Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $9.7 Million in Civil, Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that the Western District of Missouri collected more than $9.7 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $8,750,662 was collected in criminal actions and $962,920 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Western District of Missouri worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $7,639,046 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $41,074 was collected in criminal actions and $7,597,971 was collected in civil actions.
“The attorneys and support staff in our Monetary Penalties Unit are committed to ensuring that crime doesn’t pay,” Moore said. “Nearly twice as many dollars were collected in 2024 from criminal actions than in the prior year, representing the profits criminals were forced to hand over when they were convicted of their crimes.
“Victims of crime deserve their court-ordered restitution, and the public deserves those who owe a debt to the government to be held accountable for paying what they owe. These figures reflect our ongoing commitment and successful accomplishment of those goals.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Western District of Missouri, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $6,914,466 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Two Mexican Nationals Charged in Conspiracy to Fraudulently Obtain Visas for Immigrant ‘Victims’ of Staged CrimesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Mexican nationals in the Kansas City area have been charged in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to stage numerous armed robberies so that the purported victims of these crimes, who were immigrants to the United States, could use their status as crime victims to apply for visas.
Oscar Gutierrez, 35, of Independence, Mo., and Jose Luis Morales Salgado, 36, of Kansas City, Mo., both of whom are citizens of Mexico, were charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, Jan. 30. The federal criminal complaint, which was unsealed and made public following Salgado’s arrest and initial court appearance, charges both men with participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain immigration visas. Gutierrez is already in custody on state charges in a separate case.
The complaint alleges that immigrants contacted Salgado to arrange for themselves to become “victims” of staged robberies so they could submit applications for U-Visas, which are granted to crime victims. These immigrants, who were either illegally present in the United States or in the United States legally through work visas, paid Salgado thousands of dollars to participate. In exchange, Salgado directed them to the location of a planned staged robbery on a particular day and time.
Salgado allegedly recruited individuals to pose as robbers during the staged robberies and provided directions to those individuals. One of the persons Salgado recruited to pose as a robber, says the complaint, was Gutierrez.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, each incident involved immigrants who later told police they had car trouble and pulled over and got out of their vehicle to diagnose the car trouble. Soon after stopping, another vehicle would arrive and park next to, or in front of, the purported victim’s vehicle. The robber, wearing a medical mask over his face and brandishing a firearm, would strike the purported victims in the head or face, take their cash, and typically fire two rounds into the purported victim’s vehicle.
Investigators with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department initially identified 11 incidents in which the reported robberies followed this pattern. These cases were linked to each other, based in part, on leads generated from the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN utilized ballistic imaging technology to compare cartridge case markings on the expended cartridges from each crime scene. Detectives determined there was likely one firearm used in the commission of all of the robberies. Detectives gathered information from city cameras and license plate readers to identify the vehicles used in the robberies, the affidavit says, which led them to Gutierrez.
Salgado allegedly instructed the immigrants to falsely report to law enforcement officials how the robberies occurred, and advised them how to make these false reports in an effort to bolster their applications for U-Visas.
The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act strengthens the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute certain crimes while also protecting victims of crimes who are willing to help law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. Foreign nationals are eligible for a U-Visa if they were the victim of qualifying criminal activity, suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of the criminal activity, possessed information about the criminal activity, and were likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime.
According to the affidavit, a source told investigators the number of purported victims involved in the scheme was well over 100. The complaint specifically cites 11 robberies involving 33 purported victims that occurred as part of the conspiracy between Dec. 29, 2021, and July 13, 2024. Of those 33 immigrants, 18 have submitted U-Visa applications claiming to be victims of violent crimes.
An undercover federal agent and a law enforcement source met with Salgado on Jan. 22, 2025, according to the affidavit, and recorded their meeting. The undercover agent made arrangements to pay Salgado $4,000 for the robbery to be staged in order to fraudulently obtain a U-Visa. Salgado told the undercover agent he would “put on a grand show.” Once the plans were agreed upon, the undercover agent paid Salgado $500 with a promise to pay the balance later. The undercover agent met with Salgado again on Thursday, Jan. 30, and Salgado was arrested.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Three Mexican Nationals Sentenced for $4.7 Million Meth, Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Mexican nationals were sentenced in federal court this week for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin.
Jesus Morales-Garcia, also known as “Don Jesus,” 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Santiago Raul Mendieta-Sanchez, 43, also was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, co-defendant Baltazar Flores-Norzagaray, 53, was sentenced to 16 years and three months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 28, 2024, Morales-Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and one count of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. Mendieta-Sanchez and Flores-Norzagaray also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy that continued from Feb. 28, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022. Flores-Norzagaray also pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Morales-Garcia admitted that he was a chief local operative of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs sourced from Mexico into the Kansas City region.
Morales-Garcia also admitted that he was found in the United States after having been deported twice in 2016.
Flores-Norzagaray also admitted that he was in possession of a Hammerli .22-LRcaliber rifle, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver when he was arrested on Oct. 7, 2021. Flores-Norzagaray sold hundreds of grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on at least four separate occasions.
The conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce.
On June 8, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led an operation that involved 140 officers and agents from 14 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. On the day of the takedown, officers executed 16 search warrants and seized 84.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 4.5 kilograms of heroin, 10.4 kilograms of fentanyl, 7.6 kilograms of cocaine, 10.5 kilograms of marijuana, 687 Xanax pills, 3.1 kilograms of unknown pills, a quantity of bulk cash, five firearms, a 3D printer with manufactured ghost gun parts, and a liquid methamphetamine conversion lab.
With these sentencings, 24 defendants have now been sentenced in this case in which 44 defendants were indicted.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Lead Defendants Plead Guilty to RICO Conspiracy to Transport, Hire, and Harbor Unauthorized WorkersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Seven defendants, including an owner, president, chief financial officer, and controller of a Joplin, Mo., corporation, have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a racketeering conspiracy to transport, hire, and harbor undocumented workers in several Midwestern states.
“This case sends a clear and unequivocal message: employing unauthorized workers will not be tolerated and will be met with severe consequences,” said Mark Zito, HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge. “Our investigation uncovered a blatant and systemic disregard for our nation’s employment laws. Those who engage in such unlawful practices not only undermine the integrity of our labor market but also exploit vulnerable individuals. HSI Kansas City is relentless in our pursuit to dismantle these illegal operations and hold violators accountable to the fullest extent of the law. If you break the law, you will face the full force of our investigation and prosecution.”
Jose Luis Bravo, 54, of Claremore, Oklahoma; Jose Guadalupe Razo, 54, of Carl Junction, Mo.; Anthony Edward Doll, 46, and Miguel Tarin-Martinez, 46, both of Joplin, Mo.; Alejandro Castillo-Ramirez, 43, a citizen of Mexico; Jaime Ramirez-Ceja, 46, a citizen of Mexico; and Veronica Razo de Lara, 50, of Great Bend, Kansas, have pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark.
Each defendant admitted they were part of a RICO (racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations) conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2018, to Aug. 10, 2021, that transported and employed Mexican, Guatemalan, and El Salvadoran nationals who were not authorized to live or work in the United States. Conspirators also harbored and encouraged the unauthorized workers to remain and reside in the United States by providing them with housing and, in certain circumstances, fraudulent identification documentation.
Bravo is the partial owner of Specialty Foods Distribution, a corporation based in Joplin. Specialty Foods Distribution is a wholesale Mexican food products and restaurant supply company. Razo is the president of Specialty Foods Distribution; Doll is the chief financial officer; Tarin-Martinez is the controller.
Bravo, Razo, Doll, and Tarin-Martinez created and maintained a network of restaurants operating under multiple LLCs in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma that were serviced by Specialty Foods Distribution. The defendants conspired to staff these restaurants with unauthorized workers. Castillo-Ramirez, Ramirez-Ceja, and Razo de Lara managed three of the enterprise-affiliated restaurants that employed unauthorized workers. By utilizing unauthorized workers — a workforce not available to law-abiding business owners — the defendants obtained an unfair and illegal competitive business advantage.
In addition to transporting, harboring, and hiring unauthorized workers, the racketeering activity involved evasive and fraudulent actions. Specifically, to maintain high levels of unauthorized employees at the enterprise-affiliated restaurants, the defendants kept certain unauthorized workers off official payroll records; required certain unauthorized workers to work at times when federal officials were unlikely to conduct inspections; failed to collect or maintain complete and accurate Form I-9 documentation; falsely attested to the accuracy of information on Form I-9 documentation; submitted inaccurate wage and hour reports to state officials; and facilitated fraudulent identification documentation being produced, transported, and provided to unauthorized workers.
Bravo specifically admitted that, as part of the RICO conspiracy, he facilitated the production and transportation of two fraudulent U.S. permanent resident cards from Claremore to Butler, Mo., as well as personally transported three unauthorized workers from Claremore to the state of Kansas. Bavo has agreed to forfeit to the government approximately $5.7 million, comprising the forfeiture of proceeds he obtained from the RICO enterprise as well as property that afforded a source of influence over the RICO enterprise. The forfeiture agreement involves liquidation of five financial accounts; the government obtaining cash in lieu of Bravo’s interest in 12 real properties; and the government obtaining cash in lieu of Bravo’s interest in portions of 24 individual companies or corporations, including a portion of SFD, which Bravo admitted afforded a source of influence over the RICO enterprise.
Razo specifically admitted that he conspired to harbor five unauthorized workers at enterprise-affiliated restaurants in Great Bend, and encouraged and induced three unauthorized workers at SFD to reside in the United States in violation of the law. Razo has agreed to forfeiture in the form of liquidation of one bank account and a money judgment in the amount of approximately $130,700, representing the proceeds he obtained from the RICO enterprise.
Doll specifically admitted to encouraging unauthorized workers to reside in the United States by conspiring to create a Missouri LLC for the purpose of opening a new restaurant where certain unauthorized workers could gain employment, and conspiring to harbor unauthorized workers by taking steps to ensure unauthorized workers did not utilize established timeclock payroll systems at certain enterprise-affiliated restaurants. Doll has agreed to forfeiture in the form of liquidation of two bank accounts and a money judgment in the amount of approximately $132,300, representing the proceeds he obtained from the RICO enterprise.
Tarin-Martinez specifically admitted to encouraging unauthorized workers to reside in the United States in violation of the law in Springfield, Mo., and in Pittsburg, Kan. Tarin-Martinez has agreed to forfeiture in the form of a money judgment in the amount of approximately $23,094, representing the proceeds he obtained from the RICO enterprise.
Castillo-Ramirez specifically admitted to harboring two unauthorized workers at an enterprise-affiliated restaurant in Augusta, Kan. Castillo-Ramirez also admitted to encouraging the two unauthorized workers to reside in the United States in violation of the law by providing the unauthorized workers with employment, keeping them out of the established payroll system, and paying them in cash or by local check.
Ramirez-Ceja specifically admitted to encouraging two unauthorized workers to reside in the United States in violation of the law by providing the workers with employment at an enterprise-affiliated restaurant in Lebanon, Mo., allowing the unauthorized workers to utilize fraudulent identification documents, and providing the unauthorized workers with housing. Additionally, Ramirez-Ceja admitted to making false attestations on two Form I-9 documents.
Razo de Lara specifically admitted to conspiring to harbor four unauthorized workers at an enterprise-affiliated restaurant in Great Bend. As part of the conspiracy, Razo de Lara agreed to keep unauthorized workers out of the established payroll system, pay the unauthorized workers in cash, and have certain unauthorized workers complete work at times when federal agents were unlikely to inspect the restaurant.
Under federal statutes, each of these defendants is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, Leigh Farmakidis, and Nicholas Heberle. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from IRS-Criminal Investigations, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas Department of Revenue, Kansas Highway Patrol, and Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Olathe Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Kansas man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death.
Jacob A. Block, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Monday, Jan. 27, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Block to forfeit to the government $10,000, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.
On Feb. 1, 2024, Block pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and to one count of distributing fentanyl. Block admitted that he delivered 10 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) to a confidential informant. Block possessed an additional 150 to 300 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) at the time of this transaction. Block also admitted he sold a co-defendant approximately seven grams of powder fentanyl and 50 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) five to seven days a week, for six or seven months.
All 13 defendants in this case have pleaded guilty. Block is the ninth defendant to be sentenced.
Co-defendant Dmitry Cattell, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 21 years in federal prison without parole for leading the drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing a firearm. Evidence was presented at Cattell’s sentencing hearing related to the delivery of fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Brackett and Stephanie Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Kearney, Mo., Police Department, the Olathe, Kan., Police Department, Lenexa, Kan., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Riverside, Mo., Police Department.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Columbia Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of a minor and on additional charges related to child pornography.
William Lee Nichols, 53, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.
Today’s indictment charges Nichols with two counts of using the internet and a cell phone to attempt to persuade a minor victim to engage in illicit sexual activity. Those offenses allegedly occurred between June 1, 2019, and Feb. 6, 2023.
Nichols is also charged with one count of attempting to use the minor victim to produce child pornography from Jan. 1, 2021, to Feb. 6, 2023; one count of distributing child pornography on Sept. 16, 2021; and one count of possessing child pornography on March 16, 2023.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Joplin Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Kidnapping That Resulted in Torture, Death of VictimRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, as well as another conspiracy to kidnap a woman who was rescued from his attack at a Neosho, Mo., hotel room.
Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 52, of Joplin, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to life in federal prison without parole.
Tilton pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2023, to his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, as well as two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. The court sentenced Tilton to one term of life in prison and two terms of 10 years in prison, to be served concurrently, in this case.
In a separate case involving a second victim, Tilton was found guilty at trial on Sept. 17, 2024, of one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of kidnapping, and one count of stalking. The court sentenced Tilton to two terms of 30 years in prison and one term of 10 years in prison, to be served concurrently to the sentence in the first case, for a total sentence of life in prison.
Tilton pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Tilton is among six defendants who pleaded guilty and have been sentenced in this case. James B. Gibson, also known as “Gibby,” 42, of Neosho, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 53, of Neosho, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Amy Kay Thomas, 41, of Webb City, Mo., was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Carla Jo Ward, 50, of Joplin, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 53, of Greenwood, Mo., was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.
Tilton offered Ward and Vaughan $5,000 each to locate and secure M.H. for him. Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence.
Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, and shot at. Gibson burned M.H. with a blowtorch. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. Thomas and others cleaned up the blood and damage created during the assault and shooting of M.H. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and Thomas, Tilton, and Gibson transported it to Hurtt’s property.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended.
Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tilton has two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for larceny of an automobile, and prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of a controlled substance, burglary of an automobile, possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon, theft and tampering.
In a separate case that involved another kidnapping a few days after M.H.’s death, before Tilton was apprehended by law enforcement, Tilton and co-defendant Alvin Dale Boyer, 39, of Rogers, Arkansas, conspired to kidnap the second victim, identified in court documents as “S.T.” Boyer also was found guilty at trial on Sept. 17, 2024, of his role in the kidnapping conspiracy and one count of kidnapping and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2025.
An employee at Boonslick Lodge in Neosho called police at approximately 11:46 p.m. on July 19, 2020, to report that a woman was being choked and dragged into a room. A police officer knocked on the door of the room, and S.T., bloody and injured, opened the door and ran out of the room. Tilton jumped out the back window and escaped.
Boyer had rented a room at the motel and invited S.T. to the motel to spend time with him. Unknown to S.T., Boyer had rented the motel room for Tilton and Tilton was waiting in the room for her. S.T. had an ex parte order of protection against Tilton. When S.T. entered the room, she was assaulted by Tilton. S.T. was observed on video surveillance struggling to get out of the room, but she was dragged back in by Tilton. Tilton struck S.T. repeatedly with a firearm and his fist. Tilton attempted to shoot S.T., but the gun jammed. S.T. was assaulted inside the room by Tilton for more than eight minutes before law enforcement arrived.
Tilton escaped out of a window of the motel room with a handgun. Tilton attempted to climb down a vertical rain gutter, but fell to the ground as the guttering broke then ran away.
Officers searched the motel room and found numerous indications that a violent, physical assault had taken place inside the room. In addition to blood on the room floor and door, officers found a chair with rope and zip ties attached, more nylon rope and zip ties, duct tape, a pair of pliers, a blowtorch and lighter fluid, a butane torch, drop cloths, plastic gloves, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Kimber .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle.
S.T. was transported to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. They were investigated by the FBI, Newton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic Machine GunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Alonso Alfredo Nunez, also known as “Bullet,” 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, Jan. 23, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 10, 2024, Nunez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Nunez admitted that he and co-defendant Jaloany Garcia-Medina, also known as “J. Lo,” 22, of Kansas City, Kan., working together, sold fentanyl on multiple occasions to a confidential informant working for the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Nunez and Garcia-Medina sold approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills to a confidential informant on each of six separate occasions during the six months of the conspiracy from July 25 to Dec. 18, 2022. A different FBI confidential source reported that Nunez was supplied 200 to 500 fentanyl-laced pills weekly from July 2022 through December 2022.
Garcia-Medina has pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the FBI.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic Machine GunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to traffic machine guns.
Sheron Lamont Manning, 21, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, Jan. 23, to conspiracy to traffic firearms and to illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into a machine gun.
By pleading guilty today, Manning admitted that he participated in a conspiracy that illegally distributed at least 22 firearms to other persons from May 24, 2022, to April 20, 2023. Manning also admitted that he sold a Glock .45-caliber pistol that had been converted into a machine gun to a confidential informant of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for $1,200 on Nov. 18, 2022. During the transaction, Manning stated he could get the informant more fully automatic firearms.
Manning also admitted to additional criminal conduct, including four instances in which he illegally sold firearms to a confidential informant who was a felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm. Those sales included an AR-15 style, multi-caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number that had been altered into a machine gun, two Glock .40-caliber pistols that had been altered into machine guns, and an AR-15 style, multi-caliber pistol.
Under federal statutes, Manning is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Springfield Felon Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Timothy S. Brandkamp, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Brandkamp was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On March 13, 2024, Brandkamp pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brandkamp admitted he was in possession of a Taurus 9mm pistol and approximately 12 rounds of ammunition from Oct. 14 to 20, 2022.
Brandkamp was arrested on Oct. 14, 2022, for violating the conditions of his supervised release in an unrelated federal case. While he was incarcerated, he contacted a relative and asked her to remove items from his residence that a “felon was not supposed to have.” That relative contacted the authorities. U.S. Probation and Parole officers located the loaded firearm under a bedspread in the bedroom of Brandkamp’s residence.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brandkamp has a federal felony conviction for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, for which he was on supervised release at the time of the offense after serving 13 years in federal prison. Brandkamp also has two prior felony convictions for selling methamphetamine, as well as prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, selling an imitation controlled substance, and assault.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing fentanyl that he intended to distribute in Springfield, Mo.
Michael E. Hunt, Jr., 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
Hunt was found guilty at trial on July 16, 2024, of one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
Law enforcement officers learned that Hunt was planning to transport fentanyl from Columbia to Springfield. Hunt was driving a black Jeep Renegade southbound on Highway 5 on June 12, 2022, when a Laclede County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop for a moving violation. A police service dog alerted to the presence of drugs in the Jeep, at which time Hunt locked the vehicle and refused to give officers the keys.
After the Jeep was unlocked by a local tow company, officers searched the vehicle and found a black gym bag on the front passenger seat that contained approximately 300 grams of fentanyl, which is consistent with distribution and not merely personal use.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Anthony M. Brown. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Laclede County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Houston Woman Sentenced for $800,000 Covid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Houston, Texas, woman was sentenced in federal court today for fraudulently receiving more than $800,000 in Missouri and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits using the identity information of numerous other persons.
Prayshana Washington, 37, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to three years and one month in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Washington to pay $808,019 in restitution to the Missouri Division of Employment Security and $28,350 in restitution to the California Employment Development Department, for a total of $836,369 in restitution.
On May 23, 2024, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property. Washington admitted she facilitated the filing of false claims in her name and the names of other persons, thereby fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits paid through the state of Missouri. These benefits included benefits from the CARES Act.
Washington fraudulently filed 38 successful claims for unemployment benefits, using the name and personal identifying information of individuals in the state of Missouri and elsewhere. These persons were not eligible to receive Missouri and enhanced unemployment benefits. The scheme lasted over a year and required repeated false statements by Washington to the Missouri Department of Employment Services.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations & Labor Racketeering Fraud.
Texas County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Texas County, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.
Richard D. Sims, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Sims to forfeit to the government $480,000, which represents the proceeds of drug trafficking.
On Oct. 31, 2023, Sims pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, three counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
By pleading guilty, Sims admitted that he participated in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from March 9 to July 11, 2022. Sims also admitted to aiding and abetting his wife, co-defendant Billie J. Sims, 53, to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on three separate occasions.
On July 8, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at the Sims’s residence. Agents found a bag that contained 95.9 grams of methamphetamine in the bathtub. Agents also found three firearms inside a safe – a Canik 9mm semi0-automatic pistol, a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and a Colt .38-caliber revolver – and an Armscor of the Philippines .38-caliber revolver in the garage.
Billie Sims told investigators that Richard Sims had distributed approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine over the past five months.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Richard Sims has prior felony convictions for burglary, theft, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
Richard Sims is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Billie Sims is among four co-defendants who have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon and Michael S. Oliver It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Texas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; the South Central Drug Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Licking, Mo., Police Department; the Dent County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; and the Salem, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Drug Trafficking, Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today in two separate criminal cases for drug trafficking and fatally shooting another person.
Austin A. Ball, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 30, 2024, Ball pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to distribute marijuana and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. In a separate case, Ball also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Ball admitted that he went to a local gas station on April 19, 2020, to distribute marijuana. After he arrived at the gas station, Ball saw a person identified in court documents as “C.T.” approach his vehicle and feared that C.T. was going to rob him. Ball fired his .380-caliber firearm at C.T. through his driver’s side window. A bullet struck C.T. The injuries from that bullet caused C.T.’s death later that day. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ball’s residence and found the firearm that was used by Ball to cause the death of C.T.
In the second federal criminal case, Ball admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from April 19, 2017, to Oct. 2, 2019. Ball admitted that he was in possession of 62 grams of methamphetamine, some clonazepam, alprazolam, $872 in cash, and three cell phones when he was stopped by a Springfield police officer while driving a motorcycle on April 11, 2018.
Ball is the sixth defendant to be sentenced in the second case. Two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. They were investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies across the state over a four-day period.
Kentrail M. Collins, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, five counts of robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Collins admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies from Jan. 5 to Jan. 8, 2023. Collins pleaded guilty to the armed robberies of three businesses on Jan. 5, 2023 – the Petromart at 1004 N. Stadium in Columbia, Mo., the Breaktime at 2241 Pioneer St. in Boonville, Mo., and the Casey’s at 807 S. Broadway in Oak Grove, Mo. Collins also pleaded guilty to the Jan. 8, 2023, armed robberies of Casey’s at 5869 N. Main in Joplin, Mo., and Lamarti’s Truck Stop at 71 US 160 in Lamar, Mo.
Collins also admitted that he was in possession of a loaded Taurus 9mm luger pistol with an extended magazine. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Collins has felony convictions for burglary, robbery and resisting arrest.
On Jan. 9, 2023, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a black Honda Accord being driven by Collins. Collins initially pulled over but then fled when the trooper began walking up to his vehicle. The trooper pursued Collins and the chase reached speeds up to 120 miles per hour. Collins lost control of his vehicle, crashed, then fled on foot. The trooper continued to pursue Collins on foot and eventually found him hiding behind some bushes. After Collins was arrested, officers found the Taurus pistol on the front passenger seat of the Honda he had been driving.
Under federal statutes, Collins is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boonville, Mo., Police Department, the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Barton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who led police officers on two high-speed chases a month apart, causing a serious collision during one pursuit and driving the wrong way on Interstate 70 during another, has been convicted at trial of drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms.
Davon R. Williams, 31, was found guilty on Thursday, Jan. 16, of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana.
Williams also was found guilty of one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, all in relation to his arrest on Feb. 23, 2022.
Williams was also was found guilty of one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, all in relation to his arrest on March 26, 2022.
Nine co-defendants already have pleaded guilty in this case.
On Feb. 23, 2022, Kansas City police officers attempted to stop Williams, who was driving a black Kia K5 rental car. Williams, who had fled from officers the day before, again fled from officers at a high rate of speed. Williams sped through an intersection while failing to stop for a red light and collided with another vehicle, seriously injuring the other motorist. Williams, who was arrested and searched by officers, was in possession of cocaine, crack cocaine, 177 pills, and $1,900 in cash. Officers later searched the Kia and found a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, $2,030 in cash, and a backpack that contained methamphetamine, marijuana, mushrooms, tar (methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl) and pills.
On March 26, 2022, Independence, Mo., police officers saw an orange Hyundai that had been reported as stolen parked on the west side of Hometown Studios hotel in Independence. An officer placed a portable tire deflation device underneath the front passenger tire of the Hyundai to deflate the tire if someone attempted to leave in the vehicle. Officers kept the vehicle under surveillance until Williams got into the driver’s seat and a woman (who is not charged in this case) got into the front passenger’s seat. Williams was carrying a black zip bag and a white trash bag in one hand while shouldering a black backpack. Police officers attempted to box in the Hyundai with their patrol cars, but Williams was able to flee from officers and circle around the parking lot, maneuvering through multiple parked vehicles as well as the police vehicles attempting to block him in. Williams made it to 42nd Street, where he began accelerating as police officers pursued him. Williams traveled to Noland Road before going onto the ramp to I-70, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-70.
Due to the substantial public safety risk by Williams entering into oncoming traffic, officers terminated their pursuit. An officer saw the Hyundai farther down the interstate, in the grass, with Williams and the woman running from the vehicle. Williams was carrying a black backpack. The woman was caught and taken into custody.
Williams was found walking westbound next to U.S. 40 Highway and began running from officers. An Independence police sergeant deployed his Taser, which struck Williams in the left elbow, and Williams continued to run and jumped the guard rail under the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge on the south side of U.S. 40 Highway. The police sergeant jumped the guard rail and grabbed Williams, who was trying to jump back on the highway. They struggled and Williams was taken into custody.
Officers searched Williams, who had $7,581 and .9 grams of crack cocaine in his pants pockets. The backpack, which was located nearby, contained an SAR Arms 9mm firearm, 314 grams of marijuana, 92.4 grams of cocaine, 4.6 grams of powder cocaine, a plastic sandwich bag with five pills, and a sandwich bag that contained multiple sandwich bags with various pills. On the ground next to the backpack was a loaded FNH 9mm handgun.
Officers searched the stolen Hyundai, which had severe damage, including airbag deployment. Officers found an AR-15 style rifle with no serial number in the back seat, loaded with 27 rounds of 5.56 ammunition and an additional round chambered. A black duffle bag, also in the back seat, contained a freezer bag with 1.022 kilograms of methamphetamine, a freezer bag with 1.027 kilograms of methamphetamine, a freezer bag with 111 grams of methamphetamine, a freezer bag with 170 grams of methamphetamine, and six sandwich bags that each contained between 26 and 29 grams of marijuana. A large white trash bag that contained three bags with a total of 1.238 kilograms of marijuana was also in the back seat.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Williams has a prior felony conviction for possessing methamphetamine and marijuana with the intent to distribute and a prior felony conviction for possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute.
Under federal statutes, Williams is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately two hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 13.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Kansas City, Kan., Violent Crime Task Force, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to ‘Swatting’ Phone Call That Targeted IRS Employee, Led to LockdownRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to making a hoax telephone call that led to an IRS employee being detained and the IRS office on Pershing Road being locked down.
Anthony M. Alford, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of intentionally conveying false and misleading information.
By pleading guilty today, Alford admitted he placed a hoax telephone call to emergency services, falsely claiming that an individual was armed with a firearm and was threatening to shoot people in an IRS building.
Alford called 911 on Sept. 10, 2024, and reported that a person identified in court documents as “Victim One” had a gun and was threatening to shoot up the Internal Revenue Service building at 333 W. Pershing Road in Kansas City, Mo. Victim One is an employee of the IRS.
Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the building, where they contacted IRS security and Federal Protective Service officers. Victim One had been detained and searched for weapons based on the 911 call. Following the 911 call, the B-Wing of the IRS building was locked down. The IRS announced that there was an active shooter in the building and told those in the B-Wing to stay locked down.
Victim One, though, was unarmed and had no intent to harm anyone. Victim One told investigators she had been dating Alford for about a month and was trying to break up with him. Alford had never been violent, she said, but had exhibited controlling, possessive, and jealous behavior. Alford had repeatedly called and messaged her the previous night, she said, and earlier that morning sent her messages threatening to involve the police. Alford messaged Victim One saying he was “[o]n the phone with IRS police have fun when you get there” and later he said “… just wait until you get to work.”
Alford was arrested on Sept. 25, 2024. Alford told investigators that Victim One did not threaten to shoot up the IRS Building, as he had said in the 911 call. He said he had been drinking alcohol and was upset when he made the 911 call.
Under federal statutes, Alford is subject to a sentence of up to five in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Jury Convicts Portageville Man of Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Portageville, Mo., man has been convicted in a jury trial of trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.
Michael C. Patton, 36, was found guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 14, of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Patton was a passenger in a Ford sedan that was stopped by Springfield police officers on May 12, 2021. When officers searched the vehicle, they found a backpack in the front passenger floorboard that contained a loaded Beretta firearm, along with a plastic bag that contained 344 grams of pure methamphetamine and Patton’s Missouri identification. Officers also found a small black backpack in the backseat floorboard that contained a loaded revolver.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Patton has prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
Under federal statutes, Patton is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 13.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Springfield Man Indicted for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a stolen firearm that has been connected to two shootings.
Jayden Isaac Simmonds, 18, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Simmonds on Dec. 20, 2024.
The federal indictment charges Simmonds with one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Simmonds’s father turned in a Smith & Wesson 10mm semi-automatic pistol to the Springfield Police Department on Aug. 23, 2024. The pistol, which investigators later learned was stolen during the theft of a motor vehicle in December 2023, had been taken from Simmonds while he was asleep.
Investigators test-fired the pistol and submitted the 10mm cartridges to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) for analysis. The test-fired cartridges, the affidavit says, were a presumptive match to shell casings recovered from two separate shootings in Springfield in August 2024. The first shooting occurred on Aug. 4, 2024, on West Brower Street. An occupied residence was shot multiple times by unknown suspects. At least 17 rounds stuck the residence, but there were no injuries. The second shooting occurred on Aug. 14, 2024, on North Prospect Avenue. A disturbance resulted in shots being fired. One residence was struck, but there were no injuries reported.
Following his arrest, the affidavit says, Simmonds told investigators he had been using marijuana daily since he was 11 or 12 years old, and that he was addicted to opioids and had been using fentanyl.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
KCMO Man Indicted for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in two separate and unrelated cases for drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms. A Kansas City, Kansas, man is also charged in one of those cases with illegally possessing a firearm.
Daroy L. Thomas, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a four-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 6, 2024.
In a separate and unrelated case, Thomas and Shannon J. Price, 29, of Kansas City, Kan., were charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 6, 2024.
Both of these indictments were unsealed and made public today following the arrests of Thomas and Price.
The first indictment charges Thomas with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
The indictment alleges the drug-trafficking conspiracy lasted from Dec. 20, 2022, to April 14, 2023. Thomas allegedly was in possession of methamphetamine to distribute, as well as two Glock pistols and a Draco semi-automatic pistol, on April 14, 2023.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Thomas has prior felony convictions for robbery and armed robbery.
The second indictment charges Thomas and Price with one count each of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Thomas and Price each allegedly were in possession of Glock pistols on July 28, 2023.
Price has prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle and resisting arrest.
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Both of these cases are being prosecuted by Department of Justice Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. They were investigated by the FBI.
KC Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for sharing child pornography over the internet and possessing more than 1,000 images and videos of child pornography.
Dennis Bruce Bean II, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Bean to serve 15 years of supervised release following incarceration and to pay $16,000 in restitution to his victims. Bean has been in federal custody since his arrest.
On July 17, 2024, Bean pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography across state lines and one count of possessing child pornography. Bean has a prior felony conviction for criminal sexual conduct and has been required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received three CyberTipline reports associated with Bean. In one of those reports, Google reported on Jan. 31, 2024, that approximately 1,442 files of child pornography had been uploaded to Bean’s Google Photos account during the prior two months.
On April 5, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bean’s residence. Bean was arrested after he was found hiding in the back yard. Officers seized two cell phones and a one terabyte thumb drive. Investigators found at least 100 images and videos of child sexual abuse or child erotica on the phones. The thumb drive had more than 1,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse and child erotica.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Gladstone Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Gladstone, Mo., man who is a prior sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography.
Shawn D. Clutts, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Clutts to 25 years of supervised release following incarceration and ordered him to pay $10,000 in restitution to his victims and a $5,000 assessment.
Clutts was sentenced as a prior sex offender due to his prior felony conviction for statutory rape and statutory sodomy for the sexual abuse of a teenage girl he met on the internet. Approximately a year after completing his state sentence in that case, Clutts was arrested in this case.
On Aug. 8, 2024, Clutts pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Clutts admitted that he had images and videos of child pornography on his cell phone when he was stopped by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper for an expired registration on his Honda Accord on June 22, 2023.
Investigators found 131 videos and 49 images of child pornography on Clutts’s cell phone. These included depictions of sadomasochistic behavior, infants, and toddlers. Clutts also had previously downloaded hundreds of files of child pornography utilizing the MEGA application; some of those videos were still on his cell phone. MEGA is an internet-based file-sharing application whereby users can share “links” with other users to files they have saved within MEGA. The link allows the other user access to the MEGA folder of the sender and files located within that folder.
Clutts also admitted that he engaged in chats with another user over the internet on the Kik application, in which he discussed purchasing child pornography from this user through MEGA links. Clutts had purchased child pornography from this individual before.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Sex Offender Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child pornography.
Bryan Keith Rice, 50, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Rice is required to register as a sex offender due to his prior felony conviction for possessing child pornography.
The federal indictment charges Rice with three counts of transporting child pornography across state lines, one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Independence Man Indicted for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man who led police officers on a high-speed chase has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing methamphetamine and four firearms.
Clinton W. Davis, 36, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The federal indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Davis on Dec. 23, 2024.
The federal indictment charges Davis with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Independence police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop at approximately 2:23 a.m. on Dec. 8, 2024. Davis, who was driving a Honda Accord with an expired temporary license, accelerated and led officers in a high-speed chase that reached speeds up to 105 miles per hour on 23rd Street in Independence.
Shortly after Davis drove the Honda over stop sticks, or tire deflation devices, at 23rd Street and Blue Ridge Cutoff, his vehicle was found in the grassy area near the entrance ramp to I-435 northbound from 23rd Street. The Honda had four flat tires and Davis, according to a passenger in the vehicle, had fled on foot. Davis could not be located. Officers searched the Honda and found body armor and a backpack that contained a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic firearm and a Ruger .22-caliber semi-automatic firearm. The backpack also contained methamphetamine, mushrooms, and a drug ledger.
On Dec. 20, 2024, officers were conducting surveillance of Davis and followed him as he drove a BMW, which officers later learned had been stolen during a residential burglary, to a gas station. The SWAT team moved in after Davis parked at a gas pump, with law enforcement vehicles blocking his escape by pulling in behind and in front of the BMW. Davis, who initially attempted to drive away, refused to get out of the vehicle. Officers deployed several rounds of CS gas into the vehicle, shattering the windows, as well as one bean bag that struck Davis in the arm. Davis eventually got out of the car and was taken into custody.
Officers searched the BMW and found a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic firearm shoved between the driver’s seat and the center console. Officers also found a backpack that contained a loaded Ruger .45-caliber semi-automatic firearm that had been reported stolen, a box of .40-caliber ammunition, and methamphetamine.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Davis has two prior felony convictions for assault, as well as prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who drove a 13-year-old victim from her home in Texas pleaded guilty in federal court today to engaging in illicit sex to produce child pornography.
Talib Bwana Muhammad, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of producing child pornography.
By pleading guilty today, Muhammad admitted that he used a minor victim to produce child pornography from June 9 to 15, 2023. Muhammad met the child victim on a social media application. Muhammad purchased an airline ticket for the child victim but, when she was unable to leave home, he drove to Texas to pick her up and bring her to Kansas City.
Law enforcement was notified when the child victim was missing and an Amber Alert was issued. Investigators traced her to Muhammad’s residence.
Muhammad and the child victim engaged in sexual contact, which Muhammad video recorded and photographed with a cell phone.
Under federal statutes, Muhammad is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI, the Hitchcock, Texas, Police Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Saf Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
VA Hospital Nurse Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Kansas City, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child pornography.
Paul Robert Wyatt, 56, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Dec. 17. The indictment was unsealed and made public today following Wyatt’s arrest and initial court appearance.
Wyatt is employed as a nurse at the Kansas City V.A. Medical Center on Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo.
The federal indictment alleges that Wyatt distributed child pornography over the internet on Sept. 9, 2023. The indictment also charges Wyatt with one count of receiving child pornography on Oct. 12, 2023, and one count of possessing child pornography (which involved a victim under the age of 12) on Nov. 22, 2023.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Lee’s Summit Teacher Charged with Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit West High School teacher has been charged in federal court on charges related to child pornography.
Seth Brummond, 37, of Greenwood, Mo., was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, Dec. 19. Brummond will have his initial court appearance this afternoon.
The federal criminal complaint charges Brummond with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography from September 1 to December 18, 2024.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Lee’s Summit police officers received a Cyber Tip on Sept. 8, 2024, that a user (later identified as Brummond) had uploaded 12 videos of child pornography via the Kik Messenger application.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, Lee’s Summit law enforcement officers placed Brummond’s residence under surveillance for the purpose of serving federal search warrants. Officers followed Brummond when he left his house and at about 6 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop and placed Brummond under arrest. Officers seized his iPhone as well as a computer tower that was in the trunk of his car.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Lawson Sex Offender Sentenced to 17 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lawson, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender has been sentenced in federal court for distributing child pornography over the internet.
Lance M. Berry, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on Thursday, Dec. 19, to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Berry to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration and ordered him to pay $33,000 in restitution to his victims.
On Aug. 7, 2024, Berry pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography over the internet.
Berry has a prior Ray County, Mo., conviction for the deviate sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, which requires him to register as a sex offender.
Berry admitted that he utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing program on June 1, 2022, to make images and videos of child pornography available to other users over the internet. On that day, an undercover officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol was able to directly connect to Berry’s cell phone and download 14 videos of child pornography.
According to court documents, Berry’s cell phone contained 944 unique images of child pornography, including 19 images of sadistic or masochistic violence against a minor, and 168 images featuring infants or toddlers. There were an additional 40 videos of child pornography, which also included depictions of sadistic or masochistic violence and/or infants and toddlers.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Raytown Man Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today after federal agents found large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in his residence along with several firearms.
Jauan D. Pratt, 30, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Pratt on Dec. 6, 2024.
The federal indictment charges Pratt with one count of possessing fentanyl and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, approximately eight kilograms of fentanyl pills and 15 kilograms of fentanyl powder were seized by DEA investigators in Garden City, Kansas, on June 8, 2024. The narcotics were discovered in a water cooler box in the back seat of a car bound for Kansas City, Mo. Along with the narcotics, an Apple air tag that belonged to Pratt was located in the water cooler box.
On Dec. 5, 2024, federal agents executed a search warrant at Pratt’s residence. In the bedroom where Pratt and his child were sleeping, agents found 1,680 grams of methamphetamine, 3,478 grams of fentanyl, a Good Times Outdoor .223-caliber/5.56mm AR-style semi-automatic rifle loaded with a double drum-style magazine, a Noreen Firearms multi-cal 5.56mm AR-style semi-automatic rifle that had been reported stolen, a loaded FN 57x223-caliber bull-pup style semi-automatic rifle, and a large amount of cash in different dresser drawers.
Agents also found, in other parts of the residence, an additional 1,754 grams of fentanyl, 877 grams of heroin, 35 grams of ecstasy, nine pounds of marijuana, a loaded Palmetto State Armory 9mm semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen, and a kilogram hydraulic brick press.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Priest Sentenced for Sending His Sister $100,000 in Stolen Church FundsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A retired priest in Jefferson City, Mo., who admitted to writing himself a $200,000 check from the bank account of the Wardsville, Mo., church he pastored, was sentenced in federal court today for sending his sister a check for $100,000 stolen from the church’s account.
The Rev. Ignazio C. Medina, also known as “Ignatius,” 73, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Medina to pay a fine of $7,500.
On July 9, 2024, Medina pleaded guilty to transporting stolen property across state lines.
Medina, a Catholic priest, was pastor at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Wardsville from 2013 to 2021. Some financial irregularities arose at St. Stanislaus in 2018, and in the course of investigating the diocese discovered the parish had a bank account that was not previously reported on the budget or annual report. Medina was asked to include this bank account in the parish’s annual report, and in 2020 he reported an account balance of about $358,000.
After Medina was transferred to a different parish in 2021, it was discovered that he had emptied that bank account. While some expenditures from the account appeared to be church-related, on June 10, 2021, Medina had written a $100,000 check to his sibling in Tucson, Arizona. The next day, he had also written a $200,000 check payable to himself.
Medina, when confronted, claimed the bank account was funded by donations that were not intended for the parish itself, but rather were intended for his own discretionary use. Donors who had contributed checks deposited into the bank account contradicted Medina’s statement. Several individuals told investigators the checks they wrote to St. Stanislaus were intended for parish purposes, and that they never had any conversations with Medina authorizing a different use of the funds. One donor told investigators he intended his donation to be used in the school in memory of a deceased friend.
Medina also claimed he was refunding donations and that his sibling in Tucson was one of the donors. In fact, his sibling was not a source of donations to the account, and told investigators that Medina had said that the money was intended to care for their ailing mother.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the FBI.
Cooper County Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Prairie Home, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography.
Bradley Leigh Knecht, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 45 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Knecht to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
Knecht, who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography on April 4, 2024, is required to register as a sex offender due to prior Arkansas convictions for possessing child pornography.
A detective with the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force received a report on Aug. 17, 2022, that a user (later identified as Knecht) had uploaded multiple nude images of girls, approximately three to five years of age, to Snapchat. Knecht was arrested by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper during a traffic stop on Sept. 9, 2022, for failing to register as a sex offender in Cooper County, Mo. (to which he later pleaded guilty). His electronic devices were seized at the time of his arrest. Investigators found multiple social media accounts, including a Snapchat account, and identified the original child sexual abuse material that had been reported by Snapchat.
Knecht was using the Snapchat account to portray himself as a minor and engage in inappropriate conversations with other minors on Snapchat.
Investigators also found multiple nude images of a child victim under the age of 14. Knecht, portraying himself as the child victim, used the victim’s identity to solicit other children to produce and send pornographic images to him. For example, Knecht – posing as the child victim – exchanged approximately 284 messages with a user who identified herself as a 13-year-old girl over three days in May 2022. Knecht discussed matters of a sexual nature and requested and received nude images. In another conversation, Knecht, again posing as the child victim, messaged an individual who identified herself as a 14-year-old girl. Knecht sent her videos of the child victim as well as the 13-year-old from the previous conversation; the 14-year-old girl sent nude images of herself to Knecht. A total of 210 images were exchanged from May 12 to June 13, 2022.
Knecht also impersonated the child victim to sell her nude images to others using the CashApp application. Investigators identified more than 100 transactions in the three months prior to Knecht’s arrest on Sept. 9, 2022.
Knecht also had pleaded guilty in 2020 to failure to register as a sex offender in Moniteau County, Mo., as well as residing within one thousand feet of a school.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Two KC Men Indicted for Illegally Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Mo., men were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms and for illegally possessing firearms.
Ernest L. Hall, 61, and Rodney O. Ellison, 57, were charged in a 12-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces federal criminal complaints that charged Hall and Ellison separately on Nov. 27, 2024. Both Hall and Ellison remain in federal custody without bond.
The indictment alleges that Hall and Ellison participated in a conspiracy to traffic firearms from June 15 to Nov. 26, 2024. The indictment also charges Hall and Ellison together with one count of engaging in firearm sales without a license, and charges Hall and Ellison separately with five counts each of trafficking firearms. Hall and Ellison each also are charged with being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives purchased firearms from both Ellison and Hall on several occasions at their residences. Between June 18, 2024, and Nov. 25, 2024, the confidential informant allegedly purchased six firearms from Ellison and five firearms from Hall.
On Nov. 26, 2024, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the residences of both Hall and Ellison. Ellison was arrested at his residence but Hall left his residence carrying a large bag and drove away as officers were approaching. When law enforcement began to follow him, Hall turned off his headlights and drove into oncoming traffic to elude them. Investigators then executed the search warrant for Hall’s residence and seized one firearm. Officers seized seven firearms from Ellison’s residence, including two firearms with obliterated or missing serial numbers.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hall has three prior felony convictions for armed criminal action, two prior felony convictions for robbery, and prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, voluntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon, assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. Ellison has prior felony convictions for murder, armed criminal action, and tampering with service utility.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Springfield Business Owner Sentenced for $14 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., business owner was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a nearly $14 million wire fraud conspiracy that utilized his businesses, as well as fake businesses, to fraudulently receive loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
John Michael Felts, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Felts to pay $8,173,736 in restitution. Felts also must forfeit to the government personal property and real estate purchased with the proceeds of the wire fraud conspiracy as asserted in two civil forfeiture complaints. That property includes four parcels of real estate in Springfield, six vehicles, a yacht, two Rolex watches, five additional pieces of valuable jewelry, a 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson baseball card, a 1980-1981 Topps Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson card (signed by all three players), and a 1909-1911 Ty Cobb baseball card.
On July 31, 2023, Felts pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
Felts was the owner of several restaurants, including Taco Habitat in Springfield and Branson, Mo. Felts admitted that he participated in a wire fraud conspiracy that fraudulently attempted to obtain $13,925,534 through commercial loans as well as Paycheck Protection Program loans and Economic Injury Disaster loans and grants under the CARES Act from January 2018 to Sept. 13, 2022. Although Felts admitted that he attempted to obtain almost $14 million, the court today ruled that the actual loss amount was $8,173,736, for which Felts must pay restitution.
The purpose of the CARES Act was to provide emergency financial assistance due to the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses that experienced substantial financial disruption due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, and make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. Under the PPP, both the principal and interest on those loans were eligible for forgiveness.
Felts and another person, a San Antonio, Texas, resident identified in court documents as “Individual-1,” applied for PPP loans and Economic Injury Disaster loans and grants for various businesses they controlled. The conspirators made material misrepresentations about the businesses in the applications, including the purpose of the funding, and submitted fake and forged documents as a part of the application process.
Felts and Individual-1 also created fake businesses that they controlled, under fake identities they created. The conspirators then used these fake businesses and identities, as well as false financial and business documents, to apply for loans.
Felts did not utilize the loan proceeds for the purpose he represented to the lenders in the application process. Instead, he utilized proceeds for his own personal benefit (including vehicles, a yacht, jewelry, rare sports cards, and construction related to personal residences) and for the benefit of other businesses he controlled.
According to a parallel federal civil complaint filed on Sept. 13, 2022, Felts applied for 12 PPP loans using several different companies under his ownership or control. Most of these companies did not have employees and were not in operation at the time of application. Felts also applied for 13 PPP loans using synthesized or fabricated identities and companies under his control.
$2 Million Fraudulent Diagnostic Equipment, Inc., Loans
For example, in January 2020 Felts and Individual-1 set up a business, Diagnostic Equipment, Inc., for the purpose of representing it as a legitimate business, when in fact it was not and did not have any business operations. On April 26, 2020, they submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application for Diagnostic Equipment. Felts, using a fake identity, submitted false materials in support of the PPP loan application, such as false tax statements and payroll summaries. On June 18, 2020, they applied for an EIDL in the name of Diagnostic Equipment.
After receiving $1,029,100 in PPP and EIDL proceeds, Felt spent $157,000 of the proceeds to pay off a personal real estate loan, spent $39,000 to pay off a loan for a 2018 Cadillac CT6, spent $40,000 to pay off a loan for a 2018 Jeep Wrangler (which he gave as a gift to a relative), and spent $5,000 to make a down payment for the purchase of personal real estate.
On April 25, 2021, Felts submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application for Diagnostic Equipment for a second round of PPP loans. Felts received $1,054,494 in PPP loan proceeds and spent $150,000 for a corporate suite sponsorship with the Kansas City Chiefs, spent $213,000 to pay a loan on a 2021 Galeon 470SKY Yacht, spent $30,000 for construction on his personal residence, and spent $12,180 on sports memorabilia.
$310,000 Fraudulent Taco Habitat Loan
In May 2020, Felts and Indivdiual-1 submitted a PPP loan application for Taco Habitat in Branson. This application contained material misrepresentations, including the number of employees for the business.
After Felts received $310,000 in PPP proceeds for Taco Habitat in Branson, he spent $58,594 to purchase a 2020 Jeep Wrangler (which he gave as a gift to another individual) and spent $125,707 for the purchase of personal real estate.
This criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark and the civil case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown. Both the criminal and civil cases were investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Fulton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Clayton Key Craddock, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Craddock was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On Feb. 29, 2024, Craddock pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
On Aug. 2, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Craddock’s residence after a confidential informant reported observing Craddock conduct methamphetamine transactions. Officers found four vacuum-sealed bags that contained a total of 114 grams of methamphetamine, 24 bags of marijuana with a total weight of 1.4 pounds, and $761 in cash.
Craddock was on probation and parole at the time of the offense for distributing a controlled substance and assaulting a law enforcement officer. Craddock has three prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, three prior felony convictions for resisting arrest, and prior felony convictions for assaulting a law enforcement officer, kidnapping, domestic assault, and burglary.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Y. Lynn. It was investigated by the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Fulton, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing more than a kilogram of fentanyl and 14 firearms.
Proevine Lennox Robins, 51, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On March 21, 2023, Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Robins’s residence. Officers found more than a kilogram of fentanyl, 14 firearms, ammunition, and $21,000 in cash.
The fentanyl was discovered in multiple locations throughout the house, including the garage, the attic space above the garage, and a bedroom. The fentanyl in the garage was hidden inside three stacked tires.
Among the 14 firearms seized by officers was a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm that had been reported stolen and another loaded 9mm handgun with no visible serial number.
Robins told investigators he paid about $9,000 to purchase the fentanyl, which he was selling for $1,000 to $2,000 per ounce. He estimated he had sold an average of two ounces per week for the past 10 to 12 months. Robins said he had made about 10 trips to St. Louis, Mo., over the past 10 months to purchase fentanyl.
Under federal statutes, Robins is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Raytown Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to using a minor victim to produce child pornography.
Cecil L. Pulluaim, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to two counts of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
By pleading guilty today, Pulluaim admitted that he used a minor victim to produce videos of child pornography on two occasions in April 2023. Pulluaim also admitted that he was in possession of additional child pornography on June 16, 2023. Pulluaim admitted that he used his cell phone to produce the child pornography.
On June 16, 2023, Raytown police officers searched Pulluaim’s residence and seized his iPhone. A forensic analysis of the phone found five sexually explicit videos of the child victim, taken on two different days. In addition to these five videos of child pornography, which Pulluaim specifically pleaded guilty to producing, investigators found a dozen additional videos and photos of child pornography that Pulluaim admitted he also produced of the child victim.
Under federal statutes, Pulluaim is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 70 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Raytown, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Osage Beach Nurse Pleads Guilty to Illegally Obtaining Fentanyl from HospitalRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Osage Beach, Mo., nurse pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally obtaining fentanyl from a hospital for his own use.
Charles Welch Jr., 65, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a federal information that charges him with one count of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation.
Welch, a certified registered nurse anesthetist at Lake Ozark Anesthesia, primarily provided anesthesia services at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach. Welch was responsible for preparing various medications for use in daily medical procedures.
By pleading guilty today, Welch admitted that he stole fentanyl from the automated dispensing cabinets located in the hospital’s operating rooms from approximately July 1 through Aug. 21, 2023. Welch specifically pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining a vial of fentanyl which was for use in a medical procedure, by scanning the fentanyl to generate a label that Welch affixed to a syringe he had previously filled with saline, thus concealing the true contents of the syringe and enabling Welch to divert the fentanyl for his personal use.
On Aug. 16, 2023, during a routine restock of an automated dispensing cabinet, a pharmacy technician discovered a vial of midazolam and a syringe filled with a liquid and a “hydromorphone” label affixed to the syringe in a drawer used to temporarily store medications for procedures. The pharmacy technician alerted the hospital’s director of pharmacy that the drugs had been left in the drawer.
The director of pharmacy reviewed footage from surveillance cameras and witnessed Welch remove a vial of fentanyl and place the vial in his pocket. Welch then placed a fentanyl label on a syringe that he had previously filled with saline. During the same transaction, surveillance footage also captured Welch remove a carpuject of hydromorphone, place it in his shirt pocket, and affix a “hydromorphone” label onto a syringe which Welch had previously filled with saline.
The director of pharmacy then reviewed all the hospital’s available security footage, which went back 14 days, and identified other transactions where Welch exhibited similar conduct.
Welch admitted he diverted either fentanyl or hydromorphone on an almost daily basis until he was confronted in August 2023. Welch admitted that after diverting the controlled substances, he would put the drugs in his backpack and self-administer the drugs when he got home.
In addition to fraudulently labeling syringes, Welch also admitted to pulling more of a controlled substance than what was needed for a procedure. In some instances where only one vial of fentanyl was needed for a procedure, Welch would pull two fentanyl vials. Welch would use one vial for the procedure and divert the second vial for his personal use.
Welch also admitted to fraudulently documenting that patients received a particular dosage of medication on patient charts when he was aware the patient did not receive that dose. Welch made false statements on patient charts so that the medication he pulled for a procedure would reconcile with what the patient received.
Under federal statutes, Welch is subject to a sentence of up to four years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations.
Raymore Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raymore, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing firearms.
Tony Diaz, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.
His brother and co-defendant, Serjio Diaz, 40, of Belton, Mo., was sentenced on Oct. 9, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 9, 2024, Serjio and Tony Diaz each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Tony Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Serjio Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.
Serjio Diaz admitted that he was the primary organizer of the drug-trafficking organization during the conspiracy that lasted from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 22, 2021.
The investigation began on March 18, 2019, when federal agents interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to Serjio Diaz’s residence. On the same day, federal agents also interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to the residence of Tony Diaz.
During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted 23 controlled transactions from Serjio and Tony Diaz, utilizing an FBI confidential source. Over the course of these controlled purchases, law enforcement purchased more than seven kilograms of methamphetamine, more than six kilograms of heroin, and 468.6 grams of cocaine from Serjio and Tony Diaz for a total of $243,900.
In one transaction, for example, the confidential source purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine for $9,000 from Tony Diaz. In another instance, the confidential source purchased 222.4 grams (7.5 ounces) of cocaine from Serjio Diaz for $7,000.
On June 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Serjio and Tony Diaz and searched Serjio Diaz’s residences and vehicles. Officers found almost nine kilograms of heroin, 166 grams of cocaine, six bags of pills that contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 78 grams, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and $82,250 in cash.
Officers searched Tony Diaz’s residence and found 1,128 grams of suspected heroin, 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, a Romarm Cugir 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and $5,461 in cash in Tony Diaz’s bedroom. Officers also found a Remington Arms .22-caliber rifle in a shed, one pound of suspected marijuana in his Lincoln Navigator SUV, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 3.4 grams of suspected marijuana in his BMW X5.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tony Diaz has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
From May 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020, Serjio Diaz deposited 93 money orders, totaling $82,145, into either his personal bank account or the bank account of his business, Imperial Window & Gutter Cleaning, LLC. Serjio Diaz went to multiple post offices on the same date to purchase money orders; 21 of those purchases occurred soon after a controlled drug purchase was made by law enforcement in this investigation. Serjio Diaz limited his purchase to a maximum of $2,000 at each post office in order to avoid federal reporting requirements.
Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 11 years and two months in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Vicente Aguilera pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2024, to 16 months in federal prison without parole.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Rockaway Beach Sex Offender Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Rockaway Beach, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was indicted by a federal grand jury today for receiving child pornography.
Roy Dean Faux, 51, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Faux has two prior state felony convictions for attempting to entice a child under the age of 15. Due to his prior convictions, Faux is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole if convicted.
Today’s indictment alleges that Faux received child pornography from July 1, 2023, to May 7, 2024. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Faux to forfeit to the government two cell phones and a computer tablet, which were used to commit the offense.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Taney County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Licking Man Indicted for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Licking, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of a minor as well as illegally possessing methamphetamine and firearms.
John P. Weaver, 42, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.
Today’s indictment charges Weaver with one count of using a minor victim to produce child pornography from Jan. 22 to Feb. 5, 2024, and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.
Weaver is also charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Weaver allegedly was in possession of methamphetamine and two Hi-Point pistols on Feb. 29, 2024.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Weaver has two prior convictions for possessing a controlled substance as well as prior felony convictions for stealing a motor vehicle, burglary, stealing, and resisting arrest by creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death to any person.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Pulaski County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Texas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.
Keith T. Mims, also known as “C-Murder,” 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. Mims was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On May 30, 2024, Mims pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Mims was approached by St. Joseph, Mo., police officers as he was walking on Belle Street in St. Joseph on Jan. 25, 2022. Mims ran from the officers, who engaged in a foot pursuit, resulting in Mims being tackled and placed in handcuffs. An officer searched Mims and found a loaded Bryco Arms .22-caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number in Mims’s back pocket. The officer also searched a bag Mims was carrying, which contained 4.18 grams of pure methamphetamine, .45 grams of crack cocaine, and 10 pills.
Mims told the arresting officers that he knew it was illegal for him to have a firearm due to his prior felony convictions. Mims said he needed the firearm for protection, and that he would “rather be judged by twelve than carried by six.”
According to court documents, Mims has multiple convictions for possessing firearms and trafficking in narcotics and has spent the vast majority of the last 35 years either incarcerated or under a criminal justice sentence.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth W. Borgnino and Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department, and the Sugar Creek, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man who distributed thousands of fentanyl pills pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing fentanyl and several firearms.
Keaveon Zaniyah T. Harris, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Harris admitted that he was in possession of hundreds of fentanyl pills and several firearms when he was stopped by Columbia police officers on May 10, 2023. Officers searched his vehicle during the traffic stop and found a bag near the middle console that contained 832 fake Percocet pills, which were actually fentanyl, as well as multiple broken pills. Officers also found 105 additional pills in a pill bottle near the shifter, and a cigarette package that contained about 15 crushed pills.
On the passenger side rear floorboard, officers found a loaded Taurus revolver and a loaded Springfield 9mm handgun with a drum magazine. On the driver’s side rear floorboard, officers found a Zastava Drako pistol.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Harris has a prior felony conviction for stealing.
When investigators searched Harris’s phone, they found evidence that he was selling thousands of fentanyl pills to multiple customers. Messages indicated his partner traveled to Arizona at least twice to purchase fake Percocet pills, then mailed them to Harris in Columbia. Three packages of fake Percocet pills mailed to Harris weighed a total of approximately 4.8 kilograms.
Under federal statutes, Harris is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 35 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Lebanon Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Lebanon, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evelyn J. Dame, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On April 15, 2024, Dame pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Christian and Greene counties from Dec. 16, 2020, to June 2, 2022.
Law enforcement officers in Springfield, Mo., conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Dame was a passenger on May 6, 2021. Dame admitted that before the vehicle stopped, she threw a duffel bag out of the car window that contained two one-pound bags of methamphetamine, a small black zipper case that contained five baggies of methamphetamine, and a bank bag that contained $4,220. Dame also admitted the cash was proceeds from her distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, the driver and owner of the vehicle, Kevin Bruce Rogers, was later identified as the victim of an unsolved homicide.
Dame has a prior federal felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, for which she was sentenced to three years in prison in July 2013. Following incarceration, her term of supervised release was revoked in October 2018 after she was arrested for possessing a controlled substance; she was sentenced to serve another five months in federal prison.
Dame is the third defendant in this case to be sentenced. Robert Jason Smith, 48, of Ozark, Mo., was sentenced on Sept. 30, 2024, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Jill M. Matthews, 46, of Ozark, was sentenced on Nov. 14, 2024, to 18 months in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Terry M. Schenks, 54, of Ozark, has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies, Illegal Firearm Following Police ChaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to committing two armed robberies and illegally possessing a firearm after fleeing from police officers in a pick-up truck.
Duke A. Yates, 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to two counts of robbery and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Yates robbed a Quik Trip and a Walgreen’s, both in Independence, at gunpoint within 10 minutes of each other at about 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2023. Yates stole a total of between $500 and $700 in cash and a dozen packs of cigarettes from the stores.
A police officer spotted Yates driving a white Ford F350 pickup truck with a missing headlight, matching the description of the vehicle used in the robberies, traveling eastbound on U.S. 40 Highway near Blue Ridge Cutoff. Yates fled at the presence of the officer, with the lights now blacked out on the vehicle. The officer turned on his lights and sirens and initiated a pursuit that reached speeds over 100 miles per hour.
During the pursuit, the truck failed to stop for posted stop signs and drove over medians. The truck slid onto 23rd Street facing eastbound in the westbound lanes, causing another motorist to drive onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. Yates drove into oncoming traffic and veered at a marked police vehicle that was attempting to deploy stop sticks.
Yates failed to negotiate a turn at 24911 E. Truman Road and went off-road, colliding with a power pole and breaking it at the base. Yates fled on foot and resisted arrest while being taken into custody.
Officers searched the stolen truck and found a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s side floorboard.
Under federal statutes, Yates is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Independence Attorney Pleads Guilty to $857,000 Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., attorney pleaded guilty in court today to evading payment of $857,000 in income taxes.
John C. Carnes, 69, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of tax evasion.
By pleading guilty today, Carnes admitted that he willfully attempted to evade paying his personal income taxes for tax years 2012 through 2018. Carnes kept his income in his attorney trust accounts, then withdrew cash from his attorney trust accounts to pay for personal and business expenses. An attorney trust account is a bank account in which a lawyer has a fiduciary duty to hold property of clients or third persons, including prospective clients. It is for funds that are in a lawyer’s possession in connection with representation, separate from the lawyer’s own property.
Carnes had two trust fund accounts. He withdrew $444,527 in cash from one account from 2016 through 2019, and he withdrew $144,364 from the second account from 2013 through 2015. Carnes used the cash to gamble and pay personal expenses.
Carnes deposited $232,000 in fees received for services provided in the sale of the former Rockwood Golf Course property in November 2017 and the Missouri City Power Plant project, and other income, into his attorney trust accounts.
The total tax loss to the IRS for tax years 2012 through 2018, because of Carnes’s tax evasion, totaled $618,949. In addition, relevant conduct consists of unpaid federal income tax for the tax years 1990-1993, 1996-2003, and 2005, totaling $175,590. Relevant conduct also includes the state of Missouri unpaid income taxes, totaling $62,922. The total relevant conduct is $238,513, resulting in a total tax loss of $857,462.
From 2009 to 2020, the IRS continuously engaged in various forms of investigative and enforcement activity regarding Carnes’s outstanding tax liabilities.
Under federal statutes, Carnes is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography.
Marvin E. Smith, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 16 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Smith to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
On March 5, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography.
Smith’s state parole officer discovered images of child pornography on his cell flip phone on Feb. 8, 2023. The next day, the manager of the halfway house where Smith resided discovered a microSD card that had been taped to the back of Smith’s television. Investigators found additional files of child pornography on the microSD card, including infants and prepubescent girls being sexually assaulted and children engaged in bestiality and bound. In total, investigators found more than 6,400 files of child pornography.
Smith has prior felony convictions for possessing child pornography and residing within 1,000 feet of a school. Smith had been released from state prison eight months earlier and was on parole at the time he committed the federal offense in this case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Man Indicted for Computer HackingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for hacking into the computer systems at an area nonprofit and a health club business.
Nicholas Michael Kloster, 31, was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Nov. 19. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Kloster’s arrest and initial court appearance.
The federal indictment charges Kloster with one count of accessing a protected computer without authorization and obtaining information.
Kloster allegedly entered the premises of a business, identified in court documents as Company Victim 2, which operates multiple health clubs in Kansas and Missouri, shortly before midnight on April 26, 2024. The following day, Kloster sent an email to one of the owners of Company Victim 2, claiming that he had gained access to the computer system. Kloster also claimed to have “assisted over 30 small to medium-sized industrial businesses in the Kansas City, Missouri area” and attached a copy of his resume.
Following Kloster’s intrusion, the indictment says, employees with Company Victim 2 noted that Kloster’s monthly gym membership fee was reduced to $1, that his photograph was erased from the gym’s network, and determined that Kloster stole a gym staff nametag. A few weeks later, Kloster posted an image to a social media profile which appeared to be a screen capture of his desktop showing control of the security cameras for Company Victim 2, with a chatbox window with the message “how to get a company to use your security service.”
The federal indictment also charges Kloster with one count of causing reckless damage to a protected computer during unauthorized access.
Kloster allegedly entered the premises of a nonprofit corporation, identified in court documents as Company Victim 3, on May 20, 2024. Kloster entered an area that is not available to the public and accessed a computer with access to the company’s network. Kloster utilized a boot disk, the indictment says, which enabled him to access Company Victim 3’s computer through multiple user accounts. By accessing Company Victim 3’s computer in such a manner, the indictment says, the use of this boot disk enabled Kloster to circumvent the password requirements on Company Victim 3’s computer and change the password assigned to one or more of the users of Company Victim 3’s computer. Kloster was able to install a virtual private network on this computer. Since Kloster’s intrusion into its computer and its network, Company Victim 3 has sustained losses in excess of $5,000 in an attempt to remediate the effects from this intrusion.
In addition to these two victims, the indictment refers to a third victim, identified in court documents as Company Victim 1. According to the indictment, Kloster was employed by Company Victim 1 in March and April 2024. Kloster allegedly used a company credit card to make numerous personal purchases, including a thumb drive that was advertised as a means to hack into vulnerable computers.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Daly and Nicholas Heberle. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Co-founder of Medical Charity in St. Joseph Sentenced for $8 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A co-founder of a so-called Christian health care sharing ministry in St. Joseph, Mo., has been sentenced in federal court for his role in an $8 million wire fraud conspiracy that cheated hundreds of members, and for making false statements on a personal tax return.
James L. McGinnis, 78, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, Nov. 21, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered McGinnis to pay restitution of $7,758,908 to the victims, $143,141 to the Internal Revenue Service, and $10,787 to the Missouri Department of Revenue. The Court also ordered McGinnis to forfeit to the government a 2021 Ford F-250 truck.
On April 2, 2024, McGinnis pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making false statements on a tax return.
McGinnis co-founded Medical Cost Sharing, a tax-exempt organization, and served as its chief operating officer from 2014 through December 2022.
Another co-founder, Craig Anthony Reynolds, 62, of St. Joseph, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced on the same charges. Reynolds incorporated and ran Medical Cost Sharing as its president and chief executive officer from 2014 through December 2022.
McGinnis and Reynolds each admitted that he and his co-conspirators used false and fraudulent promises to market Medical Cost Sharing as a “Health Care Sharing Ministry” to defraud hundreds of “ministry members.” They collected more than $8 million in member “contributions,” yet paid only 3.1 percent in health care claims so that they could personally profit and take most of the members’ contributions for themselves.
McGinnis and Reynolds pocketed at least $5,168,268 from the member contributions from December 2015 through December 2022. Thus, McGinnis and Reynolds took at least 64 percent of total member contributions for their personal profit.
McGinnis and Reynolds marketed Medical Cost Sharing as a “Christian Health Care Sharing Ministry” through insurance brokers, radio stations, social media, and its website. Medical Cost Sharing sales materials promoted its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation, advertising that it was different from for profit health insurance. The Medical Cost Sharing website claimed, “while we are not an insurance company, many think of us as a Christian Health Insurance, or Christian Medical Insurance because, like conventional insurance plans, we help you pay your healthcare costs. We help you protect your family. But unlike these corporate, profit based plans, we are a healthcare sharing ministry … your healthcare costs are shared with other Christians enrolled in our medical sharing plans.”
Medical Cost Sharing promised its member that if they paid monthly “contributions,” Medical Cost Sharing would pay claims after the members’ “personal responsibility” (deductible) was met.
In reality, McGinnis and Reynolds admitted, Medical Cost Sharing rarely paid members’ health care claims. Sometimes Medical Cost Sharing would pay a part of a claim if the member filed a complaint with their state attorney general and/or hired an attorney to represent them against Medical Cost Sharing.
Medical Cost Sharing paid no claims at all for nearly two years from Feb. 22, 2021, through December 2022, although it collected a total of nearly $1.2 million in dues in 2021 and 2022.
On Dec. 13, 2022, federal agents served search warrants on the Medical Cost Sharing business location and the residences of McGinnis and Reynolds and seized property generated from Medical Cost Sharing proceeds. Medical Cost Sharing continued to try to collect membership dues after the search and seizure warrants. On Dec. 27, 2022, the court entered a temporary restraining order that prohibited Medical Cost Sharing, McGinnis, and Reynolds, from continuing to perpetrate a fraudulent scheme and from processing Medical Cost Sharing member payments, among other actions.
In addition to the wire fraud conspiracy, McGinnis also admitted that he filed a federal income tax return that claimed he had no taxable income in 2019. McGinnis actually received at least $140,881 in taxable income in 2019.
Reynolds was sentenced, in a separate but related case, on June 26, 2024, to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Reynolds to pay $7,758,908 in restitution to the victims, $253,474 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, and $46,550 in restitution to the Missouri Department of Revenue. The court also ordered Reynolds to forfeit to the government $462,771, which includes proceeds from the sale of a St. Joseph residence, cash representing his interest in another St. Joseph residence, the values of a Lincoln Navigator, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle which will all be sold, and the contents of several bank accounts.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney, Patrick Daly, and John Constance. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
FBI Website for Victims of Medical Cost Sharing Fraud
Those who believe they are victims of this fraud and wish to receive restitution for any losses suffered as a result may provide their information through the MCS Victim Information Page that has been established by the FBI.
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/mcs-victim-information-page
Former KC Individual Sentenced to 20 Years for Attempting to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City, Mo., individual who moved to Mexico and lived under another name, has been sentenced in federal court for producing and selling child pornography online.
Wyatt Christopher Maxwell, also known as “Louis Whitaker,” 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Wednesday, Nov. 20, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Maxwell to pay a $10,000 fine. Maxwell will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
Maxwell, a nonbinary transgender individual, pleaded guilty on April 17, 2024, to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. Maxwell lived in Kansas City, Mo., at the time of the offense, but afterward moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where they went by the name “Louis Whitaker” as a cabaret singer. Maxwell was arrested in Mexico following indictment and has remained in federal custody since arrest.
The Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department received tips in February 2021, via the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers tipline, that Maxwell was producing child pornography with a 16-year-old victim in Overland Park. Maxwell reportedly uploaded the child pornography to various online accounts. The child victim told investigators that Maxwell had been recording sexually explicit videos of the two of them for several months. Some of the recordings were created at Maxwell’s residence and some were created in a nearby park.
Law enforcement agents interviewed Maxwell on Feb. 3, 2021. Maxwell confirmed they uploaded videos to their accounts on OnlyFans and JustForFans, for which Maxwell estimated they made from $3,000 to $10,000 per month from subscribers. Maxwell admitted they created approximately 20 videos where they was engaged in some type of sex act with the child victim. Those videos were uploaded to Maxwell’s OnlyFans and JustForFans accounts.
Investigators found 39 videos of child pornography that were downloaded on Maxwell’s cell phone, 96 videos of child pornography involving the child victim, and 24 images of child pornography involving the child victim.
Investigators confirmed payments from Maxwell’s OnlyFans account totaling $49,151, and from Maxwell’s JustForFans account totaling $2,954. There were 153 videos uploaded to the JustForFans account, 16 of which depicted sexual activity involving the child victim.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the FBI and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Blue Springs Woman Pleads Guilty to $220,000 Covid FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Blue Springs, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy that resulted in more than $220,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Daisha Sanders, 33, who now resides in Royse, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
By pleading guilty today, Sanders admitted she participated in a conspiracy to submit false and fraudulent applications for PPP loans from February 2021 to July 2022. The conspiracy caused more than $220,000 in fraudulent PPP loans to be issued to ineligible borrowers, most of which were forgiven even though the funds were not used for the purposes specified in the PPP.
Sanders created PPP loan applications for herself and for each of her co-conspirators in exchange for a payment from the loan proceeds. The applications falsely stated either the existence of a sole proprietorship prior to the pandemic or greatly inflated the revenues of any “businesses” that did exist in 2019. Sanders created fictitious bank records, IRS forms and other false financial documents to support the fraudulent PPP loan applications.
Sanders prepared 14 false PPP loan applications that were funded and numerous other false applications that were rejected. Generally, she charged fees between $2,000 and $5,000 for her assistance in filing false and fraudulent PPP loans, earning a total of at least $40,832 from the scheme. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Sanders must forfeit to the government at least $40,832, representing the proceeds she personally obtained from the scheme, and must pay restitution to the Small Business Administration as determined by the court.
Sanders is the eighth defendant in this case to plead guilty; each of the convicted co-defendants admitted they applied for a PPP loan of approximately $20,833.
Under federal statutes, Sanders is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.