Region digest 11/17/04

Cape man involved in Taste incident sentenced

A Cape Girardeau man involved in a Jan. 1 fight that led to the shooting death of Anton Miller was sentenced Tuesday to 32 months for being a previously convicted felon in possession of ammunition. Shamir Houston, 22, had previously been convicted in Cape Girardeau County in 2001 for unlawful use of a weapon and attempted kidnapping. On Jan. 1, Houston was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries he had sustained in a fight with Miller at the Taste, a Cape Girardeau after-hours club. A nurse discovered a pistol in his pants pocket. Police seized the pistol and .32-caliber ammunition. The pistol was an antique and not a prohibited weapon, and Houston admitted he was in possession of the ammunition. His brother, Samuel Houston, pleaded guilty Aug. 9 to involuntary manslaughter for shooting Miller and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Man arrested on burglary, attempted rape charges

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston man was arrested Monday on suspicion of burglary, stealing and attempted rape. Anthony Dewaye Blackmon, 30, is being held in the Scott County Jail in lieu of a $75,000 bond. According to Drew Juden, director of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, a 16-year-old girl told investigators a man woke her while she was sleeping alone and attempted to rape her. She struggled with the man and was able to get away. She told police that a 19-inch television was missing from the house. Acting on a tip, investigators interviewed Blackmon, who police said admitted breaking into the house, taking the television and attempting to rape the girl.

-- From staff reports

Man, woman sentenced on cocaine charges

Two Cape Girardeau residents were sentenced Tuesday on cocaine-related charges. Takina Maxwell, 23, received five years in prison for possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute. At the time of her guilty plea, Maxwell admitted that police found 8.9 grams of cocaine base on Jan. 16 when a search warrant was executed at her home at 433 S. Hanover St. Christopher Sparks, 20, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for two felony counts of distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base and a felony count of possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute. Police said Sparks sold cocaine base to undercover officers twice in July 2003 and was found with 25.5 grams of cocaine base during a traffic stop in March.