Men accused of drug trafficking after bust

Two Missouri men, including one from Cape Girardeau, are facing felony drug-trafficking charges after police found more than an ounce of crystal methamphetamine in their hotel room.

Jesus R. Aguirre, 43, of Cape Girardeau, and Ulises Santana, 18, of Kansas City, Mo., each are facing felony counts of second-degree drug trafficking and two misdemeanors for marijuana possession and paraphernalia. The felony carries a possible punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

Charges were filed Friday by assistant prosecutor Frank Miller. Court appearances for the men have not yet been set, according to online dockets, but defendants typically appear in circuit court before Judge Gary Kamp on the Monday after their arrest.

Police executed a search warrant Thursday afternoon in room 326 of the Pear Tree Inn, 3248 William St., after a hotel employee reported the smell of marijuana coming from the room, according to a probable-cause statement filed by Brian Vassalli of the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force.

Vassalli, along with two Cape Girardeau Police Department patrolmen and task force agent Mike Alford, detected the smell of marijuana after Aguirre opened the door. When asked, the men denied that any narcotics were in the room, Vassalli said in his report, and they also refused to allow a search.

The men were removed from the room by police until a search warrant was executed, Vassalli said.

A search of the room revealed 33 grams of crystal meth, a bag of marijuana that weighed about 2 grams, $6,700 in cash and an assortment of zip-style bags and small digital scales that were processed and placed into evidence at the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

The drugs will be turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency for further analysis, the statement said, and the money will be released to the DEA for forfeiture proceedings.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

3428 William St., Cape Girardeau, MO