This week the Cole County Grand Jury handed down indictments in several cases, finding there was enough evidence to send them to the circuit courts for possible trial.
Among those indicted was a Holts Summit man charged in connection with an April vehicle chase in Jefferson City.
Damien Rotter, 21, is charged with resisting a lawful stop, driving without a valid license and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
On the morning of April 13, an officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop in the 1300 block of Bald Hill Road after recognizing Rotter and knowing he did not have a valid license, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement.
Rotter sped away, and an 11-block pursuit began through a residential neighborhood. Speeds during the chase reached 100 mph. Rotter ran three stop signs and sped into the oncoming lane of traffic multiple times before crashing in the 2100 block of Bald Hill and being taken into custody.
A black bag containing many 1-inch resealable plastic bags and a small scale were found in the front seat of his vehicle.
Also indicted was a Jefferson City man convicted three times in drug cases since 2002, who now is facing more drug charges after a March traffic stop in Cole County.
Brandon Betts, 33, is charged with second-degree drug trafficking, tampering with physical evidence, and delivering or concealing prohibited articles at a jail.
Deputies stopped Betts in the 6000 block of West Business 50 for failing to stop at a stop sign, according to the Cole County Sheriff's Department.
A strong odor of marijuana was coming from the vehicle, so deputies ordered Betts out of the vehicle and searched him. Deputies found a large amount of cash and a clear plastic bag with a powdered substance that tested positive for cocaine.
Betts was brought back to the Cole County Jail, and while being held in a detention cell, he was seen on camera trying to remove an item from his pants and throw it in the toilet. He attempted to flush the toilet, but the water was turned off. Betts then appeared to remove two more items from his pants to throw in the toilet.
Deputies searched the toilet and found a clear plastic bag with marijuana inside it, along with another bag of crack cocaine.
Court records show Betts had a pending charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute from December 2016.
Also indicted was a Jefferson City man charged in a rape investigation from earlier this month.
Shawndell Miller, 40, was charged with first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy, one count of first-degree kidnapping and three counts of armed criminal action.
Police reports show officers responded to a residence in the 600 block of Belmont Street for a call of a possible intruder.
When officers arrived, residents said Miller had fled the area.
The residents said he had entered the home and sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl.
A probable cause statement said the teen reported the man she identified as Miller pulled her out of her bed, threatened her with a handgun and forced her to another room in the house where he raped her.
The victim said Miller then took her cellphone to prevent her from calling anyone.
After being located and arrested, Miller admitted to committing the assault, police said.
Also indicted were two Jefferson City men charged in connection with a Cole County burglary investigation.
James Kliethermes, 47, is charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and one count each of receiving stolen property and stealing.
Ryan Robinett, 45, is charged with second-degree burglary and felony stealing.
Robinett allegedly was in a vehicle pulled over during a January traffic stop where a motorcycle in their possession turned out to have been stolen from a storage unit in Eugene, according to a Missouri Highway Patrol probable cause statement.
In February, several other items that turned out to have been stolen from the same storage unit were posted for sale on Facebook. A search of the property where Robinett was staying on Wheat Lane discovered the posted items.
Authorities learned Kliethermes had been selling items similar to items taken in area thefts out of the back of his truck.
Investigators went to a rental property on Willow Drive where Kliethermes used to live, where a large amount of stolen items from area thefts was reported to be kept. Neighbors and other witnesses said they heard conversations regarding the theft of items, and they described many of the items in the basement which turned out to have been stolen from the storage units.
Authorities obtained a search warrant and found items stolen from several locations in Cole County.
The owner of the property told authorities Kliethermes had moved into the basement of the home and began bringing in a large quantity of suspicious items. He said Kliethermes would steal items from storage units and bring them back to the Willow Drive residence. The property owner also said Kliethermes would often brag when they got back saying they "hit a good lick." Not only would the two sell items on social media, the property owner said, but they would also trade some items for drugs.
Also indicted was a Tebbetts man who has already been sentenced to seven years in prison in Callaway County after pleading guilty to charges regarding several theft-related investigations around Holts Summit, Tebbetts and Mokane.
In Cole County, Joseph Green, 20, has been charged with one count of first-degree tampering for operating a pickup without the owner's consent in January 2016. He's also charged with one count of second-degree burglary in connection with a break-in of a building in the 6700 block of Frasher Drive in August 2016.
Another first-degree tampering charge was filed for operating another pickup without the owner's consent, and charges of receiving stolen property and abandoning a motor vehicle were filed after another incident involving the taking of a pickup without the owner's consent. These last three incidents were said to have occurred in November 2016.