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The Rolla man accused of selling marijuana out of a daycare in March may plead guilty next month after fighting the charges in court for more than a year.
Steven R. Light, 51, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a Class B felony, two weeks after members of the Missouri Drug Task Force served a search warrant at his home, which also served as his wife’s home-based daycare operation.
According to court documents, officers found and seized several containers of marijuana totalling nearly four pounds and a .22 caliber revolver during the search.
Officers also note that a small child was found at the home, although the search warrant was served after business hours of the daycare.
Light’s wife, Jane Light, operated the business under the name Aunt Jane’s Daycare, and the couple told officers she was watching that child overnight for a special occasion.
The license for the daycare facility was revoked by the state 10 days after the search warrant was served, and the phone number to the facility has since been turned off.
The Lights are allowed, by law, to care for up to four children not related to them without a license.
Charges against Jane Light were never filed, as she claimed to have no knowledge of drug activity in the house.
The case against Steven Light was on the court’s docket in January for a trial setting, but appears to have taken a different direction.
The latest addition to the court file is a memo indicating the case has been set for a plea hearing Mar. 8.
No paperwork, however, has been filed by Light’s attorney, David Lyle Mills, indicating that Light plans to plead guilty.
The lack of an intent to plead guilty in the file indicates that no plea bargain has been made.
If convicted, Light faces up to 15 years in prison.
The Rolla man accused of selling marijuana out of a daycare in March may plead guilty next month after fighting the charges in court for more than a year.
Steven R. Light, 51, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a Class B felony, two weeks after members of the Missouri Drug Task Force served a search warrant at his home, which also served as his wife’s home-based daycare operation.
According to court documents, officers found and seized several containers of marijuana totalling nearly four pounds and a .22 caliber revolver during the search.
Officers also note that a small child was found at the home, although the search warrant was served after business hours of the daycare.
Light’s wife, Jane Light, operated the business under the name Aunt Jane’s Daycare, and the couple told officers she was watching that child overnight for a special occasion.
The license for the daycare facility was revoked by the state 10 days after the search warrant was served, and the phone number to the facility has since been turned off.
The Lights are allowed, by law, to care for up to four children not related to them without a license.
Charges against Jane Light were never filed, as she claimed to have no knowledge of drug activity in the house.
The case against Steven Light was on the court’s docket in January for a trial setting, but appears to have taken a different direction.
The latest addition to the court file is a memo indicating the case has been set for a plea hearing Mar. 8.
No paperwork, however, has been filed by Light’s attorney, David Lyle Mills, indicating that Light plans to plead guilty.
The lack of an intent to plead guilty in the file indicates that no plea bargain has been made.
If convicted, Light faces up to 15 years in prison.
