S' Family Tradition, Y'all!

Well, it's about time we had a story like this! Fer crying out loud, we are the Ozarks, afterall!
Howell county is the county just adjacent to mine.


I had to cobble this together from various sources, since none of the local papers who have online editions carried the story in their digital versions. The best in depth article I read was in a paper who doesn't archive their online version. So... you'll get the gist- This part is from the ATF site:


"Bradley J. Schlozman, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Howell County, Mo.men were charged in federal court today with operating an illegal still.
Wayne Pettyjohn, 69, and his son, Francis Dwayne Pettyjohn, 40, both of Howell County, were charged in a federal criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

Todays criminal complaint alleges that law enforcement officers of the South Central Drug Task Force purchased suspected
"moonshine" whiskey in the course of an undercover investigation. Wayne and Francis Dwayne Pettyjohn allegedly operated an illegal still to make the untaxed spirits in Wayne Pettyjohn's barn, then sold the product to bars in the Howell County area. Neither Wayne nor Francis Dwayne Pettyjohn is registered as a producer or distributor of alcohol products.

After undercover law enforcement officers purchased moonshine from the co-defendants on several occasions, a search warrant was executed at the rural residence of Wayne Pettyjohn today and both defendants were arrested.

Schlozman cautioned that the charge contained in the complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard E. Monroe. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Central Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Alcohol and Tobacco Control Unit, and the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff's Department."

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Local newspaper accounts also add that agents are quoted as saying this particular still was one of the largest illegal units taken out of operation in the state in over 30 years.

Lab reports state that the 'shine tested out at almost 48% alcohol by volume.


An affidavit filed in the case states that undercover officers purchased more than a dozen bottles of moonshine whiskey from the Pettyjohns, who allegedly sold much of their product to county bars.
(Oopsy! Looks like a lot of local watering holes are gonna lose their liquor licenses!)

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And then this nice little bit from the Kansas City Star, shows that the Pettyjohns knew the value of offering their clients "variety":

The Pettyjohns allegedly sold the product to bars in the area and undercover investigators purchased it for $10 a liter on several occasions, according to court documents. Authorities say they offered straight whiskey and grape, peppermint, strawberry, peach and apple pie flavors.


Grape and Apple Pie?... Mercy!