By Jeff Lehr
jlehr@joplinglobe.com
A Joplin man pleaded guilty Wednesday in Jasper County Circuit Court to a misdemeanor drug offense and was released from jail in a case involving the alleged threatening of a woman with a knife in April.
Bobby D. Sweeney, 32, had been charged with four felony counts following an incident April 13 in the 2700 block of South Missouri Avenue.
Police and court records show that officers were called to the address in reference to a woman allegedly being held against her will. The woman, who said she had been in a relationship with Sweeney for a couple of months, told officers that he put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her, their family and their dog if she told anyone he was manufacturing methamphetamine, according to a probable-cause affidavit.
A second affidavit states that the woman also told police that Sweeney had stolen a computer that belonged to her father, while a third affidavit alleged that a syringe containing meth was found in the house. Sweeney initially was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, theft, manufacturing a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.
Assistant Prosecutor Theresa Kenney said those charges had to be dropped Wednesday because of a lack of cooperation on the part of the victim.
Sweeney pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia instead, and was given credit for four months served in jail.
