Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
West Plains Woman Sentenced to 18 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A West Plains, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute.
Amanda J. Jones, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 18 years and four months in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 12, 2023, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
A Howell County sheriff’s department officer contacted Jones on March 30, 2022, as she was driving a vehicle that did not have an operating registration lamp on the rear license plate. The officer searched the vehicle and found 226.72 grams of pure methamphetamine, 210 fentanyl capsules, 12.62 grams of cocaine, and $2,615 in cash.
At the time of the traffic stop, Jones was on bond after being charged in state court with drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at her residence in August 2021 and seized distributive amounts of fentanyl and psilocybin, along with multiple firearms and cash.
In June 2022, while Jones was on bond in two separate drug-trafficking cases, law enforcement officers again seized distributive amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from her residence.
According to court documents, Jones sold fentanyl that ultimately caused the death of a West Plains, Mo., man in September 2020.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the South Central Drug Task Force.
Joplin Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for bank robbery.
Vincent Gepson, 64, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole.
On June 29, 2023, Gepson pleaded guilty to bank robbery.
Gepson entered Great Southern Bank, 1232 S. Rangeline Road in Joplin, on May 9, 2022, and approached the teller counter. He told the teller he had a gun and demanded cash. The teller placed $1,000 in a plastic bag and Gepson left the bank. The Joplin Police Department posted surveillance photos on the department’s social media pages and requested the public’s assistance to identify the bank robber. Several members of the public identified Gepson.
Gepson was arrested on May 20, 2022, by the Acadia Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Independence Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm.
Sigal Wesley Hughes, Jr., 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 12 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 13, 2023, Hughes pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Independence police officers conducted a traffic stop on April 15, 2023, when they saw Hughes driving a 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe with a stolen license plate. Hughes returned to turn the vehicle off as commanded so one of the officers deployed stop sticks in front of the rear passenger tire while another officer opened the driver’s door. Once the door opened, Hughes rapidly accelerated, and a pursuit was initiated. The Tahoe eventually traveled off the road into Blue Valley Park and became disabled. Hughes fled on foot and was taken into custody.
During the pursuit, officers saw Hughes discard a black bag from his vehicle that contained a loaded Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun and an ammunition magazine. The bag also contained 17.4 grams of methamphetamine. Officers found drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.
Hughes told officers he’d been selling methamphetamine for the past three months and using methamphetamine every day.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hughes has four prior felony convictions for tampering, three prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property, three prior felony convictions for driving while suspended/revoked, theft, stealing a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and resisting arrest.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess Michaelsen. It was investigated by the Independence, 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.
Sedalia Dentist Sentenced for $617,000 Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Sedalia, Mo., dentist was sentenced in federal court today for concealing more than $617,000 in earnings from the IRS over a six-year period.
Nohaud Naseef Azan, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one year and one day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Azan to pay $269,517 in restitution to the IRS.
On Dec. 15, 2022, Azan pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to interfere with the administration of internal revenue laws.
Azan operates his own dental practice in Sedalia. In 2011, the IRS audited Azan and his practice in connection with the improper deduction of personal expenses on his corporate tax returns over the three prior years. Azan admitted that, in response to the audit and in an effort for his business to continue to pay for personal expenses, he cashed patients’ checks written out to the dental practice or deposited them into a personal bank account. The IRS identified more than 1,000 checks Azan cashed or deposited from 2011 through 2018.
Azan admitted that he used funds from the cashed checks for personal expenses, such as his gambling habit, and failed to report them as income on his personal and corporate tax returns. According to court documents, Azan cashed $617,472 in patients’ checks, which he diverted for gambling and other personal expenses, from 2013 to 2018. The total tax loss to the IRS for that six-year period was $269,517.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Columbia Man, Woman Sentenced in $1.1 Million Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two Columbia, Mo., residents were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a $1.1 million insurance fraud scheme that involved false claims of injuries suffered in faked car accidents.
Michael Lee Gene Stapleton, 37, and Latoya Marie Brown, 37, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark. Stapleton was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison without parole and ordered to pay $166,363 in restitution to his victims. Brown was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole and ordered to pay $72,069 in restitution to her victims.
On April 6, 2023, Stapleton pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting mail fraud. On Feb. 14, 2023, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
This case stems from a long investigation by the FBI into co-defendant Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 36, of Kansas City, Mo. (formerly of Columbia), for a series of automobile accidents throughout Missouri. All but one of those accidents were staged. The conspiracy defrauded six insurance companies of a total of $1,234,581 from June 2017 to July 2020.
Lawhorn recruited friends, acquittances, family, and friends of friends to participate in the staged accidents. Conspirators went to various medical providers, claiming injuries from the staged accidents and requesting various testing, such a MRIs, CT scans, and/or X-rays. Conspirators then submitted false claims to insurance companies that they had suffered bodily injuries and that they would be personally liable for any medical bills related to insurance claims. Conspirators, some of whom were involved in multiple incidents, received thousands of dollars, and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars, based on these false claims. However, none of the conspirators made any payments to medical providers and instead used the funds for their personal expenses.
Brown admitted she was involved in three incidents and received a total of $44,269 in insurance payments. Two of the accidents were in Boone County, Mo., and one of the accidents was in Kansas City, Mo.
Stapleton admitted that he and co-defendant Tara Colleen Jackson, 60, of Independence, Mo., who is Lawhorn’s mother, participated in a staged automobile accident in Kansas City, Mo. State Farm issued a $50,000 check to Stapleton and a $50,000 check to Jackson. None of the medical bills totaling $188,920 at Research Medical Center (where Stapleton was treated) and St. Luke’s East Hospital (where Jackson was treated) have been paid.
Stapleton and Brown are among 16 defendants who have been sentenced in this case.
Lawhorn pleaded guilty on June 8, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Lawhorn also pleaded guilty in a separate and unrelated case to commit wire fraud. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
Jackson pleaded guilty on April 6, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for using his residence for trafficking methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.
Anthony Brandon, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Monday, March 4, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Brandon was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On March 15, 2022, Brandon pleaded guilty to one count of controlling a drug-involved premises and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On May 23, 2019, Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Brandon’s residence. Officers found a Taurus 9mm handgun and five individually packaged bags of methamphetamine that weighed a total of more than 75 grams under a couch cushion in the living room, an Eagle Arms AR10 .62-caliber rifle in a bedroom closet, an extended firearm magazine with 32 rounds of 9mm ammunition in a dresser drawer in a bedroom, and miscellaneous ammunition.
Brandon admitted he was storing drugs at his residence for his source of supply. He also told investigators that he was expecting to receive methamphetamine as payment for storing the drugs.
Brandon’s extensive criminal history includes violent crimes and assault, possessing and distributing illegal drugs, theft, stealing, burglary, and robbery.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
New Franklin Couple Indicted for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A New Franklin, Mo., couple has been indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted bank robbery and illegally possessing firearms.
Jacob Lowell Hessing, 25, and his wife, Tristen Nicole Hessing, 25, were charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Feb. 27,2024. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the Hessings arrests and initial court appearances. Jacob Hessing remains detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Wednesday, March 6. Tristen is released on bond.
The federal indictment alleges that Jacob Hessing attempted to rob Exchange Bank of Missouri in New Franklin on Sept. 9, 2023.
Jacob and Tristen Hessing are each charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges they were in possession of a Diamondback Arms rifle and a Rossi .38 special revolver on Oct. 30, 2023.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jacob Hessing has two prior felony convictions for the distribution/manufacture of drugs and a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance. Tristen Hessing has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the Hessings to forfeit to the government the Diamondback Arm rifle, the Rossi revolver, and assorted ammunition, including several magazines that contained dozens of rounds of ammunition.
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 FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s 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.
Joplin Man Charged with Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with receiving and distributing child pornography.
Reagan Elijah Alexa Garcia, also known as Elijah Hicklin, 22, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield on Thursday, Feb. 29, with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Garcia remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, March 5.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, an FBI task force officer on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force in Washington, D.C., entered a private Kik group known as a place where people meet, discuss, and trade original images and videos of children. On Jan. 13, 2024, a user later identified as Garcia entered the group and engaged the undercover officer in a private chat.
Garcia told the undercover officer that he had pornographic images he produced himself, the affidavit says, including images of a 3-year-old child victim that he sent to the undercover officer. Garcia also sent an image of child pornography to the undercover officer that he claimed was produced by giving the child sleeping pills.
On Feb. 21, 2024, Garcia allegedly sent multiple files of child pornography to the undercover officer. According to the affidavit, a child in one of those images is depicted with various restraint devices. In the text conversation, Garcia told the undercover officer that he had sexually assaulted a female child within the past couple of days.
On Feb. 28, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Garcia’s residence. When an FBI agent began patting down Garcia, he began actively resisting. Garcia refused to put his hands behind his back and was taken to the ground, with his hands and arms underneath him. He repeatedly refused to obey commands to put his arms behind his back. Multiple law enforcement officers assisted to force Garcia’s hands and arms behind his back and place him in handcuffs. Multiple broken pieces of a microSD card, which Garcia later admitted to destroying, were found in the area where the struggle with Garcia occurred.
The FBI is asking for the public’s assistance regarding the ongoing investigation into Garcia. If you have any concerns or information you believe relevant to this investigation, please email [email protected] . Additionally, if you know of someone else who has relevant information, please encourage them to contact the FBI via the link provided. Any information provided is voluntary but would be useful in the federal investigation.
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 Stephanie Wan. 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."
KC Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Illegal Sex with a Minor, Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally enticing a child victim to engage in illicit sexual activity and for receiving child pornography.
Anthony Byron Marshall, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Wednesday, Feb. 28, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Marshall to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Marshall 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 July 25, 2023, Marshall pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and four counts of receiving child pornography.
In May 2021, FBI agents learned Marshall had been texting with the subject of another child pornography investigation. In one text, Marshall requested images of child pornography, and received a MEGA link. FBI investigators located the MEGA link, which contained 15 images and 89 videos of known child pornography and 70 images and 1,401 videos of suspected child pornography.
On Oc.t 19, 2021, federal agents executed a search warrant at Marshall’s residence. Agents seized a number of electronics, including Marshall’s iPhone. Investigators found sexually explicit communications between Marshall and two juvenile females, ages 13 and 17, as well as sexually explicit videos that each of the victims had sent to Marshall. Investigators interviewed the child victims, who reported several instances of illegal sexual activity with Marshall.
According to court documents, Marshall called one of the child victims after he had been contacted by law enforcement. He told her not to say anything to the police. Marshall also contacted her through his Facebook page after she had been contacted by law enforcement.
This case prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. 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."
Carl Junction Man Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carl Junction, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.
Chet Edwin Mercer, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Thursday, Feb. 29, to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 12, 2023, Mercer pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Mercer admitted that he was in possession of methamphetamine and a Springfield Armory 9mm firearm on Nov. 30, 2021.
According to Mercer’s plea agreement, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential source to conduct a controlled purchase of 106 grams of methamphetamine from Mercer on Nov. 19, 2021, at Mercer’s home in Carl Junction. On Nov. 30, 2021, officers executed a search warrant at Mercer’s residence. Officers searched the two-bay garage on the property and discovered a camper inside. Officers found a plastic baggie inside the camper that contained 363 grams of methamphetamine with a purity of 97 percent. Mercer admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute some or all of it.
While searching the bedroom of the camper, officers found the Springfield Armory 9mm firearm on the bed. Officers also found drug trafficking paraphernalia inside the camper, where Mercer apparently was living.
According to court documents, Mercer distributed a total of at least 10 kilograms of methamphetamine. Mercer admitted he traveled to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to pick up multiple pounds of methamphetamine. He had been engaging in this type of criminal behavior since 2013, when he began utilizing his dump truck business to meet with men who would load one or two duffle bags into his truck.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
KC Man Sentenced for Selling Meth, Heroin on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for selling methamphetamine and heroin on the dark web.
John M. LeCoque, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered LeCoque to forfeit to the government $22,000, representing proceeds obtained from his illegal drug trafficking.
On Aug. 16, 2023, LeCoque pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
LeCoque admitted that he sold illegal drugs over the dark web via an online marketplace called White House Market from May 15, 2020, to Aug. 6, 2021.
Federal agents used cryptocurrency to purchase methamphetamine and heroin from LeCoque through an undercover account on two occasions in 2021. Agents executed a search warrant at LeCoque’s residence on May 27, 2021. Agents seized methamphetamine and heroin from his apartment. Agents also found a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun and ammunition inside a locked safe.
Federal agents executed a search warrant of LeCoque’s online vendor account and located information for 279 orders of illegal drugs from May 2020 to May 2021, including a total of 604 grams of methamphetamine and 234 grams of heroin.
Several months later, in August 2021, LeCoque advertised a “final sale” on his dark web vendor account.
According to court documents, LeCoque advertised his product to countless users, marketing his methamphetamine as “Rural Mos finest crystal methamphetamine” and advertising his heroin as “high-potency brown powder heroin, cut with just enough lactose to make it easy to snort and prevent clumping.” Records from LeCoque’s account and statements made by LeCoque indicate he was grossing over $10,000 per month through his online drug sales.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Merriam Woods Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearms After Shooting at Police During High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Woods, Mo., man who shot at a police officer during a high-speed pursuit has been sentenced in federal court in two separate cases for illegally possessing firearms.
Blake Christopher Basten, 34, was sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 27, by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 21, 2023, Basten pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in two separate and unrelated cases.
The first case began when Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at another defendant’s residence on June 29, 2022. While conducting surveillance on the residence, a vehicle in which Basten was a passenger pulled up to the residence. Officers searched Basten and found a loaded Kel-Tec pistol in his waistband. Basten told investigators that he traded drugs for the handgun, which he carried because he had recently been shot at.
The second case began when a Springfield police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black Nissan Sentra, in which Basten was a passenger, on Aug. 18, 2022. When the officer pulled behind the Sentra in a hotel parking lot and activated his lights, the driver put the car in reverse and rammed the officer’s vehicle, pushing it back several feet. The officer got out of his vehicle, pulled his duty weapon, and ordered the vehicle’s occupants to stop. The driver instead drove forward slightly, then put his Sentra in reverse and rammed the officer’s car again before fleeing the parking lot.
A police pursuit ensued, with the Sentra travelling at a high rate of speed in a residential neighborhood. The pursuit ended when the Sentra crashed into a Jeep SUV at an intersection. While the Jeep suffered significant damage, the innocent driver appeared to be unharmed. The rear end of the Jeep had heavy damage, the rear passenger tire was missing, and the airbags had been deployed. Basten fled from the crash on foot.
Officers searched the vehicle and found two handguns on the front passenger side floorboard – a Smith & Wesson pistol, and a loaded Taurus pistol. The Smith & Wesson had no ammunition, and the slide was locked back, which was either because the slide was locked back manually or after all of the ammunition was fired. Witnesses reported that Basten was seen shooting a gun during the pursuit.
Shortly after the crash, Basten was found hiding under a car and arrested by deputies with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. One witness provided surveillance video that showed the Sentra travelling at a high rate of speed, followed by four audible gunshots. Shell casings and damage from gunfire were located throughout the neighborhood.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearms or ammunition. At the time of his arrest, Basten was on parole for involuntary manslaughter after he threatened his ex-girlfriend with a firearm, and then engaged in a high-speed chase where he pursued her in his vehicle and caused the death of an innocent bystander. Basten, who fled from police in a stolen vehicle after that incident, has eight prior felony convictions.
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. They were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
KC Chiefs ‘Superfan’ Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Video statement by U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic” pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to a string of 11 robberies, or attempted robberies, of financial institutions in seven states.
“His violent crime spree across the Midwest and beyond traumatized bank employees and victimized financial institutions in seven states,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “The defendant tried to conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen cash by using it to gamble online and at casinos, but the odds caught up with him. With today’s conviction, he will be held accountable for the full scope of his criminal conduct, including his attempt to flee from justice.”
Xaviar Michael Babudar, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of money laundering and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Babudar also pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, which is contained in a separate case filed in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Babudar also admitted that he engaged in a string of nine bank and credit union robberies (or attempted robberies) in 2022 followed by two bank robberies committed while he was a fugitive from justice. Babudar laundered much of the stolen money through area casinos and online gambling.
“Babudar walked into a bank in Bixby, Oklahoma, demanded money, and threatened to shoot them if they did not comply,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson of the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Babudar posed a serious danger and risk to the public. I am thankful for the efforts of the Bixby Police Department, the FBI, and federal prosecutors in holding him accountable.”
“While Babudar garnered significant national attention,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus, “his criminal actions were reckless – intimidating and victimizing bank employees and the institutions themselves. Significant law enforcement resources were utilized across multiple states to locate and arrest Babudar. This would not have occurred without the assistance and due diligence of our local, state, and federal partners. Today’s guilty plea highlights the value the FBI places on these partnerships and the continued commitment by law enforcement across the nation to hold individuals accountable for their actions.”
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Babudar must pay at least $532,675 in restitution to the victim financial institutions. Babudar also must forfeit to the government any property involved in his money laundering activity, including an autographed painting of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick L. Mahomes II that has been recovered by the FBI.
Babudar, who lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City metropolitan area, enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs clothing.
Babudar pleaded guilty today to stealing $70,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of Great Western Bank on March 2, 2022. Babudar admitted that he entered the bank wearing a ski mask and handed the bank teller a note demanding money and indicating he had a firearm. As he fled on foot, Babudar left behind a black glove and approximately $1,420 in $20 bills in a wooded area near the bank. Investigators later recovered Babudar’s DNA from the black glove. Babudar then carried this money to Missouri, depositing it in two separate transactions into his personal savings account in an attempt to conceal the criminal nature of the proceeds.
Babudar also pleaded guilty today to stealing $139,500 from Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union in Bixby, Okla., on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar admitted that he entered the credit union armed with what appeared to be a black handgun, jumped the teller counter, and ordered a bank employee at gunpoint to go to the credit union’s vault. Once at the vault, Babudar demanded that bank employees open the vault and put the money from the vault into a plastic bag. During this robbery, Babudar told credit union employees that if they did not comply he would shoot them.
When Babudar was arrested shortly after the robbery, he had a large bag in his possession that contained $139,500 in $100 bills plus $10,750 in $50 bills, totaling $150,250 in cash. When investigators searched his 2019 Mazda 3, they found numerous pairs of goggles and gloves, which Babudar wore during a series of bank robberies. Investigators also found a Barstool Sportsbook Betslip for $20,000, dated Nov. 19, 2022; a FanDuel Betslip for $4,000, dated Dec. 1, 2022; and letters from Community America Credit Union related to his deposits of $20,000 and $50,000 on May 2, 2022.
By pleading guilty today, Babudar also admitted that he committed, or attempted to commit, nine robberies of banks and credit unions in addition to the two to which he is pleading guilty. Those crimes, including two bank robberies committed while Babudar was a fugitive from justice, will be considered relevant conduct at the time of his sentencing.
Babudar admitted that he stole $170,860 from the Omaha, Nebraska, branch of First National Bank of Omaha on April 28, 2022. Babudar entered the bank armed with what appeared to be a firearm and ordered bank employees to open their vault. Omaha police officers recovered $163,560 following the theft.
Babudar admitted that he stole $303,845 from the West Des Moines, Iowa, branch of First Class Community Credit Union on July 13, 2022. Babudar brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, jumped over the teller counter, and demanded that the bank employees open the bank vault. After carrying the stolen money back to Missouri, Babudar began laundering this money through area casinos, depositing the cash he received from these casinos into his personal bank account.
Babudar admitted that he stole $125,900 from the Nashville, Tennessee, branch of The Tennessee Credit Union on Nov. 17, 2022. Babudar, armed with what appeared to be a black and silver firearm, climbed over the bank teller counter. He pressed the firearm against the teller’s body and demanded that credit union employees take him to the vault. Employees complied with Babudar’s demands, provided him with cash from the teller drawers, and took him to the vault. Babudar told credit union employees that if he was given a dye pack he would “come back and put a bullet in your head.” After Babudar fled on foot, a hat was recovered; investigators extracted DNA from the hat that matched the DNA extracted from Babudar’s glove in the March 2, 2022, robbery. A few days later, Babudar used some of the stolen money to purchase $20,000 in casino chips in multiple transactions from a local casino.
Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Wings Financial Credit Union in Savage, Minnesota, on Nov. 29, 2022. Babudar entered this credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. Babudar fled from the credit union, however, after seeing the vault only held small bills.
Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Royal Credit Union in Apple Valley, Minn., on Nov. 29, 2022. Babudar entered the credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. When he saw the vault only contained small bills, Babudar demanded $100 bills. Credit union employees told him they didn’t keep $100 bills in the vault, and Babudar fled on foot.
Babudar admitted that he stole $25,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of First Interstate Bank on Nov. 30, 2022. Following the two unsuccessful robberies the previous day, Babudar returned to the same facility he had robbed on March 2, 2022, which had since then become a branch of First Interstate Bank. Babudar entered the bank carrying what appeared to be a firearm and jumped over the teller counter. He ordered the bank employees, at gunpoint, to open the vault. He fled on foot after the bank employees gave him the cash in the vault. Babudar then carried the stolen money back to Missouri, where he deposited a portion of it into his personal bank account.
Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Pinnacle Bank in Papillon, Nebraska, on Dec. 15, 2022. At approximately 1:55 p.m., Babudar entered the vestibule area of Pinnacle Bank and pulled on the doors, but was unable to open them. He then left the area. The next day, he robbed the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union and was arrested.
Babudar, after being arrested in Oklahoma in December 2022, was released on bond in February 2023.
Months earlier, Babudar had placed two winning bets at the Argosy Casino in Alton, Ill. On June 10, 2022, Babudar bet $5,000 that Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes II would win the Most Valuable Player at Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $45,000 should that occur. Babudar also bet $5,000 that the Kansas City Chiefs would win Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $55,000 should that occur. When the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, 2023, and Mahomes won the Most Valuable Player award, Babudar won $100,000. Argosy Casino mailed Babudar a $100,000 check in early March 2023.
Days later, Babudar cut his ankle monitor and fled from Oklahoma. According to court documents, Babudar used his gambling winnings to purchase a vehicle in Henderson, Nevada, and evade law enforcement until his arrest in Sacramento on July 7, 2023.
In today’s plea agreement, Babudar admitted that he robbed two additional banks while he was a fugitive from justice.
Babudar admitted that he stole $1,100 from Heritage Bank in Sparks, Nevada, on June 8, 2023. Babudar entered the bank wearing a beanie, a Covid-19 mask, a blue long-sleeved shirt, khaki pants, and a fanny pack. Babudar showed a note to the Heritage Bank teller that was composed on his cell phone, which demanded money from the teller.
Babudar admitted that he stole $950 from U.S. Bank in El Dorado Hills, California, on July 3, 2023. Babudar entered the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, a Covid-19 mask, and a yellow reflective vest. Babudar showed a note to the U.S. Bank teller that was composed on his cell phone, which demanded money from the teller.
Babudar has been detained in federal custody without bond since his arrest.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Babudar is subject to a sentence of up to 50 years in federal prison without parole, with the parties agreeing to recommend that the sentences imposed for each count run concurrent to one another. 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 for July 10, 2024, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Stephanie C. Bradshaw in the Western District of Missouri, and U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston in the Northern District of Oklahoma. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bixby, Okla., Police Department. The Bixby, Okla., Police Department arrested Babudar in December 2022, and the Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted the FBI in the July 2023 arrest.
Columbia Man Indicted for Producing, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a scheme to produce and distribute child pornography involving six child victims.
Ryan Edward Hine, 27, was charged in a seven-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. Today’s superseding indictment replaces the original indictment that was returned on March 7, 2023, and includes additional charges.
Hine has been detained in federal custody without bond since his arrest on a federal criminal complaint on Feb. 7, 2023.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Hine began texting with a 15-year-old female in Mississippi in July 2018. Hine regularly requested her to produce and send to him sexually explicit images and videos. Hine allegedly traveled to Mississippi on a monthly basis in 2019 to engage in sexual acts with the child victim, which he recorded with his cell phone to produce videos of child sexual abuse.
Hine advertised the child sexual abuse material to buyers on multiple chat communication services, says the affidavit, posing as the child victim while engaging the buyers. This continued through 2020.
In the fall of 2021, Hine allegedly sent videos that depicted himself and the child victim engaging in sexual acts to a second minor female victim, in order to recruit her to produce videos. Hine paid for child pornography videos produced by the second minor female and a minor male victim. According to the affidavit, the videos produced by these two minor victims were then sold and distributed.
Today’s indictment charges Hine with one count of attempting to entice a minor, identified in court documents as “MV1,” to engage in criminal sexual activity in order to produce child pornography. Hine is charged with three counts of attempting to use a minor, identified in court documents as “MV5,” to produce child pornography. Hine is charged with two counts of advertising child pornography, including videos that depicted three child victims, identified in court documents as “MV2,” “MV3,” and “MV4,” to two separate buyers. Hine is charged with one count of receiving child pornography, including an image of a child victim identified in court documents as “MV6.”
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 Homeland Security Investigations Newark, N.J., office with assistance from the St. Louis, Mo., office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Carthage Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carthage, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
James Beam, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Beam to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. Beam 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 Sept. 20, 2023, Beam pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.
An undercover FBI agent made contact with Beam through the Kik application in April 2023. Beam expressed a sexual interest in children and expressed his desire to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the undercover agent’s niece.
Beam sent the undercover agent a video of child pornography on April 14, 2023. On the same day, Beam informed the undercover agent of his intent to abduct and rape a child. Beam said there were several old houses in the country near him where he could take the child. Because the undercover agent felt a child was in imminent risk of being kidnapped and sexually assaulted, an exigent request was submitted to Kik for Beam’s account information, which investigators used to identify and locate him.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Cybercrimes Task Force and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Mexican National Sentenced to 25 Years for Leading Meth, Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Panfilo Acuna, Jr., 29, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Thursday, Feb. 22, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Acuna to forfeit to the government $550,603, which represents the proceeds he received from the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
On Oct. 13, 2022, Acuna pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 42 counts of money laundering, and one count of international money laundering.
Acuna admitted that he was the leader of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine and heroin throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area from 2016 until his arrest in 2020. Acuna was the primary source of methamphetamine and heroin distributed to a dozen co-defendants in this case. Acuna also admitted he distributed approximately 250 pounds of methamphetamine and laundered more than $500,000 in drug-trafficking proceeds.
Acuna received methamphetamine and heroin from sources in California and Mexico. Acuna coordinated shipments of bulk methamphetamine and heroin from California to his associates in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Acuna utilized different methods to transport drugs from California to Kansas City, including drug couriers, parcel carriers, and commercial delivery services where drugs would be hidden in furniture and other consumer items. The drugs would then be distributed to a network of street-level dealers in this area who then sold the drugs to other dealers and addicts.
Acuna conducted 1,046 financial transactions between 2015 and 2020, nearly all of them to individuals in California and Mexico, that were related to his drug trafficking. The aggregate amount of money deposited was $305,109. Other wire transfers were also conducted that totaled $246,494. Additionally, Acuna transferred $20,060 to individuals in Mexico through 22 money transfers as part of the conspiracy. The financial investigation revealed his associates also laundered money through a variety of means.
On Oct. 1, 2020, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Acuna’s apartment. Investigators recovered 19 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, magazines, drug ledgers, 10 grams of heroin, and nearly three kilograms of methamphetamine.
Acuna is the ninth defendant to be sentenced in this case. Two co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Moeder and Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
11 Defendants Indicted for $220,000 Covid Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eleven defendants from Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and Washington have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy that resulted in more than $220,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Daisha Sanders, 32, and her boyfriend, Joel Wright, 34, both formerly of Blue Springs, Mo., and her mother, Denise Sanders, 60, all of Royse, Texas; Shaquille Fielder, 31, of Kansas City, Mo.; Jordan Nichols, 30, of North Kansas City, Mo.; Kiandra Crowe, 33, of Grandview, Mo.; Alfred Hayes IV, 29, of Overland Park, Kansas; Luana McNurlin, 36, of St. Louis, Mo.; Rashonda Golden, 34, of Tacoma, Washington; Roxanne Nazir, 38, of Arlington, Texas; and Jeffrey Chillis, 30, of Corpus Christi, Texas, were charged in a 13-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 6, 2024.
That indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrests of nine defendants. Crowe, Hayes, McNurlin and Fielder will have their initial court appearances in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., today. Daisha and Denise Sanders, Wright, Nazir and Chillis were arrested in Texas and will have their first court appearances tomorrow.
The federal indictment alleges that each of the 11 defendants participated in a conspiracy to submit false and fraudulent applications for PPP loans from February 2021 to July 2022. The conspiracy allegedly caused more than $220,000 in fraudulent PPP loans to be issued to ineligible borrowers, most of which were forgiven even though the funds were not used for the purposes specified in the PPP.
According to the indictment, Daisha Sanders created PPP loan applications for herself and for each of the co-conspirators in exchange for a payment from the loan proceeds. The applications falsely stated either the existence of a sole proprietorship prior to the pandemic or greatly inflated the revenues of any “businesses” that did exist in 2019. Daisha Sanders allegedly created fictitious bank records, IRS forms and other false financial documents to support the fraudulent PPP loan applications.
Daisha Sanders submitted the PPP loan applications on behalf of each of the co-conspirators, according to the indictment. Once the PPP loans were funded, the co-conspirators would pay her up to $5,000 for making and submitting the false loan applications.
In addition to the wire fraud conspiracy, Daisha Sanders is charged with one count of wire fraud and each of the remaining defendants is charged with aiding and abetting Daisha Sanders in one count of wire fraud. Each of the defendants allegedly applied for a PPP loan of approximately $20,833.
Daisha Sanders is also charged with one count of money laundering. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Daisha Sanders to forfeit to the government any proceeds she derived from the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $70,832.
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 and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Jury Convicts Jefferson City Man of Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
JEFFRSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man has been convicted in federal court of the armed robbery of a Jefferson City credit union.
Tre Joseph Connor, 29, was found guilty on Thursday, Feb. 15, of one count of bank robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Connor entered River Region Credit Union, 3608 W. Truman Blvd. in Jefferson City, on the morning of Jan. 19, 2023. Connor, wearing a black ski mask, brandished a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ordered a credit union employee to open a vault. Connor stole approximately $111,700 from the vault, filled a backpack with the cash, and left through a side door.
Investigators used security cameras from various sources to identify Connor, including Walmart security camera footage that depicted Connor’s purchases of clothing and other items used in the robbery.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Connor, who has prior felony convictions for dissemination of private sexual images and harassment, was on probation at the time he committed the armed robbery.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Feb. 12.
Under federal statutes, Connor is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Springfield Brothers, Two Kansas Men Indicted for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Springfield, Mo., men and two Parsons, Kansas, men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy after law enforcement officers seized 100 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle being transported from California, as well as several firearms found at a Springfield residence.
Dontrell Anthony Powell, 34, and his brother, Dreshawn Powell, 26, both of Springfield, and Willie Murry, Jr., 41, and Mark Monta Logan, 33, both of Parsons, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday Feb. 6. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against the defendants on Jan. 19, 2024, and contains additional charges.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the Oklahoma State Highway Patrol searched the vehicles on a car hauler at a truck stop in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Jan. 17, 2024. Officers found approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fake pills believed to contain fentanyl hidden in a subwoofer speaker box in the cargo area of one of the cars, a Dodge Magnum. The driver of the car hauler, whom the affidavit says was not involved in the drug shipment, agreed to deliver the Dodge Magnum to its destination at a parking lot in Springfield.
Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a controlled delivery later the same day. Dontrell and Dreshawn Powell arrived together and Dontrell Powell met with the driver of the car hauler. Murry and Logan arrived together soon afterward. Dontrell Powell attempted to start the Dodge Magnum, but it would not start. Murray and Logan helped him jump start the vehicle, which he then drove out of the parking lot as the other defendants followed in their vehicles. Agents followed the three vehicles to Dontrell Powell’s residence, where they were arrested.
Agents searched the residence and found, in addition to the controlled delivery from the Dodge Magnum, an AM-15 pistol, .223 ammunition, several high-capacity magazines with ammunition, more than $100,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. Agents also found a loaded Glock pistol in one of the vehicles, eight cell phones, two shards of crystal methamphetamine inside two large subwoofer boxes in the garage, four more large subwoofer boxes, and drug paraphernalia.
The federal indictment alleges that Dontrell and Dreshawn Powell, Murry, and Logan participated in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 15 to Jan. 18, 2024. In addition to the conspiracy, all four defendants are charged together in one count of attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Dontrell Powell is also charged with one count of money laundering, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Powell allegedly possessed an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Jan. 18, 2024. Powell allegedly possessed another Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on June 12, 2022. Dontrell Powell has a prior felony conviction for possession of dangerous drugs for sale.
Murry and Logan are also charged together in one count of traveling across state lines from Kansas to Missouri with the intent to carry on or facilitate an unlawful activity (possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine).
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, and the Oklahoma State Highway Patrol.
Columbia, KC Residents Indicted for Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Columbia, Mo., residents and a Kansas City, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies across the state over a four-day period.
Kahvaseon Z. Smith, 25, and Janaia R. Cason, 26, both of Columbia, and Kentrail M. Collins, 26, of Kansas City, were charged in a 12-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
The federal indictment alleges that Smith, Cason, and Collins participated in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies from Jan. 5, 2023, to Jan. 8, 2023. In addition to the conspiracy, they are each charged together in five counts of robbery and five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The indictment alleges that Smith, Cason, and Collins committed five armed robberies:
- Petromart at 1004 N. Stadium, Columbia, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Breaktime at 2241 Pioneer St., Boonville, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Casey’s at 807 S. Broadway, Oak Grove, Mo., on Jan. 5, 2023;
- Casey’s at 5869 N. Main, Joplin, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2023;
- Lamarti’s Truck Stop at 71 US 160, Lamar, Mo., on Jan. 8, 2023.
Collins is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Collins allegedly possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol on Jan. 9, 2023. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Collins has felony convictions for burglary, robbery and resisting arrest.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boonville, Mo., Police Department, the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Barton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing more than 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine to distribute and illegally possessing two firearms.
Christopher Kelley, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 16 years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On July 20, 2023, Kelley pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Kelley’s residence on March 11, 2021, and seized more than 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, a Kimber 9mm semi-automatic pistol (that had been reported stolen) from the living room coffee table, a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol from underneath a couch cushion, eight hollow point rounds, $6,842 in cash, two cell phones and drug paraphernalia.
Kelley told investigators he had purchased approximately four to six pounds of methamphetamine each week from his source over the past five or six months.
At the time of this offense, Kelley was wanted on an outstanding warrant for the revocation of his probation in an unrelated state case for his felony conviction of property damage. He also has prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, distributing methamphetamine near a school, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Michael Brown. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Gang Member, Rapper Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who was part of a local rap group and leader of a gang known as “FTO,” was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms, some of which have been linked to multiple shootings.
Jardell Carlin Williams, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to six years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On May 16, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Williams admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a gold Nissan Altima, driven by co-defendant Ezekiel Josiah King, 20, of Springfield, was stopped by Springfield, Mo., Police Department detectives on Feb. 15, 2022. King, also a rapper and leader of the FTO gang, was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine that contained 29 rounds. King also was in possession of an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, loaded with 31 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, which was in the back seat of the vehicle with a juvenile passenger.
Detectives also located two more boxes of ammunition under Williams’ seat. Under King’s seat, officers located a second extended magazine and two factory Glock magazines. In total, officers recovered well over 100 rounds of ammunition from the vehicle, in addition to the three firearms and multiple magazines.
Detectives found marijuana on Williams and in a backpack belonging to Williams. Both Williams and King admitted they regularly smoked marijuana.
Williams also admitted that he was in possession of a C3 Defense 5.56-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a vehicle, in which he was a passenger, was stopped by detectives with the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department on Oct. 23, 2022, after a rap concert where King had been performing. King was in the front passenger seat. Williams and four other individuals were in the backseat. When officers searched the vehicle, they found marijuana and multiple firearms.
According to court documents, Williams was also stopped by Nixa, Mo., police officers on Oct. 16, 2021. There were three passengers in the vehicle, including one juvenile. The juvenile was armed with a stolen, loaded Highpoint firearm. A loaded SCCY pistol was found near another passenger. A loaded, stolen Anderson AM-15 rifle was located on top of the center counsel covered with a blanket. Also located in the vehicle was marijuana wax, and three pipes with marijuana residue. During that stop, officers observed 15 to 20 bullet holes in Williams’ vehicle, and he confirmed he had been involved in a shooting but refused to provide additional details. Williams was charged in the Circuit Court of Christian County, Mo., with possession of a stolen firearm.
ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN)
Agents with the ATF test fired the firearms seized from the traffic stop on Feb. 15, 2022. The shell casings from those test fires were submitted to the ATF National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) laboratory to determine if there were any links between the recovered firearms and firearms related violent crime.
The NIBIN analysis indicated that the .40-caliber Glock pistol possessed by Williams on Feb. 15, 2022, had been used in a drive-by shooting of a Springfield residence that occurred on Jan. 30, 2022. At the time of the shooting, five people were present in the residence. Officers found multiple bullet holes in the home; some of the bullets entered the home into a bedroom, the living room, and into the bathroom. Multiple shell casings were located in the street. Investigators also found that one projectile struck a vehicle parked on the street. Investigators believe the Jan. 30, 2022, shooting was gang-related, because the targeted residence was associated with a rival gang.
In their investigation, officers also found a second home had been hit with gunfire. Police were able to determine that a bullet travelled through the home into a bedroom and then into the wall of the closet bedroom. Fortunately, that house was vacant.
NIBIN analysis of the Anderson AM-15 rifle seized from King on Feb. 15, 2022, indicated that it was also used in the Jan. 30, 2022, shooting.
The NIBIN analysis indicated the C3 Defense firearm seized from Williams on Oct. 23, 2022, had been used in three shootings in Kansas City, Mo., that occurred on Aug. 6, 2022, Sept. 28, 2022, and Sept. 29, 2022. Williams was living in Blue Springs, Mo. (in the Kansas City area) when those shootings occurred.
According to court documents, Williams is also a suspect or a person of interest in a shootout between rival gangs that occurred in a busy commercial area of downtown Springfield on May 14, 2022, which resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to a third, as well as a robbery in which the victim was struck by an unknown object and dragged by a vehicle, and multiple drive-by shootings.
King pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2024, to one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms and awaits sentencing.
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 Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Former Overland Park Business Owner Pleads Guilty to $800,000 COVID FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Overland Park, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to fraudulently receiving more than $800,000 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Mirza Michael Reazuddin, 66, currently a resident of Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips 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 CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses that experienced substantial financial disruption due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, and make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. Under the PPP, both the principal and interest on those loans were eligible for forgiveness.
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.
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.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Reazuddin must 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.
Under federal statutes, Reazuddin is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
St. Peters Physician Pleads Guilty to False Statements, Resulting in $1.4 Million Medicare and Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Peters, Mo., physician has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to make false statements that resulted in more than $1.4 million in Medicare and Medicaid fraud.
“A trusted physician failed his obligation to provide true and accurate information regarding the health care of numerous patients,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “He personally profited from this deceit but it cost the taxpaying public more than $1.4 million in fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid payments.”
Romel Izquierdo-Malon, also known as “Mera,” 55, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on Wednesday, Jan. 31, to a federal information that charges him with one count of conspiracy to make false statements related to health care matters.
Izquierdo-Malon, a physician who practiced medicine in Missouri, entered into a contract with a company identified in court documents as “Company A.” Izquierdo-Malon provided alleged telemedicine consultation services to Company A’s clients and was paid $30 per consultation. He utilized electronic portals to receive information about the patients, as well as to sign patient forms, orders, and letters of medical necessity in which he certified that genetic tests were medically necessary.
Izquierdo-Malon admitted he had a doctor-patient relationship with very few, if any, of the Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries for whom he ordered genetic testing and provided no follow-up care for these patients. He signed pre-printed patient forms that certified the genetic tests were “medically necessary” and that the “results will determine the patient’s medical management and treatment decision.” Izquierdo-Malon knew those statements were false and fraudulent because he knew that he would not receive the reports or use them to treat patients.
The orders were submitted to laboratories, many of which, unbeknownst to him, paid illegal kickbacks to the individuals and entities who conspired to submit false claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
Izquierdo-Malon admitted that he signed orders for genetic testing for Medicare beneficiaries that caused Medicare to pay approximately $1,030,906 to the laboratories that billed for those genetic tests from March 2017 to September 2019. Izquierdo-Malon also admitted that he signed orders for genetic testing for Medicaid beneficiaries that caused Medicaid to pay approximately $376,981 from November 2018 to October 2019.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Izquierdo-Malon must pay $140,788 in restitution (or in such other amount as determined by the court) to the government.
Under federal statutes, Izquierdo-Malon is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindi Woolery. It was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Fulton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Mo., man and a Florence, Mo., woman were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Matthew Gunnar White, 32, of Fulton, and Krista Huddleston, 30, of Florence, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark. White was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Huddleston was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison without parole.
White and Huddleston each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, White was responsible for 5.69 kilograms of methamphetamine.
White was a passenger in a car, driven by Huddleston, that fled from law enforcement officers on Dec. 6, 2021. During the pursuit, White threw baggies of methamphetamine out the front passenger window of the vehicle. The vehicle drove off the roadway into a field on County Road 302. The vehicle then left the field and reentered the roadway. A deputy disabled the vehicle, and White and Huddleston were taken into custody. White had methamphetamine residue covering his clothing. Loose methamphetamine was found scattered throughout the front interior of the vehicle.
The baggies of methamphetamine, which weighed a total of 107 grams, were recovered by officers. A sealed canned goods container, which contained approximately 456 grams of methamphetamine, also was found in the field along the flight path. Four additional canned goods containers that contained a total of approximately 929 grams of methamphetamine were recovered from the front of the vehicle.
According to court document, White has an extensive criminal history, including a felony drug conviction and crimes of violence.
Co-defendant Christopher James Breaux, 39, of Mexico, Mo., was sentenced on Sept. 7, 2023, to 18 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Mid Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group (MUSTANG), the Osage County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Sedalia Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Failing to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Sedalia, Mo., business owner pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to pay nearly $136,000 in employment taxes he withheld from his employee’s paychecks.
Floyd H. Kronk III, 48, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges him with failure to pay employment tax.
Kronk started a construction company, Transition Construction, in 2010. About 95 percent of Transition’s revenues came from Furnell Companies, a Sedalia-based firm that owns and operates a hotel and various assisted living facilities throughout Missouri. Transition did most of the construction and renovating work relative to Furnell’s properties in Missouri.
Kronk retained anywhere from six to 15 employees to carry out that construction work. He withheld their designated federal income tax withholdings from their paychecks, as well as Social Security and Medicare taxes, which he was then supposed to forward to the IRS each month. Kronk admitted today that he did not file timely federal employment tax returns, nor did he deposit any part of the trust fund taxes he withheld from his employees. Instead, he retained those withholdings for his personal benefit.
Kronk withheld $135,785 from his employees’ paychecks from 2014 through 2017, which he kept for his personal benefit.
Kronk also admitted that he was non-compliant with his individual federal income tax filings and payment of those liabilities. According to today’s plea agreement, his returns for 2014 through 2017 were all filed delinquently, and with no accompanying payment. The total tax loss is $135,785 from 2014 to 2017, and $69,280 for relevant conduct for 2011 to 2013, for a total amount of $205,066.
Under federal statutes, Kronk is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Man Implicated in Murder Sentenced to 20 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Firearms, including Machine GunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man implicated in a Westport murder has been sentenced in federal court for fentanyl trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, and illegally possessing a machine gun.
Yesterday afternoon, Ban N. To, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, Jan. 31, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. This sentence reflects the government’s request for a significant upward variance from the federal sentencing guidelines range.
On June 21, 2023, To pleaded guilty to one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of carrying firearms during and related to a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing a machine gun.
Beyond those crimes, however, evidence and testimony were introduced during yesterday’s sentencing hearing regarding To’s involvement in an April 15, 2023, shooting murder in the Westport Entertainment District for which he has not been charged, including surveillance video that showed To carrying out the homicide with another suspect. In imposing the upward variance to a 240-month sentence, Judge Kays made a finding of fact that, based on the evidence presented at the hearing, To committed the murder on April 15, 2023.
This investigation began in April 2023, when the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department placed a felony vehicle alert on a red Toyota Highlander due to its association with a homicide that occurred on April 15, 2023. The vehicle had been caught on surveillance video pulling into a parking lot near West 40th Terrace and Pennsylvania Avenue in the Westport area. Two occupants of the vehicle began walking to the northeast end of the parking lot when they exchanged gunfire with another person. The firefight continued to the intersection of West 40th Street and Washington Street where the two suspects surrounded the victim, shooting him multiple times. The victim was shortly thereafter confirmed deceased. The two suspects ran away but eventually returned to the vehicle and drove away. Multiple spent shell casings were recovered in the area of the homicide.
Kansas City police officers stopped the red Toyota Highlander, which was being driven by To, on April 21, 2023. Officers searched the Toyota Highlander and found a loaded Taurus .45-caliber handgun, which had been reported stolen, under the driver’s seat. They also found a zip lock bag that contained 75 fentanyl pills near the steering wheel. Officers found three additional firearms inside the locked glove compartment – a Glock 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen, a Polymer80 9mm handgun without a serial number, and a Glock .40-caliber handgun equipped with a Glock switch to make it fully automatic.
Kansas City police detectives also were able to recover nine more firearms associated with To while he was being detained in the Jackson County Detention Center. To, in a monitored telephone call, asked his girlfriend to go to his storage locker and remove some bags. Detectives were able to track down those bags, which contained a Mossberg .22-caliber rifle, a Romarm/Cugir Mini-Draco 7.62x39mm pistol, a Radical Firearms 7.62x39mm rifle, a Sigarms .357-caliber pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, two Glock .357-caliber pistols, and two Glock .40-caliber pistols equipped with Glock switches to make them fully automatic.
Ballistics analysis confirmed the above-noted Romarm/Cugir Mini-Draco 7.62x39mm pistol fired the shell casings recovered from the scene of the April 15, 2023, homicide. Further lab analysis revealed To’s DNA on the trigger of that firearm.
According to court documents, To is a known associate of the Money Gang, an active violent gang in the metropolitan area.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. 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.
Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced to 17 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who is a prior sex offender was sentenced in federal court yesterday for receiving and distributing child pornography within an online group.
Anthony P. Thuro, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 17 years in federal prison without parole, to be followed by a 25-year term of supervised release.
On June 5, 2023, Thuro pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. Thuro, a registered sex offender, has two prior felony convictions for statutory sodomy (involving 7-year-old and 13-year-old victims). The court also sentenced Thuro to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
During a law enforcement investigation, the FBI discovered that a user distributed a Mega folder containing 13.7 gigabytes of data, which included numerous videos of child sexual abuse material, to a Kik group. The Mega folder was traced back to Thuro, and IP addresses indicated that Thuro accessed the Mega folder multiple times. According to court documents, those videos in the Mega included depictions of toddlers being sexually abused, prepubescent children subjected to sexual abuse and bondage, and prepubescent children subjected to bestiality.
On Aug. 30, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thuro’s residence. They seized Thuro’s cell phone, which contained evidence he had accessed the Mega and Kik applications in the past. Investigators also found 36 images of child sexual abuse material that were cached in the gallery application of the phone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, 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."
Springfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Antowan L. Wade, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Wade was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Aug. 3, 2023, Wade pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On May 9, 2022, members of the U.S. Probation Office conducted a search of Wade’s apartment. Wade was on supervised release after serving a federal prison sentence for bank robbery. Officers found a Canik55 9mm semi-automatic pistol with 16 rounds of ammunition under a pillow on the bed in his bedroom.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Wade has two prior felony convictions for bank robbery, a prior felony conviction for the robbery of a Best Buy store in Joplin, Mo., and prior felony convictions for making and passing counterfeit currency and for burglary.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. 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.
Collins Sex Offender Sentenced to 17 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Collins, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography on his cell phone.
Billy Puckett, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 17 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 6, 2023, Puckett was found guilty at trial of one count of receiving child pornography. Puckett, a registered sex offender, has two prior felony convictions for statutory rape and a prior felony conviction for statutory sodomy.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 13 and East 316 Road in Bolivar, Mo., on Aug. 28, 2020. The trooper, who learned that Puckett was a registered sex offender, searched Puckett’s vehicle and found a cell phone plugged into a cigarette lighter. When the phone’s screen activated, the trooper noticed Puckett had Facebook and Snapchat applications on the phone, which were not authorized due to Puckett’s status as a registered sex offender. The trooper seized Puckett’s phone, on which he located multiple images of child pornography, and Puckett was arrested.
Investigators conducted a forensic examination of Puckett’s phone and found hundreds of images of child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Sex Trafficking Four VictimsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a sex trafficking conspiracy that involved four victims, including two teenagers.
Dameon Devor Williams, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 16 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Williams to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On June 29, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and one count of sex trafficking. Williams admitted that he participated in a sex-trafficking conspiracy from Aug. 1, 2018, to Jan. 9, 2019, that caused four victims to engage in prostitution. One of the victims was 14 years old, and another victim was 16 years old.
On Jan. 7, 2019, Homeland Security Investigations agents in Kansas City, Mo., received a tip regarding a 14-year-old female (identified in court documents as V1) whose whereabouts were unknown. She had previously been apprehended in Blue Springs, Mo., after a traffic accident involving a stolen vehicle. She was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital, where she reported that she had been forced to have sex for money. The hospital gave her personal belongings, including her cell phone, to federal agents. Agents used the phone to identify a residence in Jackson, Mississippi, where they encountered a second, 16-year-old, victim (identified in court documents as V2) a couple of days later. The second victim assisted agents in locating the first victim at a residence in Kansas City, Mo.
Agents set up surveillance at the Kansas City apartment building and soon saw V1 leave the residence and get into a vehicle with co-defendant Cory Lavell Smith, also known as “Fatz,” 29, of Kansas City, Mo., who was driving. When law enforcement officers identified themselves, Smith fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed. Agents pursued the vehicle, which was ultimately brought to stop. Smith was arrested and V1 was taken into protective custody.
V1 identified Smith as her pimp. She told investigators that Smith groomed her into the commercial sex trade by befriending her, partying with her, buying her things, and educating her about the commercial sex trade. Smith provided her with drugs and deprived her of food to gain her compliance. V1 said she was paid $150 for a sex act, but Smith took all but $10 or $20 of that. Smith advertised V1 for commercial sex on various websites. She normally saw two or three men per day, and Smith drove her to local motels to conduct commercial sex acts. Smith kept V1 at the apartment in Kansas City and would lock the door to prevent her from leaving. She provided investigators with the names of two additional victims who had been trafficked by Smith.
V1 told investigators that Williams also set up commercial sex transactions for her. Smith and Williams split the money earned from the transactions. Williams photographed her for the purpose of advertising her for commercial sex.
According to the plea agreement, Smith and Williams worked together and there is evidence of their coordination in the commercial sex business. V1 told investigators there were times when Williams would call Smith about a commercial sex “deal” and Smith would either take V1 to the deal location or drop her off with Williams, who would then drive her to the deal. Sometimes, too, they would switch off with Williams taking her to Smith if Smith received a call from a customer.
Smith pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2022, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Smith to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lenexa, Kan., Police Department.
Independence Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing eight firearms.
Nicholas G. Gutierrez, 43, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Tuesday, Jan. 23, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 29, 2023, Gutierrez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
The U.S. Postal Service interdicted a package destined for Gutierrez’s residence on April 14, 2023. Investigators opened the package and found three bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of approximately four kilograms. Investigators made a controlled delivery of the empty box to Gutierrez’s residence.
Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at Gutierrez’s residence on April 19, 2023. Agents found a bag that contained more than a kilogram of methamphetamine on top of a dresser in the master bedroom. A Glock 19 pistol, which had been reported stolen, and additional illegal narcotics were found on the bed in the master bedroom, including several clear plastic bags that contained a total of approximately 440.67 grams of methamphetamine.
Agents forced open a black safe that was in the master bedroom and found an Iver Johnson revolver, a Glock 29, a Glock 17, a Rock Island 1911, a Canik SPX Rival 9mm, a Remington .22-caliber rifle, and a Remington .270-caliber rifle.
Agents also found 9.6 grams of heroin and 46.95 grams of fentanyl at Gutierrez’s residence.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Gutierrez has prior felony convictions for being a drug user in possession of a firearm and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Independence Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Following Police ChaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing a firearm after fleeing from police officers in a stolen pick-up truck.
Duke A. Yates, 35, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The federal indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Yates on Dec. 26, 2023.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Yates was driving a stolen 2007 Ford F350 pick-up truck that had been used in the armed robberies of a Quik Trip and a Walgreen’s, both in Independence, within 10 minutes of each other at about 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2023. A police officer spotted the vehicle traveling north on E. Pitcher Road near Blue Ridge Cutoff in Independence.
Yates immediately initiated a pursuit that reached speeds over 100 miles per hour. During the pursuit, the affidavit says, the truck failed to stop for posted stop signs and drove over medians. The truck slid onto 23rd Street facing eastbound in the westbound lanes, causing another motorist to drive onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. Yates drove into oncoming traffic and veered at a marked police vehicle that was attempting to deploy stop sticks.
Yates failed to negotiate a turn at 24911 E. Truman Road and went offroad, colliding with a power pole and breaking it at the base. Yates fled on foot, the affidavit says, and resisted arrest while being taken into custody.
Officers searched the stolen truck and found a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s floorboard.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Yates has two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and prior felony convictions for robbery, tampering with a motor vehicle, theft, resisting arrest, property damage, and distributing drugs.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
FBI’s ‘Most Wanted Fugitive’ Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Cory T. Brown, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole, the statutory maximum penalty.
On March 30, 2023, Brown was convicted at trial of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Brown was in possession of a Glock 10mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine on Oct. 14, 2021. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has prior felony convictions for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting a lawful stop.
Brown, who was on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitive List, was at the residence of co-defendant Myron A. McMillian, 32, of Independence, Mo., on Oct. 14, 2021. Brown had been indicted in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and was a fugitive for two years. (He was later acquitted of the conspiracy charge at trial.)
FBI agents were conducting surveillance of the apartment complex, and several tactical teams approached the apartment building that evening. Before officers could announce their presence, McMillian and two other people ran from the rear door of the apartment. Brown, wearing a red balaclava pulled over his face with only his eyes visible, was arrested near the back door of the apartment. Brown had $11,072 in cash in his pocket and identity documents with his photo but another person’s name. Officers later searched the silver 2021 Mercedes they had seen Brown driving and found a black Louis Vuitton backpack that contained $5,000 in cash.
Officers executed a search warrant at McMillian’s apartment, where they found eight firearms, approximately 3.5 kilograms of marijuana, and $3,188 in cash.
On the kitchen counter, officers found a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Glock 10mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and marijuana. Officers also found an Anderson Arms AM-15 .556-caliber firearm and a Romarm Cugir Draco 7.62x39mm pistol in the kitchen area. DNA evidence indicated the Glock pistol had been in Brown’s possession.
In McMillian’s bedroom, officers found a backpack that contained marijuana and approximately $800 in cash. Officers also found a duffel bag that contained approximately 2.5 kilograms of marijuana. Under the mattress of the bed, they found a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. On the dresser, investigators found marijuana and approximately $1,580 in cash. In a dresser drawer, they found marijuana and approximately $800 in cash.
Officers found a New Frontier Armory .223-caliber rifle in the main living room area, on the floor near the fireplace, an FNH 5.7mm semi-automatic pistol on the arm of the couch, and a Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol on a shelf.
McMillian pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and was sentenced on Sept. 8, 2023, to 14 months in federal prison without parole.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Columbia Physician Indicted for False Statements to MedicareRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., physician has been indicted by a federal grand jury for making false statements relating to Medicare orders.
Jerry Joseph Bruggeman, M.D., 52, was charged in a 13-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
The federal indictment alleges that Bruggeman, a licensed physician, provided false statements regarding Medicare beneficiaries who received medical devices (such as braces) or genetic testing. The federal indictment charges Bruggeman with 13 counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Bruggeman to forfeit to the government $29,440, which represents his proceeds from the alleged offenses.
According to the indictment, Bruggeman contracted with a telemedicine company in Boca Raton, Florida, which maintained an online portal that aggregated the personal information of Medicare beneficiaries who had been solicited by marketing companies. The company created medical assessments and orders for these beneficiaries, then hired medical professionals like Bruggeman to “review” and sign orders for cancer genetic testing, pharmacogenetic testing, and durable medical equipment.
The federal indictment alleges that Bruggeman approved orders for medical devices for eight Medicare beneficiaries in March and April 2019. Bruggeman stated that he ordered the devices in each case based on his evaluation of the patient’s condition and determined that the device was “medically necessary and appropriate.” Bruggeman electronically signed a physician verification for each of the devices, indicating “by my signature, I am prescribing the items listed above and certify that the above-prescribed item(s) is medically indicated and necessary and consistent with current accepted standards of medical practice and treatment of this patient’s physical condition.”
In fact, the indictment says, Bruggeman never evaluated or assessed the patient’s condition, never determined whether the device was medically necessary and appropriate for the patient, and never determined whether the listed device was consistent with current accepted standards of medical practice and treatment of the patient’s physical condition.
The federal indictment also alleges that Bruggeman approved orders for genetic testing for five Medicare beneficiaries between January and March 2019. Bruggeman asserted in each case that the test results were necessary to the patient’s medical management. He electronically signed an accompanying letter of medical necessity that stated he would “receive the test results in order to pursue care for the patient.” In fact, the indictment says, Bruggeman never treated the patients.
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 Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
Republic Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Following Shooting at Private PartyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Republic, Mo., man who was providing security at a private party where four individuals were injured by gunfire was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Timothy Johnell Smith, 37, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Smith on Jan. 3, 2024.
The federal indictment alleges that Smith was in possession of a Bear Creek Arsenal rifle between Dec. 31, 2023, and Jan. 1, 2024.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, deputies with the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department responded to a call for service at a private party at The Barnhouse in Springfield on Jan. 1, 2024. Smith and his wife had been hired to provide security at the New Year’s Eve party. Deputies were arriving at the scene when another call was dispatched for shots fired at the same location.
Six people were injured; four victims sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to local hospitals. A witness at the party told deputies that Smith had attempted to break up a fight involving several people, and had fired an AR-style rifle into the ceiling. Witnesses reported they heard four to five additional gunshots. Deputies found the rifle near a storage area on the upper level of the venue. Deputies interviewed Smith, the affidavit says, who told them he carried the AR-style rifle for “intimidation.”
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Smith has prior felony convictions for burglary, receiving stolen property, and theft of a motor vehicle.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greene County Sheriff’s 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.
Forsyth Man Indicted for Springfield Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Forsyth, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing a Springfield bank.
Richard Campbell, 59, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment alleges that Campbell robbed Guaranty Bank, 1905 W. Kearney St., in Springfield, on Jan. 5, 2024.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Interfering with Flight Crew, Forcing Plane to be Diverted to KCIRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A California man pleaded guilty in federal court today after he was subdued by several passengers and flight attendants when he tried to open the exit door on an American Airlines flight en route to Washington, D.C., forcing the plane to land at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Missouri.
Juan Remberto Rivas, 52, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of interfering with flight crew members and flight attendants.
Rivas was a passenger aboard American Airlines flight 1775 traveling nonstop from Los Angeles, Calif., to Washington, D.C., which was diverted to Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 13, 2022.
By pleading guilty today, Rivas admitted that he created a disturbance which knowingly intimidated a flight attendant of the aircraft. Rivas went to the front of the plane and was arguing with the flight attendant. Rivas grabbed some plastic silverware and placed the plastic silverware in his shirt sleeve to appear to create a shank. Rivas grabbed a small champagne bottle by the neck and attempted to break the bottle on the counter. Rivas then attempted to open an exit door by lifting the handle.
Another flight attendant grabbed a coffee pot and hit Rivas with it. Rivas was then restrained for the remainder of the flight.
Under federal statutes, Rivas is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.
KC Man Sentenced to 23 Years for Sexual Abuse of Child Victim, Distributing Video of Abuse OnlineRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for recording his sexual abuse of a seven-year-old victim and sharing a video of the abuse online.
Jeffrey A. Knight, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 23 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Knight to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Aug. 8, 2023, Knight pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. Knight admitted that he used his iPhone to create an image and two video recordings of his sexual abuse of the child victim on Feb. 2, 2020. Knight then distributed one of those videos over the internet.
Knight also admitted that he sexually abused the child victim on multiple occasions until April 2022.
Knight has been involved in the trafficking and possession of child pornography since at least 2013. He routinely used messaging applications, such as Telegram, to send and receive child pornography from other individuals over the internet. He also paid money to join online groups that focused on the trafficking of child pornography, and engaged in the trafficking of child pornography with other members of those online groups.
Knight uploaded hundreds of images and videos of child pornography to his online storage accounts, including Google and Dropbox, from 2013 until his arrest on Feb. 3, 2023. Knight was in possession of hundreds of images and videos of child pornography at the time of his arrest.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Attempted Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for attempting to engage in abusive sexual contact with two court employees in the parking garage of the Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse in Kansas City, Mo.
Shane Russell Coy, 23, was sentenced on Thursday, Jan. 19, by U.S. Chief District Judge Eric F. Melgren from the District of Kansas to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Coy to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Nov. 1, 2023, Coy pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted abusive sexual contact.
Coy admitted that he unlawfully entered the courthouse underground parking garage on March 7, 2023. As Coy was walking outside by the parking garage exit, the overhead door to the garage exit began to open. As it opened, Coy stepped over the vehicle barricade into the garage exit and approached Victim 1, who was in the driver’s seat of her vehicle, stopped at the exit waiting for the overhead door to open and the vehicle barricade to go down so she could drive out of the garage. Because Victim 1 did not exit the garage soon enough, the exit overhead door and barricade closed, preventing her from driving out.
Coy pulled down his pants and began to masturbate, shouting at Victim 1 to get out of her car. Coy attempted to open a passenger door of the vehicle and punched the driver’s side window with a closed fist. Coy admitted that his actions in attempting to break into Victim 1’s vehicle were done with the specific intent to engage in sexual contact with Victim 1 by some level of force.
Coy then began to approach Victim 2, who had walked into the parking garage from the employee internal entryway door. Victim 2 was able to move away from Coy and position herself behind a vehicle. Coy admitted that he intended to engage in sexual contact with Victim 2 by some level of force.
Coy then ran to the employee entrance door and took an elevator up to the first floor, where he found himself within an enclosed vestibule leading out into the main lobby of the federal courthouse. After a brief period of time, law enforcement officers arrived and took Coy into custody without incident.
According to court documents, Coy was convicted of assault in 2020 after he sexually harassed and assaulted an attendant at a convenience store. Within months of being released from confinement for that conviction, Coy was arrested for the attempted sexual abuse of a postal worker while she was delivering mail at an apartment complex. Earlier on the same day, Coy had confronted a woman who was walking her dog. In all three instances, Coy exposed himself to the victims.
Coy has also been charged in Jackson County, Mo., with sexual misconduct and assault for a similar incident at another parking garage on Feb. 21, 2023. Additionally, according to court documents, on March 7, 2023, Coy exposed himself to two other women at the parking garage and chased one of the victims as she drove through the parking garage shortly before he walked over to the federal courthouse and engaged in the criminal conduct in this federal case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $11.5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2023Read the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore announced today that the Western District of Missouri collected $5,814,684 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Of this amount, $4,453,163 was collected in criminal actions and $1,361,521 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Western District of Missouri, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $5,678,378 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2023. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
“In 2023, the attorneys and support staff in our Monetary Penalties Unit worked diligently to collect nearly $11.5 million on behalf of taxpayers and victims of crime,” Moore said.
“Our job doesn’t end when a defendant is sentenced or a civil case is settled,” Moore added. “I’m proud to say that over the past year, victims of fraud, sex trafficking, and other crimes have received much needed restitution for what they lost at the hands of criminal defendants. Our team seized assets and collected money judgments from criminals who attempted to profit from their illegal activities. And those who owed a debt to the United States were held accountable to pay what they owed.”
Additionally, the Western District of Missouri worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $5,298,876 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $37,515 was collected in criminal actions and $5,261,361 was collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Ionia Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Ionia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pettis County, Mo.
Thomas W. Pitts, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Pitts was sentenced as a career criminal due to his prior felony convictions for controlled substance offenses.
On March 29, 2023, Pitts was found guilty at trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distributing methamphetamine.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Pitts participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Feb. 18 to Nov. 16, 2021.
On Oct. 6, 2021, a confidential informant purchased approximately 28.8 grams of methamphetamine from Pitts for $700. An undercover federal agent was also present at Pitts’s residence during the transaction. On Oct. 28, 2021, the confidential informant and the undercover federal agent went to Pitts’s residence again. The confidential informant purchased approximately 57.6 grams of methamphetamine from Pitts for $900. Both of the transactions were recorded.
On Nov. 16, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Pitts’s residence and seized ammunition, a small amount of methamphetamine, and items associated with drug distribution.
Court documents indicate that Pitts routinely carried a firearm, and one was found in the possession of a third party during the search of Pitts’s residence on Nov. 16, 2021. When interviewed, the third party eventually reported that Pitts handed him/her the firearm shortly before he was arrested.
Pitts has approximately 15 prior felony convictions for offenses including possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance, and driving while revoked or suspended.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Clair County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Henry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.
Independence Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man and a Kansas City, Mo., man were sentenced in federal court today for their roles role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Eric M. Stilley, 42, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 19 years and two months in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Devin E. Lawson, also known as “Hambone,” 30, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to nine years and seven months in federal prison without parole.
On Sept 7, 2023, Stilley pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. On Sept. 14, 2023, Lawson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Stilley and Lawson each admitted that he participated in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mo., from Aug. 15, 2021, to Aug. 2, 2022.
Stilley was present at a co-defendant’s residence when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on June 29, 2022. Stilley had approximately two ounces of methamphetamine at the time. Stilley was driving a motorized scooter with no license plate when he was stopped by Independence police officers on Aug. 2, 2022. Stilley, who was arrested on outstanding warrants, was in possession of approximately 77 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 6.6 grams of fentanyl.
Independence police officers executed a search warrant at Lawson’s residence on Feb. 10, 2022. Officers seized approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a stolen firearm, firearm accessories, and ammunition.
According to court documents, Stilley was responsible for distributing more than 90 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Stilley and Lawson are the first defendants to be sentenced in this case. Three co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Former City Clerk Pleads Guilty to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former city clerk for Merriam Woods, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to a $68,000 scheme to defraud the city.
Breanna N. Gamble, also known as Breanna Delcour, 28, of Ozark, Mo., waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges her with one count of wire fraud.
By pleading guilty today, Gamble admitted that, from Oct. 1, 2018, to Aug. 11, 2019, she engaged in a scheme by which she utilized her position as a city clerk for Merriam Woods to use city funds for her personal benefit, without authorization from the city.
The loss to the city of Merriam Woods that resulted from Gamble’s fraud scheme totaled at least $68,038. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Gamble must forfeit to the government a money judgment in that amount.
As a part of her scheme, Gamble used the city’s credit cards and bank accounts to make personal purchases on numerous occasions, without authorization from the city, including purchases from Amazon, Victoria’s Secret, Walmart, PFI, Buckle, American Eagle, H&M, Ticketmaster, Reliable Chevrolet, Springfield Power Sports, Lululemon, and Ulta.
Gamble admitted that she forged a signature on a $5,500 city check that was used to purchase a motorcycle for her personal use.
In order to conceal her scheme and her use of the city’s funds, Gamble recorded false financial entries and false invoices. Gamble also made misrepresentations to the city’s mayor and board of aldermen, and failed to cooperate with a company hired by the city to conduct a financial audit of the city’s finances.
Under federal statutes, Gamble is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the FBI.
Independence Business Owner Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Conspiracy to Sell Stolen Catalytic ConvertersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to sell millions of dollars in stolen catalytic converters to companies in Missouri, Texas, and Louisiana.
James Spick, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to five years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Spick to forfeit to the government $4.4 million, which represents a conservative estimate that 40 percent of the catalytic converters he bought and sold were stolen.
Spick, the owner of J&J Recycling in Independence, pleaded guilty on July 12, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines.
In his salvage business, Spick primarily buys and resells catalytic converters rather than other automotive parts or recyclable items. Catalytic converters convert toxic gases and pollutants from internal combustion engines into less-toxic pollutants. Catalytic converters contain precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium. Stolen catalytic converters have value because of the precious metals, which can be extracted from the converters.
For more than four years, Spick made it his primary business to buy and resell stolen catalytic converters. In doing so, he victimized tens of thousands of people whose catalytic converters were stolen from their vehicles. By paying in cash with basically no questions asked, Spick’s entire business model attracted, encouraged, and incentivized thieves and particularly drug addicts.
Spick bought catalytic converters at his business from hundreds of individuals whom he paid in cash. Spick resold the catalytic converters, which he knew to have been stolen, to companies in Missouri (including Kansas City and Lee’s Summit), Texas, and Louisiana. The Texas and Louisiana companies processed the catalytic converters to extract the precious metals.
In January 2021, detectives interviewed a known catalytic converter thief regarding his dealings with Spick. This thief had been caught stealing converters from new vehicles at a car dealership in Kansas. The thief stated that it was common knowledge on the street that Spick’s business was the place to go to sell “questionable” or stolen catalytic converters.
According to court documents, Spick told investigators he sometimes spent $20,000 a day buying catalytic converters and profited about $1,000 a day after expenses. Because he dealt so much in cash, it’s not possible to know the amount of his net profit.
Spick was paid partially in cash by the companies buying catalytic converters. From 2018 to 2021, a Texas company paid Spick $732,021 and an additional $2,622,846 in cash. From 2018 to 2021, a Louisiana company, paid Spick $817,271 and an additional $2,979,074 in cash.
In total from 2018 to 2021, Spick received more than $11 million from companies buying catalytic converters and other car parts.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Mahoney and Nicholas Heberle. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Former Banking Executive Pleads Guilty to Evading Anti-Money Laundering RegulationsRead the Press Release
The former vice president of a bank located in Missouri pleaded guilty today to assisting high-risk bank customers in evading the bank’s anti-money laundering controls.
Peter McVey, 45, of Kansas City, Missouri, who served as vice president and director of treasury services for a bank, pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an appropriate anti-money laundering program under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).
According to court documents, between April 2014 and July 2022, McVey assisted high-risk bank customers engaged in deceptive sweepstakes and short-term online loan activities in evading the bank’s anti-money laundering controls. Specifically, McVey worked with other bank officials and customers to submit fraudulent Currency Transaction Report exemption forms to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and knowingly accepted forged bank forms from customers that permitted them to exceed applicable limits on daily transaction values. McVey also admitted that he did not follow know-your-customer or suspicious activity report requirements.
McVey faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He will also pay a fine of $20,000, which is equal to his 2018 bonus from the bank. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri, Special Agent in Charge Justin R. Bundy of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Kansas City Region, Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) St. Louis Field Office, and Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
FDIC-OIG, IRS:CI, and the FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Chad M. Davis of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney, Patrick D. Daly, and Matthew N. Sparks for the Western District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
MLARS’ Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Springfield Rapper Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who was part of a local rap group pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms.
Ezekiel Josiah King, 20, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms.
Co-defendant Jardell Carlin Williams, 20, pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to two counts of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms.
By pleading guilty today, King admitted he was in possession of a loaded Glock .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, with an extended magazine that contained 29 rounds, and an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, loaded with 31 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, on Feb. 15, 2022. King was driving a gold Nissan Altima that was stopped by Springfield police detectives. In addition to the firearms, detectives found another extended magazine and two factory Glock magazines under the driver’s seat.
Williams, a passenger in the vehicle, admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Detectives also located two more boxes of ammunition in the front floorboard.
Williams also admitted that he was in possession of a C3 Defense 5.56-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a vehicle, in which he was a passenger, was stopped by law enforcement on Oct. 22, 2022. The C3 Defense AR-style pistol was tentatively identified as being used in three shooting incidents in the Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kansas, areas.
Both King and Williams admitted they regularly smoked marijuana.
Under federal statutes, King is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Williams is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
A sentencing hearing for Williams is scheduled on Feb. 5, 2024. King’s 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 Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jury Convicts Springfield Man of Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been convicted in federal court of his role in a conspiracy to distribute valeryl fentanyl, which is an analogue of fentanyl, and illegally possessing several firearms.
Darrell L. Smith, 34, was found guilty at trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute a fentanyl analogue known as valeryl fentanyl, one count of possessing a fentanyl analogue with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Co-defendant Eugene C. Saunders, 50, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to three years in federal prison without parole.
In August 2019, law enforcement learned that Smith and Saunders were selling “heroin” (later determined to be valeryl fentanyl) together in Springfield and that Saunders stored his “heroin” at Smith’s residence. Smith and Saunders often packaged “heroin” together at Smith’s residence.
On Aug. 15, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence. Officers seized a large plastic bag that contained valeryl fentanyl and 30 individually packaged sandwich bags of valeryl fentanyl.
In plain view on a table in the living room near the bags of valeryl fentanyl, officers found a loaded magazine for a 9mm pistol. Officers found body armor and seven loaded firearms – including a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a North American Arms .22-caliber revolver, a Mossberg 20-gauge pump shotgun, a Smith & Wesson .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun – in an upstairs bedroom. Three of these firearms were located in plain view on a dresser and two shotguns were leaned up against a wall. An eighth firearm was found in a secondary bedroom, where Smith had been located when the warrant was executed. This firearm, a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol, was located underneath a couch cushion on a child’s bed.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield deliberated for less than four hours on Wednesday, Jan. 10, before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 8.
Under federal statutes, Smith is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Eatmon and John D. Hatcher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Independence Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing $500,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing more than $500,000 from her employer.
Tammy Myers, 50, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to a federal information that charges her with one count of wire fraud.
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.
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.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Myers must pay $521,996 in restitution to Builders Overhead Door Service, which represents the total loss she caused and includes loss attributable to related criminal activity. Myers must also pay a money judgment to the government of $429,025.
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.
Under federal statutes, Myers is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the FBI.
St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 23 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man who produced pornographic images of three child victims and shared them online was sentenced in federal court today for producing and possessing child pornography.
Tyler B. Wirth, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 23 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wirth to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration, and ordered him to pay $14,381 in victim restitution.
Wirth 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. 17, 2023, Wirth pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Wirth admitted that he produced pornographic images of three children, which he distributed to multiple users on the Kik application during his sexual conversations with them.
Wirth admitted that he communicated extensively with others over the Kik application in July and August 2020 about his desire to sexually abuse children. Wirth produced child pornography to distribute to other users within these Kik chats, taking pornographic photos of three child victims. He also discussed with numerous Kik users his desire to sexually abuse the child victims, and repeatedly asked for guidance from other Kik users on how he should go about sexually abusing them.
Wirth received hundreds of images and videos of child pornography from other Kik users, and distributed numerous other images and videos of child pornography from his possession of child pornography, which included over a thousand images and videos of child pornography.
Wirth entered chat rooms on Kik, which provided a forum for users to discuss the sexual exploitation of minors, as well as trade and shares images and videos of child pornography. He fully participated in these chat rooms and then engaged in private communications with other like-minded individuals where he discussed his desires to sexually exploit children. He routinely asked for advice on how to go about sexually abusing minors, and whether those other Kik users had any tips for how he could do so.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wirth’s residence on Aug. 10, 2020. Officers seized Wirth’s electronic media and cell phone. Wirth possessed hundreds of other videos and images of child pornography on his cell phone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth 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."