Perryville man charged with selling marijuana to undercover cop

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Jason K. Parsons was set to be in court next week to face misdemeanor marijuana possession charges. Now, the 25-year-old Perryville man will have to answer police allegations that he sells the stuff, too.

Perry County prosecutors filed felony drug distribution charges Wednesday against Parsons after police said he sold 8 grams of marijuana last March to an undercover narcotics officer with the SEMO Drug Task Force. Parsons was not yet in custody Wednesday morning at the Perry County Sheriff's Department, jail officials said.

Task force agent Sgt. Jeff Heath said in charging documents that he was working an investigation in Perry County on March 1 when he bought 7.8 grams of marijuana from Parsons for $35, a transaction that took place in Pomajons Bar at 106 W. Sainte Marie St. in Perryville. Another officer witnessed the sale, Heath said in the probable-cause statement that lays out law enforcement's version of events.

The marijuana was submitted to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Lab for analysis, Heath said.

Judge Michael Bullerdieck signed the arrest warrant Wednesday and set a $2,500 cash-only bond in the case, according to court records. An arraignment will be set shortly thereafter to begin court proceedings, in which Parsons will face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Court records show that this is Parsons' first drug-sales charge, though he has previously pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor drug-related charges -- once for marijuana possession in Perry County in 2009, for which he paid a $500 fine plus court costs and a paraphernalia charge in 2005 in Cape Girardeau County that resulted in 15 days in jail. Contact information for Parsons was not readily available Thursday.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

15 W. Sainte Marie St., Perryville, Mo.

106 W. Sainte Marie St., Perryville, Mo.