Michael Petko, 52, who lives east of De Soto, was recently arrested for a felony drug charge and five misdemeanor charges. He was allegedly found with substances that tested positive for methamphetamine following a traffic stop in De Soto, according to court records.
Petko has been charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, two misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor charges for driving with a revoked license, operating a vehicle without proof of insurance and displaying improper license plates, court documents show.
He was arrested on March 26, and as of March 29, he was being held on a $10,000 bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, court and jail records said.
A De Soto Police officer on Sept. 17, 2025, stopped Petko because he was driving a 2007 Cadillac DTS that had license plates registered to a Buick. Petko was stopped near the intersection of Rankin Street and East Second Street, according to the case’s probable-cause statement.
Petko told the officer that he did not have insurance and that his driver’s license had been suspended. The officer confirmed Petko’s license was suspended, and he also learned that Petko was wanted on multiple warrants, the report said.
The officer arrested Petko, and when the officer searched the Cadillac, he allegedly found a bag with a crystal-like substance inside it, two syringes loaded with liquid and nine empty syringes, according to the report.
The substances were sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which identified the crystal-like substance and liquid as meth, the report said.