Second suspect pleads guilty in methamphetamine case

A second suspect has pleaded guilty in a methamphetamine case that stemmed from a shooting at a Cape Girardeau residence in June.

Thomas Hamilton, 46, pleaded guilty Monday to one count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container.

In exchange for Hamilton's guilty plea, assistant prosecuting attorney Jack Koester agreed to drop two counts of unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. Koester also agreed not to charge Hamilton as a prior and persistent offender, which could have increased the penalties for the drug charges.

Hamilton; his wife, Shauna Hamilton, 32; and his stepdaughter, 17-year-old Lacey Solis, all faced drug charges after police discovered methamphetamine, anhydrous ammonia and other materials associated with methamphetamine production June 7 in a garage at a house Hamilton owned at 1467 Kingsway Drive in Cape Girardeau, court records show.

Before entering his guilty plea Monday, Hamilton could be heard telling his attorney, "[Expletive] it. I'll plead guilty. I can't take this any more."

Hamilton presented a calm, resigned demeanor to Judge William Syler, answering his questions politely and praising his attorney, Stephen Wilson.

"He's been a wonderful lawyer," Hamilton said.

"He'll be glad to hear that," Syler replied.

Police found evidence of a methamphetamine lab after being called to the property to investigate an altercation in which Andrew McLendon, 29, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case.

Among other items, officers found propane tanks with evidence of anhydrous ammonia in them, Koester said Monday.

"The tanks were empty, but they had had ammonia in them at one time," Hamilton told Syler.

Koester recommended a sentence of seven years in prison on the controlled-substance charge and four years on the anhydrous-ammonia charge, to run concurrently, but Wilson asked Syler to consider reducing the sentence and recommending Hamilton for a drug-treatment program.

Syler ordered a sentencing assessment report and set the case for sentencing Nov. 18.

McLendon is scheduled for a case review next week on charges of second-degree assault and first-degree property damage in connection with the altercation that led to the shooting and subsequent arrests.

William Matlock, who has not been charged with any crime, told police he shot McLendon in self-defense after McLendon beat on his car and hit him with an aluminum baseball bat.

Thomas Hamilton's stepdaughter, Solis, pleaded guilty in August to felony possession of a controlled substance. Last month, Judge Benjamin Lewis placed her on five years of supervised probation.

Online court records show Shauna Hamilton's case is set for trial Jan. 29 in front of Lewis.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

1467 Kingsway Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO

100 Court St., Jackson, MO