Officers say drug bust in Theodosia turns up 170 grams of meth, $1,700 cash and more

Two Theodosia residents are facing steep charges after officers say they uncovered more than 170 grams of meth, $1,700 in cash, drug paraphernalia including digital scales, a rifle and more at their home, pointing to what they believe was a meth distribution hub for the area. 

The probable cause statements in the cases say officers had conducted a lengthy investigation of Gary and Venessia Donley and traffic in and out of their residence in Theodosia, which included multiple weeks of surveillance in early to mid-December.

A traffic stop

The investigation came to a head at approximately 8:07 p.m. Dec. 19, when Deputy and K9 handler Josh Sherman pulled over Venessia at Highways 160 and P in Theodosia. She was reportedly driving a maroon Nissan passenger vehicle eastbound and had an inoperable passenger side license plate light. In Missouri, drivers are legally required to have properly working lights to illuminate their license plate. Due to the burned out bulb, Sherman was able to initiate the stop. 

After the officer put his lights and sirens on, Venessia reportedly pulled into the Lutie School parking lot, where the officer made contact with her and explained the reason for the stop. She identified herself as Venessia Donley, which Sherman explained in the report that he knew from previous contacts with her.  He relayed her information by radio to the OCSD dispatch office. 

“While dispatch ran Donley’s information, I deployed my certified narcotics detection K9, Karo, for a free-air sniff around the exterior of the vehicle. During the sniff, K9 Karo displayed a positive change in behavior. In conjunction with prior history and other circumstances, a probable cause search was established,” Sherman wrote in his report. 

Deputies Gannan Moss and Hunter Ryan arrived on scene to assist with the vehicle search, the report says. 

Inside the vehicle, the officers reported to have found three baggies with a substance inside that field-tested positive for meth. The report says one bag had 2.73 grams, another had 5.41 grams and the final bag had 16.57 grams. 

In addition to the suspected drugs, officers found a glass smoking device that field-tested positive for meth, three empty plastic baggies, three Hydrocodone pills and $302 in cash.

Vanessia was arrested and transported to the Ozark County Jail without incident. 

Search of home

After Sherman conducted the stop, officers obtained a search warrant for the Donley residence, located on Hoover Drive, off County Road 163 in Theodosia.

Sheriff’s Lt. Matt Rhoades indicated in his report that while surveiling the residence prior to obtaining the warrant, officers found that there were no occupants present at the home. The officer secured the exterior of the home to prevent any attempted destruction of evidence, the report says. 

“While awaiting the signed warrant, a neighbor associated with the Donleys arrived at the residence. She was detained and stated she was there to check on the property at Gary’s request,” Rhoades wrote in his report. “Gary called her multiple times during the detention, which led me to believe he was made aware of [Vanessia’s] arrest and was possibly requested a trusted person to clean his house of illegal items prior to our arrival.”

Rhoades said a short time later, Gary arrived at the property in his vehicle and was detained by officers. Sherman brought K9 Karo to the scene, and he conducted a free-air sniff and alerted to narcotics being present. 

Officers conducted what is referenced to as a “probable cause search” of the truck. Inside the truck bed, they reportedly found a plastic bag containing four individual plastic baggies, each with approximately one ounce (approximately 113 grams) of a white crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Officers also reportedly found a methamphetamine pipe and $1,416 in cash in various denominations. 

Officers placed Gary under arrest, and Rhoades advised him of his Miranda rights, which he waived, the report says.

“He admitted to purchasing four ounces of methamphetamine in Springfield for $850, stated it was for personal use, confirmed only he and [Venessia] reside at the address and denied additional illegal items in the residence,” Rhoades’ report says. 

Quantities exceeding personal use

Officers say the total amount of methamphetamine recovered in the operation was approximately 20 grams in the traffic stop, 117 grams in Gary’s truck and 128 grams within the residence, equaling a total of approximately 170 grams. 

“The residence appears to be used for methamphetamine distribution, supported by quantities exceeding personal use thresholds, packaging materials, scales and cash, consistent with trafficking/distribution...” the report says. “[Venessia] was not present during the execution but is implicated based on the traffic stop directly after leaving the residence and being found with meth and joint residency.”

Rhoades notes that Gary has a lengthy criminal history that includes six separate felony convictions for narcotics-related charges for more than 40 years. He also has five separate felony convictions for stealing and forgery during the same time period, from about 1981 until present. Those facts make him eligible for increased felony levels and, if convicted, harsher punishment due to being a “prior and persistent offender” under the court’s definition. 

The list of items seized from the residence include the methamphetamine, cash, a bolt-action .308 Savage rifle with scope and sling (which is illegal for Gary to possess as he is a convicted felon), two black cell phones and the following items, all of which officers say field-tested positive for methamphetamine: two meth pipes, three straws, one spoon, four used hypodermic needles, two digital scales, one glass plate and one rubber hose with a glass end. 

Charges and case updates

Gary is charged with the class B felony of trafficking drugs, which would normally carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison; however, because of his prior and persistent drug offender status, he is facing 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment. He’s also facing four additional felony charges of unlawful possession of a firearm (as a convicted felon), unlawful use of a weapon (possessing a weapon and a felony-level controlled substance at the same time), keeping or maintaining a public nuisance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia for amphetamine or methamphetamine. 

He has been held in the Ozark County Jail on a $15,000 cash-only bond since his arrest Dec. 19. A bond reduction hearing was scheduled for Tuesday morning. Details of that  hearing were not available at presstime. 

Defense attorney James Matthew Colston of Carthage has filed his appearance as Gary’s counsel. 

Venessia does not face as serious of charges as Gary, but she has been charged with two felonies: a class C felony for delivery of a controlled substance, which can carry a sentence of 3 to 10 years in prison) and a class D felony for possession of a controlled substance (which can carry a term of up to 7 years in prison). A class A misdemeanor of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia is also filed against her, which can bring a fine of up to $500. 

She was originally held in the Ozark County Jail on a $3,500 cash only bond; however, Judge Raymond Gross approved an order to allow her pre-trial release with supervision from Court Probationary Services during her arraignment hearing Dec. 22. She is represented by defense attorney Joshua Brown of Mountain Grove.