warrant on Thursday, Cape Girardeau County deputy Jason McBride reported a strong smell of marijuana.

After Harris opened the door and Aubuchon invited the deputy inside, McBride said the living room was filled with marijuana smoke.

Aubuchon explained that the smell was incense, McBride said.

After receiving Aubuchon's permission to search and finding nothing, Aubuchon pulled a small bag of marijuana and a pipe from his wife's purse. He told the deputy those were the only narcotics he had.

When McBride asked if a police drug dog could sniff around, Aubuchon consented.

Police said the dog located several small bags of marijuana prepared for sale along with a scale for measuring weights.

Aubuchon and Harris are both charged with felony marijuana possession, possession of meth and possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.

The couple had been arrested last week after their 15-year-old daughter told officers she was beaten and forced to swallow chewing tobacco after her father accused her of stealing his marijuana,

Aubuchon and Harris were both in custody on Tuesday in lieu of $15,000 bonds.