Federal judge finds probable cause to hold Joplin man on meth trafficking charges, decision on bond delayed

U. S. District Court Judge David P. Rush found probable cause to hold Christopher L. Meister, 41, Joplin on a federal meth trafficking charge and took a request to hold Meister without bond under advisement.

Pending the decision, Meister will be held in the Greene County Jail in Springfield.

Meister was arrested Monday after officers conducted a controlled-delivery of a package suspected of containing narcotics at a Joplin residence, according to a detention motion filed by the U. S. Attorney's office.

Defendant accepted the package and returned to the residence, at which time officers executed a previously obtained search warrant.

Defendant was found in the master bedroom with the package and a loaded, .45-caliber firearm within reach.

A search of the package Defendant accepted yielded approximately 10 pounds of suspected methamphetamine. Additionally, officers discovered numerous firearms in the master bedroom where Defendant was found, including an assault rifle and a tactical shotgun.

The U. S. Attorney, citing Meister's lengthy history of arrests, including two for domestic assault, one of which involved firing a gun at a woman, is asking that he be held without bond.