Region digest 05/11/06

Two Alabama men get 15 years on gun charge

A 15-year prison sentence was handed down in federal court Wednesday for two Alabama men arrested in Scott County for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry sentenced Marvin A. McKay, 31, of Hamilton, Ala., and Larry L. Lay, 61, of Jasper, Ala., to 180 months in federal prison. Both men were arrested Jan. 11, 2005, in Sikeston, Mo., when police found a stolen 12-gauge shotgun in their car, according to a news release from federal prosecutor Catherine L. Hanaway.

Rifle, shotguns lead to 78 months in prison

A 41-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday to 78 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms by a felon. Troy D. Sencibaugh, of Lesterville, Mo., was at the Roadhouse Tavern in Reynolds County Nov. 12 when a dispute arose between him and the bar's manager, according to a release from federal prosecutor Catherine L. Hanaway. Sencibaugh left on foot when sheriff's officers arrived; they later found a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number in the defendant's vehicle. Five days later, Sheriff Gary Barton contacted Sencibaugh and found the defendant with a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun and a Remington .410-gauge shotgun, the release stated. Sencibaugh admitted all three weapons were his.

Two men in child porn cases sentenced

Two men were sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for felony transportation and possession of child pornography. Christopher L. Johnson, 27, of Portageville, Mo., received 151 months in prison and Kelly R. Wilson, of Steele, Mo., received 63 months in prison in separate child porn cases, a news release from federal prosecutor Catherine L. Hanaway stated. Johnson admitted to using his home computer Jan. 21, 2005, to send two video files to an undercover FBI agent in Buffalo, N.Y., the release stated. A search of his home four months later found more than 700 images and at least 40 video files of child porn on Johnson's computer, the release stated. In Wilson's case, he admitted he sent two images of child porn from his computer Feb. 20, 2004. He possessed more than 100 images of child porn on his computer and compact disks.

Man buys crack, plans to sell it, goes to prison

A 100-month prison sentence was handed down in federal court Wednesday for a man who admitted he planned to sell $1,000 of crack cocaine. Dramel L. Jones, 20, of Wilson City, Mo., received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, a release from federal prosecutor Catherine L. Hanaway stated. Acting on a tip from an informant, Poplar Bluff police officers detained Jones on Nov. 30 and searched his coat, where they found 36.75 grams of crack cocaine. Jones told the officers he bought the crack for $1,000 and had planned on selling it, according to the release.

Kennett man sentenced on federal meth charge

U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry sentenced a 23-year-old Kennett, Mo., man to 78 months in federal prison for methamphetamine charges. Alfonso I. Vasquez received the sentence Wednesday for felony distribution of meth, according to a news release from federal prosecutor Catherine L. Hanaway. Vasquez admitted that on Sept. 13, he sold an ounce of the drug to a confidential informant and an undercover officer for $1,500.

Judges gives 60 months to Portageville man

A Portageville, Mo., man who admitted to selling crack cocaine was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry to 60 months in federal prison. Demarco Partee, 30, pleaded guilty to felony distribution of cocaine base. He admitted that on May 2, 2005, he sold 5.7 grams of crack cocaine to an undercover officer for $300, a news release from federal prosecutor Catherine L. Hanaway stated.

State reimburses woman for wrong phone calls

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's social services agency has reimbursed a Montana woman $233 for fielding more than 1,000 calls from confused Medicaid recipients mistakenly given her toll-free phone number. A letter mailed last August to 339,000 adult Medicaid recipients mistakenly listed Sharon Curtiss-Rivera's home-based business phone as a hot line. Instead of hanging up, Curtiss-Rivera listened to some callers as they described their medical woes and expressed frustration. State officials encouraged Curtiss-Rivera to send a bill for the cost of her time and phone line. She finally did so last month. Her bill shows she received 1,015 phone calls -- consuming just shy of 13 hours of her time -- from August through February.

-- From staff, wire reports