Joplin man sentenced to 19 years for trafficking fentanyl, resisting arrest

(From the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's Office)

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announces that Joseph Hood entered his plea of guilty to one count of Trafficking Drugs in the Second Degree, a class B felony and one count of Resisting Arrest, and class E felony. 

As part of the plea agreement, he was sentenced to the Missouri Department of Corrections for 15 years on Count I: Trafficking in the Second Degree, which is the maximum sentence for this offense, and four years on Count II: Resisting Arrest, which is also the maximum sentence for this offense. These sentences will run consecutive to each other for a total of 19 years. 

As part of the plea agreement two counts of tampering were dismissed and another felony case alleging possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest was also dismissed.

Defendant was charged on March 22, 2024, with Trafficking Drugs and Resisting Arrest after leading police on a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, the defendant was seen throwing baggies from the vehicle. The baggies were retrieved by law enforcement officers with the Joplin Police Department and sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Lab which confirmed that the baggies contained .85 grams of fentanyl.

“This plea agreement reflects the seriousness of these crimes, and the danger they pose on our community. As the Prosecuting Attorney, I remain committed to holding offenders accountable and protecting the safety of the citizens of Jasper County.”