Two murder suspects face federal drug charges

ST. LOUIS -- Two of the three suspects in the murder of Cape Girardeau tattoo artist Samuel Francis now face federal charges in connection with a suspected drug trafficking ring involving 25 people, most from Missouri.

Brent Bouren, 42, of St. Louis was charged Sept. 4 in U.S. District Court with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; conspiracy to distribute cocaine; possession of firearms by a felon; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, federal prosecutor Richard Callahan announced Tuesday.

On Friday, St. Francois County prosecutors charged Bouren with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, witness tampering, second-degree assault and felonious restraint in connection with Francis' death.

Authorities found Francis' body in a septic tank near Bonne Terre, Mo., on July 25, a day after federal agents searched Melvin Scherrer's property and arrested him as part of a drug trafficking investigation.

Scherrer, 49, faces St. Francois County charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, felonious restraint, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.

He also faces federal charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm by a felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Probable-cause affidavits filed in St. Francois County Circuit Court accuse Scherrer and Bouren of physically assaulting Francis.

According to one affidavit, Scherrer struck Francis with the bat and smothered him.

Another affidavit alleges Bouren watched Scherrer attack Francis with the bat, participated in the assault and threatened witnesses to keep them quiet.

Scherrer and Bouren were among 25 suspects named in what a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in St. Louis characterized as three separate but related indictments on federal drug and weapons charges.

In a news release, Callahan reported several members of the Saddle Tramps Motorcycle Club, including club president Arvil B. Matthews of Imperial, Mo., were named in the indictments.

According to a federal spokesman who did not wish to be named, Bouren, who is publisher of the motorcycle-oriented Full Throttle Midwest Magazine, is not affiliated with the Saddle Tramps.

The spokesman said Scherrer is a former member of the club.

Francis' stepfather told the Southeast Missourian in February that Francis had gone to Cedar Lake with members of a motorcycle gang who wanted him to do some tattoo work for them.

Francis was afraid the gang members would kill him, his stepfather said.

Online court records show a third man, Otto Plopper, 43, of French Village, Mo., was charged last week with felony abandonment of a corpse in connection with Francis' death.

According to the probable-cause affidavit filed in the murder case against Scherrer, witnesses and electronic information placed Francis at Scherrer's residence Dec. 18 -- the last day Francis' wife, Amanda, communicated with him -- but the charges against Bouren and Plopper indicate their alleged offenses took place Dec. 15. The reason for the discrepancy in dates was not clear.

Representatives of the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Online court records show attorney Mark Byrne is representing Scherrer in both the state and federal cases, while attorney Gary Lauber is representing Bouren in the federal case.

No attorney is listed for Bouren in the state case.

Neither Byrne nor Lauber was available for comment Tuesday.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Bonne Terre, Mo.