Region digest 07/14/05

Scott City woman gets prison on drug charge

A Scott City woman was sentenced Tuesday to eight years and four months in prison on a federal felony drug charge. U.S District Judge Henry Autrey sentenced Andrea Long for unlawful possession of pseudoephedrine. Long admitted in court that she bought pseudoephedrine and lithium batteries at two Cape Girardeau stores on Jan. 10. Drug task force officers witnessed the purchases of the items, which are used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, said federal prosecutor James Martin. A search of her vehicle uncovered blister packs that contained 1,536 pseudoephedrine pills, eight lithium batteries, a gram of methamphetamine and assorted drug paraphernalia, prosecutors said. According to prosecutors, Long said she bought the items for other people and that she was aware the items would be used for "illegal things." Long was on probation for the attempted manufacture of a controlled substance at the time of her arrest.

Cape man pleads guilty to buying meth

A Cape Girardeau man pleaded guilty Tuesday to one felony count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Mark Rigdon, 46, faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. U.S District Judge Henry Autrey set sentencing for Oct. 11 in Cape Girardeau. Rigdon admitted that on April 13, he bought three ounces of methamphetamine for $3,900. He was arrested by officers who witnessed the drug purchase from a confidential informer, prosecutors said.

-- From staff reports