Two men arrested Friday, one Thursday night after multi-agency search near El Dorado Springs

From the El Dorado Springs Newsroom

Three men are now in custody following an overnight search in Cedar County that began Thursday evening after a traffic stop and continued into Friday afternoon.

According to the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop at approximately 6:33 p.m. Thursday on Highway 32 just south of El Dorado Springs. During the stop, three males fled the vehicle on foot.

Deputies from the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office drone unit, searched the surrounding area around 10:20 p.m. Thursday, one suspect was captured near County Roads 350 and 801 after a short foot pursuit.

Investigators believed the remaining two had left the county overnight, but by early Friday afternoon, both were located and taken into custody after another brief chase.

Leonardo Mejia Soc

Elias Mejia Soc

Juan Luis Mejia Soc

All three suspects — Leonardo Mejia Soc, 22; Elias Mejia Soc, 24; and Juan Luis Mejia Soc, 24 — are now being held in the Cedar County Jail.

Booking records show that Leonardo Mejia Soc is charged with resisting arrest by fleeing and creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death, while Elias Mejia Soc faces a charge of resisting or interfering with arrest, detention, or stop. Juan Luis Mejia Soc is being held for safekeeping.

According to jail officials, the three men do not speak English and are believed to be non-U.S. citizens.

In a public post, Chief Deputy Clay Jeffries thanked the El Dorado Springs Police Department and the public for tips that led to the arrests.