Felony drug-related cases again dominated the Franklin County grand jury which ended its six-month term March 27.
A new jury will be impaneled soon and begin hearing evidence in cases, according to Prosecuting Attorney Bob Parks.
Indictments issued by the grand jury mean that those cases bypass the normal preliminary hearing process in associate circuit courts and go directly to circuit court for arraignment and trial setting.
By law, information about cases heard by the grand jury may not be released until defendants are arrested and served indictments.
A total of 190 cases were presented to the last grand jury which began its term Oct. 25, 2011.
The panel issued indictments in all but three of those cases.
Of the total cases reviewed, 110, or roughly 59 percent, were issued in drug-related cases, according to the grand jury report prepared by the prosecutor’s office.
Twenty-one indictments, 11 percent of the total, were issued in driving while intoxicated cases; 12, or 6.4 percent, for assaults; five, 2.6 percent, for sex-related crimes; and 22, 11.7 percent, were issued for burglary, robbery and stealing offenses.
Following is a breakdown of the charges issued by the last grand jury:
Drug Charges
Possession of controlled substances, 66;
Distribution/delivery/sale of a controlled substance, 10;
Possession of methamphetamine precursors/chemicals, six;
Trafficking in the first or second degree, 11;
Manufacture/attempt to manufacture a controlled substance, nine;
Possession with intent to distribute, three;
Possession with intent to create a controlled substance, three;
Producing a controlled substance, two.
Burglary/Stealing
Stealing, six;
Burglary in the first or second degree, nine;
Robbery in the first degree, three.
Sex Crimes
Statutory rape/sodomy in the first or second degree, four;
Child molestation, one;
Failure to register as a sex offender, one.
Assaults
Assault in the first or second degree, eight;
Assault of a law enforcement officer, two;
Domestic assault in the first or second degree, two.
Miscellaneous Charges
Unlawful use of a weapon, one;
Child abuse, four;
Receiving stolen property, one;
Tampering with a vehicle, four;
Failure to pay Missouri income tax, two;
Fail to pay sales tax, one;
Forgery, one;
Passing a bad check, one.
