Nine of the nearly two dozen suspects charged after a Drug Strike Force roundup last week appeared in Buchanan County court Tuesday morning.

The suspects were accused of possession or distribution of heroin, methamphetamine and/or prescription drugs.

The suspects who appeared before Associate Judge Rebecca Spencer Tuesday were Kelsie Gann, Mindy Rice, Felicia White, Scott Campbell, Rafael Guera, Stephen Ingram, James McGlothlin, Terrence Throckmorton, and Nancy Briggs.

Judge Spencer entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of each of the suspects, gave them the opportunity to apply for a public defender, and scheduled preliminary hearings next month.

The rest of the suspects were assigned to Judge Keith Marquart, who is out of town. They are scheduled to appear in court next week.

As we reported, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force last week culminated about six months of investigations with the arrests. Officers from the strike force were joined by deputies from Andrew and Buchanan counties, troopers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Wathena police in rounding up the suspects.