Poplar Bluff lawyer to stand trial for alleged sale of prescription painkillers

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Poplar Buff lawyer arrested for selling prescription drugs in Stoddard County in December 2006 now has a trial date.

Richard J. Bascom, 42, will be tried before Judge Stephen Sharp in a Stoddard County courtroom on Jan. 22, 2010.

He was arrested Dec.4, 2006, as part of a round-up in Stoddard County of those suspected of selling prescription drugs and also faces other drug-related charges.

Bascom was charged with two counts of the Class B felony of distribution of a controlled substance (Oxycodone) and the Class A misdemeanor of possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the probable cause affidavit on file, Bascom distributed 23 Oxycodone pills to a confidential informant near Dudley on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006.

When the warrant for Bascom's arrest was issued, Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley said he was contacted by Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Chris Graves.

At that that time, Poplar Bluff Assistant Chief Gary Pride went to verify that Bascom's vehicles were at his law office while Graves was en-route to Poplar Bluff. A short time later, Pride notified Whiteley that Bascom and a female got into a vehicle and left the law office.

Whiteley said that he, drug task force officer Scott Johnston and Graves, who was also a task force member at the time, found the vehicle eastbound on Pine Street and Broadway in Poplar Bluff. The officers conducted a traffic stop and Bascom pulled over and was arrested without incident.

Bascom was booked at the Poplar Bluff city jail and was later transferred to the Stoddard County Justice Center on a $50,000 cash only bond. He posted bond and was released.

At the time of his arrest, Bascom claimed he was innocent of all charges against him.