SOUTHEAST ATHLETE CHARGED WITH SELLING DRUGS

A Southeast Missouri State University basketball player was arrested Friday for trafficking marijuana and assaulting his wife, the Cape Girardeau County prosecutor said.

Terry J. Rogers, 21, was charged with felonies for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and second-degree domestic assault. The combined maximum punishment for both felonies would be 22 years in prison.

Rogers, a 6-foot-10, 280-pound center, is in his junior year after transferring from Mineral Area Community College last year.

Officers Dan Seger and Curtis Sessions had originally responded to Rogers' residence at 660 S. Spring St. when his wife called police to report that she had been hit.

In an affidavit, Seger said Rogers was leaving the apartment as he arrived. The officer followed him and told him to return. Seger noticed that Rogers dropped something on the ground just as his wife approached and made accusations that her husband had been using marijuana.

As Seger went to the other side of a car where Rogers was standing, he found approximately $2,500 in cash blowing around in the wind on the ground. Although the officer found no marijuana on Rogers, he said the suspect had a marijuana odor on his clothing.

Both Rogers and his wife told Seger that if any marijuana was found in the apartment, it belonged to the other spouse.

Seger then released Rogers to attend classes, and explained that he would be getting a search warrant for his apartment.

While waiting for the warrant, the woman asked if she could return to the apartment to give her child a breathing treatment. Officers Seger and Sessions accompanied her.

As she reached into a drawer to get what she said was a receipt, Session noticed that she used a piece of tissue to conceal a small plastic bag that she was removing. She attempted to flush the tissue down a toilet, but was stopped by Sessions.

Marijuana found

The officer recovered the bag, which contained marijuana and a partially burned marijuana cigarette, Seger said.

After obtaining a search warrant, Seger said he found more marijuana, bags for packaging it and scales. During a later interview with police, Seger said Rogers admitted to transporting marijuana from Memphis, Tenn., to Cape Girardeau for sale.

Rogers was charged with assault for pushing his wife and spitting in her face.

Rogers has been suspended from the Southeast basketball program indefinitely until all criminal charges have been settled, said university spokeswoman Ann Hayes. If convicted, Rogers suspension from sports participation would be permanent, she said.

Rogers' status as a student will be decided later after a review of the circumstances by the dean of students, Hayes said.

The suspect is being held in the Cape Girardeau city jail on a $25,000 bond.