ROGELIO “ROGER” GARDUNO, JR., d/o/b: 3-03-1992, of Branson, Missouri, pled guilty on Thursday, August 7, 2014, to the class B felony of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, in the Circuit Court of Taney County. Senior Judge Carr Woods, acting as Taney County Circuit Court Judge sentenced Garduno to serve fourteen (14) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, pursuant to a plea agreement with the Taney County Prosecutor’s Office.

From April 28, 2013, until April 30, 2013, Branson Police officers were investigating Garduno for distribution of drugs. Through communications with Garduno by phone and social media, an undercover officer was told by Garduno that he had morphine and Klonopin pills to sell out of a motel room. Klonopin is a brand of the controlled substance clonazepam.

Officers determined that Garduno had outstanding warrants for his arrest and located the motel in Branson where he was staying. On April 30, 2013, Garduno was arrested for outstanding warrants in the motel parking lot. During the arrest and search of Garduno, officers found over fifteen (15) clonazepam pills.

A class B felony carries a range of punishment of no less than five (5) years but no more than fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Garduno is already serving prison sentences of seven (7) years for burglary and ten (10) years for distribution of controlled substances.