Lincoln County official arrested for drug possession

KSDK -- A member of the Lincoln County Commissioners was arrested Wednesday for purchasing a controlled substance.

Narcotics investigators received tips that Commissioner Matthew Bass was buying illegal prescription painkillers from local drug dealers.

On November 4, investigators observed Bass buying morphine and fentanyl, the latter of which is prescribed to terminally ill cancer patients to assist them with pain management. That transaction occurred in the parking lot of a Troy-area business.

"It is an unusual situation. I will say, though, obviously in the eyes of law enforcement, everybody's expected to behave appropriately and function within the letter of the law," said Det. Shayne Duryea. "And whether you're an average person, or whether you're a local politician, if you're purchasing narcotics illegally, law enforcement's probably gonna get involved in that."

The Missouri State Attorney General's Office charged Bass with two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Bass is being held at the Lincoln County Jail on a $20,000 cash-only bond.