Late night traffic stop in Belle results in felony drug charges

By Laura Schiermeier, Staff Writer
Posted 1/6/21

BELLE — A Waynesville man was arrested in Belle Saturday and his been charged in Maries County for felony possession of controlled substance.

Anthony Destefano, 48, Waynesville, was being …

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Late night traffic stop in Belle results in felony drug charges

Posted

BELLE — A Waynesville man was arrested in Belle Saturday and his been charged in Maries County for felony possession of controlled substance.

Anthony Destefano, 48, Waynesville, was being held in the Maries County Jail and was set for a detention hearing on Jan. 5 in Maries County Associate Circuit Court, Judge Kerry Rowden presiding.

According to Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman, Destefano was arrested in the early morning hours of Jan. 2 when Deputy Mike Sasseen observed a vehicle with no front license plate traveling on Highway 28. He conducted a traffic stop. A records check of Destefano indicated he had a revoked driver's license and he could not provide Deputy Sasseen with proof of insurance. The deputy arrested him for driving while revoked. 

During the roadside investigation, Destefano informed the deputy of a bag of marijuana in the glove box and some “ice” in the driver’s door in a pill bottle. A search by the deputy located the marijuana and the “ice” inside a pill bottle. He also found a red bag containing suspected methamphetamine, which field-tested positive for its presence.

He was taken to the Maries County Jail and processed.

Sheriff Heitman complimented Deputy Sasseen on being proactive. “While traffic stops can sometimes be seen as petty by some in our communities, they not only ensure our roadways are safe but allow our deputies the opportunity to make contact with the occupants of the vehicle. These traffic stops regularly allow our deputies to remove unwanted individuals and drugs from our streets and can provide leads to other investigations,” Sheriff Heitman said.