NORTHEAST ARKANSAS MAN FACING 20 YEARS IN PRISON ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES 

A Clay County man entered a guilty plea yesterday on child pornography related charges.  

Second Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington tells KWOC News that 43 year old Shane Thompson has pled guilty to four counts of distributing, possessing, and viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. 

In April, the Arkansas State Police recovered multiple digital devices containing explicit child pornography during a search of Thompson’s home. 

On two of the counts, Thompson was sentenced to ten years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. Ellington says the sentences will run consecutively for a total of 20 years.  

On the other two counts, he received a 120 month suspended sentence.

KENNETT MAN ARRESTED ON MULTIPLE CHARGES 

Authorities say that a Kennett man was arrested Monday on multiple charges.  

According to the Kennett Police Department, Monday afternoon officers received information that a subject with outstanding warrants was sitting inside a vehicle on Central Street. 

At the scene, officers located the man barricaded inside a van and armed with a shotgun.  

After speaking with officers, 26 year old James Payne was taken into custody without incident.  

Inside the vehicle, officers located an undisclosed amount of methamphetamine, prescription medication, ammunition, and the firearm.  

Payne was arrested for unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and on a preexisting warrant issued out of Dunklin County.

AREA WOMAN ARRESTED ON METH CHARGE IN BUTLER COUNTY 

An area woman has been taken into custody in Butler County on a felony drug charge.  

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 38 year old Mary Babcock, of Piedmont, was arrested Sunday on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine.  

Babcock is also reportedly facing a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Following the arrest, she was held at the Butler County Jail.

FIRE DESTROYS HOUSE IN POPLAR BLUFF 

A fire destroyed a home yesterday in Poplar Bluff.  

Crews responded to the scene of the fire Wednesday morning at a residence on Autumn Road.  

No one was injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

TWO ARRESTED, TWO OTHERS SOUGHT, IN CONNECTION TO SIKESTON HOMICIDE 

Officials say that two men have been taken into custody and another two are still being sought in connection to a homicide last month in Sikeston. 

Sergeant Jon Broom with the Sikeston Department of Public Safety tells KWOC News that 18 year old Reginald Rush, of Sikeston, and 18 year old Donta Depree, of Cape Girardeau, were arrested last week as a part of an investigation into the shooting death of Marcus Price on August 23rd. 

Rush and Depree have each been charged with murder 1st, robbery 1st, armed criminal action, and resisting arrest. 

Broom says that arrest warrants has also been issued for 19 year old DeShauntay Craig and Tyce Cody, both of Sikeston, on the charges of murder 1st , armed criminal action, and robbery 1st.  

Both subjects are being considered armed and dangerous and if you have any information about their location, contact your local law enforcement agency.

MISSING TEENAGER IN DUNKLIN COUNTY FOUND 

Authorities in Southeast Missouri have located a teenager that was reported missing last week.  

Officials with the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office said Friday morning that the missing 16 year old girl had been found.  

She had last been seen on September 5th in the Malden area. No other details about the incident were released.

FIRE BREAKS OUT AT BUTLER COUNTY BUILDING LOCATED SOUTH OF POPLAR BLUFF 

A fire broke out last night at a Butler County Highway Department building.  

Crews were on scene putting out the fire at the structure located on Highway 67, south of Poplar Bluff.  

There have been no reports of any injuries or a possible cause for the fire.

MAN FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES IN CONNECTION TO ACTIONS DURING ARREST ATTEMPT 

A Kennett man is facing multiple charges in connection to his actions during an arrest attempt on Sunday.  

According to the Kennett Police Department, on Sunday afternoon officers were dispatched to an area residence in reference to a wanted person. At the scene, officers made contact with the suspect who then became combative and assaultive toward his family members for calling the police on him. 

Officers took the suspect into custody and in the process of walking the suspect out of the residence; he lunged at and spit in the face of one of the family members.  

Once in the yard, the suspect again attempted to lunge at and get to one of the family members. He was taken to the ground where he again decided to become compliant. During the encounter, one officer sustained an injury to his arm; however no medical treatment was required at the time.  

25 year old Khadre Hollywood was arrested on the active Kennett Municipal warrant as well as for resisting arrest, failure to obey a lawful order, and assault for spitting on the family member.   

He was held in the Dunklin County Justice Center.

VEHICLE BURSTS INTO FLAMES DURING PURSUIT INVOLVING POLICE 

A vehicle reportedly burst into flames during a pursuit involving police earlier this week. 

Officials with the Kennett Police Department tell KWOC News that officers were advised Tuesday night that a Dunklin County Deputy was in pursuit of a vehicle entering the city limits on Missouri Highway 84.  

Officers joined the pursuit and the suspect vehicle eventually exited the city limits and proceeded into Arkansas. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle attempted to strike a patrol vehicle multiple times.  

Eventually the driver of the suspect vehicle lost control and struck a tree. The vehicle then immediately burst into flames. Officers were able to extract the driver, a passenger, and two dogs from the vehicle before they could be injured from the flames. 

The driver of the vehicle was air lifted to a medical facility in Memphis for injuries he sustained in the crash. The female passenger was transported by ambulance to the Hayti Hospital. 

Officers later learned that both the driver and passenger had several outstanding felony warrants for their arrest. A report was sent to the Dunklin County Prosecutor’s office for the filing of formal charges against the driver regarding the incident. The names of the two people were not released.

POPLAR BLUFF MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING KIDNAPPING OF YOUNG CHILD 

Authorities in Poplar Bluff have arrested an area man in connection to the alleged kidnapping of a young child.  

According to the Poplar Bluff Police Department, on Sunday evening an officer was dispatched to a location on Kinzer Street. At the scene a woman told the officer that her two year old son was playing in the front yard of her residence when 37 year old Jeffrey Moore pulled up and kidnapped him. 

Moore was later located with the child at a location in Poplar Bluff and placed under arrest. He was transported to the Butler County Jail on a charge of kidnapping 1st degree.  

Police say that this is the third time Moore has taken the child. Moore, who is not the father, has reportedly cared for the child since birth.

TWO ARRESTED IN POPLAR BLUFF DRUG BUST 

Two men have been taken into custody following a large drug bust this week in the Poplar Bluff area.  

Lieutenant Josh Stewart with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tells KWOC News that on Tuesday, officers executed a search warrant at the residence of 49 year old Jeffery Resnik, just outside of the Poplar Bluff city limits. 

At the scene, investigators located two separate Marijuana grow operations, a psilocybin mushroom grow operation, various quantities of processed marijuana, assorted drug paraphernalia, and approximately 116 grams of “ICE” methamphetamine. 

Officers also located a quantity of counterfeit US currency, along with counterfeit Missouri ID’s and what appeared to be a credit card cloning operation. 

Resnik was arrested and held in the Butler County Justice Center. He is facing charges of manufacturing marijuana, manufacturing hallucinogens, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of hallucinogens, and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

A second person present at the time of the warrant, 24 year old Alx Govoni, of Poplar Bluff, was also arrested and is facing charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. 

Stewart says that the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected.