Show-Me State Times

U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk has sentenced a man to 22 years in prison for orchestrating the smuggling of a fatal dose of drugs into the St. Francois County jail. The incident involved Timothy L. Noll, 35, from Park Hills, Missouri, who sought to sell drugs within the facility.

Noll arrived at the jail on July 27, 2021, and began his attempts to find someone willing to help him smuggle drugs inside. He instructed an intermediary to obtain the drugs from Garry W. Triplett and conceal them within a Bible.

On August 1, the intermediary arranged for the Bible's delivery to the jail. When Noll learned he was being transferred to state prison and could not take the Bible with him, he instructed jail staff to give it to his cellmate. Two days later, his cellmate died due to mixed drug intoxication that included a lethal dose of fentanyl.

In May, Noll pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death. Triplett, aged 37, also pleaded guilty to similar charges and is scheduled for sentencing in December.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted an investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is handling its prosecution.