Three enter guilty pleas in illegal drug, weapons cases

Three Southeast Missouri men entered guilty pleas on three separate and unrelated charges Friday in federal court in Cape Girardeau.

David Paul Wood, of Kewanee, Mo., pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Wood now faces a punishment of a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine with supervised release of three years. Wood agreed to forfeit $5,206 in cash and a 1995 Ford Thunderbird that were acquired by drug trafficking and seized by officers at the time of his arrest.

Delmar E. Gilliam, 55, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Gilliam had been convicted of murder in 1982.

He now faces a sentence of a maximum 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine and has agreed to forfeit his firearms and ammunition.

Stephen W. Young, 42, of Poplar Bluff, also pleaded guilty to being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Young had been previously convicted of first degree assault in 1996.

He now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

All three will appear for sentencing Sept. 26.