Jury Convicts Local Man on 3 Felony Charges

A 59-year-old Dunklin County man was found guilty of three felony charges last week, stemming from investigations from 2006 and 2007.

Elmer L. Jefferson, of Kennett, was tried on Friday, April 23, 2010, by a jury of nine men and three women, on two Class A felonies of attempted sale of a controlled substance, crack cocaine, and one Class D felony of resisting arrest.

According to Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen P. Sokoloff, the two Class A felony charges stemmed from an arrest on May 17, 2006, in which Jefferson made a sale of crack cocaine to a confidential informant at the junction of North Baldwin and Commercial Streets. The charges of attempt to sale were levied as Class A felonies, as Jefferson was a prior offender, according to the prosecutor.

Sokoloff said the felony resisting arrest took place on March 15, 2007, at Jefferson's home, located on the 800 block of Baldwin Street.

The trial was presided over by Judge Scott Horman, of Scott County, Mo.

Jefferson was represented by a public defender and the State of Missouri was represented by Sokoloff.

The prosecuting attorney reported that after both sides were heard, the jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before coming back with the guilty verdict.

According to Sokoloff, each of the Class A felonies carry a punishment of 10 to 30 years, or life in prison, and the Class D felony carries a punishment of up to four years in prison.

Jefferson will appear on May 30, 2010, for sentencing.