One man sentenced; two others enter guilty pleas

Southeast Missourian

A Cape Girardeau man was sentenced Monday on a drug charge in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau while two other area men entered guilty pleas on weapons charges.

Robert Woods, 18, received a sentence of five years and three months for one felony count of possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute.

On Dec. 5, authorities with a warrant searched Woods' residence on Bertling Street. Officers seized from the bedroom a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol, an electronic scale, and a locked safe containing two packages of cocaine base and a small amount of marijuana. Woods also had $850 cash in his pockets.

Danny Lee Welker, 52, of Marble Hill and Darte A. Flentje, 47, of Perryville each pleaded guilty in unrelated cases to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

On July 3, a state search warrant was served at Welker's residence, where officers discovered a Marlin, 336W .30-30-caliber rifle. Welker had previously been convicted of burglary and driving while intoxicated.

Flentje admitted to having four firearms and 157 rounds of ammunition in his home. He had previously been convicted of possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of an illegal weapon and possession of a controlled substance.

Welker and Flentje face a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and both will be sentenced Sept. 28.

All three defendants appeared before Judge Rodney W. Sippel.