Poplar Bluff police bust alleged marijuana distribution ring

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff couple was charged Tuesday afternoon with operating what authorities describe as a multicounty marijuana distribution ring.

The Daily American Republic newspaper reported that Christopher D. Gregory, 23, and Whitney Retherford, 19, both of the 800 block of Henderson Street, were charged with the Class B felonies of distribution of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance by Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour.

After considering the probable cause statements and complaints filed with the court, Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth issued warrants for Gregory and Retherford's arrests.

Those warrants were served on the couple shortly thereafter.

SEMO Drug Task Force Officer Scott Johnston said Retherford was arrested at about 5 p.m. at her residence by himself and deputies with the Butler County Sheriff's Department.

"We found the location of Gregory," which was a residence in the 1100 block of Cole Avenue, Johnston said. "We went up there and arrested him at approximately 5:30."

Both were subsequently booked at the Butler County jail, where they are being held on $50,000 cash or surety bonds.

The investigation into Gregory and Retherford's alleged activities actually began in Stoddard County when officers there "got a chance to buy some marijuana over here at Dexter," explained Stoddard County Deputy Keith Haynes, who is assigned to the Task Force.

Officers, Haynes said, made a couple of controlled buys and executed a search warrant on a Dexter apartment, where two or three people were arrested.

"That led over to Poplar Bluff to the source," identified as Gregory and Retherford, said Haynes, who described the couple as operating a "large distribution" ring.

"They were bringing quarter (pounds) to a full pound a day to Stoddard County ... for a few months," said Haynes. "We're guessing four to five months. ... (The suspected marijuana) was going everywhere."

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

"We conducted a narcotics investigation in which a quantity of marijuana was purchased from Gregory and Retherford, who was acting in concert in the sale," Johnston said.

It was on July 7 that officers conducted a "controlled buy of approximately one-quarter pound of marijuana from Christopher Gregory and Whitney Retherford in Poplar Bluff, Mo.," Johnston said in his probable cause statement.

The buy, he said, was conducted using a confidential informant and was audio/video recorded.

Johnston said the CI went to the couple's Henderson Street home and made contact with them.

"We followed the (CI) and Retherford from there to 321 N. G St., where the (CI) and Retherford went inside and retrieved a quantity of marijuana, then returned to the 882 Henderson address," said Johnston.

Search warrants, according to Johnston, were obtained for and executed on both the G Street and Henderson Street residences.

"The $300 (in) state narcotics buy money, used to purchase the quarter pound of marijuana, was retrieved from Retherford's wallet at 882 Henderson St., along with a misdemeanor amount of marijuana/paraphernalia," Johnston said.

Both Retherford and Gregory were arrested and booked at the Butler County jail. They subsequently were released pending the filing of formal charges.

When officers served the search warrant at the G Street residence, about 4 pounds of suspected marijuana were seized from a safe, which "both Gregory and Retherford knew the combination to, and Gregory opened it for us."

The 4 pounds of suspected marijuana was in four, 1-gallon plastic bags containing about 1 pound per bag, said Johnston, who described the G Street residence as a "stash house."

Both Gregory and Retherford were told of their rights and agreed to be interviewed, Johnston said.

" ... both gave statements concerning their involvement in dealing marijuana for an extended amount of time," Johnston said.

According to information obtained during the investigation, "it was revealed that it was an upper-level distribution ring with approximately 200 pounds of marijuana being distributed by Gregory in the last year," Johnston explained.

Gregory, Johnston said, allegedly was distributing what he described as large amounts.

"He was selling to people in Butler and other counties large quantity amounts," Johnston said.

Instead of selling the marijuana in ounces, Gregory allegedly was selling in quarter, half and pound amounts, Johnston said.

"The investigation is continuing and it's possible more arrests could take place," Johnston said.

Officers, he said, will be asking for charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana be filed against Gregory and Retherford in Stoddard County.