Poplar Bluff man accused of drug manufacturing held on $1 million bond

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff man, facing charges of manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine, is being held in the Butler County jail on $1 million bond.

Travis Shane Hicks, 33, of the 2700 block of Shady Lane was booked at the jail at 1:52 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging him with the Class B felonies of manufacturing a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance.

The charges stem from an investigation by the SEMO Drug Task Force and Poplar Bluff Police Department.

On July 9, a confidential informant (CI) reportedly made a recorded telephone call to Hicks in the presence of Task Force Officer Scott Johnston.

During the call, the CI ordered a quantity of methamphetamine, which Hicks stated he would deliver that evening," Johnston said in his probable cause affidavit. "The (CI) was of the understanding Hicks was in the process of manufacturing the methamphetamine at an undisclosed location at the time of the phone call."

Later in the evening, Johnston said, he and Police Detective Corey Mitchell met with the CI at a Butler County residence to "conduct the controlled buy from Hicks."

After Hicks arrived at the residence, Johnston said, the CI met with him at Hicks’ vehicle.

The CI returned to the residence and reportedly told the officers "Hicks was going to complete the process in the driveway," Johnston said. "With the knowledge that the process was being audio/video recorded, and that the buy of methamphetamine could not take place until Hicks obtained the finished product, Hicks was allowed to complete the process, while sitting in the car, without intervention."

After he finished, Johnston said, Hicks allegedly disposed of the gas generator and lab-related trash and equipment by having the CI take the bag it was in and remove it from the car.

"After the process was complete, Hicks then sold the (CI) a quantity of methamphetamine, which we recovered …," Johnston said.

After Hicks left the residence, Johnston said, officers recovered the "lab-related items, which we had watched come from his vehicle."

The substance officers recovered from the CI, "which Hicks distributed," field tested positive as methamphetamine, Johnston said.

"Hicks was followed from the residence and he traveled east through Rombauer … continuing on until he ran his car into a ditch," Johnston explained. "Hicks fled the scene on foot and was not located that night."

A subsequent search of Hicks’ vehicle, revealed additional "lab-related items and a quantity of suspected methamphetamine, which were inside the car being seized as evidence," Johnston said.

In his probable cause affidavit, Johnston requested Hicks be held without bond "based on the facts that he is involved in a continuing criminal enterprise, has a considerable criminal history [to include convictions and incarcerations] and a history of fleeing from law enforcement."

Johnston cited an incident in which Hicks, "while fleeing [from] a motor vehicle stop in Butler County, … took off in a vehicle and drug [then] Deputy Tim Nobles, resulting in Deputy Nobles firing a shot at Hicks

due to fear of being severely harmed or killed as a result of Hicks’ actions."

Hicks, according to Johnston, also has been involved in alleged motor-vehicle pursuits with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Butler County Sheriff’s Department.

One situation, Johnston said, involved Hicks and deputies Charles Phelps and Brian Evans.

" … while Hicks was sitting in a motor vehicle, he started the vehicle and accelerated rapidly, traveling forward toward Deputy Evans, who was standing on the Roxie Road Cane Creek bridge on County Road 450, causing Deputy Evans to have to jump to the side to avoid being struck by the car Hicks was driving," Johnston explained. "Again, Hicks evaded law enforcement."

On the night of July 9, Johnston said, Hicks was not being pursued, but officers, in marked patrol vehicles, were in the close proximity in an attempt to stop Hicks after he left the residence.

"Hicks left going toward Poplar Bluff, and for unknown reasons, came back by the residence at a high rate of speed," Johnston said.

Due to Hicks’ "rate of driving," which included acceleration marks and sliding around turns at a high rate of speed, officers were able to "follow

[his] direction of travel and come upon his car in the ditch, where he lost control of it.

"These actions indicate he has no or little regard for the innocent pedestrians or motorists in society in regards to what measures he will take to prevent apprehension."

Further, Johnston said Hicks, who "has no legitimate means of income to my knowledge," has charge(s) pending.

Hicks is supposed to stand trial Sept. 19 on the Class C felony of possession of a controlled in Butler County before Senior Judge James Hall.

Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher asked for Hicks to be held without bond, citing the information Johnston provided his probable cause affidavit.

Bond was set at $1 million by Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth when he issued the warrant for Hicks’ arrest.