Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Mexican National Sentenced to Life in Prison for KidnappingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been sentenced in federal court for kidnapping, which led to the death of the victim.
Juan D. Osorio (also known as “Spexx”), 30, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Tuesday, June 20, to life in federal prison without parole.
On Dec. 16, 2022, Osorio and co-defendant Jonathan M. Bravo-Lopez (also known as “Jonathan Vravo,” and “Shadow”), 28, were found guilty at trial of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping resulting in death. Osorio was also found guilty of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Bravo-Lopez was also found guilty of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported in 2016.
The sentencing hearing for Bravo-Lopez is scheduled on July 26, 2023.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Osorio and Bravo-Lopez conspired to kidnap Cristian Escutia in an attempt to rob him of money. They transported Escutia across state lines from Missouri to Kansas before fatally shooting him on April 3, 2017.
Osorio and Bravo-Lopez arranged to purchase $300 of marijuana from Escutia as a ruse to lure him into their kidnapping plan. On April 3, 2017, they met Escutia outside his residence and forced him into their vehicle, a Chrysler Pacifica, at gunpoint. The kidnapping was captured by the video surveillance system outside a nearby residence. When they drove to the 200 block of Donovan Road in Kansas City, Kan., they forced Escutia out of the vehicle. Escutia was shot three times and left to die on the side of the road.
Osorio, who is in the United States unlawfully, was in possession of an Action Arms Uzi .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol when he was arrested on April 7, 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and Matthew A. Moeder. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who illegally possessed 13 firearms, including machine guns, pleaded guilty in federal court today to fentanyl trafficking, carrying a firearm during and in relation to fentanyl trafficking, and illegally possessing a machine gun.
Ban N. To, 19, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges him with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing a machine gun.
According to today’s plea agreement, 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 Southwest Trafficway and Mill Street in the Westport area. The vehicle then proceeded east to another parking lot in the same area. The two occupants of the vehicle exited and proceeded north on foot. At some point the suspects began chasing and shooting at another man. The chase ended at West 40th Street and Washington Avenue where surveillance video captured the two suspects exchange gunfire in the street with the other man. The other man suffered several gunshot wounds and was later confirmed deceased. The two suspects ran away but eventually returned to the vehicle and drove away. Multiple spent shell casings were recovered from the scene.
Kansas City police officers stopped the red Toyota Highlander, which was being driven by To, on April 21, 2023. To told investigators that he is the primary driver of the vehicle and had not loaned the vehicle to anyone during the prior week. To also said the vehicle had not been stolen anytime recently and that only he and his father have keys to the vehicle.
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 approximately 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.
Under federal statutes, To is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. 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.
KC Man Indicted in Murder-for-Hire ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in a murder-for-hire conspiracy after being indicted last year for illegally possessing firearms.
Thomas D. Clegg, 40, was charged in a two-count second superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, June 20. The second superseding indictment replaces the original Oct. 11, 2022, indictment and a superseding indictment that contained the firearms count, and includes the additional conspiracy charge.
The federal indictment charges Clegg with one count of participating in a conspiracy to commit murder for hire and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
The indictment alleges that Clegg and others conspired from Aug. 19, 2021, to June 13, 2022, to murder a victim identified as “J.C.” and his family members for payment in cash and marijuana.
The indictment also alleges that Clegg was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber pistol and a Springfield Armory .45-caliber pistol between May 25 and June 13, 2022. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Clegg has two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, as well as prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, trafficking in drugs, voluntary manslaughter, discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, assault, armed criminal action, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Michael Green and Ashleigh A. Ragner. 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.
Former Lawson Business Owner Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lawson, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing and distributing child pornography over the internet.
Lance M. Berry, 36, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, June 20.
Berry, the owner of a flower shop in Lawson at the time of his offense, has a prior Ray County, Mo., conviction for deviate sexual assault, which requires him to register as a sex offender.
The federal indictment charges Berry with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet on June 1, 2022, and with one count of possessing child pornography on June 17, 2022.
Berry was arrested at his former business on June 17, 2022, by Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers. Berry struggled with troopers when they seized his cell phone and troopers were forced to spray him with pepper spray before placing him in handcuffs.
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 Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former FBI Analyst Sentenced for Retaining Classified DocumentsRead the Press Release
A former analyst with the Kansas City Division of the FBI was sentenced in federal court today for illegally retaining documents related to the national defense at her residence.
Kendra Kingsbury, 50, of Garden City, Kansas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Kingsbury pleaded guilty on Oct. 13, 2022, to two counts of unlawfully retaining documents related to the national defense.
According to court documents, Kingsbury was an intelligence analyst for the FBI for more than 12 years, from 2004 to Dec. 15, 2017. Kingsbury was assigned to a sequence of different FBI squads, each of which had a particular focus, such as illegal drug trafficking, violent crime, violent gangs and counterintelligence. Kingsbury held a TOP SECRET/SCI security clearance and had access to national defense and classified information. Training presentations and materials specifically warned Kingsbury that she was prohibited from retaining classified information at her personal residence. Such information could only be stored in an approved facility and container.
Kingsbury admitted that, over the course of her FBI employment, she repeatedly removed from the FBI and retained in her personal residence (at that time in North Kansas City, Missouri) an abundance of sensitive government materials, including classified documents related to the national defense.
In total, Kingsbury improperly removed and unlawfully and willfully retained approximately 386 classified documents in her personal residence. Some of the classified documents she unlawfully removed and kept in her home contained extremely sensitive national defense information. According to court documents, Kingsbury put national security at risk by retaining classified information in her home that would have, if in the wrong hands, revealed some of the government’s most important and secretive methods of collecting essential national security intelligence.
Kingsbury admitted to investigators that she retained and destroyed other documents over the years that could have contained classified and/or national defense information. The documents retained by Kingsbury in her personal residence included documents in electronic format on hard drives, compact discs and other storage media.
The national defense information that Kingsbury unlawfully retained included numerous documents classified at the SECRET level from the FBI that describe intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts related to counterterrorism, counterintelligence and defending against cyber threats. These documents included details on the FBI’s nationwide objectives and priorities, including specific investigations across multiple field offices that were open at the time Kingsbury unlawfully retained the documents. In addition, Kingsbury retained documents relating to sensitive human-source operations in national security investigations, intelligence gaps regarding hostile foreign intelligence services and terrorist organizations and the technical capabilities of the FBI against counterintelligence and counterterrorism targets.
The national defense information that Kingsbury unlawfully retained also included numerous documents classified at the SECRET level from another government agency. These documents described intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts to collect intelligence on terrorist groups. The documents included information about al Qaeda members on the African continent, including a suspected associate of Usama bin Laden. In addition, there were documents regarding the activities of emerging terrorists and their efforts to establish themselves in support of al Qaeda in Africa.
The FBI investigated what uses Kingsbury put to the classified documents she illegally removed from the secure workspace, but according to court documents, the investigation revealed more questions and concerns than answers.
Investigators reviewed Kingsbury’s telephone records, which revealed a number of suspicious calls. Kingsbury contacted phone numbers associated with subjects of counterterrorism investigations, and these individuals also made telephone calls to Kingsbury. Investigators have not been able to determine why Kingsbury contacted these individuals, or why these individuals contacted her. Kingsbury declined to provide the government with any further information.
The FBI Omaha Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Edwards for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Former FBI Analyst Sentenced for Retaining Classified DocumentsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former analyst with the Kansas City Division of the FBI was sentenced in federal court today for illegally retaining documents related to the national defense at her residence.
Kendra Kingsbury, 50, of Garden City, Kansas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to three years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. Kingsbury pleaded guilty on Oct. 13, 2022, to two counts of unlawfully retaining documents related to the national defense.
Kingsbury was an intelligence analyst for the FBI for more than 12 years, from 2004 to Dec. 15, 2017. Kingsbury was assigned to a sequence of different FBI squads, each of which had a particular focus, such as illegal drug trafficking, violent crime, violent gangs, and counterintelligence. Kingsbury held a TOP SECRET//SCI security clearance and had access to national defense and classified information. Training presentations and materials specifically warned Kingsbury that she was prohibited from retaining classified information at her personal residence. Such information could only be stored in an approved facility and container.
Kingsbury admitted that, over the course of her FBI employment, she repeatedly removed from the FBI and retained in her personal residence (at that time in North Kansas City, Mo.) an abundance of sensitive government materials, including classified documents related to the national defense.
In total, Kingsbury improperly removed and unlawfully and willfully retained approximately 386 classified documents in her personal residence. Some of the classified documents she unlawfully removed and kept in her home contained extremely sensitive national defense information. According to court documents, Kingsbury put national security at risk by retaining classified information in her home that would have, if in the wrong hands, revealed some of the government’s most important and secretive methods of collecting essential national security intelligence.
Kingsbury admitted to investigators that she retained and destroyed other documents over the years that could have contained classified and/or national defense information. The documents retained by Kingsbury in her personal residence included documents in electronic format on hard drives, compact discs, and other storage media.
The national defense information that Kingsbury unlawfully retained included numerous documents classified at the SECRET level from the FBI that describe intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts related to counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and defending against cyber threats. These documents included details on the FBI’s nationwide objectives and priorities, including specific investigations across multiple field offices that were open at the time Kingsbury unlawfully retained the documents. In addition, Kingsbury retained documents relating to sensitive human-source operations in national security investigations, intelligence gaps regarding hostile foreign intelligence services and terrorist organizations, and the technical capabilities of the FBI against counterintelligence and counterterrorism targets.
The national defense information that Kingsbury unlawfully retained also included numerous documents classified at the SECRET level from another government agency. These documents described intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts to collect intelligence on terrorist groups. The documents included information about al Qaeda members on the African continent, including a suspected associate of Usama bin Laden. In addition, there were documents regarding the activities of emerging terrorists and their efforts to establish themselves in support of al Qaeda in Africa.
The FBI investigated what uses Kingsbury put to the classified documents she illegally removed from the secure workspace, but according to court documents, the investigation revealed more questions and concerns than answers.
Investigators reviewed Kingsbury’s telephone records, which revealed a number of suspicious calls. Kingsbury contacted phone numbers associated with subjects of counterterrorism investigations, and these individuals also made telephone calls to Kingsbury. Investigators have not been able to determine why Kingsbury contacted these individuals, or why these individuals contacted her. Kingsbury declined to provide the government with any further information.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Edwards for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. It was investigated by the FBI Omaha Field Office.
Battlefield Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Leading Conspiracy to Distribute Nearly 38 Kilos of FentanylRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Battlefield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy that distributed nearly 38 kilograms of fentanyl in southwest Missouri and resulted in several overdose deaths. Two Springfield, Mo., residents were also sentenced as co-conspirators in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
James D. Collins, also known as “Red,” 49, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Rufus H. Jones, also known as “Shorty,” 73, of Springfield, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Heather R. Kinnison, 31, of Springfield, was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 17, 2022, Collins pleaded guilty to leading the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Greene County from Jan. 31, 2019, to May 18, 2020, and to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jones and Kinnison also pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Collins is responsible for the distribution of 37.8 kilograms of fentanyl. Collins transported at least 300 grams of fentanyl by vehicle from either St. Louis, Mo., or Chicago, Illinois, to Springfield twice a week. Collins then distributed fentanyl to co-conspirators, including Jones. Collins admitted to investigators that he had been dealing with his source of supply for the past 10 years.
On April 17, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Collins’s residence. They found a large plastic bag that contained 331.1 grams of fentanyl. Law enforcement seized more than 700 grams of fentanyl during the course of the conspiracy.
According to court documents, multiple overdose deaths occurred related to Collins’s distribution of fentanyl. After he was incarcerated in the Greene County Jail, Collins bragged to his cellmate about multiple overdoses caused by the drugs he was distributing.
For example, in March 2020, co-defendant Elmer E. Freeman Jr., also known as “Duck,” 56, sold fentanyl (supplied by Collins) to Randi Highfill, who in turn, distributed the fentanyl to an individual identified in court documents as “J.G.” J.G. died, and Highfill pleaded guilty in state court to involuntary manslaughter and delivery of a controlled substance in connection with this incident. On Oct. 22, 2019, another individual identified in court documents as “J.W.” overdosed and died.
According to court documents, Collins led a conspiracy that was distributing significant amounts of fentanyl laced with an assortment of other dangerous substances, including xylazine. The DEA recently issued a Public Safety Alert warning about the newly widespread threat of fentanyl mixed with xylazine. Xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” is a powerful sedative that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved for veterinary use. Because xylazine is not an opioid, naloxone (Narcan) does not reverse its effects. As a result, xylazine and fentanyl drug mixtures place users at a higher risk of suffering a fatal drug poisoning. Moreover, people who inject drug mixtures containing xylazine also can develop severe wounds, including necrosis—the rotting of human tissue—that may lead to amputation.
Lab results indicate that the fentanyl seized from Collins’s residence contained fentanyl, tramadol, cocaine, and xylazine. Fentanyl seized from one of his co-conspirators contained fentanyl, tramadol, and xylazine.
In his plea agreement, Collins admitted that he purchased a 2015 GMIC Yukon XL with a $7,000 cash down payment and two additional cash payments totaling $13,500. The vehicle was purchased in a co-conspirator’s name with the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.
Collins also possessed a Smith & Wesson .45-caliber pistol in connection with his drug trafficking activities and maintained a stash house to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Collins, Jones and Kinnison are among five defendants who have been sentenced in this case. Freeman is among seven defendants who have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Eatmon and Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
OCDETF
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
KC Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Seven Armed Business RobberiesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who committed at least seven armed robberies over several months was sentenced in federal court today.
Robert M. Taylor, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 17 years in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 9, 2023, Taylor was found guilty at trial of one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. Jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on six additional counts of robbery and six additional counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and a mistrial was declared as to those 12 counts.
Taylor was not acquitted of any charges. The government presented evidence regarding all of the robberies at trial, and the court today ruled by a preponderance of the evidence that those additional armed robberies should be considered as relevant conduct in determining the sentence.
Taylor was found guilty at trial of robbing a Family Dollar Store on Aug. 11, 2021. Taylor was also found guilty of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in the robbery.
Following the robbery of the Family Dollar store, investigators reviewed the store’s surveillance video. Taylor entered the store and made a purchase with an EBT card (later identified as belonging to his girlfriend). He then returned to the store a few minutes later, pulled a black semi-automatic pistol from his backpack, and pointed it at the clerk. During trial, the court heard testimony from that clerk, who testified that she was so frightened at the time that she soiled herself. With a victim at gunpoint, Taylor removed the money from the safe and began to flee from the store. As he was leaving, however, he engaged in a brief struggle with an employee over her phone, which Taylor forcefully took before he left. Taylor fled from the business in a silver Chevrolet Impala (also identified as belonging to his girlfriend), which was caught on another business’s surveillance video.
On Aug. 19, 2021, police officers saw Taylor get into the front passenger’s seat of a Dodge Charger that was registered to his girlfriend and conducted a traffic stop. Taylor, who had active warrants for his arrest, was wearing the same hat seen in the robbery video.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Taylor committed six additional violent robberies prior to the armed robbery of the Family Dollar Store on Aug. 11, 2021, to which he confessed (after being read the Miranda warning) following his arrest on Aug. 19, 2021.
On Dec. 8, 2020, Taylor robbed a Family Dollar in Kansas City, Mo., while armed with a silver handgun. During the robbery, Taylor pointed the gun at a store employee and demanded money. The employee complied and emptied a safe and cash register containing approximately $700, which Taylor took and fled the store.
On Dec. 20, 2020, Taylor robbed a Metro by T-Mobile store in Kansas City, Mo. Prior to the robbery, he entered the store and gave his name, indicating that he was there to pick up two iPhones. He left the store, then returned wearing a mask and wielding a black handgun. Taylor pointed the handgun at the sole store employee and took him into the back, where Taylor smashed the store phone and demanded the most expensive mobile phones. Taylor also had the employee empty the store register. During trial, the court heard testimony from the victim of this robbery, who was particularly traumatized by the experience.
On Feb. 2, 2021, Taylor robbed another Family Dollar in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint. During this robbery, Taylor pointed a handgun at the cashier and demanded that he empty the safe. The victim complied and Taylor left with approximately $800.
On Feb. 5, 2021, Taylor robbed a Dollar General in Kansas City, Mo. After entering the store and going to the back, Taylor approached the front, pulled out a handgun, cocked the firearm, and jumped over the cashier’s counter. From there, he commanded the cashier to open the safe and took approximately $900 before fleeing.
On Feb. 18, 2021, Taylor robbed a Dollar General in Kansas City, Mo. Upon entering the store, Taylor found a store employee and forced him to walk to the front register at gunpoint. Once at the register, Taylor had another employee empty the register, and commanded a customer to get on the ground and surrender his mobile phone. Taylor commanded everyone to get on the ground, took the employees’ mobile phones, and fled.
On June 27, 2021, Taylor robbed a Family Dollar store in Kansas City, Mo., while armed with a brown handgun. Taylor entered the store, pointed the gun at a cashier’s face, and demanded money. Taylor then fled the store with approximately $460 and the victim’s mobile phone.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, corrections officers deployed a Taser and secured Taylor in wrist restraints when he became belligerent, threatened officers and struggled with officers during his incarceration in this case. Taylor has 10 prior felony convictions for offenses including possession of a controlled substance, stealing, second degree burglary, first degree burglary, kidnapping, escape from confinement, and property damage. Taylor has also amassed numerous misdemeanor convictions for offenses such as stealing, contempt of court, providing false information, resisting an officer, careless driving, assault, and destruction of property.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
Warren Andre Washington, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 11 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 29, 2022, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
This investigation began when Boone County, Mo., sheriff’s deputies were involved in a car chase in April 2021 with a stolen Audi A7, but the pursuit was terminated for safety reasons. A few days later, Columbia police officers located the stolen Audi and recovered a Wal-Mart receipt in the vehicle. The receipt led officers to Wal-Mart surveillance video that showed Washington driving the stolen vehicle and making a purchase from Wal-Mart.
Investigators placed Washington under surveillance. On April 30, 2021, officers observed Washington conduct two short meetings consistent with drug transactions. When Washington drove to a Columbia restaurant he was arrested. Washington was in possession of Oxycodone tablets and $4,442 in cash. Inside his vehicle, officers found a clear baggie that contained 47.2 grams of fentanyl (a user dose of fentanyl is approximately .1 gram).
Officers also executed a search warrant at Washington’s residence on the same day. Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun with a 50-round large capacity rotary style drum magazine, a loaded Romarm/Cugir Micro Draco 7.62x39mm semi-automatic handgun with a 30-round large capacity magazine, and a loaded FN Herstal 5.7x28mm semi-automatic handgun with a 20-round large capacity magazine. The Micro Draco was confirmed stolen. According to court documents, two of the firearms have been connected to prior shooting incidents.
Officers also found keys to the stolen Audi hanging on a hook near the door to the garage.
Washington has prior federal felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of distributing crack cocaine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Heroin, Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
Roderick L. Stewart, also known as “Memphis,” 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, June 14, to 12 years and 11 months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 8, 2022, Stewart pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and/or fentanyl. Stewart admitted that he participated in the conspiracy that distributed more than a kilogram of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl from March 27, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019, although he was incarcerated on unrelated cases for several months during that time.
Co-defendant Derrick E. Dailey, 37, of Springfield, supplied Stewart and others with heroin and fentanyl for distribution. Court documents refer to a $10,000 drug debt that Stewart owed to Daily, which would represent approximately 100 grams of heroin or fentanyl.
Stewart admitted that he sold $100 worth of fentanyl to a law enforcement confidential source on Nov. 5, 2019. According to court documents, there is evidence Dailey sold much larger quantities of fentanyl, sometimes by falsely claiming it was heroin, to others.
When law enforcement officers attempted to arrest Stewart during a traffic stop, he fled from law enforcement. During the pursuit, which reached speeds over 90 miles per hour, Stewart drove on the wrong side of the road and turned off his headlights. He eventually crashed into two parked cars. He ran from officers but was apprehended.
Stewart has prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and forgery. Stewart also was arrested in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in October 2013 for murder with a firearm, felonious assault with a firearm, and kidnapping with a firearm. Stewart and an accomplice shot a victim 14 times in an alleyway in Cleveland, Ohio, killing him. His accomplice bragged to friends that he and Stewart lured the victim to an alleyway, where Stewart shot the victim in the back and the accomplice shot him in the head. Stewart pleaded guilty to an amended charge of involuntary manslaughter during the middle of a court trial and was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. He was on parole supervision for that offense when he committed the offense in this federal case.
Dailey was sentenced on Dec. 2, 2022, to 34 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Antwanae L. Morgan,32, of Springfield, was sentenced on May 10, 2023, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Three additional defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Heroin, Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than four kilograms of heroin and/or fentanyl.
Marquise D. Martin, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, June 14, to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 3, 2022, Martin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and/or fentanyl. Martin admitted that he participated in the conspiracy that distributed more than four kilograms of fentanyl from Sept. 23, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019.
On Aug. 29, 2019, Martin sold .693 grams of fentanyl to a law enforcement confidential informant during a controlled transaction. Although Martin routinely claimed to be selling heroin, the drug in this case actually was fentanyl. Following a traffic stop in Springfield on May 11, 2019, Martin fled from officers on foot and discarded 7.1 grams of fentanyl in a convenience store bathroom.
According to court documents, Martin received approximately one ounce (28.5 grams) of fentanyl from co-defendant Jerry D. Bedell, 32, of Springfield, every other day for two to three months. Bedell is responsible for distributing at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl.
Martin has an apparent gang affiliation, according to court documents. Martin grew up in a neighborhood where the “Rollin’ 60s Crips” were present but denied association with them. However, a sentencing memorandum filed by the government refers to a review of his public Facebook page that revealed numerous posts indicative of Crips gang membership or affiliation.
Martin is among 10 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case and the first defendant to be sentenced. Bedell pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2022, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, as well as to illegally possessing a firearm, and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Bourbon, Mo., Police Department, and the Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mount Vernon Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mount Vernon, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute nearly 32 kilograms of methamphetamine over a three-month period and for illegally possessing two firearms.
James L. Mangold, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 16 years and 11 months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 25, 2021, Mangold pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Co-defendant Francisco A. Magallon, 37, of San Diego, California, shipped at least seven packages that contained nearly 32 kilograms, or 85 pounds, of methamphetamine to Mangold between Jan. 24 and April 14, 2020. Mangold then shipped cash back to Magallon and distributed the methamphetamine to his co-conspirators in southwest Missouri.
On April 14, 2020, law enforcement intercepted a package that had been shipped from Magallon to Mangold via FedEx. The shipment, sent to the address of co-defendant Dustin L. Brenneman, 41, of Mount Vernon, contained a red and white Igloo cooler that was taped shut with two layers of duct tape. Inside the cooler, officers found five bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of nearly 6.2 kilograms, or approximately 14.2 pounds.
Law enforcement officers conducted a controlled delivery of the shipment to Brenneman’s residence, where Mangold accepted and signed for the parcel. Officers also executed a search warrant at Mangold’s residence. In the bedroom closet they found a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, along with a regular magazine and an extended 15-round capacity magazine, and a Kel-Tec .22-caliber pistol. They also found a backpack that contained a small amount of methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
Magallon was sentenced on Feb. 9, 2023, to 21 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Brenneman was sentenced on July 14, 2022, to five years and six months in federal prison without parole. Three additional defendants in this case have been sentenced and another defendant has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Combined Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET), the Lawrence County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Scheme to Transport Stolen Catalytic Converters Across State LinesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a scheme to transport tens of thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines as part of a multi-million-dollar business.
Eric Kaltenbach, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to four years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Kaltenbach to pay $2,625 in restitution to four identified victims whose catalytic converter he stole (most of the victims could not be identified due to the nature of the crime).
On April 25, 2022, Kaltenbach pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines.
Overall, the conspiracy resulted in the theft of tens of thousands of catalytic converters, totaling an aggregate value of at least $1 million. Kaltenbach stole at least 80 catalytic converters from numerous victims throughout the entire southwest region of Missouri, from January 2020 and throughout 2021. He sold the stolen catalytic converters for a total of at least $20,000 to co-defendants Evan Marshall, 25, and Camren Joseph Davis, 26, both of Rogersville, Mo., and Cody Ryder, 31, of Springfield.
In July 2021, Kaltenbach stole a catalytic converter from a victim’s car in Rogersville and was captured on surveillance footage, which was published on social media. When Kaltenbach went to sell the stolen catalytic converter, Marshall would not purchase it because he had seen the surveillance footage and was upset with Kaltenbach for stealing a catalytic converter in the town in which he lived. Marshall instructed Kaltenbach to not steal catalytic converters in Rogersville; after this incident, Kaltenbach did not steal catalytic converters from vehicles in Rogersville but continued to steal catalytic converters from victims’ vehicles in Springfield. At times, Kaltenbach sold five or six stolen catalytic converters per transaction.
Marshall, Ryder, and Davis were each sentenced on Dec. 20, 2022, after pleading guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.
Marshall was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also imposed a $750,000 money judgment against Marshall to be forfeited to the government, ordered Marshall to pay $19,133 in restitution to victims of the conspiracy who law enforcement were able to identify, and forfeiture to the government of the following items that were seized by law enforcement: 33 rifles, 20 scopes, six shotguns, 26 handguns, a Glock sub conversion kit, eight ammunition magazines, a 2011 Ram 3500 one-ton pickup, a 2004 Dodge Ram, a flatbed trailer, two 42-foot gooseneck flatbed trailers, a 16-foot livestock trailer, a 2021 Load N Go utility trailer, a 2007 car hauler trailer, a Volkswagen dune buggy, two Harley Davidson motorcycles, a 2012 Keystone 5th wheel camper, a Caterpillar skid steer, a 2019 Honda Talon SXS 1000 side by side, a 2016 Polaris RZR side by side, a Polaris Ranger 4x4, and 191 catalytic converters.
Ryder was sentenced to two years and five months in federal prison without parole. Davis was sentenced to five years of probation. The court imposed money judgments against Ryder and Davis to forfeit to the government $125,000 each.
Co-defendant Enx Khoshaba, 30, of Springfield, was sentenced on June 1, 2023, to four years in federal prison without parole and ordered to pay $15,986 in restitution. Co-defendant Danielle Ice, 35, of Springfield, was sentenced on to 18 months in federal prison without parole and ordered to pay $1,355 in restitution.
Co-defendant Leslie Ice, 38, of Springfield has pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 27, 2023.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Kempf. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Greene County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
This effort 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.
Ozark Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Scott W. Cannon, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 14 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 19, 2022, Cannon pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cannon’s residence on June 28, 2021. Cannon was located in a downstairs bedroom, where officers also found three plastic bags that contained a total of 59.43 grams of pure methamphetamine hidden inside a wooden speaker box. Officers also found a plastic bag that contained psilocybin mushrooms hidden inside a casino-style slot machine, two digital scales, two small plastic bags that contained methamphetamine residue, and a broken glass pipe in the bedroom.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Ozark, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
KC Man Sentenced in $1.1 Million Insurance Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a $1.1 million insurance fraud scheme that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents.
Michael Stuart Smith, also known as “Black Mike,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to four years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Smith to pay $40,836 in restitution to his victims.
On April 26, 2022, Smith pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to participating in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
This case stems from a long investigation by the FBI into co-defendant Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 35, of Kansas City, Mo. (formerly of Columbia, Mo.), for a series of automobile accidents throughout Missouri. All but one of those accidents were staged.
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.
Smith admitted that he participated in two of the staged automobile accidents on May 12, 2018, and Feb. 27, 2019.
Lawhorn pleaded guilty on Thursday, June 8, 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.
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.
Iowa Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Online Harassment of MO TeenRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Corydon, Iowa, man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to produce child pornography following his online harassment of a Calloway County, Mo., teenager over five years.
David Jonathon Dodds, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Dodds to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Sept. 29, 2022, Dodds pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. Dodds is a registered sex offender in Iowa due to his conviction for the exhibition of obscene materials to minors. In that case, Dodds sent a pornographic Snapchat video of himself to a 16-year-old victim. Dodds has been in federal custody since his arrest.
Dodds admitted that he initially contacted the child victim through her Instagram account when she was 13 years old, disguising himself as a teenage male, and continued contacting her through Facebook Messenger and her cell phone until she was 18 years old. Her father contacted the Calloway County Sheriff’s Department in February 2020 to report that his 18-year-old daughter had been the victim of harassment and sexual enticement for several years.
Dodds admitted to having similar conversations with several other unidentified underage victims.
After Dodds contacted the child victim through Instagram, his behavior escalated to messaging her numerous times a day and sending her pornographic images of himself. Dodds also asked her to send nude photographs of herself, and the child victim sent several nude photos of herself in 2015, when she was 14 years old.
The child victim told investigators she became uncomfortable with the ongoing conversations with Dodds and attempted to cut off communications. He became agitated with her and he began threatening to text her parents or friends if she didn’t communicate with him. Dodds messaged her parents and left three voicemail messages on her boyfriend’s phone telling him she had been cheating on both of them. The child victim told investigators she began hiding in photos taken with friends or family that may end up on social media to avoid being seen. She began receiving contact on Facebook Messenger and her cell phone. She turned off her cell phone for durations to avoid any contact.
The child victim reported this continued harassment led to significant anxiety and caused her to quit several jobs. It became apparent that Dodds was monitoring her parents’ public posts on Facebook, harassing her about going to prom or noting how they had been at Wal-Mart looking for her. His behavior caused her to trade cell phones and delete Instagram and Facebook accounts.
The child victim eventually disclosed the harassment to her family, who contacted law enforcement.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Five Defendants Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Meth in Texas CountyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD CITY, Mo. – Five defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Texas County, Mo., and for illegally possessing firearms.
Richard D. Sims, 61, and his wife, Billie J. Sims, 51, both of Texas County, Mo., Nathan K. Roth, 39, of Mountain Grove, Mo., Cody D. Martin, 29, of Salem, Mo., and Tameica D. Everett, 46, of Yazoo City, Mississippi, were charged in an eight-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on May 24, 2023. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following the arrests of all five defendants.
The federal indictment alleges that all five defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Texas County from March 9 to July 11, 2022.
In addition to the conspiracy, the indictment charges Richard and Billie Sims in two counts of distributing methamphetamine and in one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Martin is also charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine. Roth and Everett are each also charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Richard Sims is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of four firearms. Sims, who has prior felony convictions, allegedly was in possession of a Canik 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Colt Army Special .38-caliber revolver, and an Armscor of the Philippines .38-caliber revolver on July 8, 2022.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the South Central Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Licking, Mo., Police Department, the Dent County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Salem, Mo., Police Department.
Columbia, KC Man Pleads Guilty to $1.1 Million Insurance Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who formerly lived in Columbia, Mo., has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a $1.1 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents, as well as to his role in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 relief benefits.
Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., on Thursday, June 8, to the charges contained in two separate federal indictments. In the first indictment, Lawhorn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. In the second indictment, Lawhorn pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Lawhorn is among 17 defendants who have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme that defrauded six insurance companies from June 2017 to July 2020. Conspirators submitted false claims 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.
Lawhorn was directly involved in two incidents in which he received separate payments of $1,500 and $17,350 from insurance companies. In several other incidents, Lawhorn sent emails to insurance companies, made telephone calls to insurance companies, directed others what to tell insurance companies, reviewed insurance policies prior to incidents, witnessed release agreements, and assumed the identity of parties to the incidents or people related to parties to these incidents in communication with insurance companies.
By pleading guilty today, Lawhorn admitted to his involvement in nine automobile accidents in June and December 2017, in May and August 2018, and in January, February, August, October and December 2019 as part of the insurance fraud scheme that resulted in a total loss to his victims of $1,148,198. Most of the accidents were in Columbia and Kansas City, Mo., with one accident in St. Louis, Mo.
FBI agents seized Lawhorn’s iPhone and Apple Mac laptop when he was arrested in the insurance fraud case. A detective with the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force found evidence of additional fraud after searching those devices, which led to Lawhorn being indicted in the second case.
By pleading guilty in the second federal indictment today, Lawhorn admitted that he fraudulently obtained three $10,000 COVID-19 economic relief loans for non-existent businesses in his name and in the names of two other individuals as part of a fraud conspiracy. He also applied online for loans in the names of five more individuals, but those applications were rejected.
Under the CARES Act, the federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) provided loan assistance, including $10,000 in advances for small businesses. EIDL proceeds could be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills associated with small businesses that could have been paid had the pandemic not occurred. A business applying for EIDL relief was eligible for an advance of $1,000 per employee up to 10 employees that did not have to be repaid.
Under federal statutes, Lawhorn is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the three conspiracy charges, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft. 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.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. They were investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Jury Convicts St. Louis Man of Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Louis, Mo., man traveling by bus from Los Angeles, Calif., has been convicted in a federal jury trial of possessing methamphetamine to distribute after more than 31 pounds of methamphetamine was found in his luggage at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station.
Cregg L. Matthews, 56, was found guilty on Tuesday, June 6, of one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Matthews has been detained in federal custody without bail since his arrest on March 9, 2019.
Law enforcement officers were conducting drug interdiction activities at a local bus station at about 10:27 p.m. Saturday, March 9, 2019. A bus arrived from Los Angeles en route to St. Louis, and a Kansas City, Mo., police detective used a service canine to check the luggage under the bus in the luggage bins. When all the passengers were off the bus, they also checked the luggage in the passenger compartment.
The police service canine alerted to Matthews’s suitcase, which was in the overhead bin above his seat on the bus. Matthews was carrying a black bag when he was contacted to which the police service canine also later alerted.
When investigators searched the black bag Matthews was carrying, they found 10 bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of 10 pounds and some marijuana. In the suitcase retrieved from the bus, investigators found 16 bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of 21.6 pounds.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., returned a guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, June 5.
Under federal statutes, Matthews 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 Sean T. Foley and John Constance. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and MoWIN (the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force).
Jackson County Detention Center Employee Indicted for Smuggling K2-Laced Papers to Jail InmatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An employee of the Jackson County Detention Center, along with three associates of an inmate detained at the center, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle papers laced with K2 to jail inmates.
Aaron D. Copes, 42, of Grandview, Mo., Deanna K. Clark, also known as “Nina,” 32, and Stephanie McDaniel, 31, both of Kansas City, Mo., and James A. Booker, Jr., 37, of Raytown, Mo., were charged in a single-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on May 31, 2023. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following the arrests of Copes, Clark, and Booker this week.
Copes was employed as a case manager at the Jackson County Detention Center. His duties included interviewing inmates daily, providing counseling and mediation for inmates, and providing training to correctional officers. Clark and Booker were close associates of an inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center, who is identified in court documents as unindicted co-conspirator CC1. McDaniel was the girlfriend of CC1. The indictment also refers to another inmate, identified as unindicted co-conspirator CC2.
Copes, Clark, Booker, and McDaniel are charged with participating in a conspiracy from March 2020 to October 2021 to smuggle contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center.
Copes allegedly took bribe money and sexual favors in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center and delivering it to inmates, including CC1 and CC2. Conspirators allegedly smuggled in K2, a controlled substance, which was soaked onto sheets of paper that were smoked by inmates.
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 the FBI and the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A California man pleaded guilty in federal court today to smuggling more than 33,000 counterfeit pills that contained nearly four kilograms of fentanyl aboard a bus traveling through Kansas City, Mo., from Los Angeles, Calif.
Matthew J. Gomez, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
Members of the Missouri Western Interdiction Task Force (MoWIN) watched Gomez at a local bus terminal on March 16, 2023, as he got off a bus traveling through Kansas City from Los Angeles. Gomez was wearing a backpack and carrying a large duffel bag. He walked out the front doors of the bus terminal and paced back and forth on the sidewalk while making a call on his cell phone.
The detective asked Gomez if he would consent to a search of his luggage. Gomez placed his duffel bag on the ground and was in the process of removing his backpack when he quickly stepped away from the detective in an attempt to flee. A struggle ensued, and Gomez was eventually placed under arrest and escorted into the terminal.
Officers searched Gomez’s backpack and found three large, heat-sealed packages that contained numerous blue M30 pills. The Kansas City Police Crime Laboratory subsequently confirmed that the recovered pills contain fentanyl. The number of pills totaled 33,497 for an approximate weight of 3,684.97 grams, or 8.12 pounds.
Under federal statutes, Gomez 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 Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Joplin Chiropractor Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., chiropractor has been indicted by a federal grand jury for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Eric Hedman, 39, was charged in a single-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on May 24, 2023. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Hedman’s arrest and initial court appearance.
Hedman, who operated his own practice at Hedman Chiropractic at the time of the alleged offense, is charged with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography between Jan. 1 and Dec. 12, 2022.
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 Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Collins Sex Offender Convicted at Trial of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Collins, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender has been convicted of receiving child pornography on his cell phone following a bench trial yesterday.
Billy Puckett, 39, was found guilty of one count of receiving child pornography following a bench trial before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Monday, June 5. Puckett has been detained in federal custody without bail since his arrest on the federal indictment.
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.
Under federal statutes, Puckett is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. 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."
Project Manager Sentenced for False Statements Regarding Lead Contamination at City Park, Firm Pays $2 Million RestitutionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A project manager has been sentenced in federal court for misleading federal authorities about lead contamination in a Granby, Mo., city park after he was hired to conduct remediation at the site.
Lynn Eich, 65, of Dewitt, Iowa, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, June 1, to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $40,000 fine.
Eich’s employer, Environmental Quality Management, has paid more than $2 million in restitution in two federal civil settlements. Environmental Quality Management paid $1,708,748 in a federal civil settlement agreement related to violations of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and $338,119 in a federal civil settlement agreement related to violations of the False Claims Act. These settlement agreements, executed on April 24, 2023, fully compensates the government for its costs to remove lead contamination from the Granby park.
On July 28, 2022, Eich pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to a federal environmental remediation contract.
Eich was employed by Environmental Quality Management as the project manager for a soil remediation project in Newton County, Mo. The remediation company was awarded a contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency, which ultimately totaled nearly $12 million, to perform mine waste remediation at the Newton County Mine Waste Remediation Superfund Site in and around Granby. This area had been previously contaminated with lead in the surface soil deposited through historical mining and smelting operations in the area.
The contract required the removal of contaminated soil and backfilling some areas, including Granby City Park, using clean fill material. According to court documents, Eich caused further contamination of the site then misled federal administrators about the extent of the contamination.
Approximately one month before it was awarded the contract for the Newton County project, the remediation company was also awarded an EPA contract in Oronogo, Mo., to complete a similar but larger soil remediation project. The receipt of both contracts was not expected and caused Eich to request a personnel change to the Newton County project’s Quality Assurance, Quality Control (QAQC) Manager in order to complete both contracts. Eich represented to the Corps of Engineers that the replacement for the QAQC Manager had comparable experience as the person listed on the original application and that the replacement was qualified to fulfill the duties of a QAQC Manager on the Newton County project. In fact, the replacement QAQC Manager was not qualified and had little to no experience testing soil for hazardous materials.
Between Sept. 12 and Oct. 19, 2016, the QAQC Manager failed to properly test fill material that was used to remediate Granby City Park.
On Oct. 14, 2016, the site superintendent, who reported to Eich, received laboratory analysis of two samples taken from the offsite borrow source. One sample indicated lead levels of 640 mg/kg and the other indicated a lead level of 720 mg/kg, both in excess of the contractual requirement of less than 100 mg/kg. The results of these samples were not reported to the EPA or the Corps of Engineers as required by federal environmental laws.
On June 4, 2018, Eich called the Corps of Engineers and indicated that a “hot spot” had been detected in Granby City Park. During the call, Eich misrepresented the scope of the area of contamination at the park by stating that it was less than 1,000 cubic yards. Eich also submitted a map of Granby City Park that showed a limited area of contamination when, as Eich knew, lead contamination was pervasive through the entire park.
Eich admitted that he intentionally made this false statement and provided false information regarding the scope and amount of lead contamination at Granby City Park.
The EPA then conducted its own sampling of Granby City Park, followed by additional sampling by the EPA National Enforcement Investigations Center, which found Granby City Park was still contaminated by lead in the soil. The EPA was required to hire another remediation contractor to conduct a removal project of Granby City Park. The removal project required removal of the contaminated backfill and soil from the park to ensure the health and safety of the community. The removal project was completed in June 2021, resulting in additional costs to the EPA.
This criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Venneman and Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General; the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigative Division; the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the Army Criminal Investigative Division, Major Procurement Fraud Unit.
The civil cases were executed by the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Regional Counsel and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division Chief Jeff Ray.
Officers Seize 82 Firearms, Machine Guns, During Arrest of Three Men Charged with Gun Trafficking Conspiracy, Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Law enforcement officers seized 82 firearms, including machine guns, during the arrest of three Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area men charged with participating in a conspiracy to traffic firearms, including machine guns, and with drug trafficking.
Alejandro Zavala, 23, and Cody Bonhomme, 30, both of Kansas City, Mo., and Kaleb Acuna, 22, of Independence, Mo., were charged in a two-count complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, May 25. That complaint was unsealed and made public following the arrest and initial court appearances of the defendants, who remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing.
Zavala is the owner of A&M Auto Sales, a used car dealership at 7001 E. Truman Road in Kansas City, Mo.
Law enforcement officers executed search warrants at their residences and arrested Zavala, Bonhomme, and Acuna on Wednesday, May 31. Officers seized approximately 1.5 pounds of cocaine, 82 firearms, four silencers and 34 suspected machine gun conversion devices.
The federal criminal complaint charges Zavala, Bonhomme and Acuna with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and one count of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, a confidential informant told investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that Zavala has several individuals who assist him in an ongoing operation to distribute large amounts of cocaine, firearms, and machine gun conversion devices. The informant told investigators that Zavala maintained several stash houses in the Kansas City area, where he kept firearms and illegal drugs. Bonhomme allegedly lived in one of those houses and sold firearms and drugs from the house. Acuna allegedly lived in another of the houses and sold firearms and drugs from the house.
The complaint alleges that, from March 1 to May 31, 2023, Zavala, Bonhomme and Acuna conspired to traffic firearms to another person, knowing the firearms were illegal for that person to possess. Eleven firearms, which were sold to an undercover law enforcement officer or a confidential informant, included an Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Polymer80 9mm pistol without a serial number (converted to a machine gun), a Polymer80 pistol without a serial number with an uninstalled machine gun conversion device, four Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic pistols (converted to machine guns), a Glock .40-caliber pistol (converted to a machine gun), a DPMS multi-caliber (converted to a machine gun), and two Polymer80 9mm pistols without serial numbers. The complaint also alleges the trafficking of marijuana and cocaine occurred during the same time period.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and 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.
KC Man Sentenced to 30 Years for $10 Million Conspiracy to Distribute 1,000 Kilos of MethRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a nearly $10 million conspiracy to distribute almost 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Joshua A. Brown, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, May 31, to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Brown to forfeit to the government $31,108, which represents his proceeds from illegal drug trafficking.
On June 27, 2022, Brown pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Sept. 1, 2018, to Nov. 5, 2019. According to court documents, Brown was responsible for the distribution of nearly 3.8 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
Brown has also been charged with the murder of a victim identified in court documents as “T.D.” in the District Court of Leavenworth County, Kansas, and that case is currently pending. The body of the victim, who suffered a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, was discovered on March 12, 2019.
Brown was arrested on March 26, 2019, after he paid $5,000 to purchase methamphetamine from a co-defendant through an intermediate, who was a confidential law enforcement source. Kansas City, Mo., police officers then arrested Brown in the parking lot of the apartment building where he received the methamphetamine.
Brown, who was driving a stolen Volkswagen Jetta, had a loaded Smith and Wesson .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun in his waistband when he was taken into custody. A .45-caliber shell casing recovered at the scene where T. D.’s body was found had been fired through the Smith and Wesson .45-caliber pistol, which had been reported as stolen.
Officers searched the Jetta and found a red backpack that contained an Iver Johnson Arms .32-caliber revolver, an Arminus Titan Tiger.38-caliber revolver, and an Iver Johnson Arms .45-caliber revolver, all of which had been reported as stolen. The backpack also contained a blue Nike bag with approximately 735.7 grams of pure methamphetamine and 23.7 grams of marijuana.
Brown told investigators he purchased whole kilograms of methamphetamine every few days. Brown admitted he sold methamphetamine by the ounce and made $150 profit on each ounce sold. Brown also told investigators he acquired the stolen firearms through trades for methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Brown was under a criminal justice sentence for possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest by fleeing – creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death, and unlawful use of a weapon in the Circuit Court of Platte County, Mo., and possession of drug contraband in prison in the District Court of Ellsworth County, Kan., when he committed this federal offense.
Brown has nine prior felony convictions for possession of stolen property, aggravated battery, criminal use of weapons, distribution of certain hallucinogens, possession of drug contraband in prison, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest by fleeing – creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death, and unlawful use of a weapon. Brown also has been convicted of 20 misdemeanor and/or ordinance offenses.
Brown is the final defendant among 18 defendants who have been sentenced in two separate indictments that resulted from this investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Former KC Bank Manager Indicted for Facilitating Covid Fraud Scheme, Unemployment Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former bank branch manager in Kansas City, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for accepting Kansas City Chiefs playoffs tickets and a new Chevrolet Tahoe in exchange for facilitating a $12.4 million Covid fraud scheme by a Jefferson City, Mo., business owner, as well as a separate fraud scheme to receive unemployment benefits.
Anthony Omar Brockman, 48, who currently resides in Bennington, Nebraska, was charged in an eight-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Tuesday, May 30. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Brockman’s arrest.
Brockman was the branch manager of the Truman Hospital location of US Bank in Kansas City, Mo., until the COVID-19 pandemic caused the bank branch to close. Brockman was reassigned to US Bank’s Paycheck Protection Program project from April 12 through July 19, 2020. Brockman was then returned to his role as on-site manager at the Truman Hospital bank branch until May 22, 2021.
On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments.
The indictment alleges that Brockman assisted and facilitated fraudulent PPP loan applications for Tod Ray Keilholz, the owner of TRK Construction, LLC, TRK Valpo, LLC, TL Builders, LLC, and Project Design, LLC, in Jefferson City. Keilholz has been charged in a separate indictment for his role in a more than $27.1 million bank fraud scheme that included more than $12.4 million in PPP loans for his businesses.
According to that separate indictment, Keilholz received a total of $12,430,932 in PPP loans for his four businesses. In each of those loan applications, the indictment says, Keilholz failed to disclose his ownership in the other three businesses, and made materially false and fraudulent claims in the loan applications and supporting documentation. Keilholz allegedly inflated the income of those businesses and claimed payrolls for employees who did not exist or no longer worked for him.
Brockman is charged with two counts of receiving gifts in exchange for assisting Keilholz in procuring those loans. On Nov. 4, 2020, Keilholz allegedly used PPP loan proceeds to pay for a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe that he gave to Brockman. On Jan. 18, 2021, Keilholz allegedly used PPP loan proceeds to purchase tickets to the Jan. 24, 2021, AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. These gifts, the indictment says, were intended to influence and reward Brockman in connection with Keilholz’s applications for PPP loans and Keilholz’s applications for the forgiveness of PPP loans.
The indictment also charges Brockman with one count of money laundering. Brockman allegedly signed an affidavit gifting the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe to Rich Girl, Rich Boy Prep, Inc., a charity of which his wife was the Chief Executive Officer. On May 25, 2021, Brockman transferred the title to the Tahoe to Rich Girl, Rich Boy Prep but continued to drive the Tahoe until he sold it in July 2022.
The indictment charges Brockman with five counts of wire fraud related to a scheme to receive $11,040 in unemployment benefits from March 27, 2020, to Nov. 4, 2021, while he was employed by US Bank.
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 Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau-Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Militia Members Indicted for Conspiracy to Murder Border Patrol Officers and Attempted Murder of FBI AgentsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two members of the self-styled 2nd American Militia who conspired to go “to war with border patrol” have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to a conspiracy to murder Border Patrol officers, which ended in a shootout with FBI agents who arrested them on the eve of their planned trip to the United States – Mexico border.
Bryan C. Perry, 37, of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Jonathan S. O’Dell, 33, of Warsaw, Mo., were charged in a 44-count second superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City on Wednesday, May 30. The second superseding indictment replaces prior charges filed against Perry and O’Dell and contains additional charges. Perry and O’Dell remain in federal custody without bond following separate detention hearings in which the court ruled they pose a danger to the community.
The indictment alleges that Perry and O’Dell participated in a conspiracy to murder officers and employees of the United States government. They allegedly planned to travel to Texas to shoot at illegal immigrants crossing the United States – Mexico border. According to the indictment, they also planned to murder officers and employees of the U.S. Border Patrol who would attempt to stop them.
In addition, the indictment also alleges that Perry and O’Dell participated in a conspiracy to assault federal officers and employees and a conspiracy to injure federal officers and employees. The indictment also charges them together in seven counts of the attempted murder of FBI special agents, seven counts of assaulting FBI special agents with a deadly weapon, three counts of assaulting FBI special agents, 14 counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of damaging federal property.
Perry is also charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, one count of the possession of body armor by a violent felon, one count of possessing an explosive, and one count of threatening to injure another person.
O’Dell is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm while subject to a court order of protection, one count of threatening to injure another person, and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
Throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2022, the indictment says, Perry and O’Dell recruited and attempted to recruit other individuals to join their militia group. They advertised a recruitment event in Warsaw prior to leaving for the United States – Mexico border.
On Sept. 5, 2022, Perry traveled from Tennessee to Warsaw to live with O’Dell. They allegedly used O’Dell’s residence as a staging site as they prepared for their trip to the border and collected firearms, paramilitary gear, ammunition, and other supplies.
The federal indictment cites a series of social media posts from Perry. On Sept. 12, 2022, Perry posted a video on TikTok in which he discussed illegal immigrants coming into the United States from Mexico. Perry stated that the U.S. Border Patrol was committing treason by allowing these illegal immigrants to enter the United States, and that the penalty for treason was death. Perry posted another video on TikTok the next day in which he stated that he was “ready to go to war against this government.”
On Sept. 22, 2022, Perry posted a video on TikTok in which he stated, “we’re out to shoot to kill” and that “our group is gonna go protect this country.” On Oct. 3, 2022, Perry posted a video on TikTok in which he stated, “we were going out huntin’,” that his group was taking their “full kits,” and that they were leaving for the United States – Mexico border on Oct. 8, 2022.
On Oct. 3, 2022, Perry held a phone conversation with an unidentified individual in which Perry stated they were going to go down to the United States – Mexico border to “start a war.” Perry expressed their plan to shoot people coming across the border and to shoot “federal agents” who would oppose them. Perry also stated they would acquire gear and supplies from federal agents after they “take a couple of ’em out.”
On Oct. 7, 2022, according to the indictment, Perry and O’Dell had amassed six firearms, 23 magazines filled with ammunition, 1,770 rounds of various other ammunition, two sets of body armor with corresponding plate carrier vests, a handheld radio, two sniper rests, two gas masks, two items that appeared to be ballistic helmets, and multiple containers of a binary explosive mixture commonly sold as an exploding target.
On Oct. 7, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at O’Dell’s residence and took O’Dell and Perry into custody. Federal agents approached the property in vehicles with red and blue lights activated. As the FBI approached, an agent utilized a loudspeaker on one of the vehicles, stating that they were with the FBI and that they had a search warrant for the residence. The FBI agent began to repeat the announcement, again stating that they were with the FBI, when gunshots were fired from a front window at the lead FBI vehicle. Several rounds hit the lead FBI vehicle. According to the indictment, Perry fired 11 shots from his Voodoo Innovations multi-caliber rifle with an AM-15 lower receiver. FBI special agents did not return fire and, after the gunshots ceased, the FBI established a perimeter and began communicating with the persons inside the residence to come out.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
New York Motorcycle Club Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Woodside, New York, man who was part of a group of motorcycle riders passing through Missouri pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Edward DeJesus, 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On June 3, 2022, the Independence, Mo., Police Department was advised that members of the Outcast Motorcycle Club from New York were heading westbound on Interstate 70 toward the Kansas City, Mo., area. A detective with the Independence Police Department observed a group of motorcycles traveling faster than the posted speed limit on westbound Interstate 70. The detective then activated the lights and siren on his unmarked police vehicle and attempted to stop the pack of motorcycles in the area of westbound Interstate 70 and 291 Highway for speeding and traveling in the passing lane. The motorcycles were weaving in and out of lanes of traffic and failing to yield.
An Independence police officer at Interstate 70 and Noland Road saw DeJesus, who was driving a black Harley Davidson Road Glide in excess of 100 miles per hour. The officer activated his lights and siren and went in pursuit of the motorcycle. The motorcycle was weaving in and out of traffic and riding down the center line between vehicles. The motorcycle exited onto eastbound 40 Highway and pulled into the Wal-Mart and then into the gas station lot at the Wal-Mart. The officer pulled beside the motorcycle and arrested DeJesus.
The officer searched DeJesus and found a dollar bill in his wallet that contained 1.5 grams of cocaine. Officers also found a loaded Glock handgun and two additional magazines in the saddlebags on the motorcycle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. DeJesus has a prior felony conviction for possessing a controlled substance.
Under federal statutes, DeJesus is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was injured when his ATV flipped over while making a turn on an Independence, Mo., street pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms and methamphetamine.
Melvin L. Carter, 48, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Independence police officers were called to an address on S. Overton Avenue on Oct. 14, 2022, after Carter was ejected from his ATV as it flipped over while making a turn. Prior to the officers’ arrival, the Independence Fire Department responded to an earlier 911 call and informed officers that Carter had been armed when they arrived at the scene of the accident. They retrieved his firearm, a Keltec 9mm pistol, which they turned over to the police officers. Officers found the ATV flipped on its side when they arrived at the scene. Carter was bleeding from his head and being treated by paramedics.
Police officers checked Carter’s jacket and found a plastic baggie that contained approximately 105 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Carter has prior felony convictions for robbery, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, trafficking, and resisting arrest.
After Carter was federally indicted, Independence police officers located him and placed him under arrest. Carter was in possession of a loaded Glock .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine and approximately 215 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal statutes, Carter is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. 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.
Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Obtained Through Straw Purchase Less Than a Month After Leaving PrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm, which he obtained through a straw purchase less than a month after being released from state prison on parole.
Kurup C. Seuell, 21, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Seuell admitted that he and a straw purchaser went to Frontier Justice, a firearms store and shooting range in Lee’s Summit, Mo., and purchased a Glock 9mm handgun on Jan. 30, 2021. Seuell was paroled from the Missouri Department of Corrections on Dec. 28, 2020, after attaining a 2018 conviction for stealing. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
That same day, after purchasing the firearm, Seuell sent a video through his Facebook account showing the newly purchased firearm on his lap.
Investigation into Seuell’s social media accounts from January 2021 through March 2023 revealed Seuell frequently in possession of various assault-style rifles, handguns (including Glocks with affixed Glock “switches” to convert them to automatic), guns with extended magazines, distribution amounts of marijuana, and large quantities of cash. Seuell displayed a total at least eight but no more than 99 firearms. Seuell frequently created social media posts offering guns for sale. Seuell’s posts included him shooting guns at shooting ranges. It also included a video post of him firing a fully automatic handgun.
On March 29, 2023, while investigators were searching for Seuell to place him under arrest, Seuell posted a video of himself firing an apparent AR-type pistol, equipped with a drum style magazine, at Crossfire Recreation Center in Independence. While shooting, the video shows several other firearms laid out in front of him. Investigators acquired a signed copy (signed by Seuell) of the range safety rules and a signed copy of the range waiver from Crossfire Recreation Center. They also recovered surveillance video of Seuell firing various weapons at the range, and then acquiring 50 rounds of ammunition from the gun store side of the recreation center.
On March 29, 2023, Seuell also posted videos of himself in a bedroom displaying the same guns he’s seen with on the surveillance video and social media. On March 30, 2023, investigators were able to locate the address where Seuell was residing. As Seuell drove away from that residence and law enforcement officers followed, he began driving at a high rate of speed, weaving through traffic. Officers eventually found Seuell’s vehicle at a gas station and arrested him as he left the store.
Officers searched Seuell’s residence and found the firearms that Seuell displayed on his social media, as well as firearms seen in the surveillance video. Officers also found the ammunition that Seuell had acquired from the gun store the prior day.
Under federal statutes, Seuell is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. 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.
Two Raytown Residents Plead Guilty to Covid Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Raytown, Mo., residents have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a conspiracy to obtain fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Deanna N. Brand, 27, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to a federal information that charges her with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In a separate but related case, Jason Collins, 26, pleaded guilty on Thursday, May 18, to the same offense.
Brand and Collins each admitted they participated in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration from April 2021 through January 2022.
Both Brand and Collins provided their personal identification information to a co-conspirator, who then submitted fraudulent applications for PPP loans in their names. The applications falsely claimed business income in order to receive a $20,832 loan, although neither Brand nor Collins had a business during that time.
Brand admitted she paid her co-conspirator $2,000, and spent the rest of the loan proceeds on personal expenses not associated with any business. Collins admitted he paid his co-conspirator $5,000 and spent the rest of the loan proceeds on personal expenses not associated with any business.
Under the terms of their plea agreements, Brand and Collins each must pay $20,832 in restitution to the government.
Under federal statutes, Brand and Collins each are 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 defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. They were investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Former DEA Agent, KCPD Officer Pleads Guilty to False Tax Return Related to Payday Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration who is also a former Kansas City, Mo., Police Department officer has pleaded guilty in federal court to filing a false federal income tax return as part of a payday loan scheme.
Patrick Scot Witcher, 57, of Wichita Falls, Texas, waived his right to an indictment and pleaded guilty on Monday, May 22, before U.S. Magistrate District Judge Lajuana Counts to a federal information that charges him with one count of filing a false federal income tax return.
Witcher assisted at least five Kansas City-area individuals with the establishment, operation, and management of various payday lending enterprises. During his guilty plea, Witcher admitted that he filed false federal tax returns that included more than $1 million in unreported income between 2016-2018 from a payday lending enterprise. The operations of that payday lending enterprise purportedly occurred outside of the United States, and then on Native American reservations, but, in reality, the vast majority of the operational, financial, and administrative functions of the payday lending enterprise were based in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Under federal law, Witcher is subject to a sentence of up to three 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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney, Patrick D. Daly, and Matthew N. Sparks, and Trial Attorney Chad M. Davis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. The investigation is being conducted jointly by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General, and the FBI.
Five Springfield, Branson Residents Sentenced for Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Four Springfield, Mo., residents and a Branson, Mo., woman were sentenced in federal court today for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise that victimized at least three children.
Kevin Grant McMillan, 36, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to life in federal prison without parole.
Angela Marie Brown, 39, Christine Marie Rossiter, 36, and Amber Marie Baley, 38, all of Springfield, and Casie Dee Rice, 52, of Branson, Mo., also were sentenced in separate appearances today. Brown was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Rossiter was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Baley was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole. Rice was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole.
Baley and Rossiter were also sentenced to spend the rest of their lives on supervised release following incarceration. Each of the defendants will be required to register as a sex offender upon their release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout their life.
Each of the five defendants pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise from Jan. 1, 2017, to Nov. 6, 2019. They admitted to engaging in a series of felony violations, including the sexual exploitation of minors and receiving and distributing child pornography. Those felony violations, constituting three or more separate incidents and involving more than one minor victim, comprise a child exploitation enterprise.
The federal investigation began in May 2019 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified law enforcement that McMillan had uploaded three files of child pornography through his Gmail account. The Springfield Police Department was also investigating McMillan in a separate case involving an 8-year-old victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 2. Springfield investigators identified additional Google accounts that contained child pornography.
On Nov. 6, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McMillan’s residence, where they contacted a second, 15-year-old victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1, and a 17-year-old minor. Officers seized five laptops, two hard drives, an Apple iPad, a cell phone, and seven USB/micro SD cards. A forensic analyst found images of child pornography depicting Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and a third victim, a toddler identified in court documents as Jane Doe 3. There were a total of 27,542 pornographic images and videos of subjects whose age is difficult to determine and child erotica. There was a total of 682 images and videos of bestiality pornography. There were 111 videos and images of child exploitive animated pornography located on the devices.
Both Brown and Rossiter were living with McMillan at his Springfield residence in the spring of 2019, while the three of them were in a relationship together. McMillan was not interested in a traditional relationship, but planned on dominating several girlfriends, who would be in a submissive role. He also wanted to live the “nudist lifestyle.”
Investigators found MMS messages between McMillan and Brown. McMillan told Brown he wanted to drug and sexually assault Jane Doe 1 (who was 13 years old at the time). Brown said she would be interested in assisting him in drugging and raping children and adult women. McMillan also sent Brown sexually explicit images of Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and Jane Doe 3. They exchanged incest-related pornography, bondage pornography, bestiality pornography, child pornography, and child erotica. They also had conversations about having sexual contact with children and about having children together and impregnating them. Investigators found Facebook conversations in which McMillan and Brown extensively discussed engaging in sexual contact with other individuals, including children.
Investigators found SMS and MMS messaging between McMillan and Rossiter. McMillan and Rossiter exchanged bestiality pornography, incest-related pornography, and bondage pornography. In a Facebook conversation between March 2019 and May 2019, they extensively discussed engaging in sexual contact with other individuals, including children. In April 2019, they discussed McMillan wanting to have sexual contact with a 13-year-old minor male, identified in court documents as John Doe. Rossiter admitted that she received nude images of Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3 from McMillan, and McMillan described sexual activity he wanted to engage in with Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3.
Baley, who dated McMillan on and off again between 2012 and 2019, admitted to sending him nude images of Jane Doe 2. MMS conversations between Baley and McMillan repeatedly discussed getting Jane Doe 2 to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
Rice, who lived with McMillan for a short time in 2019, admitted that he sent child pornography to her via Google and that she received and sent child pornography to others through Facebook. In one email, Rice talks about their interest in children and then describes a sexual encounter where Rice would hold a female minor down while McMillan had sex with her.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Four KC Metro Men Indicted for Illegally Trafficking Machineguns, Other FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Kansas City, Mo., men and an Independence, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally selling machine guns and other firearms, some of which have been linked to prior shootings.
Antonio Manning, 21, his brother, Sheron Lamont Manning, 20, and Michael Dewayne Hardy, 20, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Dejohuan Mietz Huntley, 25, of Independence, Mo., were charged in a 23-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, May 17. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearance of Antonio Manning.
The federal indictment alleges that all four defendants participated in a conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms from May 24, 2022, to April 20, 2023. The 22 firearms included five Glock 9mm handguns, five Glock .40-caliber handguns, nine Anderson Manufacturing AR-15 style, multi-caliber pistols, a Romar/Cugir Mini Draco 7.62 x 39 caliber pistol, a Century Arms 7.62 x 39 caliber pistol, and a Glock .45-caliber pistol. Nine of the firearms allegedly were altered into machineguns.
In addition to the conspiracy, they are each charged with engaging in firearm sales without a license.
According to a detention motion filed by the government, the firearms allegedly were sold to a confidential informant monitored by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators have linked several of the firearms identified in the trafficking conspiracy to other crimes of violence by utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (“NIBIN”). For example, according to the government’s detention motion, a Glock .45-caliber sold by Sheron Manning to the confidential informant was linked to a shooting at the Winnwood Skate Center, 4426 N.E. Winn Road in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 13, 2022. A Glock .40-caliber pistol sold by Sheron Manning was linked to an occupied residence that was struck with gunfire on Feb. 5, 2022, and another Glock .40-caliber pistol sold by Sheron Manning was linked to a shooting at North 59th and Cemech Road in Kansas City, Kansas, on Jan. 20, 2023.
A Glock 9mm pistol sold to the confidential informant by Huntley was linked to a homicide that occurred on April 9, 2019. In that incident, witnesses reported that two or three young black males armed with handguns and an AK-47-type rifle began shooting at a residence while individuals were sitting on the front steps of the house. One victim was shot and died at the hospital as a result of the gunshot wound. The same firearm was also involved in shooting the rear passenger window of a vehicle on Oct. 16, 2019.
Antonio Manning is also charged with three counts of trafficking firearms and one count of possessing an unregistered machinegun.
Sheron Manning is also charged with five counts of trafficking firearms and four counts of possessing unregistered machineguns.
Hardy is also charged with one count of trafficking a firearm and one count of possessing an unregistered machinegun.
Huntley is also charged with two counts of trafficking firearms, two counts of possessing unregistered machineguns and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
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 Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Joseph Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Prison Inmates in Covid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to using the stolen identities of prison inmates to fraudulently obtain federal unemployment benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Brooke Stewart, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of stealing government property.
By pleading guilty today, Stewart admitted that she facilitated the filing of false claims for unemployment benefits by using the stolen identity information of five individuals who were incarcerated in state or federal prison and therefore not eligible to receive Missouri and enhanced unemployment benefits. Stewart also fraudulently received federal unemployment benefits in her own name and another person.
As a result of her fraud scheme, Stewart stole at least $139,663 in benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided additional federal pandemic unemployment compensation to eligible individuals receiving other unemployment benefits under state laws.
None of the inmates whose identity information was stolen actually received any of the fraudulently obtained benefits. Among those individuals whose stolen identity information was used to obtain benefits from May 2020 to June 2021 were federal defendants Garland Nelson and Brooke Beckley. Nelson is serving a 32-year federal prison sentence for a cattle fraud scheme that led to two murders in Braymer, Mo., and for illegally possessing a firearm, as well as two life sentences in a separate state case for the murders. Beckley is serving a 40-year prison sentence for her role in the murder of a Mexican national who was executed to help her avoid paying a debt owed in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in the Springfield, Mo., area.
Under federal statutes, Stewart is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations & Labor Racketeering Fraud.
Mexican National Indicted for Meth Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than 60 kilograms of methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.
Juan Hernandez-Guzman, 30, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, May 17. The indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Hernandez-Guzman on April 24, 2023, and includes additional counts.
The federal indictment alleges that Hernandez-Guzman participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mo., from April 10 to April 23, 2023.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, police officers executed a search warrant at Hernandez-Guzman’s residence on April 22, 2023. Officers found a loaded Glock .357-caliber handgun, which had been modified so that it was capable of firing automatically, and a loaded Glock 9mm handgun. Each of the handguns had an extended magazine loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition. Officers also seized a quantity of cash and several cell phones.
Officers also found 10.9 kilograms of methamphetamine inside a cardboard box in the back seat of a dark blue Tahoe, which Hernandez-Guzman was seen driving on several occasions. The vehicle also contained several handgun magazines and a quantity of cash.
The federal indictment also charges Hernandez-Guzman with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Hernandez-Guzman to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged violations, including $13,048 that was seized by law enforcement officers during the execution of the search warrant, as well as a money judgment of $634,800, which was obtained as a result of the drug-trafficking conspiracy and involved the distribution of more than 60 kilograms of methamphetamine with an average street price of $300 per ounce.
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 Byron H. Black. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
KC Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery of Pizza Delivery DriverRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver, after a suspect involved in the robbery was killed during a shootout with police officers.
Samuel M. David, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 12 years and three months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 4, 2022, David pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
His sister and co-defendant, Rochelle E. David, 24, was sentenced on Jan. 11, 2023, to 14 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to the same crimes.
Rochelle David placed an order for pizza to a Pizza Hut restaurant on Oct. 19, 2020, in order to lure a Pizza Hut employee to her address to conduct an armed robbery with the assistance of Samuel David and Ennice Ross. When the delivery driver arrived at about 10:18 p.m., Samuel David and Ross confronted him in the parking lot. Ross displayed a firearm in his waistband and Samuel David demanded the driver’s money. Samuel David went through the driver’s pockets, taking a wallet and knife from him. They also took $100 in cash from the driver’s vehicle.
Ross ordered the delivery driver to take them to an ATM to withdraw more money from the driver’s bank account. The driver took them to a gas station, where Samuel David attempted to use the driver’s bank card to withdraw money from an ATM. Samuel David returned to the car and told Ross he wasn’t able to withdraw any money. Samuel David stabbed the driver in the hand with the driver’s knife.
Samuel David ordered the delivery driver to take them to his residence in Gladstone, Mo., where he lived with his parents, while Rochelle David followed in a separate vehicle. Samuel David and Ross accompanied the driver into his residence, where they encountered the driver’s parents. Ross stayed with the driver’s parents while Samuel David walked the driver to his bedroom, where the driver opened a safe that contained approximately $2,000. Samuel David took the safe, and he and Ross left the residence.
On Oct. 23, 2020, police officers were conducting surveillance in the area where the armed robberies occurred in an effort to locate Rochelle David in connection with an unrelated homicide investigation. She was seen leaving the apartment building in a vehicle with Samuel David and Ross. Officers conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in the area of Admiral and Tracy. Samuel David and another person got out of the vehicle, but Rochelle David and Ross stayed in the vehicle. Rochelle David told Ross that one of the officers who stopped them was the one who recently chased her. Shortly before she got out of the vehicle, she told Ross, “Shoot the one with the red hair first.” Rochelle David then got out of the vehicle, after which Ross opened his door and fired on officers with his gun. The officers returned fire, which resulted in his death.
After being arrested, Rochelle David was questioned about the homicide. She admitted that Ross wanted to kill a homeless person and she was with him when they picked up a homeless man in Kansas City on Oct. 21, 2020. They drove around for a time with the victim, then Ross got out of the vehicle and she saw him shoot the victim.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Topeka Man Indicted for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Topeka, Kansas, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today after traveling to Missouri to meet a 14-year-old girl, who was actually an undercover FBI employee, for illicit sex.
William H. Reichart, 60, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Reichart on April 28, 2013, and includes additional charges.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, members of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force were engaged in covert chat sessions on platforms known to be frequented by adults with sexual fetishes, including adults attempting to lure children into sexual acts. An online covert law enforcement officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl, communicated with Reichart through a social media application.
Reichart engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the undercover law enforcement officer, the affidavit says, and sent pornographic images and video of himself. The affidavit says they made arrangements to meet in person for sexual contact. Law enforcement officers conducted surveillance of Reichart as he left his residence on April 27, 2023, and drove to the agreed-upon meeting location. When Reichart arrived for the meeting, he was arrested without incident.
Today’s indictment charges Reichart with one count of attempting to travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, and one count of attempting to transfer obscene material to minor.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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, one of which has been linked to several recent shootings.
Jardell Carlin Williams, 19, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to two counts of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Williams admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol when a vehicle, in which he was a passenger, was stopped by Springfield, Mo., Police Department detectives on Feb. 15, 2022.
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. According to the plea agreement, the AR-style pistol was tentatively identified as having been used in three shooting incidents in the Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kansas, areas.
Williams admitted to regularly smoking marijuana, which remains a controlled substance under federal law, since he was in high school. He estimated that he smoked about a gram of marijuana each day.
Under federal statutes, 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 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 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.
Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Sell Stolen Financial Information on Dark WebRead the Press Release
An Illinois man pleaded guilty yesterday to leading a conspiracy to sell stolen financial information on the dark web, aka darknet.
According to court documents, Michael D. Mihalo, aka Dale Michael Mihalo Jr., 40, of Naperville, was the founder of a darknet “carding” site called Skynet Market, which was used to sell stolen financial information on the internet. Operating under the moniker ggmccloud1, Mihalo and his co-conspirators were also prominent vendors on additional darknet markets, including AlphaBay Market, Wall Street Market, and Hansa Market. Each market required users to conduct transactions in digital currencies, including Bitcoin. Through these markets, Mihalo and his co-conspirators sold the stolen financial information, primarily the credit and debit card numbers and associated information, of tens of thousands of U.S. victims between Feb. 22, 2016, and Oct. 1, 2019.
Mihalo assembled and directed the team that helped him sell this stolen financial information on the darknet. Each of the co-conspirators benefitted from the trusted reputation Mihalo, as ggmccloud1, had built on the darknet sites to sell more stolen financial information than they would have been able to sell individually. Taylor Ross Staats, 40, of Texas, conspired with Mihalo and others to sell stolen financial information on the internet. Staats served as a “card-checker,” who ensured the financial information sold by Mihalo and others on multiple darknet sites remained active and had not been canceled by the relevant financial institutions. Staats personally earned at least $21,000 worth of Bitcoin for these services.
Mihalo personally possessed, sent, and received the information associated with 49,084 stolen payment cards with the intent that the payment card information would be trafficked on darknet sites, all in furtherance of the conspiracy. Mihalo earned at least $1 million worth of cryptocurrencies at the time of the sales, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Monero. These funds have significantly appreciated since that time.
Mihalo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, one count of access device fraud, and six counts of money laundering. He will be sentenced on a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the remaining counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Mihalo must also forfeit to the government any property he personally obtained through the offenses, including several million dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency, financial accounts, and real property, and has agreed to entry of a money judgment of an amount to be determined by the judge at sentencing.
Mihalo is the second defendant to plead guilty in this case. Staats pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud in connection with his role as “card-checker” for Mihalo and the other co-conspirators. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and will be sentenced on a later date.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri, Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case.
Senior Counsel Louisa Becker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Blackwood for the Western District of Missouri are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
The Justice Department also thanks its law enforcement colleagues at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada for their assistance in this case.
Stolen victim payment card information obtained over the course of the investigation has been and/or will continue to be provided to the financial institutions that issued the payment cards. If you were active on Skynet Market, AlphaBay Market, Wall Street Market, or Hansa Market; have been in contact with any of Skynet Market’s administrators; or believe your financial information may have been stolen and sold on any of these markets between Feb. 22, 2016, and Oct. 1, 2019, please file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) and reference this press release.
Lohman Man Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lohman, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges related to producing child pornography.
Anthony D. Pitts-Fugate, 30, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint filed against Pitts-Fugate on April 17, 2023.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, Pitts-Fugate engaged in a Kik chat group that was being monitored by an undercover law enforcement officer. Pitts-Fugate allegedly produced and sent to the undercover officer a video and a photo of a child being sexually assaulted.
Pitts-Fugate was arrested at his residence on April 17, 2023, and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.
Today’s indictment charges Pitts-Fugate with one count of producing child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the FBI, the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Independence Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Louis Melvin Williamson, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Williamson’s sentence to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed in a separate case in Clay County, Mo.
On Oct. 4, 2022, Williamson pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Aug. 11 to Oct. 14, 2020.
Co-defendant Kurt Thomas Kingsley, 40, of Independence, was sentenced on April 6, 2023, to seven years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The court ordered his sentence to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed in a separate case in the District of Kansas.
Co-defendant Kenneth James Paulson, 52, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2022, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
Williams sold bulk quantities of methamphetamine to other dealers, including Kingsley, who in turn sold to Paulson. Williamson also sold smaller quantities to methamphetamine users. Paulson admitted that he purchased methamphetamine from Kingsley and sold bulk quantities to lower level dealers.
Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, through undercover agents and confidential informants, made controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Paulson at his home and at a movie theater parking lot in Grain Valley, Mo. On Oct. 13, 2020, DEA agents stopped Paulson’s car in Blue Springs while he was on his way to another undercover controlled purchase. Agents found 145 grams of 99 percent pure methamphetamine in his car. Agents also searched his residence and found 226 grams of 99 percent pure methamphetamine in his garage. Agents also found a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver in his garage.
On Oct. 14, 2020, Kingsley arrived at Paulson’s residence for an arranged drug sale. DEA agents found a black backpack on the passenger’s seat of Kingsley’s Ford F-150 that contained 46.7 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Gibson. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Man Convicted for Running Four Dark Web Child Sexual Abuse WebsitesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Missouri man yesterday for running four websites dedicated to sharing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clint Robert Schram, 54, of Kansas City, hosted, managed, and maintained four different websites from his home. Each of these websites operated over the “dark web,” and each was devoted to advertising, distributing, and exchanging images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. One of the websites allowed members to post images of children as young as 2 years old, and another had no restrictions on the types of child sexual abuse images that could be shared. Schram advertised and distributed child sexual abuse images over these websites, and he recruited, managed, and directed different tiers of “staff” members who helped run the websites.
Schram was convicted of one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and four counts each of advertisement of child pornography and conspiracy to advertise child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 12 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore for the Western District of Missouri, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Charles A. Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Kansas City Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison D. Dunning and David Luna for the Western District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jefferson City Tax Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., tax preparer was sentenced in federal court today for filing false tax returns for himself and others.
Josiah Mator, Jr., 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two years and nine months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Mator to pay a fine of $1,000 and $200,292 in restitution to the federal government and the state of Missouri.
On June 23, 2022, Mator was convicted at trial of two counts of filing false federal income tax returns.
Mator, a citizen of the United States who moved to this country from Liberia in 2001, prepared and electronically filed tax returns for individuals in the Liberian community and other friends and acquaintances for tax years 2010 through 2015. Mator did not have a registered tax preparation business, but used Express 1040 software to prepare his clients’ tax returns from his home.
According to court documents, individuals received substantial refunds they were not legally eligible to receive in 53 fraudulent claims related to the scheme. Matro’s criminal conduct resulted in a federal and state tax loss of $200,292.
Mator was found guilty of filing a false federal income tax return for his own 2015 income. Mator claimed that his adjusted gross income in 2015 was $16,552, and his taxable income was $0, knowing that he did not include the business income from his tax preparation service.
Mator also was found guilty of filing a false federal income tax return for individuals identified as “I.A.” and L.A.” The fraudulent return reported $16,000 in unreimbursed employee business expenses in 2015, although Mator knew I.A. and L.A. did not have any expenses related to their employment. As a result, I.A. and L.A. received a refund they were not legally eligible to receive.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
12 KC-Area Residents Indicted for $250,000 Covid Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A dozen Kansas City metropolitan residents have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy that resulted in nearly $250,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Renetta Golden-Larimore, 54, Don A. Baker, 47, Stephan Booth, 40, Candace E. Hill-Williams, 25, Reisjon Larimore, 25, Teiara M. Mercer, 23, Padgit L. Smith, 48, Joseph Valdivia III, 45, Salvadore Valdivia, 41, and Mone’y C. Woods, 21, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Cameron P. Henderson, 27, of Independence, Mo.; and Roger Larimore, 27, of Raytown, Mo., were charged in a 13-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on April 26, 2023. The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants.
According to the indictment, Golden-Larimore prepared and filed fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of the other co-conspirators. She allegedly received payments between $2,000 and $7,000 from the loan proceeds for her assistance in filing false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. Golden-Larimore created counterfeit IRS forms for nonexistent businesses, the indictment says, and inflated income for existing businesses in order to qualify the borrower for a PPP loan.
Each of the defendants received a PPP loan of either $20,832 or $20,833.
In addition to the conspiracy, Golden-Larimore is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud. Each of the remaining defendants are also charged with aiding and abetting her in one of those wire fraud counts for the fraudulent loan they received.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require each of the defendants to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $20,832 for each defendant.
In a separate case that arose from the federal investigation, Theresa R. Griswold, 42, of Olathe, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after obtaining a fraudulent PPP loan during this conspiracy. Griswold admitted she received a fraudulent $20,832 PPP loan.
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 KC Man of Leading Cyberstalking Conspiracy That Resulted in MurderRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of leading a cyberstalking conspiracy that utilized GPS tracking devices to carry out the murder of another Kansas City, Mo., man by tracking him and shooting him to death in front of his minor daughter.
Lester E. Brown, 36, was found guilty on Friday, May 5, of one count of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, one count of cyberstalking resulting in death, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Co-defendants Michael Young, 32, and Ronell Pearson, 36, have each pleaded guilty to their roles in the cyberstalking conspiracy. Young also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting cyberstalking resulting in death. Both co-defendants are currently in custody awaiting sentencing.
Murder of Christopher Harris
Brown, Young, and Pearson participated in a conspiracy from Nov. 1, 2017, to March 19, 2018, to engage in the cyberstalking of Christopher Harris. Brown deployed multiple GPS devices on vehicles used by Harris and his associates to track their locations.
On March 14, 2018, Brown tracked Harris to a dance studio in Raytown, Mo. With Brown driving and Young and Pearson passengers, they followed Harris’s vehicle as he drove his daughter home from dance class and dropped her off at her mother’s residence in Independence. Brown pulled up behind Harris’s vehicle; Brown and Young got out of the car and shot a firearm multiple times into Harris’s vehicle, causing Harris to scream, “My daughter’s in the car! My daughter is in the car!” Brown fired several rounds into the vehicle, and then several more rounds at Harris as he ran to the door. Harris’s daughter was able to make it inside the house unharmed but Harris fell to the ground before he reached the house. Brown stood over him and fired two last rounds at him while he lay on the ground.
Prior to his murder, conspirators had been sending threatening messages to Harris using the social media service Snapchat. These messages included photographs of GPS devices, and demanded a payment to Brown of $10,000 per month.
In January 2018, conspirators surveilled Harris’s girlfriend at her place of employment, and followed her to the residence she shared with Harris. In February 2018, they deployed a GPS tracking device on Harris’s black Nissan Altima, and used a tracking service to determine his real-time location. Another tracking device was deployed on Harris’s vehicle on March 12, 2018.
Brown’s conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm is related to him illegally possessing the Glock .45-caliber pistol used to murder Harris. 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, who was on supervised release following his conviction and incarceration for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen property.
Murder of Ryan Cobbins
Evidence was also presented regarding the murder of Ryan Cobbins, a friend and associate of Harris. One of the Snapchat messages sent to Harris threatened, “Man, you … are gonna end up like Ryan,” which Harris took to be a reference to the murder of his friend Ryan Cobbins in 2013.
Cobbins went missing on Oct. 24, 2013, following a haircut appointment. In November 2013, Brown accepted $20,000 from Harris and another person as “ransom” payment for the return of Cobbins. Brown claimed he could act as the middleman between the kidnappers and Harris, and that he could arrange the safe return of Cobbins. On Dec. 31, 2014, Cobbins was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for three and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, May 1.
Under federal statutes, Brown is subject to a sentence of up to 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 Matthew P. Wolesky and Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.
Former St. Joseph Police Officer and His Wife, a Former Deputy, Plead Guilty to Fraud Scheme Against Fraternal Order of PoliceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former St. Joseph, Mo., police officer and his wife, a former Buchanan County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy, have pleaded guilty in federal court to a wire fraud scheme in which they used debit cards from a local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, where they served as officers, for unauthorized expenses.
Michael A. Hardin, 47, and his wife, Sarah J. Hardin, 43, pleaded guilty in separate appearances to multiple counts of wire fraud. Michael Hardin appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts on Tuesday, April 25. Sarah Hardin appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, April 26.
Michael Hardin, a former officer with the St. Joseph Police Department, was the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 for approximately 10 years, until January 2020. Sarah Hardin, formerly a deputy with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, was the treasurer of the lodge for approximately 10 years, until January 2020. The lodge, headquartered in St. Joseph, is a fraternity of approximately 300 law enforcement officers from police departments in nine northwest Missouri counties.
By pleading guilty, the Hardins admitted they used debit cards linked to the bank accounts of the Fraternal Order of Police Northwest Missouri Lodge #3 to make unauthorized purchases.
Sarah Hardin admitted that she made hundreds of personal purchases with the lodge’s debit card while serving as treasurer, which the government’s financial analysis concluded totaled at least $77,342. The government’s financial analysis concluded an additional $22,484 in unauthorized purchases were made from the lodge’s bank accounts between 2015 and 2019.
Sarah Hardin specifically admitted to making personal purchases at Menards, Party City, HyVee, Walmart, and Sam’s Club. The purchases included fence panels and fence posts for a fence at her residence; flowers, potting soil, bench cushions, and LED lights for her residence; and letter balloons spelling out the word “Falcons” for an event at her child’s school.
Michael Hardin specifically admitted to fraudulently using the lodge’s debit card for payments in 2017 to Hampton Inn twice and to Life Lock Advantage. The government’s financial analysis concluded that Michael Hardin conducted transactions to cover unauthorized expenses that totaled between $6,500 and $15,000 with lodge funds during his time as lodge president.
Under the terms of their plea agreements, the Hardins must pay a money judgment in an amount to be determined by the court based on the proceeds they obtained as a result of the fraud scheme.
Under federal statutes, the Hardins are each subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of three counts of wire fraud. 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 Courtney R. Pratten and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the FBI.
Former Overland Park Man Indicted for $800,000 COVID Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Overland Park, Kansas, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for receiving more than $800,000 in fraudulent business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Mirza Michael Reazuddin, 65, who currently resides in Lawrenceville, Georgia, was charged in an 11-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on April 4, 2023. That indictment was unsealed and made public upon Reazuddin’s arrest and initial court appearance Tuesday, April 25, in Atlanta, Georgia.
The federal indictment alleges that Reazuddin received two loans under the Paycheck Protection Program totaling $804,100. As a part of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program was created to provided forgivable loans to small businesses. The purpose of the loans was to provide support to small businesses and assist their payroll to their employees during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the indictment, Reazuddin claimed to be the owner of Grandview Hotel, LLC, a Missouri corporation. Reazuddin submitted a loan application to First Home Bank in St. Petersburg, Florida, on June 25, 2020. He allegedly claimed Grandview Hotel was an operating business with an average monthly payroll of $148,680, and submitted false documents in support of his loan application. Reazuddin submitted a second loan application to First Home Bank on Jan. 26, 2021. He allegedly claimed Grandview Hotel had a monthly payroll of $120,000, and submitted false documents in support of his loan application.
In fact, the indictment says, Grandview Hotel ceased doing business in March 2018.
On July 14, 2020, First Home Bank transferred $384,100 to Reazuddin’s bank account in the name of Grandview Hotel. On Feb. 22, 2021, First Home Bank transferred $420,000 to Reazuddin’s bank account in the name of Grandview Hotel. Reazuddin allegedly transferred most of those funds into his other bank accounts.
Reazuddin is charged with four counts of wire fraud and seven counts of money laundering.
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.
Five Southwest Missouri Residents Plead Guilty to KidnappingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Five southwest Missouri residents have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the death of the victim.
Amy Kay Thomas, 39, of Webb City, Mo., and Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 51, of Newton County, Mo., pleaded guilty today in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool. Thomas and Vaughan each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Thomas also pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Co-defendants Carla Jo Ward, 49, of Joplin, Mo., James B. Gibson, 40, of Neosho, Mo., and Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 51, of Greenwood, Mo., pleaded guilty earlier this month to their roles in the kidnapping conspiracy. Ward and Gibson also each pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty, the five defendants admitted they participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020 in retaliation for him helping to retrieve a stolen trailer. Ward picked up M.H. and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Thomas and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. In Vaughan and Ward’s presence, Thomas cut M.H. repeatedly with a knife; Gibson beat M.H. with a club and burned him with a blowtorch. M.H. was fatally shot in the head. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and transported it to Hurtt’s property.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, a co-conspirator fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers before being apprehended. Officers found M.H.’s body on the property.
Officers searched the residence and found multiple firearms, including a disassembled HR1871 12-gauge shotgun with a sawed-off butt and a shotgun barrel inside a box. Officers also found a burned cell phone that contained photos and screen shots from a video of M.H. being assaulted.
Under federal statutes, each of the five defendants is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)
This effort 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.