Officers find 17 individual bags of meth, man says it’s his but for personal use only

Orval “Donnie” Merriman, 49, of Theodosia, is out of jail on supervised bond release in connection with a case in which he’s charged with trafficking drugs and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia for methamphetamine. 

He was arrested Dec. 15, 2023, and was held in jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond until Jan. 5, when he was granted release on his own recognizance. 

He was originally represented by the Missouri Public Defender’s Office, but the public defender withdrew as his counsel on Jan. 2 because “Defendant has demonstrated sufficient financial resources with which to hire private counsel...” Rodney Eugene Daniels, a Ridgedale attorney, now represents Merriman. 

According to the probable cause statement, prepared by Ozark County Sheriff’s Lt. Matt Rhoades at 11:10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 11, officers with the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department and the Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force conducted a search warrant for narcotics at Merriman’s residence in Theodosia. The search warrant application included significant details showing that Merriman had been trafficking methamphetamine for a long time, the document says. 

During the search, in Merriman’s apartment, which was located in a shop on the property, officers found 35.5 grams of methamphetamine, divided into 17 small zip-top bags with varying weights of the drug, the report says. 

The meth was concealed in a PVC pipe in Meriman’s bedroom next to his couch, the report says. 

In addition to the drugs, officers also found additional items inside the PVC pipe that are indicative of drug sales including a digital scale and two plastic bags containing an unknown brown substance. 

In the apartment, 100 clean zip-top bags were found, which are commonly used to store weighed amounts of drugs ready for sale. 

Elsewhere in the apartment, officers found multiple items that field-tested positive for methamphetamine: two spoons, a used glass meth pipe, three syringes and a Vaseline bottle, the report says. 

Inside Merriman’s truck, officers also found a roll of cash rubber banded together that amounted to $824 in small bill denominations, also common in drug sale environments. 

Merriman reportedly admitted to officers during the search that the drugs were his, but he said that they were only for personal use.

The complaint says that Merriman has an extensive criminal history including possession, distribution and manufacturing controlled substances. He is being charged as a prior offender due to these convictions, meaning if convicted, he will face stricter punishment than a non-prior offender.

The past criminal convictions were listed in the document:

• Oct. 14, 1994, he pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary in Payne County, Oklahoma (offense occurring March 23, 1993);

• May 2, 2005, he pleaded guilty to possession of chemicals with intent to manufacture drugs and unlawful possession, transport, manufacture, repair or sale of illegal weapons in Stone County (offense occurring May 19, 2004);

• May 18, 2005, he pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and resisting arrest by fleeing in Stone County (offense occurring Jan. 25, 2005);

• May 17, 2005, he pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing animals in Barry County (offense occurring Jan. 25, 2005);

• May 18, 2005, he pleaded guilty to tampering with a motor vehicle in Lawrence County (offense occurring Jan. 17, 2005);

• May 18, 2005, he pleaded guilty to aggravated stalking in Lawrence County (offense occurring March 7, 2005);

• May 9, 2007, he pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license with his licensure privileges revoked in Ozark County (offense occurring Jan. 9, 2006);

• May 9, 2007, he pleaded guilty again to another charge of operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license with his licensure privileges revoked in Ozark County (offense occurring Feb. 16, 2006);

• May 9, 2007, he pleaded guilty to non-support of a child in Ozark County (offense occurring Jan. 31, 2005);

• Dec. 19, 2013, he pleaded guilty to aggravated stalking in Taney County (offense occurring Sept. 14, 2013);

• Dec. 19, 2013, he pleaded guilty to resisting arrest by fleeing in Taney County (offense occurring Sept. 14, 2013);

• Dec. 19, 2013, he pleaded guilty to felonious restraint in Taney County (offense occurring on Oct. 10, 2013)