Search warrants lead to drug arrests on South Hanover

Police searches of two homes on South Hanover Street have led to the arrest of two Cape Girardeau suspects for drug-related charges, less than a week after police clashed with residents in the same two-block area.

Cape Girardeau police served search warrants Sunday night on houses at 323 and 403 S. Hanover St., according to police Capt. Carl Kinnison.

"Those are two addresses identified as problem areas where some of the drug sales have been originating," Kinnison said.

Two people were arrested at 323 S. Hanover: Armand D. Taylor, 26, of that address, and Deion M. Coates, 25, of 735 William St., Apt. 6.

Taylor was charged with the Class B felony of possession of a more than 35 grams of marijuana with intent to distribute. Taylor remained in the Cape Girardeau County Jail Monday afternoon in lieu of $20,000 bond.

Coates was charged with misdemeanor drug (marijuana) possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held on a $1,500 bond.

Two others were arrested at 403 S. Hanover for misdemeanor amounts of drug possession, though police Sgt. Barry Hovis said the men have yet to be charged. They were released, Hovis said, with the issuance of summonses waiting. Hovis said prosecutors have yet to decide whether to file charges.

Kinnison said the searches and arrests had nothing to do with the July 4 incident when police responded to South Hanover to investigate the report of someone shooting fireworks at a house. An attempt to question three youths turned into a pursuit.

As one officer was handcuffing one of the juveniles, he was approached by three adults and was struck in the head with a metal object. Then, as the suspects fled, a crowd descended on the officer and made threats. The officer said he was then forced to pull his gun to protect himself.

Police from across the area responded to the scene and a search for the suspects culminated in using a Taser on a man who they say was yelling and screaming. They then used pepper spray on two women that they claim were prohibiting the arrest. Since then, the women who were pepper sprayed have filed a rights violation complaint against the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Police said the two incidents were not connected.

"This is an ongoing investigation," Hovis said. "We have been working on this at least a month and maybe two months. It's coincidental. This search would have gone down regardless of what happened July 4."

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