Mother, son plead guilty to drug charges

A 70-year-old Sikeston, Mo., mother and her 33-year-old son pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Cape Girardeau to drug trafficking charges.

Ella Sumlin pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine; her son, Elliott Sumlin, pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base.

With the plea, both admitted that between June 2001 and Sept. 11, 2002, they and Wayne Sumlin, Rufus Sumlin III, Eldridge Sumlin and others agreed to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. All the Sumlins, except Ella, and others traveled from Sikeston to Kansas City, Mo., to get cocaine and took it back to Sikeston to convert the powder into cocaine base or crack. The crack was then distributed around Sikeston.

She now faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Elliott Sumlin faces 10 years to life in prison and a $4 million fine.

Both will be sentenced July 15.