Man Charged With Drug Possession, Child Endangerment

A Crawford County man is facing felony charges after authorities discovered fentanyl near his infant child during a drug-related search of his residence.

Dillon C. Swearingin has been charged with possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child following a search warrant executed on March 19 by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake Area Narcotics Group, and the Steelville Police Department.

According to law enforcement officials, officers arrived at Swearingin’s residence on Pine Tree Drive, where they found him inside along with his nine-month-old child. After securing the home, authorities advised Swearingin of his Miranda rights, which he acknowledged and waived, agreeing to speak with investigators.

Swearingin admitted to possessing fentanyl and directed officers to a living room table where they located empty capsules containing white residue. Alongside the drug paraphernalia, officers also found several items belonging to the child, including a teething ring, baby snack puffs, and a container of formula, all within one to two feet of the fentanyl capsules.

Swearingin told investigators that he had used the last of his fentanyl supply shortly before their arrival and described himself as a long-term fentanyl user who sources the drug from the St. Louis area. A field test of one of the capsules confirmed the presence of fentanyl, and the substances have been sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Lab for further analysis.

Swearingin was taken into custody and transported to the Crawford County Jail on a 24-hour hold pending formal charges. In addition to these charges, he has a plea date scheduled for June 16 related to a previous 2023 arrest for drug possession and burglary.