Probation granted last defendant in Aurora meth trafficking case

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

Jul. 12—MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — The last of three defendants in a Lawrence County meth trafficking case was granted suspended sentences this week when he accepted a plea offer.

Gerald W. Thornton Jr., 32, of Galena, Missouri, pleaded guilty in Lawrence County Circuit Court to a reduced count of possession of methamphetamine and additional felony counts of child endangerment and maintaining a public nuisance.

Thornton had been facing a more serious offense of second-degree trafficking in drugs in connection with a raid conducted by Lawrence County deputies March 9, 2021, at a property on County Road 1224 near Aurora with several trailers and outbuildings.

His plea deal called for suspended sentences on the three convictions, and Judge David Cole assessed a seven-year suspended sentence on the drug count and a three-year suspended term on the nuisance count, and granted a suspended imposition of sentence on the endangerment count.

Sheriff's deputies were seeking Freddie Jensen Jr. — in a traffic stop on a motorcycle and in several outstanding warrants — when they served a search warrant on the property with the assistance of a SWAT team. A second search warrant was served there when a bag containing about a quarter-pound of meth and $1,040 were found in Jensen's possession upon his arrest.

The search turned up more meth in a trailer believed to be Jensen's home and some meth, marijuana and a shotgun in a trailer occupied by his father, Freddie Jensen Sr.

Thornton, who was discovered hiding in a clothes dryer inside the younger Jensen's home, initially pretended to have a mental disability and provided a false name to officers. About 17.5 grams of meth were found in a toy box in the home, along with various supplies for distributing the drug, according to a probable-cause affidavit.

The younger Jensen pleaded guilty to related drug charges in 2021 and was sentenced to seven years in prison. His father pleaded guilty in October to gun and drug charges and was granted suspended sentences.