Perry County nabs pair from Iowa, Sikeston for alleged distribution; meth, pot found

A Perry County sheriff's deputy was curious Sunday afternoon when he spotted a car with Iowa plates parked in front of a construction site that recently suffered multiple thefts.

He pulled the car over under the auspices of trespassing, but the car smelled of marijuana, police said.

Perry County sheriff's deputies arrested Tyesha S. Wilson, 23, of Burlington, Iowa, and Elgin J. Hunt, 31, of Sikeston, Missouri, on Tuesday. The Perry County prosecuting attorney charged them both with intent to distribute a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor first-degree trespassing. Wilson was charged with driving while revoked. Hunt was charged with attempting to deliver a controlled substance to a jail.

Their bond was set at $15,000 cash or surety.

In a probable-cause statement filed in connection with the case, deputy Andy Pacinda wrote he saw Wilson's car parked on Lonesome Road near a Zoellner Construction gate about 3 p.m. Sunday. A no-trespassing sign was posted at the site because of recent thefts, Pacinda wrote.

Pacinda initiated a traffic stop and found Wilson's license was suspended, according to the statement.

Wilson exited the vehicle at Pacinda's request, and Pacinda began searching the vehicle because he detected an odor of marijuana, Pacinda wrote.

He found a marijuana roach in the ash tray, a digital scale in Wilson's purse and a bag containing 15 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine inside a breast-pump box, according to the statement.

The susbtance was packaged in a way that was indicative of an attempt to distribute, Pacinda wrote.

After they were read their Miranda rights, Hunt took responsibility for the methamphetamine, but Wilson admitted she used the drug and knew it was in her vehicle, Pacinda wrote.

Hunt was asked whether he had any controlled substances on him and passed a sign at the Perry County Jail entrance prohibiting inmates from bringing controlled substances into the jail, but a jailer later found marijuana in his left shoe, according to the statement.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

Perryville Boulevard and Lonesome Road, Perryville, Mo.