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Information provided by Maries County Sheriff's Office:

Vienna, MO

Members of the Maries County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group have completed a lengthily investigation involving a local suspected drug dealer inside the Vienna City limits.  It has been reported that the suspected drug dealer has been allegadly selling drugs from his residence directly across from the Vienna Elementary School playground.  

The Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group and the Maries County Sheriff’s Office initiated the investigation back in September 2011.  Undercover agents with the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group had purchased several hundred dollars worth of Oxycontin from the suspected drug dealer.
 
During the evening hours of August 10, 2012 members of the Maries County Sheriff’s Office and Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group responded to the suspected drug dealers residence located at 162 Highway 42 East in Vienna.  Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Patrick W. Stefanski age 51 of Vienna.  Stefanski was charged with two counts of distributing a controlled substance near schools a class A felony.  Patrick Stefanski remains in the Maries County Jail on a $100,000.00 bond.  While at the suspects residence Deputies located additional suspected controlled substance, and suspected items of drug paraphernalia.  

Members of the Maries County Sheriff’s Office also arrested Kathleen A. Stefanski age 50 of Vienna for possession of controlled substance, and drug paraphernalia.  Kathleen was processed and released pending warrant application.  Patrick Stefanski may also be facing additional drug related charges
 
The Maries County Sheriff’s Office takes any drug abuse seriously but drug sales create a unique set of dangers.  It often brings in other criminals into the area to purchase the drugs, which in turn increases local crime by drug usage and often thefts.  The fact that this individual is suspected of selling controlled substances directly across from our local school is extremely dangerous.  “I wanted to make sure that this investigation was completed prior to school going back in session.”

The dangers of Oxycontin and withdrawal symptoms are similar to heroin withdrawal. Continued use of Oxycontin can result in addiction. A person may feel the urge to continue taking Oxycontin and continue the high as a result of chemical changes in the brain. Some people crush Oxycontin tablets and dissolve them so that they can inject the Oxycontin. The Oxycontin dangers with this method are that undissolved particles could lodge in a blood vessel and cause blockage or damage of the vessel. Respiratory depression is one of the more serious dangers of Oxycontin, therefore combining Oxycontin with antihistamines, alcohol, barbiturates, or benzodiazepine can be fatal.  

People think because their friends or parents have it in the medicine cabinet, it is safe to take as a recreational drug. This is nothing to experiment with. Not only is it highly addictive, but detoxing from it can be quite difficult.

In 2011 Members of the Sheriff’s Office investigated two deaths that were directly related to young adults overdosing on Oxycontin.  If anyone has information please contact the Maries County Sheriff’s Office at 573-422-3381, or the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group anonymous tip line at 1-800-351-TIPS.