ARNOLD CONSIDERS CLOSING CAR DEALERSHIP TARGETED IN DRUG STING

Council schedules hearing, could pull U.S.A. Motors' license

An Arnold car dealership, closed since the entire staff was arrested
April 2 because the manager allegedly took cocaine as payment for a
truck, may be put out of business.

The Arnold City Council on Thursday night scheduled a hearing for
April 28 to discuss revoking the business license of U.S.A. Motors,
516 Jeffco Boulevard.

The manager of U.S.A. Motors, James W. Nelson, 35, of Barnhart, was
arrested April 2 and accused of taking cocaine as partial payment for
1985 Ford pickup. Nelson, who was using the alias Jimmy Foxx, was
charged in Jefferson County Circuit Court with possession of cocaine.
He is free on $50,000 bond.

Seven other employees and the owner of the dealership, Theodore
Kilker, 38, also were arrested, but no charges have been filed against
them. Kilker said neither he nor his other employees knew of any drug
transactions.

"Whether he did it or didn't, I don't know," Kilker said. "But if he
did, it was only him. No one else knew about it."

Arnold police said they are still looking for customers of the
dealership who think they have been scammed or know something about
drug transactions there.

The dealership, which specializes in sports cars and four-wheel-drive
trucks, is also being investigated for possible forgery on state
safety inspection forms, police said.

"We think there were quite a few kinds of wrong things going on
there," said Lt. Nick McBroom, who is leading the investigation.

U.S.A. Motors has been closed since April 2.

Nelson's arrest was the result of a 14-week investigation by Arnold
police, the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Mineral Area Drug Task
Force.

"We had a lot of complaints that they were basically selling lemons,"
McBroom said. "Then we began to receive information there were drug
transactions going on, so we set up a sting."

An undercover police officer entered the dealership and was told he
could purchase a truck for $2,000 plus 1.5 ounces of cocaine.

McBroom said Nelson made the deal and accepted the drugs, but police
believe that others on the lot may have participated or had knowledge
of the crime.

McBroom said the dealership had worked out an arrangement with a St.
Louis auto shop to give vehicles false safety and emissions test
certification.