The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Local News

August 25, 2009

Ex-assistant prosecutor in Cherokee County faces new charges

By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

COLUMBUS, Kan. — New charges filed against former assistant Cherokee County Attorney Jeffrey Pittman allege that he schemed with two others to deliver methamphetamine to him in jail.

The charges were filed this week in Cherokee County District Court by assistant Kansas Attorney General Steven Wilhoft. The charges are felony conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, felony conspiracy to traffic contraband into a jail, and two counts of felony use of a communications device to arrange for the sale or purchase of meth.

The new charges allege that from Aug. 5-8, Pittman, while he was an inmate at the Labette County Jail in Oswego, called a woman to coordinate delivery of meth to the jail, and arranged for a man to deliver him a gram of meth. Whether charges have been filed against the woman or the man was not available Tuesday night.

Pittman, of Carterville, Mo., previously was charged in Cherokee County with felony meth manufacturing, felony possession of meth with intent to distribute, felony possession of meth ingredients, and felony use of drug paraphernalia.

Those charges are based on a June 29 traffic stop of Pittman’s vehicle in Galena and a search of his former law office in downtown Galena.

His preliminary hearing on those charges was scheduled for Tuesday, but a delay was granted because of the new charges.

Pittman is scheduled to stand trial Oct. 5 on a felony marijuana possession charge in Jasper County, Mo.





Background

Jeffrey Pittman served as assistant Cherokee County attorney from March 26, 2001, to Feb. 14, 2002. The Kansas Supreme Court disbarred him last year.

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