St. Peters Man Faces Drug Charges For 15-Pound Marijuana Shipment, Police Say

A St. Peters man faces drug charges after a package containing 15 pounds of marijuana was shipped to his home.

Joseph Zair-Hanks, 21, of the 1800 block Peach Street in St. Peters, was charged  Tuesday with distributing a controlled substance, possessing a controlled substance, and possessing drug-related items.

Previously, Zair-Hanks’ girlfriend, Alana Howell, was charged for receiving the marijuana shipment in the 3900 block of Jaq-Mar Court in St. Peters.

St. Charles County Drug Task Force members said a package from a known drug dealer in California, Cody Batchelor, was sent to the home.

Howell said she and Zair-Hanks owed Batchelor a debt for drugs and agreed to accept the marijuana shipment to reduce the debt, detectives reported

Drug Task Force detectives searched the couple’s home in the 1800 block of Peach Street and found syringes containing heroin, six capsules with white powder believed to be heroin, a metal bucket with about 100 used syringes, burned spoons and empty capsules with traces of heroin inside.

They also found heat-sealed plastic bags with the letters “BD” written on them with traces of marijuana inside.

Detectives called Zair-Hanks and urged him to turn himself in, but Zair-Hanks refused, according to court documents. During one conversation, Zair-Hanks admitted to detectives that he and his girlfriend are addicted to heroin, a Drug task Force member reported.

Zair-Hanks was arrested Tuesday and refused to answer questions, but told detectives he wanted to make a deal through his lawyer.

Zair-Hanks is being held in St. Charles County jail. Bail was set at $35,000.

For more crime information on St. peters Patch, see the following articles:

• Three Face Dealing Heroin Charges After Drug Task Force Searches St. Peters Home