Sheriff faces meth charge in state ravaged by drug

VAN BUREN, Mo. – One county on the edge of the Missouri Ozarks seemed oddly immune to the scourge of methamphetamine ravaging the state, boasting few meth raids or arrests in recent years. Some residents now think they know why, after a meth bust landed the Carter County sheriff himself in jail.

Tommy Adams, county sheriff for a little more than two years, was arrested earlier this month after giving meth to an informant at his cabin on a remote and hilly gravel road, according to a court document. He also allegedly snorted the drug himself with a straw. Authorities would not detail the extent of Adam's alleged meth involvement, but charged him with meth distribution. He is being held in Cape Girardeau County jail on $250,000 bond.

It seems that this is not the first time officers have had their hands in the drug business in Missorui, but this is the first time a sherrif has been caught distributing meth

Now, a county once seen as an exception has become the latest example of how deeply meth has saturated every corner of rural Missouri life. Other rural law enforcement officers have been linked to drugs over the years, but Adams is one of the first arrested for meth.

I think what this person says sums it up

"I think it's pretty sad," said Vicki Babbs, 46, of Van Buren. "You've got someone who's sheriff riding around high on meth with a gun. It's pretty scary."

Sherrif + high on meth = not good

And it dosent end there

County residents hope the case sheds light on the extent of the local meth problem as well as other crimes. Days after the sheriff's arrest, his chief deputy, 23-year-old Steffanie Kearbey, was charged with burglary and receiving stolen property — a gun taken from the department's evidence room.

Im not sure what happened to this department recently.

The article says the 23 year old was possibly forced to do what she did in the stolen property case. It says that Adams was the instigator in this case. Time will tell to see what happens.

It looks like the sherrif was pretty new to the force to.

After just two years of law enforcement experience, Adams, a Republican ran for sheriff in 2008 against favored Democratic incumbent Greg Melton. But just weeks before the November election, Melton died in what was ruled a suicide. It was too late for the Democrats to replace him, and Melton's name remained on the ballot.

I would guess that this guy took a hit of meth once, and was immediatley addicted, or he instead found out that the meth business would make him alot of money.

Sad story... This is not the first inciddent of this happening in Missouri. The Sheriff and PA were recently arrested in a county north of Joplin for evidence theft and tampering etc..

As far as meth goes, the highest you will ever get off of it is your first time. After that, its down hill, and people will continue to increase the amount they take, and the frequency they take it, in an effort to get as high as the first time, with no luck.

This is one of a few drugs where rehabilitation should be a priority over incarceration.

This is FAR from uncomman there and in Oklahoma and Arkansas both. It went friom moonshine to pot and now meth and about half the time the police there are heavely into it