Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Newtown Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking in Northwest MissouriRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Newtown, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in conspiracies to distribute fentanyl in northwest Missouri and to wire the proceeds of drug trafficking to Mexico.
Lucas Ryan Coltrain, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to nine years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Coltrain to forfeit to the government $10,000, which represents the proceeds he received from drug trafficking.
On Feb. 6, 2024, Coltrain pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl from Oct. 27, 2020, to Jan. 24, 2023, and to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Coltrain distributed at least 5,662 fentanyl pills, pressed into pills that appear to be prescription pharmaceuticals by members of a Mexican cartel. Coltain’s Facebook message records show that he was receiving M30 pills “by the 1000s” and selling them for $40 a pill.
Coltrain admitted knowing that people were dying after taking the M30 pills, which he sold to friends. His sales continued even after the death of an acquaintance on July 17, 2021. Coltrain was hospitalized for a fentanyl overdose in August 2023, after he was released on bond in this case.
Coltrain admitted that he wired approximately $10,000 to $15,000 to Mexico. Those wire transfers represented the proceeds from the distribution of fentanyl.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Grundy County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Trenton, Mo., Police Department, the Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Mercer County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Grundy County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Wiring Drug-Trafficking Profits to MexicoRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The owner of an Olathe, Kansas, business pleaded guilty in federal court today to her role in a money-laundering conspiracy to transfer the proceeds of heroin and methamphetamine trafficking to Mexico. A Kansas City, Mo., woman also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Ana Lilia Leal-Martinez, 48, a citizen of Mexico residing in Overland Park, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering from May 23, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022.
Leal-Martinez is the owner of Imagen Leal in Olathe, Kan., which offers money transfer services. By pleading guilty today, Leal-Martinez admitted that she accepted drug proceeds from co-conspirators, including Jose Jesus Sanchez-Mendez, also known as “Michoacano,” 41, a Mexican national. Those drug proceeds were then sent by wire transfer to individuals in Michoacan, Mexico.
Between Jan. 1, 2022, and June 8, 2022, Leal-Martinez sent wires totaling $83,850 to Mexico from her business in furtherance of the money-laundering conspiracy. These transfers were structured and sent under assumed names in order to avoid suspicion and detection.
Leal-Martinez, one of 44 defendants indicted in this case, was identified in 2022 after Homeland Security Investigations initiated the investigation of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine, 22 kilograms of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, among other drugs, sourced from Mexico in the Kansas City area. Investigators identified numerous bulk cash smugglers and drug traffickers working for the drug-trafficking organization as part of the $4.7 million conspiracy.
Co-defendant Flor Gonzalez-Celestine, 54, of Kansas City, Mo., also pleaded guilty today to participating in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from Feb. 28, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022. Gonzalez-Celestine participated in four controlled drug buys that were monitored by law enforcement. She sold more than a kilogram of methamphetamine to a confidential informant and was observed in possession of approximately 2.2 additional kilograms of methamphetamine.
Sanchez-Mendez has pleaded guilty to his role in a continuing criminal enterprise, to his role in the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies, and to illegally reentering the United States. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Under federal statutes, Leal-Martinez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gonzalez-Celestine 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 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 Patrick C. Edwards and 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.
Two Strafford Women Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two Strafford, Mo., women were indicted by a federal grand jury today for sexually abusing two children to produce child pornography.
Mallory Nicole Bunch, 40, and Jessica Nicole Pickett, 34, were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Pickett on June 11, 2024.
Today’s indictment alleges that Mallory Bunch and Pickett participated in a conspiracy with Thomas Bunch (now deceased, formerly Mallory Bunch’s husband with whom they were involved in a polyamorous relationship) to sexually abuse two minor victims to produce child pornography from Sept. 2, 2016, to May 23, 2024.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Mallory Bunch used her cell phone to record the sexual abuse of a child, identified as Minor Victim 1, at the request of Thomas Bunch. She allegedly sent videos of the sexual abuse to Thomas Bunch through text messages. In addition to the conspiracy, today’s indictment charges Mallory Bunch with one count of using Minor Victim 1 to produce child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.
Pickett is also charged with one count of using a child victim, identified as Minor Victim 2, to produce child pornography and one count of transferring obscene matter to Minor Victim 1. According to the affidavit, Pickett shared with Minor Victim 1 an iCloud link that contained 376 images and two videos of the sexual activity of Mallory and Thomas Bunch and Pickett.
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 Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Webster 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."
Mother, Son Sentenced for Illegal Firearms Following Two Shootings at Swope Park on Father’s Day 2023Read the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman and her son have been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing the firearms they used in two shootings at Swope Park on Father’s Day last year.
Kippie R. House, 54, and her son, co-defendant Darryel L. Pennington, 32, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays last week. House was sentenced on Thursday, June 20, to 10 years and one month in federal prison without parole. Pennington was sentenced on Monday, June 17, to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
House and Pennington each have pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. House admitted in her plea agreement that she and Pennington had been involved in shootings at Swope Park on June 18, 2023. Pennington pleaded guilty without a plea agreement.
The two separate shooting incidents involved in this case were captured on surveillance video. The video shows House arriving at the crowded park on a sunny day, in an area filled with families near a picnic pavilion and children playing on inflatable bounce-houses. There were several people sitting in lawn chairs or standing near vehicles with a steady flow of traffic through the area where the shootings occurred. House parked her Dodge Challenger and walked across the street, carrying a Smith & Wesson .380-caliber handgun with a laser, and was confronted by a member of her ex-boyfriend’s family.
House became involved in a physical altercation with the other woman and began shooting. The other woman, who was unarmed, ran to retrieve a gun from her vehicle. House waved her gun around in the street as she sought out the woman, shot at her again, and the two engaged in a shoot-out over and around the woman’s vehicle.
House then left the park and went to pick up her son, Pennington. They returned to the park an hour later and Pennington, extending his arm outside the passenger window, began firing a handgun with an extended magazine at House’s ex-boyfriend and his family. At least two people returned fire and Pennington was struck in the leg. House then left the park and took Pennington to Research Hospital.
When a Kansas City police officer approached them at the hospital, House was sitting in her Dodge Challenger, which had a flat back tire and multiple bullet holes, and Pennington was sitting in the front passenger’s seat. Pennington, who had been shot in the right leg, was provided medical treatment. Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson .380 caliber handgun with a laser in the trunk of the Challenger, as well as a backpack that contained a Glock 10mm semi-automatic handgun and an extended magazine loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition. The Smith & Wesson handgun had been reported stolen.
House admitted the firearms belonged to her and her son and that they had been used in the shootings at Swope Park. House told detectives she returned to the park after the first shooting with a plan to shoot a member of her ex-boyfriend’s family.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. House has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen property. Pennington has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Kansas City, 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.
Former Overland Park Business Owner Sentenced for $800,000 COVID FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Overland Park, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for fraudulently receiving more than $800,000 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for a business that was no longer in operation.
Mirza Michael Reazuddin, 66, currently a resident of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips one year and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Reazuddin to pay $804,100 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit to the government $804,100, which represents the proceeds he personally obtained from the scheme, as well as his residential property in Lawrenceville.
On Feb. 5, 2024, Reazuddin pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Reazuddin was a partner in a hotel operation called Grandview Hotel, LLC, which was established in 2013 and ceased operations in 2018. Another company then took over operations of the hotel until it ultimately closed in 2021.
The purpose of the CARES Act was to provide emergency financial assistance due to the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized the Small Business Administration to provide 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.
On June 25, 2020, Reazuddin, on behalf of Grandview Hotel (which had ceased operations), applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $384,100. Reazuddin made numerous false statements on the application and submitted false and fraudulent documents in support of the application.
Reazuddin used approximately $300,000 of the 2020 loan to purchase a home in Lawrenceville.
On Jan. 26, 2021, Reazuddin, on behalf of Grandview Hotel, applied for and received a second draw of PPP funding in the amount of $420,000. Reazuddin made similar false statements on this application.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Co-founder of Medical Charity in St. Joseph Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for $8 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The co-founder of a so-called Christian health care sharing ministry in St. Joseph, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for his role in an $8 million wire fraud conspiracy that cheated hundreds of members, and to making false statements on a personal tax return.
Craig Anthony Reynolds, 62, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Reynolds was taken into custody at the conclusion of today’s hearing to immediately begin serving his sentence. 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.
Reynolds incorporated and ran Medical Cost Sharing, a tax-exempt organization, as its president and chief executive officer from 2014 through December 2022. On Nov. 14, 2023, Reynolds pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making false statements on a tax return.
In a separate but related case, co-defendant James L. McGinnis, 77, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024, to the same charges and awaits sentencing. McGinnis co-founded Medical Cost Sharing and served as its chief operating officer from 2014 through December 2022.
Reynolds and McGinnis 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.
Reynolds and McGinnis pocketed at least $5,168,268 from the member contributions from December 2015 through December 2022. Thus, Reynolds and McGinnis took at least 64 percent of total member contributions for their personal profit.
Reynolds and McGinnis 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, Reynolds and McGinnis 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 almost 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 Reynolds and McGinnis 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, Reynolds, and McGinnis from continuing to perpetrate a fraudulent scheme and from processing Medical Cost Sharing member payments, among other actions.
Reynolds also admitted that he filed a return that claimed he had no taxable income in 2019. Reynolds actually received at least $354,292 in taxable income in 2019. According to court documents, Reynolds filed false federal and state tax returns in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
According to court documents, Reynolds also defrauded the U.S. Treasury by applying for Covid tax credits using false information. Reynolds received a total of $42,586 in fraudulently obtained Employee Retention Credits for tax year 2021.
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
KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for using a 9-year-old victim to produce child pornography.
Jackie M. Hill, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Hill to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Hill will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Jan. 31, 2024, Hill pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. Hill admitted that he used a 9-year-old victim to produce 21 images of child pornography on Feb. 3, 2023. Hill posted three images of child pornography, including two images of the child victim, on a website dedicated to the discussion of child sexual abuse and the advertisement and sharing of child pornography.
On April 12, 2023, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Hill’s residence. Agents seized a desktop computer, a thumb drive, and a cell phone. A forensic analysis of the devices determined that thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors were located on them, including pornographic images and videos of infants, toddlers, and prepubescent children.
Hill admitted that he had been involved in trafficking child pornography for at least eight years prior to his arrest.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. 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."
Springfield Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Greene County, Mo., and illegally possessing firearms.
Justin Thomas Hollingsworth, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 18 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 23, 2023, Hollingsworth pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Hollingsworth admitted he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County from June 1 to Aug. 25, 2022. Hollingsworth also admitted that on Aug. 25, 2022, he was in possession of a Ruger 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson .380-caliber pistol.
According to court documents, Hollingsworth made more than $30,000 in one month of selling methamphetamine. Hollingsworth is being held accountable for a total of nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hollingsworth’s residence and arrested him on June 29, 2022. Officers found nine baggies that contained a total of 342.4 grams of methamphetamine inside a black zipper case on Hollingsworth’s bed. On the floor of the bedroom they found another zipper case that contained a total of 23 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Officers also found a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol, two loaded magazines, seven baggies of assorted prescription pills and $17,766 in cash, which the court today ordered to be forfeited to the government. Officers found more baggies of methamphetamine throughout the rest of the house.
On Aug. 25, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Hollingsworth again, outside a local hotel, and searched his vehicle. Officers found approximately three pounds of methamphetamine, a Ruger 9mm pistol, a high-capacity drum magazine loaded with 39 rounds of ammunition for the Ruger pistol, a box of ammunition and a baggie of marijuana. Inside Hollingsworth’s hotel room, officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson .380-caliber handgun with an extended magazine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Officers also found $14,156 in cash, which the court today ordered to be forfeited to the government.
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, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Steal Firearms from VehiclesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy in which five men broke into numerous vehicles in the Westport entertainment district and elsewhere in the metropolitan area and stole more than 100 firearms, which they later sold on their social media accounts.
Bobby Lamb, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 11 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Lamb to pay $1,500 in restitution.
On Sept. 29, 2023, Lamb pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive, possess, and dispose of stolen firearms. Lamb also pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and possessing a stolen firearm.
Lamb admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to break into vehicles and steal firearms and other items. Conspirators used social media to advertise the stolen firearms for sale, which included sales to individuals who were prohibited by law from possessing firearms.
According to court documents, Lamb and his co-conspirators stole more than 100 firearms obtained from vehicle break-ins from June 18 to Nov. 19, 2021. When Lamb was arrested on Sept. 16, 2021, he was in possession of a stolen Glock 9mm handgun.
Lamb is the first defendant to be sentenced in this case. Four co-defendants, all of Kansas City, Mo., have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Drevion Hooker, 22, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4, 2024. Rayquan Duane Pettaway, 25, is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 28, 2024. Treyon Bloodsoe, 22, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2024. Roy Rushing, 26, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Purchasing Pornographic Images, Videos from Child VictimRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the sexual exploitation of a child.
Jason T. Bernard, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 30 years and five months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Bernard to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration and ordered him to pay $171,000 in restitution.
On Aug. 29, 2023, Bernard pleaded guilty to one count of the exploitation of a child, one count of the coercion and enticement of a child, and one count of receiving child pornography.
The investigation began when nine CyberTips were received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on April 7, 2022. The nine CyberTips involved 145 images of child pornography, some victims as young as toddlers, that Bernard uploaded for storage to the Verizon Cloud.
After investigators identified Bernard as the account holder, they received information from law enforcement in North Carolina that Bernard also was involved in one of their investigations. For two years, Bernard had been sending funds through Cash App to a child victim identified in court documents as “Jane Doe 1,” starting when she was 12 or 13 years old. In exchange, the child victim sent pornographic images and videos of herself to Bernard.
Bernard admitted that he sent sex toys and alcohol to Jane Doe, and those items were later used to produce images that he purchased from Jane Doe. Bernard possessed more than 700 images and videos of the child victim.
Bernard also admitted to having multiple conversations with Jane Doe about her traveling to Missouri to meet him for sex, offered her money for this potential meeting, and had conversations with Jane Doe about purchasing either a plane ticket or a bus ticket to facilitate her travel to Missouri.
Investigators also discovered more than 1,500 additional images and videos of child pornography on Bernard’s cell phone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Beaufort County, North Carolina, 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."
Leader, Members of Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club Indicted for Criminal Racketeering EnterpriseRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Seven area residents, including the leader and several members of the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in an ongoing criminal enterprise that involved acts of violence, drug trafficking, and illegally possessing firearms.
Tonka Way Con Ponder, 53, and his wife, Carolynn L. Ponder, 47, both of Preston, Mo., and Tretch Lucius Lawrence, also known as “Travis Dewain Shankle,” 48, Keith Dewayne Nolen Jr., also known as “Seg,” 34, Paul Leon Gardner, 52, Daniel Scot Kurtzenborn, 41, and Robert Russell Warren, also known as “Russ,” 54, all of whom have unknown addresses, were charged in a 25-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City on Tuesday, June 18.
That indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrests of six of the defendants (with the exception of Warren). Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen and Kurtzeborn remain detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, June 25. Gardner and Carolynn Ponder were released on bond.
The federal indictment alleges that Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen, Gardner and Kurtzeborn are members of the Lake of the Ozarks chapter of the Galloping Goose outlaw motorcycle gang, an organized criminal enterprise. Members of the Galloping Goose, says the indictment, engaged in acts of violence, including assault, attempted robbery, and extortion.
According to the indictment, Tonka Ponder was the leader of the local chapter of the Galloping Goose, which has a clubhouse in Camdenton, Mo.
The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Shankle, Nolen, Kurtzeborn and Gardner with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. They allegedly assaulted another person with a deadly weapon on Dec. 12, 2020.
The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Lawrence, Nolen, and Kurtzeborn with committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. They allegedly conspired to assault members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club and the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association, resulting in serious physical injuries, on July 15, 2021.
Tonka Ponder is charged with two counts of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering and two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Tonka Ponder allegedly shot two persons, resulting in serious physical injury, on July 15, 2021.
Kurtzeborn is charged with one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Kurtzeborn allegedly attempted to assault a victim by shooting at him on July 15, 2021.
Tonka Ponder and Lawrence are charged with one count of attempted extortion. The indictment alleges that, from July 1, 2020, to July 15, 2021, they attempted to obtain the property of the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association by threatened use of force, violence, and fear.
The federal indictment charges Tonka Ponder, Carolynn Ponder, and Warren with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Camden and Miller Counties from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, 2022. Tonka Ponder is also charged with five counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and four counts of traveling across state lines to facilitate the illegal distribution of methamphetamine.
Tonka Ponder is charged with two counts of using his cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Carolynn Ponder is charged with one count of using her cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Kurtzeborn and Nolen are each charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kurtzeborn allegedly possessed a Taurus .357-caliber revolver on July 15, 2021. Nolen allegedly possessed a Taurus 9mm handgun on Aug. 24, 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. Attorneys Aaron M. Maness and Cecily L. Hicks. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., Police Department, the Miller County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Camden 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.
KC, Mississippi Men Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder, Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man and a Crowder, Mississippi, man have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that included two murders.
Shawn Burkhalter, also known as “Deuce,” 35, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to life in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Joshua Nesbitt, also known as “T,” 30, was sentenced yesterday to life in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 28, 2023, Burkhalter and Nesbitt each were found guilty at trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of robbery, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug-trafficking crime, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, one count of being felons in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to commit witness and evidence tampering, one count of murdering a potential witness, and one count of evidence tampering. Additionally, Burkhalter was found guilty of one count of witness tampering.
Burkhalter and Nesbitt participated in a decade-long conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana from 2008 to Feb. 20, 2018. Six more co-defendants pleaded guilty and have been sentenced for their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Trial evidence showed that on Sept. 10, 2015, Burkhalter and Nesbitt stole cocaine from Danny Lamont Dean, and in the process of that robbery, shot and killed Dean with a Rock River Arms AR-15, 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle.
On Oct. 4, 2015, Nesbitt and others stole marijuana from Anthony Dwayne Johnson, and in the process of that robbery, Nesbitt shot and killed Johnson with the same Rock River Arms AR-15, 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle, all of which was at the direction of Burkhalter (who was detained in custody at the time of the murder). Trial evidence showed Johnson was murdered because Burkhalter suspected him of providing information to investigators about Burkhalter’s involvement in Dean’s murder.
Burkhalter and Nesbitt robbed a Kansas City, Mo., business on Sept. 8, 2015, brandishing the same AR-15 rifle.
The government also presented evidence at yesterday’s sentencing hearing that Nesbitt repeatedly assaulted staff members at detention facilities while incarcerated and awaiting trial.
Co-defendants Sharika Hooker and Autry Hines, both of Kansas City, Mo.; Joslyn Lee, also known as “Bless,” and Nickayla Jones, both of Blue Springs, Mo.; Rachel Ryce of Raytown, Mo.; and Anthony Peltier, also known as “A-1,” of Lawrence, Kansas, have pleaded guilty and previously been sentenced.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Raskin, Patrick C. Edwards, and David Wagner. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Ava Man Sentenced to 58 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Two Child VictimsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ava, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court after images of his repeated sexual assaults of two child victims were discovered by workers while they were demolishing his former residence.
Harold Lloyd Blair, Jr., 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Thursday, June 20, to 58 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 30, 2024, Blair pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of a minor. Blair has also been implicated in the sexual abuse of two additional child victims.
The investigation began on Dec. 2, 2022, when workers employed by Douglas County, Mo., were tearing down Blair’s former residence after he sold it to the county. The workers discovered a filing cabinet that contained numerous pages of images of a young girl engaged in sexual acts with an older man. The workers contacted the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and Blair was questioned by investigators.
Blair admitted that he was the man portrayed in the photos, which were taken in 2012 and 2013, when the two child victims each were approximately 11 to 12 years old. In total, there were 52 photographs that were taken by Blair with a digital camera and printed from his computer. Blair told investigators that, if he had remembered those photographs were in the house, he would have destroyed them.
Investigators also searched Blair’s storage unit and found more images of child pornography. Investigators found a total of 743 images of child pornography in the house and storage unit, most of which were images of the sexual assault of two child victims.
Blair admitted that he sexually assaulted one of the child victims two to three times a day. Blair showed adult pornography to each of the child victims so they could imitate what was happening in the videos.
Blair also admitted to investigators that he sexually abused a 13-year-old girl whom he moved from state to state in an attempt to find a state that would allow him to marry a minor without her parents’ consent. Another victim told investigators that Blair sexually abused her when she was approximately three years old.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, with assistance from the Douglas County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney.
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."
Sedalia Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sedalia, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for soliciting sexually explicit photos of a 14-year-old victim.
Dustin Shane Colvin, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 35 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 4, 2024, Colvin pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving and distributing child pornography. Colvin, a registered sex offender, was convicted of the statutory rape of a 13-year-old victim in 2007.
Co-defendant Serena Dowling, 24, of Sedalia, pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024, to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography and awaits sentencing.
Dowling took sexually explicit photos of a 14-year-old victim at the request of Colvin, her fiancé, and sent them to him over Snapchat. Dowling told the child victim she would receive $100 per photo from Colvin, although she only paid about half the money she had promised.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
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 Chiropractor Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., chiropractor was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Eric Hedman, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to seven years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Hedman to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
Hedman will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Hedman, who operated his own practice at Hedman Chiropractic at the time of the offense, pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2023, to receiving and distributing child pornography.
Hedman sent a video and a photo of child pornography to two other users of the Kik messenger in July and August 2022. Kik made two Cybertipline Reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which forwarded the reports to the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force for investigation.
Investigators searched Hedman’s multiple Kik accounts and discovered 31 files that contained child pornography. The images depicted children as young as two years old. Additionally, log files indicated that Hedman had transmitted child pornography to at least six other users on July 8 and 9, 2022.
On Dec. 6, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hedman’s residence and seized his computer and cell phone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
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."
U.S. Attorney Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore joined national, state, and local leaders today in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Saturday, June 15.
Since 2006, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day has been commemorated to promote awareness and increase understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk.
“One in ten people over the age of 60 has experienced some form of elder abuse,” Moore said. “An estimated $28.3 billion is lost to elder fraud scams each year. My office and the Department of Justice are committed to prosecuting those who abuse the elderly, including financial fraud or other forms of exploitation.”
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological.
For example, co-defendants Morgan Armstrong and Lance Becker will be sentenced this summer for stealing Social Security checks from residents of an assisted living facility in Platte City, Mo.
In another case, defendant Henry Asomani was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a romance fraud conspiracy that stole over $3 million from more than a dozen victims across the United States. Some victims lost their retirement savings or were forced to declare bankruptcy. Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, Moore emphasized the importance of awareness and education.
The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.
The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.
Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.
To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative website at www.justice.gov/elderjustice .
To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
Southwest Missouri Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD CITY, Mo. – A southwest Missouri man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.
Billy Hile, 61, who has no known address, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 9, 2023, Hile pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Hile was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper conducted a traffic stop on Sept. 15, 2021, while Hile was driving his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on U.S. Highway 60 in Lawrence County, Mo. Hile, who had 13 baggies of marijuana with him, admitted to the trooper that he had a medical marijuana card but purchased marijuana on the black market. Hile also admitted that he last smoked marijuana a couple of hours prior to the traffic stop. The trooper conducted field sobriety tests on Hile and arrested him for driving while intoxicated.
When the trooper searched Hile, he found marijuana and $4,795 in cash (some of which was later determined to be counterfeit). Hile also had a bag in his pants that contained a pipe, methamphetamine, cocaine, and psilocyn mushrooms.
The trooper searched Hile’s vehicle and found a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which had been reported as stolen, and 91.49 grams of methamphetamine inside a Gladware container in a tackle box. The tackle box also contained drug paraphernalia.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Kansas Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm after Shooting at Officers During High Speed PursuitRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Galena, Kansas, man who shot at police officers during a high-speed pursuit from Joplin, Mo., into Kansas was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Adam Everett Kastler, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 6, 2024, Kastler pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kastler admitted he was in possession of a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun on Feb. 23, 2023.
Joplin, Mo., police officers spotted Kastler, who had outstanding arrest warrants, inside a Chevrolet Tahoe that was pulled over in a traffic stop on 7th Street. Kastler, who was in the passenger’s seat, pointed a firearm at the driver and said he would shoot him if he did not flee from the police. Instead, the driver got out of the vehicle and laid on the ground.
After the driver got out of the vehicle, Kastler moved from the passenger’s seat to the driver’s seat and fled from the scene with the officers in pursuit. Kastler drove through town at high rates of speed, ignoring multiple stop signs. The pursuit continued into Kansas, where deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the pursuit.
Officers saw Kastler shooting at them from the vehicle before he lost control and crashed. Kastler was arrested. Officers found the loaded firearm on the center console and two spent shell casings laying on the driver’s side floorboard. Officers also found a methamphetamine glass smoking pipe with residue, three cell phones, and four open containers of alcohol.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Kastler has prior felony convictions for distributing methamphetamine and aggravated domestic battery.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department, 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.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Ammunition, Assaulting OfficerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who rammed into a federal agent’s vehicle while attempting to escape arrest pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing ammunition and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.
Charles D. Jackson, also known as “Grove Street” and “C Jackem,” 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.
On Aug. 24, 2023, agents and task officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Jackson’s residence. As officers approached on foot, an ATF agent pulled her vehicle into the driveway to pin in a black Kia sedan parked in the driveway and still running. All of the agents and officers were wearing clearly marked body armor identifying them as “ATF Police.”
The officers announced themselves and the ATF agent activated the emergency equipment on her vehicle. Jackson, who was fully reclined in the driver’s seat, popped up and put the car in drive. He rammed into the front of the ATF vehicle, then attempted to back up and drive forward several times in an apparent attempt to escape. However, the ATF agent pushed the Kia into the garage with her vehicle, immobilizing it.
The ATF vehicle was damaged as a result of Jackson ramming it. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Jackson must pay restitution for the damage.
On the floorboard of the front’s driver’s seat where Jackson had been sitting, agents located a loaded AR-style 5.56-caliber pistol with no serial number and with an extended magazine, which contained 39 rounds of ammunition.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jackson has a prior felony conviction for first degree robbery.
Under federal statutes, Jackson is subject to a sentence of up to 16 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 John C. Constance. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Former IRS Employee Indicted for Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former IRS employee has been indicted by a federal grand jury for preparing fraudulent tax returns that illegally claimed more than $200,000 in refunds for her clients.
Sandra D. Mondaine, 64, of Grandview, Mo., was charged in a 39-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, June 11. Mondaine previously worked for the IRS as a contact representative before retiring.
The fedeal indictment charges Mondaine with 39 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false and fraudulent income tax returns. The indictment alleges that Mondaine assisted at least 11 individuals to file at least 39 false and fraudulent income tax returns for the tax years 2018 through 2021. The tax loss associated with those false returns is approximately $237,329.
The federal income tax returns prepared by Mondaine allegedly included Fraudulent Filing Status, Fraudulent Schedules A - Itemized Deductions, Fraudulent Schedules D - Capital Gains and Losses and Fraudulent Forms 5695, Residential Energy Credits. By including these and other fraudulent items on the client’s tax returns, the indictment says, Mondaine was able to manufacture substantial refunds to her clients that they would not have been entitled to if the returns had been accurately prepared.
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 Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine in the metropolitan area.
Keith A. Clevenger, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 16 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 25, 2023, Clevenger pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Clevenger admitted that he purchased approximately 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine from a co-conspirator.
Clevenger attempted to flee on foot from police officers during a traffic stop near the intersection of Truman and Home Road on Nov. 28, 2020. While rolling him over to frisk for weapons, officers saw a plastic baggie that contained 25.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. Officers also found a Glock .40-caliber pistol in the vehicle.
Clevenger is the 13th and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendant Nicholas A. Taylor, 41, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on April 25, 2023, to 19 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Taylor admitted that he traveled to California in June 2020 and purchased at least 52 pounds (approximately 23.6 kilograms) of methamphetamine, which was transported to Kansas City and distributed to multiple co-defendants.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, 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.
Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting, Threatening Federal Officers at Fort Leonard WoodRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Houston, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to assaulting and threatening federal law enforcement officers at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
James W. Dickens, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of assaulting a federal officer and one count of threatening to murder a federal law enforcement officer.
Dickens drove a stolen vehicle to the north gate of Fort Leonard Wood shortly after 1 a.m. on June 11, 2023. He made several statements to personnel at the gate while acting erratically, according to today’s plea agreement, and showed them he had an axe in the passenger seat of the vehicle. Dickens then fled from the gate and, after a high-speed pursuit, he crashed the vehicle he was driving into the north gate drop arm barrier, yelling and cursing as officers surrounded the vehicle. He got out of his vehicle and walked away from the officers. Dickens admitted that, as one of the officers drew his taser, Dickens said, “If you tase me, I will kill you,” or words to that effect. He then charged toward the officer with his fists clenched, and the officer tased him.
Dickens fell to the ground but resisted the officers as they attempted to apprehend him, and said he was going to kill the officer who tased him. The officers handcuffed Dickens and placed him in a Military Police vehicle, where he continued to scream and threaten the officers.
Officers pulled Dickens out of the vehicle a short time later so fire department personnel could assess his health. Dickens continued to act hostile, according to the plea agreement. He kicked one officer on his right leg and headbutted another officer on his left cheekbone. Dickens again said he was going to kill the officers. The officers placed him back in the vehicle. A few minutes later paramedics arrived and officers opened the car door to ask Dickens if he would cooperate with the paramedics so they could assess him. Dickens spit on one of the officers and yelled, “Yeah, b***h, now you got HIV,” or words to that effect. Later, officers pulled Dickens out of the vehicle and placed him on a gurney to be transported to the hospital. As the officers were restraining him to the gurney, Dickens headbutted one of the officers on the right side of his head and again said he was going to kill them. Dickens was then placed in the back of ambulance, where he spit on the face of one of the paramedics.
Under federal statutes, Dickens is subject to a sentence of up to 18 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 Casey Clark and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vargas. It was investigated by the U.S. Army, Fort Leonard Wood, Military Police Investigations.
Grandview Man Pleads Guilty to $900,000 Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy that distributed at least 18 kilograms of cocaine.
Anthony D. Harris, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
By pleading guilty today, Harris admitted that he distributed at least 18 kilograms of cocaine between 2019 and 2022. Harris, who obtained cocaine from sources throughout the country, admitted that he made dozens of trips to Texas to obtain cocaine to distribute in the Kansas City metropolitan area. He made 38 trips by flight to Houston, Texas, to obtain cocaine, then rented a vehicle to return and distribute the cocaine to co-conspirators in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Harris had two bank accounts that facilitated his drug trade. He deposited a total $443,920 into the bank accounts during that time, of which $308,472 was cash deposits.
Harris also gambled with proceeds from his drug trade. Records received from several casinos in the Kansas City area and Las Vegas, Nevada, revealed that from 2019 to 2021, Harris cashed in a total of $705,244 and cashed out a total of $646,108.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Harris must forfeit to the government a money judgment of up to $887,600, based upon his drug responsibility as determined by the court. This sum, in aggregate, was obtained through the drug-trafficking conspiracy, based upon an average street price of $1,400 per ounce of cocaine, $30 per pill (approximately 0.1 grams) of fentanyl, and $200 per ounce of marijuana.
Harris is one of 29 defendants charged in this case. More than 200 law enforcement officers participated in an operation in March 2022 that led to the arrests of 25 of the 26 defendants originally indicted. Officers seized 27 firearms, 1,877 rounds of ammunition, more than 11.1 kilograms of marijuana, 300.9 grams of cocaine, 278.91 grams of other illegal drugs, and $34,439 in cash. Harris, who was among three defendants charged in a superseding indictment, was arrested on Jan. 27, 2023.
Under federal statutes, Harris is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 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. Attorneys Matthew A. Moeder and Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Johnson County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department and the St. Joseph, 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.
Raytown Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man who is a convicted sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing thousands of videos and images of child pornography.
James Anthony Bee, 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of possessing child pornography.
Bee has a prior federal felony conviction for distributing child pornography, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Bee’s term of supervised release began on Dec. 30, 2021.
On Nov. 2, 2022, probation officers conducted an unannounced home inspection at Bee’s residence. A probation officer noticed several cell phone charging cords on his bedroom floor. The terms of Bee’s supervised release prohibited him from possessing electronic devices with access to any on-line computer service without the prior approval of the probation office. Upon retrieving the cords, the probation officer discovered that one of the cords was connected to an SD card reader, which contained a micro-SD card inside the reader.
When Bee arrived and realized the probation officers had found the SD card and were going to search it, he struck the living room window twice with his hand, breaking it. He retrieved a piece of glass and attempted to cut his neck with it. The probation officers contacted emergency services and Bee was transported to the hospital for treatment.
A forensic examination of the SD card found more than 1,300 videos of child pornography and more than 9,000 images of child pornography.
Under federal statutes, Bee is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 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 is scheduled on Oct. 24, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the U.S. Probation Office 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."
Jury Convicts KC Man of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted in federal court today of illegally possessing a firearm.
Terrell M. Simpson, 42, was found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On May 11, 2020, Kansas City police officers pulled over a vehicle in which Simpson, who had active arrest warrants, was a passenger. After Simpson was ordered to get out of the car and was placed under arrest, officers searched the vehicle because they had seen Simpson moving around as if he was trying to hide something.
Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun inside the driver’s purse, which was sitting on the passenger’s side floorboard of the car. The driver denied any knowledge of the handgun. A forensic examination indicated that Simpson’s DNA was located on the handgun. The FBI Crime Laboratory analyzed DNA swabs taken from the trigger and trigger guard and determined there was very strong support that the defendant was the major contributor of the DNA. The lab provided a statistical analysis that the genetic information is 3.9 septillion times more likely to be observed if the defendant and three unknown individuals are the contributors than if it were four unknown individuals that are the contributors.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Simpson has two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a weapon. Additionally, Simpson has prior convictions for domestic assault in the second-degree and armed criminal action.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately two hours before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, June 3.
Under federal statutes, Simpson is subject to a sentence of up to 10 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. Attorneys Stefan C. Hughes and Stephanie Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department 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.
Ozark Woman Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Luis Vuitton Bracelets OnlineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to selling counterfeit Louis Vuitton bracelets and other items online.
Carissa L. Bedford, 46, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with trafficking in counterfeit goods.
Bedford operated JOVEE, LLC, an online wholesale business that sold to boutique stores and which operated out of Bedford’s residence.
By pleading guilty today, Bedford admitted she sold various counterfeit Louis Vuitton bracelets, hair ties, and other products through JOVEE from April to December 2022. The counterfeit consumer goods and apparel were typically manufactured in Hong Kong and China and shipped to the United States for distribution. Numerous shipments were delivered from Hong Kong or China to Bedford and another individual who operated JOVEE, who is not identified in court documents, from May 4 to Nov. 14, 2022.
Bedford specifically admitted to ordering 200 Louis Vuitton-branded, counterfeit bracelets from Hong Kong in April 2022. She also admitted to selling three Louis Vuitton-branded, counterfeit hair ties to an individual working in an undercover capacity in association with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on May 26, 2022. Bedford received $70,770 in criminal proceeds from her illegal actions.
Under federal statutes, Bedford is subject to a sentence of up to 10 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 Casey Clark. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Mexican National Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been sentenced in federal court after more than 88 pounds of methamphetamine was found in the trunk of a car in which he was traveling on Interstate 70.
Juan Emilio Gomez-Padilla, 32, who was residing in Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, May 30, to 11 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Gomez-Padilla to forfeit to the government $5,505 that was seized by law enforcement.
On Jan. 5, 2024, Gomez-Padilla pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gomez-Padilla admitted that he was a passenger in a car that was carrying more than 88 pounds of methamphetamine in the trunk when it was stopped by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper in Saline County, Mo., on April 5, 2021.
Gomez-Padilla is the third and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendants Jose Alfredo Renteria-Rojas, 35, and his brother, Gustavo Renteria-Rojas, 40, who are both citizens of Mexico residing in Chicago, have each been sentenced to 11 years and six months in federal prison without parole. They each pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to illegally possessing a firearm.
All three of the defendants were in a white 2011 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Gustavo Renteria-Rojas on eastbound Interstate 70 that was stopped by a state trooper in Saline County. As Jose Renteria-Rojas was getting out of the vehicle, the state trooper saw a loaded Smith & Wesson .380-caliber handgun that contained a magazine as well as an extra magazine in the door pocket. The trooper found four white cardboard boxes in the trunk, which contained 36 packages of methamphetamine that weighed a total of 88.7 pounds. The trooper also found $5,505 in cash in the car.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Springfield Man Indicted for Timeshare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., business owner has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a timeshare fraud scheme as well as for failing to pay more than $333,000 in federal taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks.
Brian J. Scroggs, 52, was charged in a six-count indictment returned on May 14, 2024, by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Scroggs was the owner of several businesses that focused on various aspects of the timeshare exit industry. These businesses claimed to provide a service that would get prospective clients out of their timeshare contracts.
Scroggs owned Vacation Consulting Services, LLC, and The Transfer Group, LLC, both located in Springfield, from 2014 through February 2019. Scroggs also began operating Real Travel, LLC, on June 5, 2018. Although Real Travel was registered in the state of Arkansas, it conducted business from the Vacation Consulting Services office and utilized the same employees, so by all intents and purposes, was actually Vacation Consulting Services operating under a different business name.
According to the indictment, Scroggs employed sales teams who traveled the country hosting seminars during which Vacation Consulting Services / Real Travel presented to timeshare owners they could get them out of their timeshare contracts for a fee. If they failed to get their clients out of their timeshare contracts within a year, they claimed, they would either buy their clients’ timeshare contracts or refund the fee paid by the clients.
By January 2019, the indictment alleges, Scroggs knew that the timeshare industry was no longer negotiating or working with timeshare exit companies such as Vacation Consulting Services / Real Travel or The Transfer Group to get their timeshare contract holders out of timeshare contracts. Despite knowing that timeshare companies would no longer work with his companies, Scroggs allegedly continued soliciting new clients throughout January 2019 by falsely claiming to be able to get people out of their timeshare contracts.
The federal indictment charges Scroggs with three counts of wire fraud related to three clients who allegedly were defrauded by this scheme. According to the indictment, these clients paid a total of over $32,000 to Scroggs’s companies but were not released from their timeshare agreements and never received a refund.
The indictment also charges Scroggs with three counts of failure to pay over federal employment taxes. Scroggs allegedly failed to pay over to the IRS a total of $333,483 in federal income taxes and FICA taxes that were withheld from his employees’ paychecks for the third and fourth quarters of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019.
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 Patrick Carney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
KC Daycare Owner Sentenced for $772,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., day care owner was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy that resulted in a $653,329 tax loss to the federal government, as well as fraudulently collecting almost $120,000 in government benefits she was not entitled to receive.
Patricia L. Johnson-Rushing, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to two years and three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Johnson-Rushing to pay $772,861in restitution and to forfeit to the government $95,704.
On Sept. 7, 2023, Johnson-Rushing pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money, one count of benefits fraud, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Johnson-Rushing admitted that she fraudulently received $83,394 in public funding for her childcare center, Granny’s Pray & Play, located at 3714 E. 27th Street in Kansas City, Mo., and that she unlawfully received food stamps. Johnson-Rushing also admitted that she participated in a conspiracy to obstruct the collection of federal employment taxes by failing to pay over to the government $154,186 in federal income tax and FICA contributions collected from the paychecks of Granny’s Pray & Play employees. This was part of a total tax loss to the government, including the employer’s share of payroll taxes, of $653,329.
The total fraud to which Johnson-Rushing pleaded guilty is $772,861.
Theft of Public Money
Johnson-Rushing admitted that she submitted false claims to the Missouri Department of Social Services that intentionally reported false information for children attending Granny’s Pray & Play from Jan. 1, 2016, to Nov. 28, 2019. The purpose of the scheme was to receive payments from the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Program. This program is intended to help low-income families get access to high-quality early care and after-school programs. Parents of adopted children are eligible to receive the childcare subsidy for their children who are under the age of 13 if both parents are working. However, the provider agreement explicitly states that the owner of the childcare center cannot be paid for services to their own children.
Six children adopted by Johnson-Rushing and her husband were approved to receive the childcare subsidy for full time care. In order to qualify for the childcare subsidy, Johnson-Rushing submitted false documentation to misrepresent her ownership of the center and to falsely claim employment elsewhere. According to the plea agreement, the total funds fraudulently paid to Granny’s Pray & Play is $83,394.
Benefits Fraud
From 2016 to 2019, Johnson-Rushing signed food stamp applications to receive subsidy money from the state of Missouri. On those applications, she falsely claimed to have no job or bank account. In reality, she frequently withdrew funds from the Granny’s Pray & Play bank account to purchase cashier’s checks for herself. Personal expenses were also paid in her name from the Granny’s Pray & Play bank account, including $15,000 towards the purchase of a Cadillac Escalade in October 2016.
Based on the fraudulent statements and representations in her application, Johnson-Rushing unlawfully acquired $12,310 in food stamps. Her fraudulent applications, which included additional fraud, caused a total loss to the Missouri Family Support Division of $36,138.
Conspiracy to Defraud the United States
Granny’s Pray & Play had about 15 employees and withheld funds in federal income tax and FICA contributions from their paychecks. Johnson-Rushing failed to pay over those trust fund taxes from her employees to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $154,186.58 from first quarter 2015 through fourth quarter 2018.
The total tax loss in relevant conduct (which includes Johnson-Rushing’s portion of federal and state payroll taxes as the employer) is $499,142, which combined with $154,186 in total tax loss for failure to pay over employee taxes yields a total tax loss of $653, 329.
Bankruptcy Petitions
According to court documents, Johnson-Rushing filed for bankruptcy on June 29, 2023, which is pending before the bankruptcy court. Johnson-Rushing failed to disclose this criminal case in her bankruptcy filings. Johnson-Rushing also filed three bankruptcy cases in 2022, which were subsequently dismissed for failure to comply with bankruptcy court rules. Prosecutors noted these four bankruptcy cases further demonstrate how she abuses the system.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes, IV. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Houston Woman Pleads Guilty to Covid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Houston, Texas, woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulently receiving Missouri and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment benefits using the identity information of numerous other persons.
Prayshana Washington, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, May 23, to one count of theft of government property.
By pleading guilty, 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 filed 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 emergency increase in unemployment compensation benefits provided an additional $600 weekly payment.
The total loss amount from May 2020 to June 2021 is at least $550,000 but less than $1.5 million. Under the terms of her plea agreement, Washington must pay restitution as determined by the court.
Under federal statutes, Washington is subject to a sentence of up to 10 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 the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations & Labor Racketeering Fraud.
KC Woman Pleads Guilty to $240,000 Email Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to laundering more than $240,000 she unlawfully obtained from a New York business as part of an email compromise scheme.
Brianna S. Graves, 30, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges her with one count of money laundering.
By pleading guilty today, Graves admitted that she received a payment of $240,926 from ETS Contracting, Inc., located in Brooklyn, New York, as part of a business email compromise scheme.
According to today’s plea agreement, ETS Contracting was finalizing a contract with a vendor, who was communicating via email with the firm. On Dec. 12, 2022, ETS Contracting received a payment instruction email, which they believed originated from the owner of the vendor company, to wire $240,926 to a J.P. Morgan Chase Bank account. However, the instruction email actually came from a different email address that changed one letter in the domain name.
ETS Contracting authorized the payment on Dec. 18, 2022, and the funds were posted to the bank account the next day. The bank account, a business account in the name of Heavy Weight Maintenance LLC, actually belonged to Graves. Graves obtained a cashier’s check for the full amount of the wire fraud proceeds, which she then deposited into another bank account. Graves spent the money on car payments, vacations, cruises, airfare, and gambling.
On June 26, 2023, federal agents executed a warrant and seized $41,574 from Graves’s bank account.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Graves must pay $240,926 in restitution and must forfeit to the government $240,926, which represents the proceeds she obtained from her crime.
Under federal statutes, Graves is subject to a sentence of up to 10 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 the FBI and the New York City Police Department.
Kansas Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Pittsburg, Kansas, man who led Kansas authorities on a motorcycle chase before being apprehended in Missouri has been sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine to distribute.
Justin T. Lapping, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Tuesday, May 21, to 24 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered the federal prison sentence to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed in a pending state case in Taney County, Mo. Lapping was sentenced as a career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On May 11, 2023, Lapping pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
A Crawford County, Kan., sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop Lapping on Aug. 9, 2022, but he fled on his motorcycle. Soon after entering Barton County, Mo., on Highway 160, Lapping abandoned his motorcycle and fled on foot from law enforcement officers. Officers deployed tasers and Lapping was taken into custody. He was carrying a Ziploc baggie that contained 187.9 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Lapping has nine prior felony convictions, five of which are for drug trafficking, and two of which involve his flight from law enforcement in a vehicle.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the FBI, the Barton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Crawford County, Kan., 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 Woman Sentenced for Stealing $500,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for stealing more than $500,000 from her employer.
Tammy Myers, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 21 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Myers to pay $521,996 in restitution and to forfeit to the government $429,025, which represents her gain from the criminal conduct.
On Jan. 10, 2024, Myers pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Myers admitted that she embezzled over $500,000 from the company over a decade by paying her personal credit cards from company accounts and writing checks to herself that were pre-signed by the company’s owner. Her fraud scheme was discovered in 2022 when the company hired a consulting firm to review its finances.
Myers was employed by Builders Overhead Door Service, Inc., in Blue Springs, Mo., from 1998 through 2022. Myers, who became the head of accounting in 2012, admitted that she engaged in a scheme to defraud Builders Overhead Door Service from January 2013 to December 2022.
Myers admitted she used the company’s bank account information to pay off the balances on her personal credit cards, totaling $429,025. All of the purchases on the credit cards were for personal expenses and were for things such as travel, entertainment, utilities, groceries, and retail shopping. Myers used company funds to pay for a helicopter trip in South Dakota, travel expenses for a family trip to Tennessee, and costs associated with her diamond art hobby, among other personal expenses.
In addition to paying her personal credit cards, Myers admitted she wrote checks to herself from the company’s bank account without the authorization of the owner. Myers deposited the unauthorized checks, which had been pre-signed by the owner, into her personal bank account and spent that money on personal expenses. The total amount of unauthorized checks she wrote to herself was $86,477.
Myers also admitted that while she was using company funds to pay her personal credit cards and writing checks to herself, she let the company fall behind on payroll, real estate, and sales and use taxes.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the FBI.
Joplin Man Sentenced for $300,000 Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for two fraud schemes, totaling nearly $300,000, including fraudulent loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and a so-called “transaction reversal” bank scheme.
Deaviyon Rockett, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to five years and three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Rockett to pay $260,000 in restitution.
On April 5, 2023, Rockett pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. Rockett admitted that he submitted at least $119,262 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications. Rockett also admitted that he engaged in a $176,007 “transaction reversal” fraud scheme.
PPP Fraud Scheme
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 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) 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.
Rockett admitted that, from March 26 to May 17, 2021, he submitted six PPP loan applications using the names of other individuals that falsely claimed a business, its employees, and/or the amount of the salaries to be covered through these loans existed. In reality, those representations were entirely false. Rockett then accessed the bank accounts of these individuals, withdrawing much of the money that had been fraudulently received, and used those funds for expenses that were unrelated to and prohibited to be used under the PPP loan program.
“Transaction Reversal” Fraud Scheme
Law enforcement in Neosho and Jasper Counties was contacted in August 2022 by numerous individuals who reported that Rockett had contacted them through various media platforms. Rockett told these individuals that he was part of a business that involved “transaction reversal,” and that if they would give him their bank account information, he would make himself and the victim money by conducting these transactions on their bank account.
Rockett accessed the victims’ bank accounts in order to deposit fraudulent checks written on the bank accounts of Coffeyville Community College and/or Santander Consumer USA. Once the checks were deposited, the bank would credit the account on a preliminary basis. However, those checks were not authorized by either entity and were not honored by either entity.
Rockett immediately withdrew either the amount of the checks or, in some cases, completely emptied the bank account of all funds before the bank reversed the deposits. At least $176,007 in total was fraudulently withdrawn from the bank accounts of fraud victims.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Armed Bank Robbery in BoonvilleRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man who was involved in a string of armed robberies across the state has been sentenced in federal court for the armed robbery of a Boonville, Mo., bank.
Drake Adam Stockton-Kenney, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosann A. Ketchmark on Monday, May 20, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court ordered the federal sentence to be served consecutively to the state sentence he is currently serving for a robbery conviction in a separate and unrelated case.
On Oct. 6, 2023, Stockton-Kenney pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery. Stockton-Kenney admitted that he stole $22,027 from Alliant Bank in Boonville on June 25, 2021. Stockton-Kenney pointed a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun at bank employees and ordered them to put their hands up. After putting the money in a white shopping bag, Stockton-Kenney ordered the employees to lie on the floor and count to 60 as he left the bank.
A nearby resident saw Stockton-Kenney cross her yard and get into a vehicle immediately after the robbery. Within about 10 minutes of the robbery, a license plate reader captured the license plate of the Chevrolet Spark rented by Stockton-Kenney traveling on Interstate 70.
According to court documents, Stockton-Kenney was involved in a string of robberies across the state between April 17 and June 25, 2021, committed within weeks of his release from a prior robbery sentence. Stockton-Kenney also robbed Check into Cash in Moberly on April 17, 2021; World Finance in Mexico on May 4, 2021; Advance America in Marshall on May 6, 2021; Check ‘n Go in Hannibal on May 20, 2021; and Alliant Bank in Pilot Grove on June 2, 2021. In each of those robberies, Kenney brandished a firearm and threatened to shoot anyone who did not comply with his demands.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, the government dismissed federal charges related to the additional robberies but took them into account in seeking a longer sentence than the federal sentencing guidelines recommendation.
Stockton-Kenney’s history of criminal activity includes felony convictions for two burglaries, tampering with a motor vehicle, and robbery. Stockton-Kenney committed the robbery four months after being paroled on his first three convictions in 2011. Stockton-Kenney remained in custody for his robbery conviction until Feb. 21, 2021, when he was again paroled. Stockton-Kenney’s most recent spree of criminal conduct began weeks after his February 2021 parole.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Booneville, Mo., Police Department, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Cooper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Hannibal, Mo., Police Department, the Marion County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Marshall, Mo., Police Department, the Mexico, Mo., Police Department, the Moberly, Mo., Police Department, the Pilot Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing fentanyl and illegally possessing several firearms.
Robert Jevon Bean, also known as “Shaq,” 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 22 years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 30, 2023, Bean pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Bean was stopped by Columbia police officers on June 22, 2022. During the traffic stop, he was found to be in possession of 12.5 grams of fentanyl. Officers executed a search warrant at Bean’s apartment and found his 10-year-old child at home alone. According to court documents, unsecured firearms were found next to video game controllers, lying next to the couch, at the entry of the kitchen pantry where food was kept, and alongside a bed.
Officers seized from Bean’s residence a Glock 9mm handgun that had been converted into a machine gun, an American Tactical AR-15 .223/5.56 pistol, a Glock .40-caliber handgun, an Extro 12-gauge shotgun, an Anderson AR-15 .223/5.56 pistol, a Keltec .40-caliber rifle, 46.71 grams of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, multiple firearm magazines, including a drum magazine, multiple boxes of ammunition, and $23,235 in cash, which must be forfeited to the government.
Bean told investigators that he paid $1,400 per ounce for the approximately two ounces of fentanyl they found at his residence. Bean sold fentanyl for $210 per gram. Based on Bean’s statements, he has distributed at least four kilograms (8.8 pounds) of fentanyl from a source in Detroit, Michigan, and approximately two ounces from a more recent source in St. Louis, Mo.
Bean stated he buys all his guns off the streets locally, and often takes guns in trade for drugs. Bean told investigators all the guns came from Columbia except the Glock machine gun, which he purchased in St. Louis for $1,500. Investigators found multiple posts and livestream videos on Bean’s Facebook profile that show Bean with a variety of firearms, including a black Taurus 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and a laser attachment and what appeared to be a Glock handgun with an extended magazine. Another video posted showed Bean with three handguns with high-capacity drum magazines, a semi-automatic shotgun, an AK-47 with an extended magazine, an AR-15 with dual 30-round magazines, and a Kel-tec Sub-2000 with a brass catcher. Other videos showed Bean with an AR-style pistol and an AK-47-style rifle.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ann Pierce. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Cole County Jail Inmate Sentenced for Contraband DrugsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing illegal drugs while incarcerated in the Cole County Jail.
Waun Ramon Ivory, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to eight years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 26, 2023, Ivory pleaded guilty to possessing contraband in prison. Ivory admitted that he was in possession of cocaine while incarcerated in the Cole County Jail.
According to court documents, Ivory was incarcerated pending a supervised release revocation hearing in an earlier case. In 2017, Ivory was convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession of a firearm, after a family member called 911 reporting that Ivory was carrying a firearm and threatening to “put a hole” in another person’s head. Ivory was sentenced to five years in prison; he was released to supervision on June 7, 2022.
Ivory failed to comply with the conditions of his supervision, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Before he could be arrested, he was charged with a new offense after a woman reported she was assaulted by Ivory. The court revoked Ivory’s supervision and sentenced him to two years in prison.
While in the Cole County Jail pending the supervised release revocation, Ivory was caught in possession of cocaine on March 6, 2023. According to court documents, he also possessed a razor, unsheathed from its safety case. While this case has been pending, Ivory also was caught in possession of a weapon made from a toothbrush, as well as another razor.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Mt. Vernon Woman Indicted for Conspiracy to Purchase Hundreds of Lottery Tickets with Stolen Credit CardsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mt. Vernon, Mo., woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for leading a conspiracy to purchase nearly 2,000 lottery tickets with stolen credit cards.
Amy Young, 31, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.
Today’s indictment alleges that Young obtained stolen credit cards and led a conspiracy to use those stolen credit cards to purchase lottery tickets from a Phillips 66 Fuel Station in Joplin, Mo., between July 22 and Aug. 18, 2022. Young allegedly enlisted the help of others to contact the Missouri Lottery Commission to obtain cash prizes for any winning lottery tickets that were fraudulently purchased using stolen credit cards. They kept a portion of the money for themselves and turned over the rest of the money to Young.
According to the indictment, Young used stolen credit cards to purchase at least 1,957 Missouri Lottery tickets with a value of $62,082. Additionally, Young and her co-conspirators received $54,248 in cash prizes for the winning tickets purchased using stolen credit card numbers.
In total, between the fraudulent credit card transactions and the prize money fraudulently received, Young and her co-conspirators fraudulently received at least $116,330.
Today’s indictment charges Young with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud (related to the fraudulent purchase of $480 in lottery tickets with a stolen credit card on Aug. 18, 2022).
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 Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI.
Former Noel Man Indicted for Kidnapping Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former Noel, Mo., man who was indicted in 2019 for kidnapping the 4-year-old daughter of a murdered woman whose body was discovered in a suitcase alongside a highway now faces additional charges related to that murder.
Mahamud Tooxoow Mahamed, 39, a Somali national who was a permanent resident alien in the United States, was charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s superseding indictment replaces the original indictment, which was returned on Aug. 20, 2019, and contains additional charges.
The superseding indictment charges Mahamed with one count of kidnapping resulting in death, one count of stalking resulting in death, and one count of kidnapping a minor.
The superseding indictment alleges that Mahamed kidnapped the victim, identified as “J.M.,” which resulted in her death in July 2019. The victim has previously been identified in public court filings as Jessica McCormack of Noel, Mo.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Mahamed stalked McCormack from April 1 to July 17, 2019, which resulted in her death.
The superseding indictment includes the original charge of kidnapping a minor victim (identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1) and transporting her from Missouri to Iowa.
Following his indictment in 2019, Mahamed was a fugitive from justice for nearly a year until he was arrested in Guatemala on July 27, 2021. He has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, McCormack’s body was discovered on July 29, 2019, near Missouri Highway 59 between Lanagan, Mo., and Noel. The last time McCormack was seen alive, the affidavit says, was when law enforcement officers responded to a call at her home on July 16, 2019. Also present in the residence were Mahamed, who was identified as McCormack’s paramour, and McCormack’s three daughters, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1 (four years old), Jane Doe 2 (two years old), and Jane Doe 3 (six months old).
McCormack’s children could not be located after her body was discovered and identified. An Amber Alert was issued for McCormack’s three children, who were located at a residence in Des Moines, Iowa, and taken into state custody on Aug. 8, 2019. According to the affidavit, a woman who formerly worked with Mahamed at the Tyson plant in Noel told law enforcement officers that Mahamed arrived at her Des Moines residence with the children on Aug. 5, 2019. She discovered he had left on Aug. 8, 2019, the affidavit says, when she found a note from Mahamed informing her that he could not care for the children.
Investigators confirmed with the father of McCormack’s oldest child that Mahamed did not have his consent to take Jane Doe 1 outside the state of Missouri.
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 Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Noel, Mo., Marshal’s Office, the Rochester, Minn., Police Department, and the Des Moines, Iowa, Police Department.
Springfield, Willard Residents Indicted in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Three southwest Missouri residents are among five defendants indicted for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy after federal agents seized 16 kilograms of cocaine while arresting two co-defendants in Texas.
Mario Jose Castillo, 55, of Springfield, Mo.; Christhian Eduardo Cruz-Pineda, 22, a citizen of Honduras residing in Springfield; Johnathan David Emerson, 47, a resident of Willard, Mo.; and Bryan Ramirez-Aguero, 33, a citizen of Honduras, and Erika Martinez Hernandez, 40, a citizen of Mexico, both residing in Grand Prairie, Texas, were charged in a 10-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Today’s superseding indictment replaces an indictment returned on April 10, 2024. Today’s superseding indictment contains the same or similar charges as the original indictment, but increases the amount of cocaine allegedly distributed in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and lengthens the timeframe of the conspiracy to incorporate an additional drug seizure.
Federal agents arrested Ramirez-Aguero and Martinez Hernandez on April 11, 2024. At the time of their arrest for the original indictment, agents seized approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine and $145,123 from their residence. Today’s superseding indictment reflects that drug seizure.
The federal indictment alleges that all five of the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine from Dec. 12, 2021, to April 11, 2024.
In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Castillo is charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Castillo, Emerson and Martinez Hernandez are charged together in one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Castillo and Martinez Hernandez are charged together in one count of unlawfully using a telephone to facilitate the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Castillo and Emerson are charged together in one count of money laundering.
Emerson and Cruz-Pineda are charged together in one count of possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Cruz-Pineda is charged with one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance 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 Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, 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.
Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years 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, which was discovered on his cell phone during an investigation into threats he made to a sheriff’s department employee.
Joshua Emanuel Wood, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wood to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Dec. 12, 2023, Wood pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.
Wood is required to register as a sex offender due to his 2018 conviction of possessing child pornography. The investigation began when Wood left 41 threatening voice mail messages on May 29 and 30, 2022, for the employee of the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department who was in charge of registering sex offenders. The sex offender registrar reported those threats and law enforcement officers arrested Wood; the state felony charge related to this harassment is still pending.
Wood had a Google Pixel cell phone in his possession when he was arrested. Investigators found child sexual abuse material on the phone, including 107 images of child pornography, including depictions of infants being raped, as well as web searches for child pornography and visits to suspected child pornography websites. According to court documents, the forensic analysis of Wood’s cell phone demonstrated that he had been wiping his cell phone frequently, and the child pornography files had been received over a period of just a few days. Because he was regularly wiping his cell phone, it is difficult to know the extent of his involvement with child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, 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."
Platte Woods Business Owner Sentenced for Failing to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Platte Woods, Mo., business owner was sentenced in federal court today for failing to pay more than $600,000 in federal income taxes over several years.
Daniel Alan Ryan, 63, was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill A. Morris to one year in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Ryan to pay a $20,000 fine and to pay $626,012 in restitution, plus interest, to the IRS.
Ryan is the owner of Ryan Roofing Systems, Inc., and Ryan Construction Systems, Inc.
On Dec. 5, 2023, Ryan pleaded guilty to one count of failing to file a tax return. Ryan also admitted that he failed to file income tax returns and pay his personal income taxes over a period of many years.
According to court documents, IRS investigators began questioning Ryan about his non-payment of taxes in early 2012. This investigation continued over the following years. After this criminal investigation became known to him, Ryan failed to file income tax returns from 2015 through 2017, resulting in a tax loss over those years of $138,385. Prior to these years, Ryan admitted that the tax loss from 2009 through 2013 totaled an additional $487,627, for a total amount of $626,012.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Daly. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Joplin Man Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for victimizing two children to produce child pornography.
Russell Myers, 44, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.
Today’s indictment charges Myers with two counts of using minor victims, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe” and “John Doe,” to produce child pornography from Jan. 1 to Feb. 20, 2024.
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 James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Joplin, 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."
Former Camden County Sheriff’s Deputy Indicted on Additional Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former Camden County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy and school resource officer, previously charged with distributing child pornography, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on additional related charges.
Darrin Marshall Skinner, 49, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Skinner on Thursday, May 9, and includes additional charges.
Skinner was employed by Camden County as a deputy sheriff and assigned as a school resource officer in the Macks Creek School District. Prior to being hired by Camden County, he worked as a police officer in Osage Beach, Mo.
Today’s indictment contains the original charge of distributing child pornography. The indictment additionally charges Skinner with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the investigation began when the social media network MeWe reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber Tip Line that a user, later identified as Skinner, had uploaded images of child pornography. On June 7, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent the report to the Camden County Sheriff’s Department. Due to Skinner’s connection to the department, the case was taken over by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Investigators learned the email address allegedly used by Skinner was a member of several sexually themed social groups. On Aug. 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and interviewed Skinner at his residence.
Investigators learned that MeWe had made a prior report to the Cyber Tip Line in 2020 related to a user identified as Skinner allegedly uploading multiple images of child sexual abuse through the application’s chat feature. Skinner allegedly sent child sexual abuse material on multiple occasions, including images of children under the age of 12 and a pre-school age child.
Skinner also shared a number of photos of prepubescent girls identified as being from the community with other users of the MeWe platform, the affidavit says. He cropped and adjusted these images to be more sexually suggestive. No local minors were contained in the images of child pornography. It is believed Skinner obtained some of these photos of local minors from social media since they were in gymnastics or dance clothes associated with a local gymnastics studio. The images were exchanged as part of sexually charged chats between Skinner and other MeWe users.
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 Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Digital Forensic Investigative Unit and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team.
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 Boone County Man Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former Boone County, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for using a 9-year-old victim to produce child pornography.
Emrah Eymez, 38, who currently resides in Lafayette, Indiana, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Eymez on April 17, 2024.
The federal indictment alleges that Eymez used a child under the age of 12 to produce child pornography from March 11 through April 2, 2024. Eymez is also charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of transferring obscene material to a minor under the age of 16.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the mother of the 9-year-old victim contacted law enforcement to report the extensive cell phone communication between Eymez and her daughter. The mother reported approximately 1,851 text messages, the affidavit says, including the exchange of nude images and a sexually explicit video the child sent to Eymez.
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 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."
Fallen Missouri Law Enforcement Officers Honored During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. The week will be observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.
“Each year, during National Police Week, we honor those officers and agents who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in the line of duty in service to our community,” Moore said. “National Police Week is also an opportunity to express our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers and agents. We recognize their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.”
National Police Week is a week set aside to honor and remember law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the line of duty while serving in federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and National Police Week is held annually to commemorate fallen officers.
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
U.S. Attorney Moore recently attended the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department’s memorial service honoring the 120 officers in department history who died in the line of duty.
Another event held in conjunction with National Police Week is the inclusion of the names of fallen officers on the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the memorial’s wall were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
The fallen officers who were memorialized include five members of the law enforcement community from Missouri:
- Charles Lee Burns, Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department;
- Mason Evans Griffith, Hermann, Mo., Police Department;
- James Matthew Muhlbauer, Kansas City, Mo., Police Department;
- Kelly Bernard Rolando, Missouri Department of Corrections;
- Jason Scott Pulliam, Missouri Department of Corrections.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
Kingdom City Business Owner Sentenced for $673,000 CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kingdom City, Mo., business owner was sentenced in federal court today for fraudulently receiving more than $673,000 in loans for several businesses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Scott Allen Maples, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 18 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Maples to pay $684,034 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.
On Feb. 7, 2023, Maples pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Maples admitted that he fraudulently applied for and received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for several businesses. When Maples applied for PPP loans, he reported exaggerated and inaccurate payroll expenses and submitted fabricated and altered bank statements and tax forms. Under the CARES Act, both the principal and interest on those loans were eligible for forgiveness if the loan money was spent for permissible expenses (such as payroll, mortgage interest, rent and utilities) and a requisite portion of the loan went towards payroll expenses.
After submitting five fraudulent loan applications, Maples received a total of $673,127.04 in loan proceeds.
Maples admitted that he submitted a loan application to Square, Inc., a company authorized to issue PPP loans, on May 6, 2020, on behalf of Area 23, LLC, claiming 21 employees and an average monthly payroll of $69,548. Maples submitted fabricated documents to support the loan application. He received a $173,872 loan. Maples also submitted a loan application to US Bank on May 15, 2020, for the same business, Area 23, making the same claims of employees and payroll and again including fabricated documents to support the loan application. Maples again received a $173,872 loan.
Maples also received a $51,750 PPP loan for Maples Enterprises through Square. In the loan application, Maples indicated that there were six employees earning a total of $20,700 per month on average. In reality, Department of Labor records reflected that there was only one employee earning $182.50 in the first quarter of 2019. Another business, Clearance Depot, received a $270,632 PPP loan. Maples submitted statements in support of this loan that were later found to be altered and incorrect.
Maples also submitted an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan seeking $30,000. This loan also contained suspected misrepresentations that overstated the prior year’s revenues. Maples received a $3,000 advance on this loan, but the loan that he sought was not issued.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Former Camden County Sheriff’s Deputy Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former Camden County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy and school resource officer has been charged in federal court with distributing child pornography.
Darrin Marshall Skinner, 49, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., on Thursday, May 9.
Skinner was employed by Camden County as a deputy sheriff and assigned as a school resource officer in the Macks Creek School District. Prior to being hired by Camden County, he worked as a police officer in Osage Beach, Mo.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, the investigation began when the social media network MeWe reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber Tip Line that a user, later identified as Skinner, had uploaded images of child pornography. On June 7, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent the report to the Camden County Sheriff’s Department. Due to Skinner’s connection to the department, the case was taken over by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Investigators learned the email address allegedly used by Skinner was a member of several sexually themed social groups. On Aug. 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and interviewed Skinner at his residence.
Investigators learned that MeWe had made a prior report to the Cyber Tip Line in 2020 related to a user identified as Skinner allegedly uploading multiple images of child sexual abuse through the application’s chat feature. Skinner allegedly sent child sexual abuse material on multiple occasions, including images of children under the age of 12 and a pre-school age child.
Skinner also shared a number of photos of prepubescent girls identified as being from the community with other users of the MeWe platform, the affidavit says. He cropped and adjusted these images to be more sexually suggestive. No local minors were contained in the images of child pornography. It is believed Skinner obtained some of these photos of local minors from social media since they were in gymnastics or dance clothes associated with a local gymnastics studio. The images were exchanged as part of sexually charged chats between Skinner and other MeWe users.
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 Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Digital Forensic Investigative Unit and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team.
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 Father, Son Indicted for Illegal Firearms Trafficking, Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., father and son have been indicted by a federal grand jury for selling firearms without a license, illegally possessing firearms, and drug trafficking.
Nathan Caldwell, Sr., also known as “Prince Bossalinie,” 52, and Nathan Caldwell, Jr., 32, were charged in a 29-count indictment that was returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, May 7. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon their arrest and initial court appearances.
The federal indictment alleges the Caldwells have aided and abetted each other to engage in the business of dealing in firearms, although they are not licensed dealers, since Dec. 20, 2023.
Nathan Caldwell, Sr., is also charged with 10 counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, eight counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of distributing cocaine, one count of distributing marijuana, and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Nathan Caldwell, Jr., is also charged with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of distributing marijuana.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
Nathan Caldwell, Sr., has two prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and prior felony convictions for aiding a felon, attempted aggravated assault, attempted possession of cocaine, conspiracy to commit robbery, and possessing cocaine.
Nathan Caldwell, Jr., has a prior felony conviction for assault.
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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. 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.
Former Osceola Bank VP Pleads Guilty to $1.5 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former bank vice president pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $1.5 million from St. Clair County State Bank in Osceola, Mo.
Stacia Wilson, 60, of Osceola, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges her with one count of bank fraud.
By pleading guilty today, Wilson admitted that she created $1,528,321 in false and fictitious loans, using bank customers’ information without their knowledge.
Wilson had authority as a loan processor to access and create loans within the bank’s computer system. She created numerous false and fictitious loans, then diverted the loan proceeds to her own personal use. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Wilson must forfeit to the government a money judgment of $1,528,321, which represents the proceeds she obtained as a result of her fraud scheme.
Under federal statutes, Wilson 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 Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.