NEWS RELEASE



For further information please contact:

Sgt. Jason Clark

573-526-6122

DDCC1-31

January 31, 2005



EMPHASIS: Arrests made on Counterfeit Money, Concealed Weapon, Meth Lab and Stolen ATV



Captain Ronald K. Replogle, Director of the Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC), announces two arrests were made on January 30, 2005, for Receiving Stolen Property, Unlawful Use of Weapons, Attempt to Manufacture a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine), Possession of Anhydrous Ammonia in an Unapproved Container, and Counterfeiting.



John A. Curtis age 38, of Ava, MO, and Michael W. Cook, age 34, of West Plains, MO, were taken into custody on January 30, 2005, at a drive thru restaurant in Seymour, MO. An alert employee of the restaurant noticed what appeared to be a counterfeit $20 bill and contacted the police to inform them about the incident. A uniformed trooper assigned to the incident arrived at the scene, and discovered a working meth lab, a stolen ATV, and $258 in counterfeit money in the vehicle, and a concealed handgun on one of the suspects. An investigator from the Division of Drug and Crime Control and the United States Secret Service assisted with this investigation.



The subjects arrested in this case are currently being held at the Webster County Jail. The above charges are mere accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.