Monett man waives hearing on drug trafficking charges

Jeff Lehr, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·1 min read

Mar. 5—NEOSHO, Mo. — A Monett man waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday on a drug trafficking charge in Newton County and was ordered to stand trial.

Christopher B. Kessinger, 42, waived the hearing in Newton County Circuit Court on a count of first-degree trafficking in methamphetamine. Associate Judge Christine Rhoades set the defendant's initial appearance in a trial division of the court for April 13.

The charge pertains to an arrest June 4 after a high-speed pursuit of a vehicle into Newton County from Oklahoma that began when a Wyandotte, Oklahoma, police officer tried to conduct a traffic stop on a Pontiac Firebird driven by the defendant.

A probable-cause affidavit states that the pursuit reached speeds as high as 135 mph and ended when Newton County deputies set out spike strips and deflated three of the Firebird's tires near Missouri Highway 60 and Ibex Road.

A foot chase ensued before officers were able to subdue the fleeing driver with a stun gun.

The affidavit states that bags containing 85 grams of methamphetamine and small amounts of marijuana were found in the vehicle, along with two syringes and a glass drug pipe.

The document further states that Kessinger's driver's license was revoked at the time and that he had several outstanding warrants, including those for a probation violation in Arkansas and failures to appear in court on charges of burglary, resisting arrest and assault in Lawrence County, and driving with a revoked license in Greene County.

Jeff Lehr is a reporter for The Joplin Globe.