Attorney: man escapes 'Falls City drug culture'

FALLS CITY – A former Falls City resident, who sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the Richardson County Sheriff’s Office, was sentenced Tuesday to six months to six years in prison.

Defense Attorney Steven Mercure said 38-year-old Joshua Carpenter has been taking steps to become a productive member of society after being a part of the Falls City “drug culture” for the majority of his life.

A redacted arrest affidavit says a confidential informant told a deputy that Carpenter was selling methamphetamine in September of 2022. Court records say the sheriff’s office arranged a controlled buy near the middle school in Falls City.

Carpenter told Judge Julie Smith that he was selling only to support his own habit.

Carpenter said he was selling to people he had known for 20 plus years, who he thought were his friends. He said he has since moved away from Falls City and is working recovery that includes prayer and church attendance.

Judge Smith said Carpenter could be eligible for parole in three months. She said she would allow a wide window for state parole eligibility.

In other district court action, Justin Lawless, 39, of Cuba, Mo., was sentenced to 180 days in county jail for a residue case in February of 2022.

County Attorney Samantha Scheitel said she would not have opposed a probation, but Lawless failed to show up in court in 2022.

Scheitel: “Since he has  not appeared for two years, I’m not confident he will comply with probation.”

Lawless told the judge he tried to turn himself in three times, but the first two times Missouri officials told him he did not have an extraditable offense. He said he could not drive to Falls City because he had lost his car and lost his job due to the arrest warrant.

 

In a separate case, District Judge Julie Smith sentenced 30-year-old Marchelle Prayliou to time served plus 15 days saying he would be delivered to South Carolina to face an armed robbery charge.

A Richardson County sheriff’s deputy stopped a Hertz rental box truck on Highway 75 and says marijuana was found behind Praylious’s passenger seat. A search of the truck yielded a 9 mm handgun.