COURTS: THREE MEN MAKE COURT APPEARANCES IN DRUG CASES

A Sikeston man was sentenced Tuesday for manufacturing methamphetamine, a Charleston man was sentenced for trafficking cocaine and a Hayti man pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal possession of a gun, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Travis Jackson, 31, of Sikeston, was sentenced to 24 months in jail on one felony count of manufacturing methamphetamine.

Jackson was arrested Dec. 1, 1999, after police received complaints of a chemical odor coming from MidTown Motors, 109 Rear Ruben St., in Sikeston.

Police said Jackson was stopped by police for traffic violations after he left the MidTown building. During the stop, police found a semi-automatic pistol in the passenger's seat and items used to manufacture meth in the truck bed. Police said they also found methamphetamine on Jackson.

After Jackson's arrest, police searched the MidTown building and said they found containers for more than 4,800 pseudoephedrine pills, seven cans of ether with holes in the bottom, battery peelings, an empty gallon of denatured alcohol, numerous used coffee filters, paper towels with white powder, three empty soda bottles used as acid generators with tubing, a cut garden hose and a five-gallon LP tank.

Police said Jackson admitted to authorities that he was attempting to manufacture methamphetamine.

Gregory J. Stokes, 29, of Charleston, Mo., was sentenced to 37 months on one felony count of distributing five grams or more of cocaine base.

Police said that on July 27, 1999, Stokes gave a police informant 10.7 grams of crack cocaine in exchange for $500 in cash.

In addition, Eddie G. Luster Jr., 47, of Hayti, Mo., pleaded guilty to one felony county of possessing a firearm.

Police said that on Jan. 4, Luster, a previously convicted felon, had a Mossberg, Model 500CT, 20-gauge pump action shotgun and a Marlin, .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle.

Sentencing is set for Jan. 2, 2001, and Luster faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.