Sara M. Norton, 37, of House Springs was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to two felony drug charges and a parole violation, according to court records.
In April 2016, Norton, a prior drug offender, was under surveillance by the Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group and was spotted driving a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier on Local Hillsboro Road. A detective followed the Cavalier and pulled over the car when it crossed the double-yellow line near Rosemary Lane, a probable-cause statement said.
The detective searched Norton, and she was found with an uncapped syringe and a plastic bag containing 17 multi-colored capsules, which tested positive for heroin, the probable-cause statement said.
Police also searched a bedroom Norton was using at a home in the 6500 block of Jenny Court in Cedar Hill and found a box containing a plastic bag filled with numerous syringes; a plastic bag containing white powder, which tested positive for meth; a spoon with residue, which tested positive for heroin; a plastic bag containing marijuana; a tin containing marijuana; a metal pipe with residue and a variety of other pieces of drug paraphernalia, according to the report.
Norton pleaded guilty to one count of felony possession of a controlled substance and to one count of felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute or deliver it. On May 22, Jefferson County Div. 5 Judge Victor J. Melenbrink sentenced her to two 10-year prison terms, one for each of the charges. However, the two terms are to be served concurrently, or at the same time, court records said.
Jefferson County assistant prosecuting attorney Trisha C. Stefanski handled the case.
That 10 years, though, is to be served consecutively with a 10-year term and two seven-year terms Norton was previously sentenced to stemming from an incident in June 2011 and two incidents in June 2012, all in Jefferson County.
In those cases, she pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute or deliver it, to stealing, and to possession of a controlled substance, all felonies, and she was sentenced in July 2013 to the 10-year and two seven-year terms, all to be served concurrently. She was released early, though, in September 2014, after completing a treatment program and got five years’ probation.
However, she violated the probation, so the previous 10-year term was executed, and the latest 10-year term will be served consecutively to it, for a total of 20 years, court records show.
Another defendant in the 2016 case, Kimberly K. Halmon of Cedar Hill, has been charged with unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine not exceeding $2,000. That case is still pending, according to court documents. Norton currently is at the Chillicothe Correctional Center.