Two Linn residents face drug possession charges

By Neal A. Johnson, UD Editor
Posted 4/13/22

Members of the Mid Missouri Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, Osage County Sheriff’s Office, and the Linn Police Department developed a case last Wednesday that resulted in drug charges …

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Two Linn residents face drug possession charges

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Members of the Mid Missouri Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, Osage County Sheriff’s Office, and the Linn Police Department developed a case last Wednesday that resulted in drug charges against Seth M. Hormel, 36, and Sherry J. Gudermuth, 58, both of Linn.

It began as a response to an individual with an altered mental status at a residence on Main Street in Linn, who told Osage County deputies that he had received what he believed to be methamphetamine from Hormel at his residence on East Main Street, and they had used the drugs with Gudermuth at her residence. He believed the meth contained another type of narcotic.

During a conversation with Hormel in the rear of his home, Hormel admitted to being an addict and confirmed the residence as where he resides but denied consent to search the residence. According to the probable cause statement, Hormel became agitated, was arrested, and transported to the Osage County Sheriff’s Office.

Law enforcement officers executed a narcotics search warrant at the residence, during which they found a mirror in the kitchen with a pile of white crystal on top that later tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine with a Nartec field test ampoule and TruNarc. The approximate weight of this substance was 0.6 grams. A paper driver’s license for Hormel was also located in the kitchen.

In the upstairs bedroom, officers located a prescription bottle with no label containing three white pills labeled U35 identified as acetaminophen and codeine phosphate 300 mg/15 mg, a controlled substance. Hormel’s birth certificate was located in the same room, just feet from the pill bottle. Numerous other items were located in this room that field-tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.

Officers later traveled to Gudermuth’s residence, also on Main Street in Linn.

Gudermuth consented to a search of her residence for methamphetamine. During the search, task force officers located two blue baggies and a clear plastic box containing a white crystal. All items later tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine with a Nartec methamphetamine field test ampoule. Gudermuth also consented to a search of her phone, during which officers discovered several conversations on the Messenger application between Hormel and Gudermuth referring to “smoking bowl emoji,” “candy,” and “white chocolate.”

According to the PC statement, Gudermuth had further messages stating she had “tested positive during a urinalysis several days prior while at a doctor’s office for methamphetamine.” 

Gudermuth confirmed to officers while at her residence that she had tested positive for methamphetamine during a urinalysis recently.

Gudermuth further agreed that the messages did appear to be about methamphetamine but denied possessing or using methamphetamine. Gudermuth admitted to going to Hormel’s residence on April 6 and said she observed what she believed to be methamphetamine in a skull-shaped water pipe.

Hormel has been charged with two counts of possession of controlled substance except for 35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid, and Gudermuth faces one charge of possession of controlled substance except for 35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid.