Couple charged with meth possession

Christopher Dobbs and Jessica Sherwood, both 36, are both scheduled to appear in court before Associate Judge Raymond Gross Dec. 10, for hearings related to a drug case filed in Ozark County. Dobbs faces two counts of possession of methamphetamine and two misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Sherwood is also charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.  

According to the probable cause statements, prepared by Ozark County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Sherman, he saw Dobbs driving a red S-10 pickup with expired tags on Oct. 16 and knew that he did not have a valid driver’s license. Sherman watched Dobbs pull into the Phillips 66 convenience store parking lot, and he pulled in behind him and activated his lights.

The deputy walked up to the driver’s door and made contact with Dobbs, who handed him his Missouri-issued non-driver’s identification card. Sherman went back to his patrol vehicle to run Dobbs name through the system to confirm that he did not have a license. The computer said that the license had been revoked. He then tried to run the license plate numbers from the truck, but the tags were so out of date, they did not come back on file. The front license plate and the back license plate did not match, the report says. 

Sherman said he explained to Dobbs that his license was still revoked, and he wasn’t allowed to drive. Dobbs reportedly said he knew he can’t drive, and that Lt. Rhoades had given him a warning a week or so ago about his unregistered vehicle. Sherman told Dobbs he was placing him under arrest, and he would be held in the Ozark County Jail for a 24 hour hold pending formal filing of charges. 

“As I was conducting an inventory search of the vehicle before towing, Deputy Sherman ran the [K9] dog around the vehicle and got a positive alert. Deputy Sherman Mirandized Dobbs and asked him where the drugs were, and he stated to look in the shifter column,” the report says. 

The officer took a cap off the shifter and there was a small compartment inside with a white powder that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Dobbs was arrested and transported to the Ozark County Jail. 

Then, at approximately 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Dobbs’ and Sherwoods’ camper trailer residence in Wasola. 

Inside a bedroom floor cabinet, they reportedly found a glass mirror with a white-crystal like substance on it, along with Dobb’s work badge and a black digital scale. They also found a small glass item with a white crystal-like substance inside. All of the items field-tested positive for methamphetamine. 

All items were secured and processed as evidence. Dobbs was already in custody for driving without a license. He was notified he would receive additional charges for possession of a controlled substance. Sherwood was located at a neighbor’s residence, and she was notified that she would face possession of a methamphetamine charges relating to the search warrant. She was arrested and transported to the Ozark County Jail where she was placed on a 24-hour hold pending charges as well. 

According to online court records, Dobbs was granted supervised bond release in order to enter Action Recovery Center, a residential substance abuse treatment program. He was also required to sign paperwork allowing ARC to release information about his participation in the program and any results of drug testing performed at the residential program. He is to remain in ARC unless otherwise ordered by the court. Dobbs is represented by Public Defender Opolka. 

Sherwood, who is represented by James Coatney working on behalf of the Public Defender’s office, was released on her own recognizance. She is to be supervised by Court Probationary Services and pay any costs involved with that supervision. She will report twice a week to CPS for drug testing and she is ordered to have no contact with anyone who is on probation, parole, bond or convicted/charged with felonies. She is also restricted from using alcohol or drugs that are not prescribed and leaving the state except for what is required as part of employment.