Eastern District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Trying to Buy 40 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis, Missouri man to nine years in prison for trying to buy 40 pounds of methamphetamine.
On July 29, 2020, Richard Treis, now 51, and another man, Dennis Dewrock, arrived at a gas station in Pacific, Missouri with a black bag full of cash, expecting to purchase the meth. The deal had been arranged on a cell phone smuggled into prison.
But Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso was aware of their plan. They learned a month earlier that Tarik “Morocco” Mazhar, an inmate in the Great Plains Correctional Institution in Hinton, Okla., wanted to purchase a large quantity of methamphetamine. An undercover HSI special agent got involved. Tries called the undercover agent and confirmed that the delivery would happen in Missouri, and both Treis and Mazhar, via the smuggled cell phone, sent pictures of the cash to the agent.
Agents arrested both Treis and Dewrock after they swapped the cash for the drugs.
Treis pleaded guilty conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. As part of his plea, he has agreed to forfeit $128,000 that has been in the custody of Homeland Security Investigations.
Mazhar, 43, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to the same methamphetamine conspiracy charge. He is serving a 13-year prison sentence.
Dewrock, 55, also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ricardo Dixon is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Man Caught After 6 Years on the Run Admits Robbing Credit UnionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man who was on the run for six years after he robbed a St. Louis, Missouri credit union pleaded guilty Tuesday.
Daniel Harris, 66, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of bank robbery. He admitted robbing a credit union in the 4400 block of Chippewa Street in St. Louis on March 15, 2017. Harris approached a teller and placed a note on the counter that read, “I have a gun give me the money now.” The teller handed Harris cash and he left, discarding two jackets and a baseball cap nearby. Investigators found those items and a receipt in a jacket pocket with Harris’ name. His image, captured on surveillance cameras during the robbery, was identified by a relative and a former employer. Harris was indicted Oct. 11, 2017. He was located by the FBI in Phoenix and arrested there on August 9, 2023.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2025. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis County Man Admits Being Caught Again with Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County man only recently released from custody for possession of child pornography on Tuesday admitted being caught with the material while on home confinement.
John V. Knowles IV, 45, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted that after his release from prison in a 2018 child pornography case, he was again in possession of child sexual abuse material. Knowles downloaded the material after police initially searched his home and seized computer equipment, but before he was indicted for the 2018 case.
Knowles was released into home confinement from a halfway house on Sept. 1, 2023. When probation officers visited 11 days later, they spotted electronic devices, including iPads, iPhones and laptops, that Knowles was prohibited from possessing or accessing under the terms of his supervised release. A court-approved search of the electronics found child sexual abuse material, Knowles’ plea agreement says.
Knowles is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025. Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The FBI, the U.S. Probation Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Southeast Missouri Man Sentenced to 179 Months in Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced southeast Missouri man to 179 months in prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Justin Wade Welker, 40, was caught after the FBI office in Detroit learned that two people were discussing engaging in sex acts with a minor on the Kik messaging and chat app. The FBI traced one of the participants to Welker’s home in the village of Sedgewickville, in Bollinger County, Missouri. FBI agents approached Welker at work, and he admitted viewing child pornography via Kik. His phone also contained child sexual abuse material.
Welker pleaded guilty in U.S District Court in Cape Girardeau in August to one count of receipt of child pornography.
The FBI and the Bollinger County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Missouri State Trooper Charged with Civil Rights CrimesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was indicted Tuesday and accused of unlawfully searching women’s cell phones during traffic stops to find nude pictures.
David McKnight, 39, was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau with one count of destroying records in a federal investigation and nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. The indictment says that between Sept. 1, 2023, and August 19, 2024, McKnight took cell phones from nine different women. McKnight then searched the phones and used his personal cell phone to photograph nude pictures that he found, the indictment says. He later deleted the images from his cell phone, it says.
McKnight stopped most of the women for traffic violations, the indictment says. He took their phones under the auspices of confirming that they had insurance coverage or verifying their identification, it says.
“These allegations are being taken very seriously, and we’d like to encourage anyone who believes they had a concerning interaction with McKnight to contact the FBI,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or via tips.fbi.gov.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
Indictment Accuses Mail Carrier of Selling Arrow Key and Stolen ChecksRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A mail carrier was arrested Thursday on an indictment that accuses her of selling a key to U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes and selling checks stolen from the mail.
Cambria Hopkins, 29, of Florissant, Missouri, was indicted October 30 on one count of conspiracy, one count of unlawful use of a mail key and one count of bribery. After her arrest at the U.S. Post Office in Clayton, she appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment says Hopkins was a postal carrier based in Clayton, Missouri on March 20, 2022, when she accepted money from Malik A. Jones for her “arrow key,” which allows access to U.S. Postal Service collection boxes, knowing that Jones was planning on using the key to steal mail. Hopkins also stole mail that came into her possession as a postal carrier, removed checks from that mail and provided those checks to Jones, the indictment says. Jones paid Hopkins in cash, electronically via CashApp and by buying her groceries, the indictment says.
Jones, 27, pleaded guilty October 25 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“This indictment represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents and U.S. Postal Inspectors working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination. The USPS OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the federal law enforcement branch of the U.S. Postal Service charged with protecting the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative investigative efforts of our law enforcement partners, the Postal Inspection Service investigates and pursues those responsible for committing financial fraud stemming from the theft of mail.” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
The conspiracy charge carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The mail key charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and the bribery charge is punishable by a maximum prison term of 15 years.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Former CFO Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Embezzling $2 MillionRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Friday sentenced the former CFO of a St. Louis County, Missouri company to 41 months in prison for embezzling $2 million. Richard D. Zellner was also ordered to repay the money.
Between approximately January 2019 and January 2024, Zellner used his employer’s bank accounts to pay off the balance of his personal credit cards. Zellner repeatedly paid off that balance once he’d incurred thousands of dollars in charges, which typically occurred every few days or couple of weeks. Zellner spent the money on vacations, travel, personal bills and purchases of gold and precious metals. He covered up his thefts by altering company accounting records by creating fake work orders and bills.
Zellner also used the company’s credit cards for personal expenses.
Zellner made a total of over 1,000 unauthorized transactions during his scheme, fraudulently obtaining about $ $2,062,051.
Zellner, 66, of O’Fallon, Missouri, waived grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty in August in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud.
The FBI and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
Double Carjacker Sentenced to 13 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man involved in two St. Louis area carjackings to 13 years in prison.
Ramon D. Davis, 20, committed an armed carjacking in St. Louis in 2021 and another in Webster Groves in 2022.
On Nov. 7, 2021, Davis, Montrell M. Jackson and a juvenile and stole a man’s 2006 Mazda3 in an alley near Grand Avenue and Bates Street in south St. Louis. Davis was armed with a Canik TP9 handgun that he had stolen the prior month and Jackson had a Ruger MAX-9 handgun. The next day, the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center license plate recognition system located the stolen car. St. Louis police joined Hazelwood police in a pursuit that was already in progress. After nearly hitting a police car, Davis lost control and spun out in the middle of an intersection before continuing for more than two miles. After the Mazda crashed into a metal storage container at North Florissant Avenue and Branch Street, Davis and Jackson fled. They were later arrested. Officers found a black satchel inside the Mazda that held both guns used in the carjacking.
On Nov. 11, 2022, Ramon Davis, Tristan T. Davis and Jaymond Johnson were in a stolen BMW when Tristan Davis spotted a 2017 Mercedes GLS550 SUV parked in front of a CVS located on Watson Road in Webster Groves. Ramon Davis had an AR-style pistol and confronted an occupant of the Mercedes with it before pushing her to the ground, breaking her finger. Ramon and Tristan Davis drove away in the carjacked Mercedes.
Ramon Davis pleaded guilty in July to two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of carjacking. Tristan T. Davis, 20, and Montrell M. Jackson, 21, of Northwoods, each pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Tristan Davis was sentenced in September to 90 months in prison and Jackson was sentenced to 70 months.
Jaymond Johnson, 20, has pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and awaits sentencing.
The St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI, the Webster Groves Police Department, the Hazelwood Police Department and the Normandy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bluestone and Cassandra Wiemken prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Co-defendant of an FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for exchanging cash and other items of value for sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Theodore “Ted” John Sartori Sr., 64, provided cash, a car, a motorcycle, Christmas presents and vacations to a friend from 2013-2016 in exchange for access to the victim, beginning when she was 14 years old.
The victim said in court that Sartori’s crime has caused “life-long trauma, hopeless relationships,” flashbacks, PTSD and low self-esteem.
Sartori pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to a felony charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. As part of his plea, Sartori agreed to pay more than $25,000 in restitution to his victim.
“I applaud our investigators and prosecutors for bringing Ted Sartori to justice. We hope his 10-year prison sentence will bring some measure of closure to his victim,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Because of the trauma the victim had to endure since she was a minor, we will never stop pursuing co-defendant Donald Eugene Fields II, who is one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.”
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated jointly by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murdering AcquaintanceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for fatally shooting an acquaintance before stealing his jewelry and drugs.
Terry W. Winebarger, 52, fatally shot the victim in the head with the victim’s own 10mm Glock handgun on Feb. 18, 2023, in a home in Hanley Hills, Missouri. Winebarger then stole the gun, jewelry and some methamphetamine that the victim had purchased earlier.
After the murder, Winebarger purchased new clothes, disinfectant wipes and bleach at a store and returned to his home in an attempt to destroy evidence of his crime.
Winebarger pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in July to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Major Case Squad and the North County Police Cooperative investigated the case, with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Charles County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Epplin prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Caught with Gun, Fake ID SentencedRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man from Mexico who was caught with a firearm and fraudulent identification documents after a road rage incident to a year and a day in prison.
Donnovan Mallen, 22, of Berkeley, Missouri, will be deported after his release from prison.
Mallen admitted in a guilty plea in August that on Feb. 26, 2021, he was driving to work when a vehicle followed him and fired four shots at him in St. Charles, Missouri. Mallen said he fired once into the air. Police found a loaded 10mm semi-automatic pistol under the front passenger seat of Mallen’s Dodge Charger, which had a shattered rear window. Mallen also had a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card and Social Security card.
Mallen pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to illegal entry and unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Charles Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis County Felon Admits Shooting at PoliceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon on Monday pleaded guilty and admitted shooting at St. Louis County Police Department officers.
On the day his trial was set to begin, Dexter McKinnies. 34, pleaded guilty to five felonies: one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts each of assault on a federal officer and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On Sept. 1, 2020, police, including officers who are members of the FBI Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force, were trying to arrest McKinnies. They arranged a meeting with McKinnies and his brother, Lawton McKinnies, under a ruse in which the McKinnies thought they would be performing maintenance work on a property in St. Louis County. Police arrested Lawton McKinnies, who was armed with a 9mm pistol, on a felony warrant. When they tried to arrest Dexter McKinnies, he ran while firing multiple shots at officers with a 9mm pistol, striking a truck owned by the FBI. Officers returned fire and struck McKinnies.
Dexter McKinnies, who is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2025. He faces 20 years to life in prison.
Lawton McKinnies, now 36, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to three years in prison. In March, he was sentenced to another year for violating his supervised release.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Boyce and Nichole Frankenberg are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Man who Smuggled Fatal Drugs into Jail Sentenced to 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man to 22 years in prison for arranging the smuggling a fatal dose of drugs into the St. Francois County jail.
Timothy L. Noll, 35, of Park Hills, Missouri, arrived at the jail on July 27, 2021, and began trying to find someone to smuggle drugs into the jail that he could sell. Noll instructed an intermediary to get the drugs from Garry W. Triplett and conceal them in a Bible.
On August 1, the intermediary arranged for the Bible to be dropped off at the jail. When Noll discovered the next morning that he was being transferred to state prison and couldn’t bring the Bible, he had jail staff give it to his cell mate. His cell mate died two days later of mixed drug intoxication, including a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Noll pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance, resulting in death. Triplett, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Triplett is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone is prosecuting the case.
New Jersey Man Admits Aiding Conspiracy to Defraud the ElderlyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from New Jersey pleaded guilty Monday and admitted picking up cash and gold bars from elderly victims of a fraud conspiracy.
Andy R. Miqui-Castillo, 35, of Newark, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. He admitted being recruited in October of 2023 to act as a courier for a conspiracy that targeted the elderly.
The conspirators contacted victims falsely claiming to be from various financial institutions or government agencies. They told them that their accounts had been compromised and were being used for illegal activity and induced victims to give them cash or valuables to stop that illegal activity. Miqui-Castillo was provided with the victims’ addresses, picked up cash or other valuables and then delivered or shipped it to co-conspirators in exchange for money.
Miqui-Castillo retrieved or attempted to retrieve cash and gold bars totaling more than $550,000 from four victims in October and November of 2023. He was paid $4,500. He picked up a total of $50,000 in cash and two 100-gram gold bars from two victims in New York and five 1-kilogram gold bars from a North Carolina victim. Miqui-Castillo was arrested by law enforcement on Nov. 17, 2023, while attempting to pick up three 1-kilogram gold bars worth $196,000 from a St. Louis area victim.
Miqui-Castillo is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 11, 2025. The conspiracy charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Hazelwood Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Monday sentenced a man to 24 years in prison for producing child pornography involving two victims.
Antjuan Potts, 27, of Hazelwood, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to two counts of sexually exploiting a child and admitted his crimes spanned from 2019 to 2022.
The first victim told a St. Louis County Police Department detective in 2023 that she was 14 when she met Potts and engaged in sexual contact with him. Potts recorded that sexual contact and used Snapchat to send those videos to the victim on two occasions. The victim also said Potts was in a relationship with another juvenile. Police interviewed Potts, who admitted having sex with both juveniles and recording both with his phone.
A sentencing memo says that Potts had sexual intercourse with two other minors, part of a pattern of behavior involving the sexual exploitation of minors. A 15-year-old told police Potts sexually assaulted her in 2020. He said it was consensual. He had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old in 2021. She told police that she was drugged and sexually assaulted.
“You have caused a tremendous amount of harm,” Judge Ross told Potts, referring to the four victims.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Louis County Woman Accused of $3 Million Home Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County business owner was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday and accused of defrauding Missouri Medicaid out of more than $3 million over more than a decade.
Camille S. Childress, 40, was indicted on four counts of health care fraud. The indictment says Childress owned a home health care company, Inspiring Angels LLC, but concealed her ownership from state officials due to a 2012 criminal conviction. Childress submitted paperwork claiming that someone else owned the company, the indictment says. It also says that Childress submitted or caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Missouri Medicaid seeking reimbursement for home healthcare services that were never provided. In some cases, the care recipients were in the hospital and could not have received home healthcare, the indictment says. On numerous other occasions, Childress or Inspiring Angels submitted claims when the company did not have any timesheet records or documentation of the services because the services that were the subject of those claims were never provided, the indictment says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“The alleged fraudulent enrollment and submission of false claims by this business owner to Medicaid undermines the integrity of the program and diverts essential resources from those who genuinely need assistance,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue collaborating with the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to combat home health care fraud in Medicaid, ensuring the program remains sustainable for those who truly depend on it.”
Each fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis County Woman Accused of Three Different FraudsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County, Missouri was indicted Wednesday and accused of aiding a romance fraud conspiracy and committing a nearly $40,000 pandemic relief loan fraud as well as a separate mortgage fraud.
Shirley Waller, 42, was indicted on three counts of wire fraud, two counts of mortgage fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and use of an assumed name to commit mail fraud.
The indictment accuses Waller of applying for and receiving a Paycheck Protection Program loan of $19,235 for a Michigan business in 2021, as well as a second loan for a St. Louis resale shop. Waller used the proceeds of the first loan on personal flights to Ghana, Germany and Jamaica instead of approved business purposes, the indictment says.
On May 14, 2022, Waller applied for a home loan of more than $196,000 by lying about her marital status, salary and job and by submitting counterfeit W-2 forms and paystubs, the indictment says.
Finally, the indictment accuses Waller of aiding scammers who tricked a 71-year-old St. Louis County woman into believing that she was in an online relationship with a U.S. military surgeon deployed overseas. Scammers told the victim to send $30,000 in cash to Waller’s address, the indictment says. The shipment was tracked on its journey by several IP addresses in Nigeria. In a two-week period, at least 35 Express Mail shipments sent to Waller’s address by other victims were also tracked by Nigerian IP addresses, the indictment says. Waller would open the packages and forward the cash to others via cryptocurrency transactions and other means, it says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others in order to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including the multiple individual consumer and business victims in this investigation,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
Each mail theft charge carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Town and Country Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years on New Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a registered sex offender who was caught with child pornography to 10 years in prison.
James Darrick Beeler, 53, of Glenwood, Missouri, had more than 200 videos containing child sexual abuse material on a laptop and more than 200 videos on two thumb drives. On June 29, 2022, the Missouri State Highway Patrol discovered that someone was sharing two videos of child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing program. They traced the videos to Beeler’s home. Beeler later admitted to investigators that he used his laptop to search for and download child sexual abuse material.
Beeler pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of possession of child pornography. In 2007, he was convicted in Schuyler County of abuse of a child.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Admits Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Crawford County, Missouri resident on Thursday admitted trying to persuade minors into engaging in sex acts online.
Jason Michael Enke, 45, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
Enke admitted that from August 2023 to October 2023, he sent a series of sexually explicit messages via social media and during online chat sessions to five people who identified themselves as minors. He also sent a video of himself and a 16-year-old engaging in sex acts and attempted to persuade the minors to engage in sexual conduct.
In November of 2023, the FBI’s St. Louis office received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that Enke had sent a video containing child pornography to an Instagram user who listed their age as 15. FBI agents performed a court-approved search of Enke’s home near Bourbon, Missouri and found videos containing child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices.
Enke is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 29, 2025. The receipt and distribution charges carry a potential penalty of five to 20 years in prison and the coercion charge carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
The FBI and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Sheriff’s Deputy Admits Sex with Minor, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former Phelps County Sheriff’s deputy on Thursday admitted engaging in sex acts with a minor, requesting and receiving child pornography and destroying evidence to impede the FBI.
Justin Bradley Durham, 43, of Rolla, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation.
Durham admitted as part of his plea that he requested and received a sexually explicit video from a 16-year-old in 2013. He later provided $200 to the victim after she engaged in sex acts with him. He also admitted engaging in sex acts multiple times with a 17-year-old victim, including in his patrol vehicle. He exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with her. Durham met the second victim in 2016 when her friend contacted the police and he responded to the call.
The FBI interviewed Durham in 2023 after learning that his PayPal account had been used to send money to another account associated with the sale of child pornography. Durham denied purchasing child pornography and claimed that he hadn’t accessed his Dropbox account for years. He refused agents’ request to search his cell phone. Two days later, Durham bought a new phone, destroyed his old phone and deleted about 37 gigabytes of data in his Dropbox account before deactivating it. Among those files were hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos, including files containing child sexual abuse material. Durham was terminated by the Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 9, 2023, and arrested by them. In jail, he told FBI agents that he also destroyed a laptop computer, threw away his phone and conducted a “digital footprint scrub” of his online accounts, his plea agreement says.
Durham is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 5, 2025. The production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and the receipt of child pornography charge has a five-year mandatory minimum.
The FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Felon Who Arranged Gun Sales from Jail Sentenced to 63 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis County man who was caught arranging for his illegally-possessed guns to be sold to 63 months in prison.
The sentence for James C. Street, 47, will run consecutive to pending probation violation cases in St. Louis and Jefferson counties.
Street pleaded guilty in July to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that while a convicted felon and barred from possessing firearms, he possessed three pistols and an AR-style rifle.
The investigation began after the St. Louis County Police Department learned that Street, who was in jail at the time, was discussing the sale of his firearms. Police then contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Street sold a .357 magnum revolver through an intermediary, which was later recovered by law enforcement. Investigators learned Street was planning more sales. A court-approved search of the intermediary’s home recovered the remaining guns, as well as ammunition and large capacity magazines.
At the time, Street was on probation for multiple felony domestic offenses.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Goeke prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis Woman Admits Theft of Dead Father’s Retirement BenefitsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis, Missouri woman on Monday admitted misusing $55,000 of her father’s Social Security benefits after his death.
Carmen Needy, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. She admitted that after her father’s death on Aug. 31, 2016, his Social Security retirement benefits continued to be deposited onto a debit card. Between 2016 and May of 2020, Needy used the debit card to access $55,381 in benefits to which she was not entitled.
Needy is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025. Her crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. A defendant’s ultimate sentence is determined by the court and is based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.St. Louis County Woman Admits Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted producing child pornography involving a two-year-old.
Raven Ainesis Pointer, 26, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography. Pointer admitted using her phone to produce videos containing child sexual abuse material.
The investigation into Pointer began in August of 2023 in Montgomery, Alabama, where Homeland Security Investigations agents learned that a man who had been distributing child sexual abuse material had also been communicating with a woman from St. Louis who identified herself as “Raven P.” He said she sent him videos involving a two-year-old victim, information which was corroborated by his phone.
Investigators identified Pointer and matched details in the videos to her and the location where they had been filmed, Pointer’s plea agreement says. In an interview with investigators, she confirmed that she was in the videos and also identified the victim, the plea says.
Pointer is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2025. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.
Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman is prosecuting the case.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography with Hidden CamerasRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a former St. Louis County, Missouri teacher to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography with hidden cameras.
Judge Autrey also ordered Joseph R. Gutowski to pay $86,500 in restitution to his victims, including those who appeared in the child sexual abuse material he collected.
Gutowski hid cameras in his office at Lafayette High School in Wildwood and in his home. He secretly filmed a minor and traded some of the images with others online. He was a member of an underground child pornography group on the cloud storage service Mega. He also traded videos he’d secretly recorded of an adult in the “Club Creep” group on Mega.
Gutowski, 42, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in July to one count of producing of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography.
The FBI and the St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Admits Misusing Public FundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner has admitted misusing public funds and entered a pretrial diversion program in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.
As part of the agreement, Gardner admitted directing her employees to issue a series of checks totaling $5,004.33 from the Contingent Fund Account in the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to reimburse her for paying the fees and costs assessed against her personally by the Missouri Supreme Court in its August 30, 2022, Disciplinary Order, Case Number SC99645. The Supreme Court reprimanded Gardner and found that she had violated ethical rules during her office’s prosecution of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. By Missouri statute, the Contingent Fund is only to be used to pay such expenses as necessary for the proper and vigorous prosecution of the duties of the Circuit Attorney’s Office. The diverted funds “were deposited in her personal bank account and used for her personal expenses unrelated to her job duties and the operations of the Circuit Attorney’s Office. Kimberly Gardner was not entitled under the law to that additional compensation,” the diversion agreement says.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has jurisdiction in the case because the City of St. Louis receives federal program funds in excess of $10,000 annually and because Gardner admitted misusing more than $5,000 in public funds.
The agreement defers prosecution for a period of 18 months, during which time Gardner must avoid violating any laws, report to a pretrial services officer and follow the instructions of that pretrial services officer. She is also required to repay the diverted funds to the Circuit Attorney’s Office as restitution.
“The agreement follows a thorough investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI, during which investigators interviewed all pertinent witnesses and reviewed all available evidence and financial records,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “This is a just and fair outcome for a case involving a former official and the misuse of public funds that just met the minimum required under the pertinent federal criminal statute.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith handled the case. The FBI investigated the case.
diversion_agreement_final.pdfUnited States Attorney Sayler Fleming Announces District Election Officers Responsible for Handling Election Day ComplaintsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – United States Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) Hal Goldsmith and Jennifer Roy will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the Nov. 5, 2024, general election. AUSAs Goldsmith and Roy have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEO) for the Eastern District of Missouri, and are responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Fleming said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Fleming said, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, DEOs Goldsmith and Roy will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at 314-539-7733.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. You can reach the FBI online at tips.fbi.gov or by dialing 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Fleming said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Cape Girardeau Felon Admits Stealing Gun, Possessing Machine GunsRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A convicted felon on Tuesday admitted stealing a pistol from a Cape Girardeau County gun store and being caught days later with two machine guns.
Dayvion Jyraud Parker, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to five felonies: stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession of a machine gun.
Parker admitted that on June 17, 2024, he and another man stole a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol from a federally licensed firearm dealer in Cape Girardeau County. Parker first hid the pistol under his jacket before placing it between his back and the back of his wheelchair. On June 25, law enforcement officers performing a court-approved search of a home in Cape Girardeau found Parker lying on a bed with two pistols between the bed frame and the wall. Both pistols were equipped with auto sears, or “switches,” that rendered them fully automatic.
Parker is a felon and is barred from possession firearms. He was also wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant and was on probation in Illinois for aggravated discharge of a firearm.
Parker is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 28, 2025. The theft charge carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison. The felon in possession charges each carry a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and the machine gun charge carries a potential 10-year prison term.
Parker’s co-defendant, Danaje Raymond Webster, 23, has not yet been arrested. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Poplar Bluff Man Admits Recording His Rape of MinorRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Poplar Bluff, Missouri on Friday admitted recording his rape of a minor with an intellectual disability.
Jason R. Hicks-Simpson, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.
The 17-year-old victim sought help from Hicks-Simpson’s girlfriend in getting the abuse to stop, according to the plea agreement. The girlfriend contacted the victim’s mother, who called the Poplar Bluff Police Department in March of 2024. The victim told investigators that Hicks-Simpson had been sexually abusing her since she was five, the plea says. She also said Hicks-Simpson threatened to kill her and her kittens if she did not keep it a secret.
After his arrest, Hicks-Simpson told police that it had only happened once several months earlier. Investigators found videos dating back to May of 2023 on his phone, the plea says.
Hicks-Simpson is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 31, 2025. As part of the plea agreement, both sides have agreed to recommend 20 years in prison.
The Poplar Bluff Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Louis County Woman Sentenced for $100,000 Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS –U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday ordered a woman who fraudulently obtained five pandemic relief loans to repay $113,223 to the U.S. Small Business Administration and placed her on probation for five years.
Camille N. Foster, now 32, of St. Louis County, Missouri, obtained five Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between May 2020 and November 2021 by submitting fraudulent loan applications on behalf of three businesses: Humble Hearts Home Healthcare LLC, Embellished Jewels LLC and Muse Me Boutique LLC. On the applications, she knowingly misrepresented the payroll and annual income of the businesses, which were not in operation at the time. She also submitted fraudulent tax forms with the applications. In a loan application for Muse Me Boutique, Foster used someone else’s name and Social Security number on the application, and signed that person’s name on the application without the person’s knowledge.
PPP loans were intended to help struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Foster did not use the money for that purpose. She spent it on retail purchases, dining, cosmetic surgery, bill payments, travel, taxes and payments to others. She then submitted fraudulent applications for PPP loan forgiveness for many of the loans she received, claiming that she had spent most or all the money on payroll costs.
Foster, also known as Foster-Nunley, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Telecommunications Company Executive Admits Defrauding Investors in Sports Betting FundRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Pennsylvania man on Thursday admitted stealing $650,000 from investors in a sports betting fund.
Elijah A. Goshert, 48, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of wire fraud. He admitted defrauding investors from at least Feb. 1, 2017, through Nov. 15, 2023, by falsely claiming the Magellan Sports Fund used a “sophisticated computer algorithm” that substantially reduced betting risks. Goshert sent emails to investors falsely claiming that he’d used their money to make sports bets and false “investors performance” updates claiming that their investments were making substantial profits.
Goshert spent the vast majority of the victims’ investments on unauthorized expenses. He admitted stealing about $654,861 from at least 12 victims.
Goshert is scheduled to be sentenced January 22, 2025. Each wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Accused of Stealing Mail from Missouri and Illinois ChurchesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Florida has been indicted and accused of stealing checks from churches in Missouri and Illinois.
Lourdes Mario Anton, 20, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday on two counts of theft of or receipt of stolen mail. The indictment accuses Anton of stealing an envelope containing a check from a church in O’Fallon, Missouri on October 2 and another check from a St. Peters church the same day.
A motion seeking to have Anton held in jail until trial alleges that he stole at least 28 checks from mailboxes at six different churches using a specialized tool. After police spotted Anton, they found a FedEx receipt that led to the interception of a package containing stolen checks that Anton tried to send to himself in Florida, the motion says. Anton, who told a U.S. Postal Inspection Service special agent that he is from Romania, had an expired employment authorization card listing his birthplace as France, the motion says. Anton claimed that he was being paid $3,000 per month to be an altar boy in Hollywood, Florida, the motion says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Each mail theft charge Anton faces carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the St. Charles County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
Rolla Sex Offender Sentenced to 190 Months in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a sex offender who sent child sexual abuse material to others to 190 months in prison.
Torrey Jaymes McAlpin, 37, of Rolla, will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison.
McAlpin was caught after the social media app Kik submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about someone who uploaded four videos and five images containing child sexual abuse material in chat messages. The messages were traced to McAlpin, who was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse involving a child in Kentucky in 2013. McAlpin was found guilty of failing to register as a sex offender in Tennessee in 2018.
Investigators found evidence that McAlpin had sent multiple images and videos containing child sexual abuse material to other Kik users in June of 2021.
McAlpin pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in July to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of failure to register as a sex offender.
The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Poplar Bluff Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Monday sentenced a man who sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer to 100 months in prison.
Rashad Marshall, 33, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, pleaded guilty in July to one count each of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. He admitted conspiring with Joshua E. Forbes and two others to sell methamphetamine. A member of the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force purchased meth from the conspirators on six occasions between June and August of 2023.
In May, Judge Limbaugh sentenced Forbes to 12 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Poplar Bluff Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter is prosecuting the case.
O’Fallon, Missouri Man Admits Child Sex ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from O’Fallon, Missouri on Tuesday admitted engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old that he met online and discussing child sex with another 15-year-old victim.
Andrew Haller, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to all of the charges he faced: two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Haller admitted separately meeting two 15-year-old girls on Tumblr before moving their conversations to the encrypted app Telegram.
The 15-year-old California victim told the FBI that Haller introduced the topic of “daddy dom,” and told her he was also sexually abusing another teen. Haller listed rules for the victim, including that she would have to ask his permission once a day to urinate, wear a collar at all times, and refer to him only as “Sir,” Dad” or “Daddy.” He also asked her for nude photos and sent her photos and videos of the other victim.
After identifying Haller and performing a court-approved search of his home in November of 2023, the FBI identified the other victim. She told the FBI that she sent Haller sexually explicit photos at his direction. They met in person twice in 2023 and engaged in sexual activity. Haller struck her during the first visit and took pictures and videos of her, his plea says. He also discussed with her his desire to abuse children too young to talk or remember the abuse.
Haller possessed 195 images and 92 videos of known or suspected child sexual abuse material, and sent that material to others via Telegram and Signal, another encrypted app, his plea says.
Haller is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 28, 2025. The coercion charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and the child pornography charges each carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes has agreed as part of the plea to ask for no more than 25 years in prison.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Official Accused of Stealing Nearly $700,000 from St. Louis County CharityRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former official of a charity that houses adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been indicted and accused of embezzling about $690,000 over more than a decade.
Joelle Fouse, 57, was indicted October 9 with three felony counts of wire fraud. She is surrendering Tuesday and will appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to plead not guilty.
The indictment says that Fouse was the manager / director of finance and human resources for the charity from October 2012 through December 2023, when she was terminated. Fouse was responsible for payroll, expense reimbursement and maintaining the charity’s books and records. She stole from the charity in three ways, the indictment says. Fouse provided false information to a third-party payroll processing company that caused the company to make 71 unauthorized payments totaling $139,810 to multiple bank accounts controlled by Fouse, the indictment says. The indictment also accuses Fouse of triggering 181 unauthorized expense payments into bank accounts she controlled, totaling $407,186. Finally, Fouse allegedly used her company credit card to make184 unauthorized purchases totaling $133,210. The charity also overpaid the employer portion of payroll taxes by about $10,694 due to the inflated payroll, the indictment says.
The indictment says Fouse took cash out of ATMs and used the charity’s funds for travel, clothing, entertainment, restaurant meals, rent payments and day-to-day expenses for herself and relatives. She tried to cover up her crimes by making false entries in financial and accounting records, it says.
The charity contacted the FBI and cooperated with their investigation.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Each wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Woman Admits Stealing Dead Grandmother's Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis on Monday admitted stealing from government benefits intended for her grandmother, who had passed away.
Shamari Jackson, 32, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of theft of government money. She admitted as part of her guilty plea that the deaths of her grandmother and father were not properly reported to the Social Security Administration. Jackson used her grandmother’s debit card to access $13,047 in Social Security benefits that continued to be paid by direct deposit into her grandmother’s account after her death. She also used a $1,200 COVID-19-related stimulus payment intended for her grandmother, her plea says.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 21, 2025. The theft of government funds charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.
Five Arrested, Accused of Targeting Elderly Victims in Tech Support ScamRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Five people have been arrested on an indictment that accuses them of stealing at least $8 million from elderly victims in at least ten states via a tech support scam involving gold bars.
Dariona Lambert, 22, Zhamoniq Stevens, 23, Chintankumar Parekh, 51, Mehul Darji, 41, and Sital Singh, 42, were each charged in a October 4 superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lambert, Stevens and Parekh were originally indicted on that charge in June.
Singh surrendered Monday in Newark, in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Parekh and Darji were both arrested last week in the Eastern District of Michigan. Lambert and Stevens were arrested on the initial indictment and have pleaded not guilty.
The indictment accuses the conspirators of contacting elderly victims via telephone calls and electronic messages, falsely claiming that the victims’ savings and retirement accounts had been compromised. They told their victims to transfer funds to the conspirators to keep their accounts secure, the indictment says. Sometimes, the transfers came via gold bars that had been bought by victims and then picked up by couriers working for the fraudsters, the indictment says. Couriers worked with a “handler,” who arranged transportation for the couriers and shipped the gold bars to others, the indictment says.
An 82-year-old St. Louis woman was one of the victims, having been told by scammers pretending to be from a computer software support team that her financial accounts had been compromised, the indictment says. They said she needed to pay money to prevent her funds from being stolen, the indictment says. The scammers had the victim open new bank accounts, transfer her money into those accounts and wire money overseas, in addition to buying about $250,000 worth of gold bars, the indictment says. On May 1, 2024, Lambert flew from Gainesville, Florida to St. Louis, the indictment says. Parekh rented a car and drove Lambert to a parking lot near the victim’s home, it says. Lambert then took an Uber to the victim’s home to retrieve the gold bars, but was intercepted by law enforcement agents, the indictment says. Lambert sent a warning message via WhatsApp to her conspirators, saying “police,” it says.
Lambert and Stevens were couriers, and were paid in cash, the indictment says. Parekh, Darji and Singh were handlers and travelled to victims’ residences in order to pick up gold bars, it says. Parekh worked as a handler in gold bar pickups from victims in Yuma and Scottsdale in Arizona; Placentia and La Jolla in California; Largo, Florida; Chapel Hill, N.C.; and Pittsburgh, Penn., the indictment says. Singh worked a handler in gold bar pickups from victims in Collierville, Tenn.; Universal City, Texas; and Greendale, Wisc., it says. Darji worked as a handler in gold bar pickups from the Scottsdale victims and received three separate FedEx packages containing gold bars obtained from the Largo victim, it says. Lambert worked as a courier in Scottsdale; Placentia; La Jolla; Largo; Universal City; Hanover, Mass.; and Erie, Penn., it says. Stevens worked as a courier in gold bar pickups from victims in Yuma; La Jolla; Collier; Largo; Greendale; Oxnard, Calif.; Long Island, N.Y.; and Cincinnati, Ohio, the indictment says.
“This case is another example of the FBI being able to stop the scam before a victim gets robbed out of his or her life savings,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley T. Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We’ve been successful in protecting victims when family members, friends or businesses become suspicious and immediately notify the FBI in time for us to intervene.”
A motion seeking to have Parekh and Darji held in jail until trial says both are in the United States unlawfully, Parekh having overstayed his work visa and Darji having been removed from the country in 2014. When Parekh was alerted by Lambert that she had been apprehended by the police, he fled Missouri for Pittsburgh, Penn., it says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa, Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
If someone you know is a victim of a cyber scam, report it to the FBI. You can file the complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or use 1-800-CALL-FBI.
St. Louis Man Sentenced for Embezzling from EmployerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced a man from St. Louis, Missouri to a year and a day in prison and ordered him to repay $100,485 to his former employer and an insurance company.
While working as a sales engineer at a St. Louis County company, Stephen Patrick Higgins, now 32, misused his company credit card for personal purposes on multiple occasions.
Higgins pleaded guilty in July to one count of wire fraud.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Chesterfield police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Roy prosecuted the case.
St. Louis County Woman Sentenced for Obtaining $263,000 in Fraudulent Pandemic LoansRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a woman from St. Louis County to five years of probation and ordered her to pay $279,201 in restitution for fraudulently obtaining loans that were supposed to go to struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Melissa T. Stevenson, 42, of Jennings, pleaded guilty in May to one felony count of bank fraud. She admitted submitting three fraudulent applications for PPP loans from March 2021 through December 2021 that yielded a total of $263,284. The $279,201 Stevenson now owes to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) includes the amount of her Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans plus interest.
Stevenson submitted fraudulent applications for a PPP loan for a business named “Our Love CDS” on two occasions in 2021, she admitted in her plea. Both applications contained falsely inflated information about the number of employees and the monthly payroll and included a false IRS Form 940 (Employe's Annual Federal Unemployment Tax Return).
Stevenson fraudulently sought another loan for “Drinks By Melissa,” again falsely inflating income to maximize the loan she would receive, her plea says.
Stevenson said she would use the money to retain workers and for other business expenses that were permitted under the program but used the money for personal rent payments, credit card payments, a vehicle, retail purchases and payments to others. Stevenson also submitted applications for loan forgiveness for some of the PPP loans she received, falsely stating that she had spent all of the loan proceeds on payroll costs.
Former Cape Girardeau City Councilman IndictedRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A former Cape Girardeau city councilman has been indicted on drug and gun charges.
Rhettney B. Pierce, 54, was indicted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. The indictment accuses Pierce of possessing more than 50 grams of meth between September 26 and 27, and possessing two 9mm handguns while a user of illegal drugs.
Pierce was arrested on the federal charges Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
A motion seeking to have him held in jail until trial says that a confidential source working with investigators said Pierce had purchased about four ounces of meth in the previous month and was scheduled to buy more. The confidential source contacted Pierce and the two arranged for the purchase of four more ounces at a Cape Girardeau hotel on September 26, the motion says. Pierce paid $300 and was arrested immediately after leaving the hotel room, the motion says.
Investigators found more meth and the two handguns in a court-approved search of Pierce’s home, the motion says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.This case was investigated by the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Cape Girardeau Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.
Three Sentenced for Robbing Armored Car Driver of Cash, GunRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced the last of three men who robbed an armored car driver of cash and a firearm in Overland, Missouri in 2023.
Judge Pitlyk sentenced Phillip Keith Smith, 65, to 11 years in prison. Herman Leon Woods, 31, was sentenced last week to 42 months. David C. Greenwade, 62, received a 20-year sentence in July.
All three admitted participating in the robbery in the 9400 block of Midland Avenue in Overland, Missouri on April 14, 2023. The armored car driver was making a cash drop at a store when two men wearing black clothing, ski masks and body armor arrived in a black Jeep. One robber, who has not yet been identified, approached the driver and said, “Don’t die over this money.” The robber pointed his handgun at the driver when the driver didn’t immediately turn over his gun.
The driver handed over his firearm and then ran into the store for help. Smith, who was armed with a short-barreled rifle, and the other robber took a bag containing $2,000 and a duffel bag containing empty bank bags.
Greenwade was driving the Jeep and planned the robbery. Woods, Greenwade’s nephew, owned the Jeep and allowed it to be used for the robbery and for practice runs.
Woods and Greenwade each pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Smith pleaded guilty to robbery and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
In a separate case, Smith pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge and Greenwade pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge, a money laundering conspiracy charge and money laundering. Both men admitted helping to sell illegal drugs and launder the proceeds.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Overland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis Man Admits Being Caught with Guns and Drugs After Fleeing PoliceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis on Wednesday admitted being caught with three guns, cocaine base and methamphetamine after fleeing from police.
Perry A. McCoy, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base. He admitted that on Oct. 24, 2023, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers and detectives arrived in the 6100 block of Sherry Avenue to conduct a court-approved search. Prior to the search, McCoy arrived in a red Dodge Charger, entered the home and then left. Police followed the Charger and another vehicle parked at the home, and saw McCoy conduct a hand-to-hand transaction with someone at a nearby gas station. When officers tried to stop the Charger, McCoy drove away, rolling over spike strips that had been placed in front of the car. McCoy sped off before making a U-turn to avoid another set of spike strips and was “T-boned” by a Toyota Tacoma.
McCoy then fled on foot before being tackled by police. Officers found meth in a fanny pack McCoy discarded during the foot chase. They found three Glock pistols and drugs in the car. In all, McCoy was arrested with drugs including a plastic bag containing 16.10 grams of cocaine base, a plastic bag containing 2.33 grams of meth and a glass jar containing 47.53 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
McCoy is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 15, 2025. The gun charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and the drug charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Jones is prosecuting the case.
St. Charles County Truck Driver Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Pornography, EnticementRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man engaged in online sexual activity with three teens across the country to 15 years in prison, followed by a lifetime on supervised release.
Tristin M. Davis, 27, had been communicating with hundreds of people online, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said in court Wednesday, many of whom appeared to be minors. Three victims have been identified fully by law enforcement. Davis used the screen name “muffinman130020” with the first two victims and “bacontaxi” with the third. They ranged in age from 14 to 16.
Davis initially lied about his age to fool victims in to thinking he was a peer, only later admitting his real age. Davis induced or persuaded victims into engaging in sexually explicit conduct with him online and received child sexual abuse material from all three. Davis engaged in “demeaning, derogatory and subjugating communications” with his victims, Anderson said, including discussions of rape, bondage and violence.
Davis pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor and three counts of receipt of child pornography.
The St. Charles County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Man Admits Recording Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Linn County, Missouri on Monday admitted recording himself having sexual contact with a minor.
Russell Alan Pirkey, 54, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a charge of sexual exploitation of a child.
Pirkey admitted using his cell phone to record himself having sexual contact with a 10-year-old girl. Pirkey’s crime was discovered on April 8, 2023, when the Brookfield Police Department was contacted with concerns about his contact with the victim.
Pirkey has also agreed to forfeit a cell phone, a tablet and various electronic storage devices that were seized by law enforcement during the investigation.
Pirkey is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14, 2025. The sexual exploitation charge carries a mandatory minimum charge of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of 30 years.
The FBI, the Brookfield Police Department and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
15 Gang Members and Their Associates Sentenced for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Fifteen members or associates of a south St. Louis gang that sold fentanyl have been convicted and sentenced for drug, gun and other crimes.
Rapper Davante “Jizzlebuckz” Lindsey, 27, was sentenced September 9 to 12 years in prison. Andre “Luh Half” Pearson, 28, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on September 20. Lindsey and Pearson were leaders of the 55 Boyz, a gang and drug trafficking organization that at one time was responsible for a significant amount of the fentanyl being sold in south St. Louis. Lindsey and Pearson helped form the 55 Boyz out of other gangs, including YPG (Young Project Goons), TKO (Team Knockout), The Strip, Pressure Gang, and CAVE. Lindsey was the face of the gang, rapping about the gang, fentanyl distribution and other illegal activity, according to court documents.
The final two defendants in the initial phase of the case were sentenced Monday. Five others were indicted individually, and all five have pleaded guilty. Four have been sentenced.
"Working together, the United States Attorney’s Office, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, ATF and IRS – Criminal Investigation targeted and prosecuted a drug gang that was the main source of supply of fentanyl in the south St. Louis area," said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. "And as is often the case for drug trafficking organizations and gangs, they were both the targets of drug-linked shootings as well as the perpetrators of such violence.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department began investigating the fentanyl dealing in September of 2021. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had independently been investigating another matter and arrested someone with drugs and guns. Both agencies began working in concert, and IRS – Criminal Investigations later joined to target money laundering and trace the illegal proceeds of drug sales.
The co-conspirators used phones to arrange drug sales, even sending out text messages advertising their illegal product.
Investigators made a series of court-approved searches of various locations in the St. Louis area, eventually seizing about two dozen guns, more than $120,000 in cash, thousands of capsules containing fentanyl and two vehicles. Two homes purchased with rug proceeds were forfeited, as well as the cash value of a third home. Diamond jewelry was also seized, including a 55 Boyz chain necklace with roughly 2,500 tiny diamonds.
The others who have been convicted and sentenced along with Lindsey and Pearson are Edward “Edot” Hopkins, 22, Tony Evans, 35, Araven Johnson, 29, Douglas Simpson, 35, Jeffrey Moore, 26, Shawn Liggins, 22, Omar Lewis, 23, Willie Lindsey, 44, Jamond “Huncho” Dismukes, 24, Travon Weatherspoon, 34, Birtha Lindsey, 43, Erik Simmons, 30, and Armani Tatum, 33.
Separately, Martez Lindsey, 32, Jaheim “DaeDae” Young, 23, Jaron Tate, 24, and Jhonetta Phillips, 33, have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced on drug or gun charges. Ja’Vonne Lindsey, 20, awaits sentencing.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Louis Postal Worker Accused of Stealing Checks from Mail, Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A U.S. Postal Service mail handler was indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court and accused of pandemic fraud and stealing checks from the mail.
Anthony Virdure II, 29, was indicted on three counts of mail theft and one count of wire fraud. The indictment accuses Virdure of stealing checks with a face value of more than $1.5 million from the mail. Virdure worked at the Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center at 1720 Market Street in St. Louis and had access to all first-class mail routed through the center, the indictment says.
The indictment also accuses Virdure of fraudulently applying for and receiving a $20,832 Pandemic Protection Program (PPP) loan in 2021 for a tobacco store called Virdure Dynamics. The loan application contained false information about the business’ income and Virdure supplied a false IRS Schedule C in support of the application, the indictment says. The purported address of the store was actually his grandmother’s house, it says.
“This indictment proves the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to preserving the safety and security of the U.S. mail, and to stopping those who perpetrate mail theft and fraud schemes,” said Acting Inspector in Charge, John Jackman, who leads the United States Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Field Office. “The Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate those individuals who steal or defraud individuals or businesses of money and property.”
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The mail theft charges carry a penalty of up to five years in prison and the same fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis Nonprofit Executive Accused of More Than $2 Million Dollar Student Meal FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The owner of a nonprofit was indicted Wednesday and accused of fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in funds intended to feed low-income Missouri children, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cymone McClellan, 31, of St. Louis, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on four felony counts of wire fraud.
The indictment says McClellan owned and ran a non-profit organization called Sister of Lavender Rose (S.O.L.R.). From about January 2019 to June 2022, McClellan and her nonprofit submitted false and fraudulent meal reimbursement claims to Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). S.O.L.R. submitted reimbursement claims to the Food and Nutrition Programs for Children claiming that she served 860,876 meals to children but only bought enough food and milk to serve fewer than one-quarter of those meals, the indictment says. According to the indictment, McClellan defrauded the State of Missouri out of more than $2 million through her fraudulent reimbursement claims.
The indictment says McClellan attempted to cover up her crime by providing bogus sign-in sheets to DHSS falsely claiming to have taken the attendance of meal recipients at certain food distribution locations. S.O.L.R. submitted management plans to DHSS falsely asserting that state meal reimbursement dollars were spent only in connection with the provision of meals to low-income children, and that the nonprofit did not use meal money to make purchases over $5,000. The indictment says McClellan spent $60,000 on a down payment on a house in Collinsville, Illinois and also bought five vehicles and a house in Florissant, Missouri.
One of the addresses where McClellan informed the State of Missouri that she was purportedly preparing food for low-income children belonged to an adults-only nightclub called Elmo’s Love Lounge, the indictment says.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of the real estate, as well as a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, a 2012 Chevrolet Express G3500 van, a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Metris van, a 2012 Ford E350 box truck and a 2018 Lexus RX SUV.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The wire fraud charges carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
For information about how to report pandemic or disaster fraud, go to justice.gov/archives/disaster-fraud.
Southeast Missouri Felon Caught Twice with Guns, Drugs Sentenced to 110 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a convicted felon who was caught twice with guns and drugs to 110 months in prison.
Joshua Allen Morris, 39, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in June to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted being caught with two handguns and methamphetamine on Feb. 20, 2023, during a traffic stop by the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office. On June 11, 2023, the Kennett Police Department received a report that Morris pistol-whipped someone at a store. Officers found Morris and discovered a vacuum sealed bag of marijuana, 23 grams of meth, a digital scale and a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol under the hood of his car.
Morris has prior felony convictions and is thus barred from possessing a firearm.
The Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office and Kennett Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Texas Businessman Accused of $1.9 Million COVID Test Kit FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Texas businessman has been indicted in St. Louis and accused of fraudulently seeking more than $4.5 million from Medicare for COVID test kits and obtaining more than $1.9 million.
Rashid Naqvi, 51, of the Houston area, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on September 4 on four counts of wire fraud conspiracy and one count each of obstruction of a federal audit and conspiracy.
He appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment accuses Naqvi of fraudulently obtaining $1,974,479 from Medicare from March 2023 through September 2024 by billing for numerous COVID-19 test kits that were sent to patients who had never requested them. Many of the patients were dead, the indictment says. Naqvi obtained victims’ Medicare Numbers and identifiers without their knowledge or consent by paying a total of $488,435 in illegal kickbacks to co-conspirators, the indictment says. It says Naqvi used two laboratories that he owned to submit the false claims to Medicare, Elite Diagnostics Inc. in Missouri and Astro Diagnostics Inc. in the Southern District of Texas.
The indictment says Naqvi attempted to conceal his scheme by disguising kickback payments as payments for COVID test kits, creating a sham contract with one of the companies supplying the information and submitting false documents to Medicare investigators during an audit. He continued submitting false claims to Medicare even after patients called to tell him that they did not request or want the test kits, the indictment says. Naqvi sought a total of $4,579,850 from Medicare.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Obstruction of a federal audit and conspiracy are each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Today’s indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to safeguarding Medicare and ensuring that its resources are used appropriately,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “There are serious consequences for individuals who seek to manipulate federal health care programs by exploiting enrollees’ personal information and participating in illegal kickbacks. HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who undermine the integrity of our health care system.”
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Former Professional Basketball Player Admits Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former professional basketball player on Wednesday admitted committing $272,774 worth of fraud involving pandemic aid programs.
Lorenzo Gordon, 41, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of theft of government money.
As part of his plea agreement, Gordon admitted fraudulently applying for two loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and three from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. Both programs were intended to help businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gordon’s applications for the loan programs contained false information about three companies that applied for loans: Logo Fitness LLC, Elite 50 Basketball Training LLC and Elite Health and Fitness Company LLC. Gordon fraudulently received a total of $107,074 in PPP loans and $165,700 in EIDL loans and advances, his plea says.
Gordon is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025. The theft charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.