Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for sexually exploiting a minor to produce child pornography.
Anthony Thompson, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Thompson to spend 10 years on supervised release following incarceration.
On Oct. 19, 2020, Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor. Thompson admitted that he victimized a minor in to produce child pornography on July 1, 2018.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police 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."
Buffalo Sex Offender Sentenced to 24 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Buffalo, Missouri, man who is a registered sex offender has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Eddie Feck, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Thursday, July 1, to 24 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Feck to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
On Feb. 11, 2021, Feck pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. Feck has a prior conviction for sodomizing an 11-year-old child (for which he served the entirety of his sentence because he refused to participate in sexual offender treatment), as well as an extensive criminal history.
The investigation began when a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper received a Cybertipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Jan. 13, 2020. That report was generated after Feck uploaded five images of child pornography to BingImage.
Law enforcement officers identified Feck as the BingImage account holder and executed a search warrant at Feck’s residence on Feb. 11, 2020. Upon arrival, the investigators located Feck’s computer, which was in the process of downloading suspected child pornography from the internet. Investigators found approximately 35 images of child pornography on Feck’s digital storage devices.
Feck confessed that he employed a variety of programs to access and view child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Six Houston Residents Indicted for Conspiracy to Steal from Bank ATMsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Six Houston, Texas, residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to travel across the country breaking into bank ATMs and stealing the money inside, including at least one theft in Kansas City, Missouri.
Deandre J. Gilliam, 19, Ladarious S. Thomas, 28, Jamarkus D. Bogany, 19, J’Korean K. Hadnott, 19, Ocatvious Q. Waiters, 20, and Clayton J. Brown, 21, were charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 23, 2021. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearances of Gilliam, Thomas, Bogany, Waiters, and Brown in U.S. District Court in Houston. Gilliam, Thomas, Bogany, Waiters, and Brown are being held in federal custody in the Southern District of Texas pending a detention hearing in that district tomorrow.
The federal indictment alleges the defendants, along with additional co-conspirators not identified or charged in the indictment, participated in a conspiracy from Nov. 10, 2019, to March 6, 2020, to travel in groups or teams from Texas to other states, including Missouri and Kansas, to steal from banks by forcing open ATMs and stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the cash boxes.
According to the indictment, conspirators would steal a large pick-up truck for the theft. They attached tow chains with hooks to the pick-up truck, then searched for a suitable ATM to burglarize. After conducting surveillance and with some conspirators serving as lookouts, the indictment says, conspirators used pry bars or tow chain hooks to forcibly pry open or pry apart the ATM’s protective metal encasement. After the ATM had been opened or disassembled, the conspirators would then remove the ATM canisters containing cash. They then abandoned the stolen truck and traveled back to Texas.
The indictment alleges that all six defendants left Houston on March 5, 2020, and traveled to the Kansas City metropolitan area in three separate vehicles. Conspirators allegedly stole a Ford F-250 pickup on March 6, 2020, that was parked on the street in Fairway, Kansas. At approximately 5:30 a.m. the same day, the indictment says, conspirators connected tow chains to the stolen Ford F-250 and to the door of an ATM at Chase Bank, 1614 E. 63rd Street in Kansas City, Mo. They used the force of acceleration from the truck to remove the exterior metal panel of the ATM, then removed canisters that contained a total of $150,220 from inside the damaged ATM. They abandoned the stolen truck in the parking lot of a nearby apartment building.
Later the same day, the indictment says, law enforcement officers in Montgomery County, Texas, spotted the three vehicles being driven by the defendants, who were traveling in tandem southbound on Interstate 45. Officers attempted to stop all three vehicles; Hadnott and Waiters pulled over to the shoulder, but the other vehicles attempted to flee from law enforcement. A Jeep Cherokee occupied by Brown and another, unnamed conspirator fled from officers at speeds between 80-115 miles per hour before it crashed and they were apprehended. A Chevrolet Impala occupied by Thomas, Gilliam, and Bogany fled from officers at speeds between 90-125 miles per hour before all three defendants fled from the vehicle on foot. Thomas, the driver, was taken into custody after a foot chase. With the assistance of air surveillance, Bogany and Gilliam were located and arrested. Gilliam was carrying a Spiderman backpack that contained approximately $72,385 (primarily in $20 bills). One of the Impala occupants dropped a duffle bag while running from the police. This bag was retrieved by an unknown female before police officers could recover it.
The federal indictment charges each of the defendants with one count of conspiracy, one count of bank theft, and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines.
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 Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the FBI Field Offices in Kansas City, Mo., and Houston, Texas, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Montgomery County Constable.
Three Sedalia Residents Indicted for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Three Sedalia, Missouri, residents were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine after law enforcement officers seized 28 firearms from a residence during the investigation.
James Jacob Johnson, 23, Amber Marie Lawson, 36, and Eric Ryan Janes, 36, were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.
Today’s indictment alleges that Johnson, Lawson, and Janes participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pettis County, Mo., from April 1 to June 15, 2021.
In addition to the conspiracy, Johnson is charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Law enforcement officers seized 28 firearms from Johnson’s residence while executing a search warrant on June 15, 2021.
Johnson is also charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. According to the indictment, those firearms included two AK 47s, a Glock 9mm pistol, a .38-caliber revolver, a Ruger 57, a Tauron PR 24/7 Pro, a Glock 20, a Smith & Wesson MIP 20, a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, a Ruger EC9S, a Ruger 89, a Rossi 357, a 44 magnum Ruger, a Springfield Armory Saint .223-caliber rifle, a Chrome Palmetto AR .223, a Keltec Sun 2000 9mm, a Savage 300, a Gold 9mm AR, a Marlin 17, an MCK Roni with Glock 17, a Digmonn 200 blackout, a Smith & Wesson, a Black Dawn 300 blackout, a Typhoon F-12 Gold 12 gauge, a Zastava Arms, an M&P Bodyguard 38 special, and a Smith &Wesson M&P 9C.
Lawson and Janes also are each charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Richenberger. It was investigated by the Pettis County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department, the Morgan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the DEA’s Mid Missouri Drug Task Force.
Taney County Woman Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Children, Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Village, Missouri, woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexually assaulting two children to produce child pornography, and to receiving and distributing child pornography.
Tara Sau Millman, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of minors and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Millman has been in federal custody since her arrest and remains detained without bail.
By pleading guilty today, Millman admitted that a co-defendant used her iPhone to record video of her performing a sexual act on a 2-year-old child, identified in court documents as John Doe. Investigators also found images and videos of child pornography on Millman’s iPhone, including files that depicted Millman and her co-defendant sexually assaulting John Doe and a 4-year-old child victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe.
Millman also admitted that she used a social media application to share child pornography over the internet, and that she and her co-defendant viewed child pornography together.
The investigation began when agents with Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, California, began investigating users of a cloud storage platform (identified in court documents as “Cloud Platform A”). The cloud platform provides encrypted, cloud-based services that enable private, secure online storage, communication, and collaboration for business and individuals. During the investigation, the agents accessed a weblink to an encrypted chat room with approximately 145 registered users. Files containing child pornography were uploaded/posted by participants in the chat room. A search warrant was executed at Millman’s residence in Taney County, Mo., on Jan. 28, 2021.
Under federal statutes, Millman is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 50 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 upon 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 Homeland Security Investigations and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing two firearms that he stole from a car and attempted to sell outside a nearby hotel.
Edward J. Kelly Jr., 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
Police officers contacted Kelly at the Truman Inn/Best Western Inn, 4048 S. Lynn Court Drive, Independence, at about 4:20 a.m. on Aug. 24, 2020, after an employee reported a suspicious person in the back courtyard of the hotel trying to sell guns. One officer began to pad-down Kelly when a second officer saw a loaded Glock 9mm handgun on a nearby picnic table. Kelly then fled; officers pursued him and took him into custody. Officers searched a black bag with drawstrings that Kelly had been wearing. Inside the bag, they found a Glock handgun case with three 9mm magazines, a loaded Taurus model “The Judge” revolver which was loaded with five rounds of .410 shells, an additional 10 rounds of .410 shells, and a Taser. They also found a glass smoking pipe that contained methamphetamine in Kelly’s pants pocket.
Both the Glock and the Taurus were reported stolen shortly before Kelly’s arrest. Kelly admitted that he stole the firearms from a car in a nearby home’s driveway.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Kelly has three prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, and prior felony convictions for resisting a lawful stop, burglary, and domestic assault.
Under federal statutes, Kelly 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 Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Owner of Payday Loan Company Sentenced for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mission Hills, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for a bankruptcy fraud scheme related to his online payday loan company.
“It’s ironic that someone who made a fortune loaning money to others, would try to cheat his own creditors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “This business owner engaged in a two-year scheme of lies and deception during his bankruptcy proceedings by secretly holding onto assets instead of paying what he owed. The bankruptcy system relies on the honesty, openness, and accuracy of debtors, and in return grants those debtors a fresh start free of debt. This defendant made a mockery of the system in the hope that he could discharge over $7.5 million in debt while maintaining a luxurious lifestyle for himself.”
Del Hodges Kimball, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven R. Bough to one year and a day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Kimball to pay $909,323 in restitution.
“This sentence should convince others that such behavior and actions will not be tolerated in the bankruptcy system,” said Acting United States Trustee Daniel J. Casamatta.
On Jan. 19, 2021, Kimball pleaded guilty to one count of bankruptcy fraud. Kimball admitted that he engaged in a scheme to defraud the Bankruptcy Court by concealing assets, bank accounts, and claims against third parties, and by making false statements and material omissions regarding his assets and financial transfers to and from third parties.
Three of Kimball’s creditors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against Kimball, his partner, and their company, LTS, an online payday loan company based in Kansas City, on Aug. 5, 2015. The claims of the three creditors totaled more than $15 million.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee filed a complaint to deny Kimball’s discharge on March 10, 2017, and the Bankruptcy Court conducted a trial on Jan. 11, 2018. After the trial, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Cynthia Norton ruled that Kimball had transferred property with the intent to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors, made numerous false oaths in connection with this bankruptcy case, and concealed property from the bankruptcy estate. He did not disclose assets until he was caught and had no choice. The court found that the evidence was “overwhelming” that Kimball made false statements under oath. The court denied Kimball’s discharge due to his fraudulent concealment.
For example, Kimball failed to disclose $86,200 in transfers to friends and relatives. He undervalued collectibles by $24,000. He omitted transfers to Claw Consulting, LLC, another company he owned (with no employees). Kimball established a bank account for Claw Consulting, and caused the bank statements to be mailed to an attorney at the attorney’s business address in order to stash income and proceeds of sales he wanted to conceal from creditors.
According to court documents, Kimball claimed that he lost millions of dollars in 2013 and 2014, although he actually had gross income of $213,231 in 2014 and $158,679 in 2013.
From 2015 to 2018, Kimball arranged that $479,585 in payday company income and/or profits from Red Stag Holdings be paid into his wife’s personal bank account to conceal the payments from creditors and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee. Kimball arranged that $45,300 in payday company income and/or profits from S. Bean Finance and $16,300 from Agile Fish be paid into his wife’s personal bank account to conceal money from creditors and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.
Kimball initially or totally omitted to schedule the transfer and sale of his interest in Red River Exploration for $116,280, as well as his ownership or interest in a number of companies.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.
KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal Firearms, Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms that were linked to several shootings.
Marck E. Fristoe, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 9, 2020, Fristoe pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Kansas City police officers attempted to arrest Fristoe on an outstanding warrant on April 5, 2019. Fristoe, while under surveillance, left the Falcon Point Apartment Complex and got into the passenger seat of a Ford Fusion. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the Fusion fled, leading officers in a pursuit at speeds over 100 miles per hour. The Fusion swerved in and out of traffic, and forced other drivers off the road.
When the Fusion pulled over near I-29 and Northeast Davidson Road, the driver and Fristoe were placed in custody. Officers found a backpack on the floorboard of the rear passenger seat that contained a loaded Micro Draco 7.62x39mm pistol with a full 30-round extended magazine, 85 live rounds of ammunition, 10 individually-wrapped baggies that contained a total of at least 5.6 grams of crack cocaine, two digital scales, and a pipe.
Investigators with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center and the KCPD Crime Lab determined that the Micro Draco pistol had been preliminarily linked in two earlier shootings in March 2019. On March 27, 2019, several bullets were fired into an occupied house in Kansas City, Mo., and nine shell casings were recovered. On March 30, 2019, officers responded to a shooting report between cars in a roadway near 13th Street and Quindaro Blvd. in Kansas City, Kansas. Officers recovered 12 shell casings from the scene.
Fristoe also admitted that he was in possession of a different firearm three days after it was preliminarily linked to shell casings recovered at a scene where a house occupied by several people, including four children, was shot into on Aug. 15, 2018. Police officers recovered four 9mm shell casings from the roadway in front of the house. A witness told officers that Fristoe had been in possession of a black handgun with an extended magazine when he threatened her and assaulted her two days earlier. According to court documents, the witness said Fristoe opened her car door, hit her in the face, and choked her into unconsciousness. Officers located Fristoe on Aug. 18, 2018. He was carrying a backpack that contained a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. Investigators determined that the spent shell casings from the house were fired from the pistol in Fristoe’s backpack.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Fristoe has a prior felony conviction for aggravated battery after shooting into an occupied car.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
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.
KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Kenneth E. Barbee Jr., 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 23, 2020, Barbee was found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession a firearm.
Detectives with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department were conducting surveillance on Barbee on March 18, 2020, when he left his residence in a vehicle driven by his girlfriend. After officers stopped the vehicle, the driver attempted to pull away from officers but was forced to stop when officers used their vehicles to block their escape.
When Barbee and the driver were ordered out of the vehicle, officers saw a loaded Palmetto State Armory AR pistol and a loaded CZ 9mm handgun on the front passenger floorboard. The driver of the vehicle had an SCCY 9mm handgun in her waistband.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Barbee has a prior felony conviction for assault, a prior felony conviction for domestic assault, two prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property, and a prior felony conviction for robbery. The robbery involved a violent attack, according to court documents, in which Barbee struck the victim in the face and on the head with a gun after she tried to resist his co-defendant’s efforts to rob her. After beating the victim with his gun, Barbee stole her money, dragged her out of the vehicle, then fled from the scene. Barbee was on absconder status in connection with the robbery when he committed this federal offense.
According to court documents, Barbee also was disciplined while incarcerated at Core Civic Leavenworth for his possession of two homemade metal weapons recovered from under his mattress.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Kate Butterfield, Patrick Edwards, and Gregg Coonrod. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Independence Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man who led police officers on a chase in a stolen car, causing a collision with another vehicle, was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Cameron D. Smith, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 27, 2021, Smith pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Cameron admitted that he was in possession of a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic handgun on March 21, 2020.
Police officers saw Smith driving a stolen Ford Mustang at the intersection of 23rd Street and Hardesty Avenue on March 21, 2020. Officers followed the vehicle while stop sticks were set up ahead of the vehicle. When officers activated their emergency lights and siren, Smith refused to pull over and instead accelerated away. Smith made a sharp left turn in an effort to avoid the stop sticks, and in doing so, became involved in a collision with another vehicle at Truman Road and Cleveland Avenue.
The Mustang was damaged in the collision but Smith continued the pursuit. Eventually, Smith abandoned the vehicle in the middle of the road and fled on foot. As he got out of the car, officers saw a pistol in his hand. An officer chased Smith on foot, losing sight of him for a moment behind a fence. When the officer made his way around the fence, he saw that Smith had stopped running and was standing with his empty hands in the air. Smith refused to comply with orders to get on the ground, so the officer took Smith to the ground. Smith continued to resist arrest by refusing to place his hands behind his back. More officers arrived and assisted in placing Smith into custody.
Officers searched the area and found the loaded handgun in the area where Smith was arrested.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Smith was on state probation at the time of the federal offense for an armed robbery conviction. Smith also has prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle and property damage.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Charged with Drug Trafficking, Illegal Firearms After 911 CallRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who called 911 to aid his mother was charged in federal court today after police officers responded to their residence and found evidence of drug trafficking and illegal firearms.
Michael Cummings II, 39, was charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Cummings remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on June 14.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, police officers were called to Cummings’s residence on Monday night, June 7, when Cummings called 911 for emergency medical assistance for his mother. Emergency personnel attempted lifesaving measures on Cummings’s mother but she was unresponsive, and pronounced dead at approximately 12:04 a.m. on Tuesday, June 8.
Officers saw a loaded Heckler & Koch .40-caliber handgun on the dining room table, next to a pile of cash, and an SKS-style assault rifle with a magazine leaning against the wall of a stairwell. Officers arrested Cummings, who is a convicted felon, for illegally possessing the firearms.
Officers then obtained a warrant and searched the residence. In addition to the two firearms, officers also seized $618 found on the table and under the couch cushion.
In one bedroom, officers found a Pioneer Arms 7.62 x 39mm AKM-47-style pistol in the closet, a baggie that contained .24 grams of a fentanyl/heroin compound, baggies that contained a total of 351.37 grams of methamphetamine, two plastic baggies that contained a total of 28.1 grams of crack cocaine, a baggie that contained marijuana, and approximately $3,512 in cash.
In another bedroom, officers found a Ruger .22-caliber pistol on a shelf.
In another bedroom, officers found a Smith and Wesson AR-15 style assault rifle in the closet and a safe that contained $175,100 in cash and a Ruger revolver that had previously been reported as stolen.
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 Trey Alford. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Three Russian Men, One U.S. Citizen Indicted for $11 Million Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Russian men and a naturalized U.S. citizen have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to use stolen identities to file thousands of fraudulent tax returns and send much of the illegal proceeds to their co-conspirators in Russia.
Alexander Pavlov, 37, and Dmitrii Shenke, 35, citizens and residents of Russia; Anton Vikharev, 29, a citizen of Russia; and Stanuslav Lukyantsev, 34, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Kyrgyzstan residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged in a 25-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 23, 2021. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearance of Lukyantsev in Philadelphia. Vikharev was arrested in Canada on June 4, 2021.
The federal indictment alleges that all four defendants participated in a conspiracy to defraud the United States by filing fraudulent federal income tax returns using stolen identities. The tax returns claimed fraudulent refunds, the indictment says, which were deposited into accounts controlled by the conspirators at several banks in the United States. Co-conspirators allegedly withdrew the proceeds of their fraudulent scheme in cash from ATMs, then deposited the cash into other bank accounts. They allegedly wire transferred much of the money to Pavlov, Shenke, and Vikharev in Russia.
According to the indictment, co-conspirators filed 7,167 false and fraudulent tax returns for the tax years 2011 to 2016. The returns claimed $11,178,361 in fraudulent refunds. The Internal Revenue Service paid at least $2,020,569 in fraudulent tax refunds, of which conspirators wire transferred at least $1,411,082 to bank accounts in Russia.
In addition to the conspiracy, the indictment charges various defendants in 19 counts of wire fraud and five 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. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Independence Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri man who fled from law enforcement officers several times on a four-wheeler was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Cody R. Wilkins, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to eight years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 22, 2020, Wilkins pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Wilkins was identified as a drug dealer in February 2019 and law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence. Officers found a stolen, loaded Springfield Armory handgun, marijuana, pills, pipes, and methamphetamine in his bedroom.
After he was indicted by the federal grand jury in this case, law enforcement officers made several attempts to arrest Wilkins on the existing warrant. In each attempt, according to court documents, Wilkins fled in a dangerous manner.
On Sept. 19, 2019, after officers attempted to arrest him, he failed to stop the four-wheeler he was driving and fled at a high rate of speed off a roadway and down a walking path. Officers used a drone to follow him, but even the drone could not keep up with Wilkins given the speed he was traveling. On Sept. 23, 2019, officers again attempted to arrest Wilkins while he was a passenger in a truck. Instead of stopping, the vehicle fled the scene and the pursuit was terminated due to safety concerns. Later that day, Wilkins was spotted driving the four-wheeler and officers again attempted to stop him, but he fled. Wilkins eluded capture by traveling at a high rate of speed on public streets and through a city park.
On Sept. 27, 2019, officers again attempted to stop Wilkins while he was on the four-wheeler. A law enforcement helicopter assisted the officers on the ground as they attempted to locate him. During the pursuit, Wilkins refused to stop and continued fleeing, driving at a high rate of speed into opposing lanes of traffic. He entered a cemetery, where he lost control of the four-wheeler and was thrown from it. Wilkins then fled on foot and entered a nearby apartment building, where he broke into an occupied unit. The residents notified law enforcement that Wilkins had broken into their apartment. Officers responded to the unit and Wilkins attempted to close the door to prevent officers from arresting him, however, officers were able to enter the apartment and arrest Wilkins. During the pursuit, a local high school in the area had to be placed on lockdown for safety concerns.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Wilkins has a significant criminal history. Wilkins was arrested 32 different times between 2011 and 2019, which resulted in five felony convictions and 14 misdemeanor convictions. Wilkins’s felony convictions include tampering with a motor vehicle, two convictions for possession of a controlled substance, and two convictions for aggravated stalking. In the aggravating stalking cases, he threatened law enforcement officers’ lives on multiple occasions. Wilkins’s misdemeanor convictions include domestic assault, resisting arrest, traffic violations, possession of a controlled substance, careless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident. The misdemeanor domestic assault conviction resulted from a violent attack on his girlfriend where he grabbed, struck, and threw her down multiple times.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Moeder. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
KC Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Metro-area Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the armed robberies of eight metropolitan-area businesses during the summer of 2017.
Calvin C. Wallace, III, 30, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 20 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 9, 2020, Wallace pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, seven counts of robbery, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Wallace admitted that he engaged in a conspiracy to commit robberies at eight Kansas City metropolitan area businesses from June 29 to Aug. 3, 2017. The total loss over the month and a half was approximately $24,511. After the stolen iPhones and iPad were recovered, the court today ordered Wallace to pay $1,917 in restitution.
Wallace robbed Tobacco Outlet, 5020 Parvin Road in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint on June 29, 2017. Wallace took money, scales, a torch, tobacco wraps and boxes of cigarettes.
Wallace robbed (or attempted to rob) two businesses on July 24, 2017. Wallace attempted to rob GNC, 2682 N.E. Vivion Road in Kansas City, Mo., at knifepoint. Wallace robbed Conoco Minit Mart, 8100 Westridge Road in Raytown, Mo., at gunpoint.
On July 27, 2017, Wallace robbed Cosmo Prof, 5526 N. Antioch Road in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint.
Wallace robbed another Cosmo Prof, 9429 Mission Road in Leawood, Kan., at gunpoint on July 28, 2017. Wallace demanded that the clerk give him her ring, but she refused. The clerk opened two cash registers while Wallace pointed a firearm at her, and he took money from those registers, as well as a pair of hair clippers. Wallace demanded that the clerk go into the back of the store or he would shoot her.
Wallace robbed Circle K, 909 N.W. Chipman Road in Lee’s Summit, Mo., at gunpoint on Aug. 1, 2017. Wallace stole money and cartons of cigarettes.
Wallace attempted to rob Shell, 5401 Northwest 64th Street in Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint on Aug. 2, 2017.
Wallace robbed AT&T, 303 South Commercial Street in Harrisonville, Mo., at gunpoint on Aug. 3, 2017. Wallace stole money, 29 iPhones and an iPad.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Raytown, Mo., Police Department, the Leawood, Kan., Police Department, the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Harrisonville, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Belton, Mo., Police Department.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Honduran national who led police on a high-speed chase after threatening to shoot one victim and carjacking another, has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Jose Arevalo-Inestroza, 29, of Kansas City, Missouri, a Honduran national who is illegally in the United States, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, June 2, to five years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 8, 2020, Arevalo-Inestroza pleaded guilty to being an alien in possession of a firearm. Arevalo-Inestroza, who entered the United States illegally from Honduras, admitted that he was in possession of a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
According to court documents, Arevalo-Inestroza and another person, both armed, threatened an employee at T&F Auto, 9701 Independence Ave., Kansas City, Mo. The employee told police the two men asked about a vehicle he had just finished working on, which they claimed belonged to one of their friends. He told them they couldn’t take the vehicle since it did not belong to them, and the battery was not working. Arevalo-Inestroza pulled out a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the employee, and said, “Do you think I’m a clown? Guess what? I’m gonna kill you!” The employee put his hands up, and the second man appeared with a rifle and ordered him to turn around. The employee heard three gunshots from behind, which a witness later explained as Arevalo-Inestroza firing the shots into the ground near the employee.
The two men fled with Arevalo-Inestroza driving a white van. Police officers located the van at 8501 Winner Road in Kansas City, and pulled it over. When they got out of the van, Arevalo-Inestroza fled on foot and the other man resisted arrest. Officers found a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic handgun next to the driver’s seat and a loaded .22-caliber rifle under the front passenger seat.
As Arevalo-Inestroza fled from the police officers, he carjacked a white pick-up truck. When officers attempted to stop the truck, Arevalo-Inestroza fled at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour, and nearly struck at least one vehicle while weaving in and out of traffic. He abandoned the truck at I-435 and 40 Highway and again fled on foot, at which point officers arrested him.
Arevalo-Inestroza was charged in Jackson County, Mo., with unlawful use of a weapon related to these events. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 20, 2020, was sentenced to a four-year suspended execution of sentence and was released to Immigration and Customs Enforcement on an immigration detainer.
Arevalo-Inestroza first entered the United States illegally in November 2006. After serving a 30-day sentence for the misdemeanor convictions of theft and criminal damage to property in Wyandotte County, Kansas, he was deported from the United States on May 17, 2018. He illegally reentered the United States sometime thereafter.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth Trafficking, Discharging FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A St. Louis, Missouri, man who shot a law enforcement officer before shooting himself was sentenced in federal court today for drug trafficking and illegally discharging a firearm in Joplin, Mo.
E.F. Fitchpatrick, Jr., 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court sentenced Fitchpatrick to 350 months in prison, but gave him credit for the 50 months that he has already served in state custody in connection with a related offense, resulting in a sentence of 300 months (25 years) in prison. Fitchpatrick was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On June 10, 2020, Fitchpatrick pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of discharging a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. Fitchpatrick admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine from Feb. 18 to March 1, 2017. Fitchpatrick, who had been released from federal prison a few months earlier, was traveling back and forth to Texas to pick up methamphetamine in the weeks before his arrest. He picked up nearly a pound of methamphetamine in February 2017, which he distributed to several individuals in Joplin.
On March 1, 2107, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Econolodge Inn and Suites at 3510 S. Rangeline Road in Joplin. After several failed attempts to open the room door with the hotel key card, officers attempted to ram the door, but were not able to get the door open. An Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team (ODET) detective used the battering ram to knock out the hotel room window. Another ODET detective reached in the window to move the curtain, and Fitchpatrick, who was standing in the bathroom doorway, shot the detective in the left side of his body before retreating to the bathroom and barricading himself inside.
Joplin police officers, utilizing a robot, were able to see that the bathroom door was closed with towels stuffed at the bottom of the door. After a couple of hours and numerous attempts and tactics, Fitchpatrick was taken into custody. Fitchpatrick had flushed the remaining drugs and shot himself in the face while barricaded inside the bathroom.
Inside the hotel room, officers found the Hi-Point .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun used in the shooting, drug paraphernalia, and items with methamphetamine residue.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Sarff. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
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.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man who illegally possessed nine firearms has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene and Cass counties.
Christopher M. Iavolo, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Tuesday, June 1, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
By pleading guilty, Iavolo admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from May 10 to Nov. 8, 2018. During the conspiracy, Iavolo received methamphetamine from a co-defendant who made multiple trips to Texas to acquire kilogram-level quantities. Iavolo then distributed methamphetamine to others.
On Nov. 6, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Iavolo’s residence. Iavolo had a loaded Beretta .32-caliber semi-automatic pistol tucked inside the back of his pants. When officers searched a bedroom, they found a Masterpiece Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended high capacity magazine in between the bed’s box spring and mattress. Underneath the bed, they found a loaded HK .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle, a loaded Romarm 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and a rifle case that contained two loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic handguns, a loaded Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a loaded Star .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a loaded Jennings 9mm semi-automatic pistol, numerous handgun magazines, ammunition, a large knife, a rifle scope, and handgun holsters.
Officers also found a safe inside the bedroom closet that contained 33.37 grams of methamphetamine. The bag appeared as if there was once much more methamphetamine inside of it based upon the amount of residue. There was also a metal scoop inside the bag.
Iavolo told officers he traded methamphetamine for most of the firearms. Iavolo admitted to selling three to five ounces of methamphetamine each week for the past several months.
Co-defendants CMichael D. Johnson, 53, and Xlyona M. Sharp, 37, have also pleaded guilty.
Under federal statutes, Iavolo is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Sarff. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Pleasant Hill, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Sentenced for Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing a stolen firearm.
Donte Hardy, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years and four months in federal prison without parole.
On April 23, 2021, Hardy pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen firearm.
Hardy was arrested on Jan. 23, 2017, following a traffic stop after Kansas City police officers saw him driving a car they believed might be stolen. Hardy initially accelerated, reaching speeds up to 85 miles per hour, but was eventually stopped. Hardy, who was driving with a suspended license, was on state supervision for distributing a controlled substance.
Hardy had $884 in his pocket. When officers searched the vehicle they found three plastic bags that contained a total of 165 grams of marijuana, a bag that contained cocaine, a bag that contained approximately 60 pills (including methamphetamine), and a loaded Beretta .40-caliber pistol. The pistol had been purchased from a firearms dealer in Pennsylvania in 2013 by another person, and Hardy admitted that he knew it was stolen.
Hardy has two prior felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance, a prior felony conviction for possessing a controlled substance, and prior felony conviction for illegally possessing a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Charged with Arson of Apartment BuildingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was charged in federal court today with setting the arson fire of an apartment building in which several residents were injured.
Rodney Boyles, 35, was charged with one count of arson in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Boyles remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, a fire was reported at 1102-1104 Benton Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., at approximately 12:33 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2021. The four-story brick apartment building was occupied at the time of the fire. Three occupants of the apartment building sustained serious injuries because of the fire and were transported to the hospital for treatment. The building sustained significant fire damage on all four floors of the structure.
Fire investigators determined the fire had been intentionally set. One of the residents of the apartment building told investigators that Boyles had been staying in one of the apartments with his girlfriend and her son. Investigators interviewed Boyles on Thursday, May 27, and arrested him.
Investigators interviewed several victims of the arson. One resident, identified in court documents as “TN,” exited her third-floor apartment using the interior stairwell. She recalled the smoke being so thick in the interior stairwell that she could not see her hand in front of her face. She was transported to the hospital, where she was intubated for approximately nine days while being treated for smoke inhalation injuries she sustained from the fire.
Another resident, identified in court documents as “BF,” was asleep in the living room when he woke up and smelled smoke. He passed out in the apartment and was rescued by firefighters. He was treated at the hospital for partial thickness burns to his face, acute respiratory failure with hypoxia, carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning, pneumonia, and volume overload. He was placed in a medically induced coma during his hospitalization.
Two residents, identified in court documents as “RF” and “NF,” were forced by heavy smoke to exit their apartment through a front window that provided access onto a second-floor overhang so they could jump to safety. RF broke his wrist and ankle after jumping onto the ground below; he was hospitalized for 14 days as a result of his injuries.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Former Contract Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Stealing MailRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former contractor working for the U.S. Postal Service pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to steal gift cards from the mail.
Tyrone V. Read Jr., 27, of Warrensburg, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of conspiracy to possess stolen mail matter.-
Read was employed as a driver for the trucking company that held the contract to transport mail to and from post offices in Grain Valley, Oak Grove, Odessa, and Concordia, Mo.
By pleading guilty today, Read admitted that he stole $1,820 in cash and gift cards from the mail of 30 postal customers between Dec. 1, 2019, and May 6, 2020. Read gave the stolen gift cards to his girlfriend, co-defendant Kerry K. Swisher, 35, of Warrensburg. Swisher, who pleaded guilty to possessing stolen mail matter, used gift cards to make purchases at various locations for things such as meals, groceries, and gas.
Under federal statutes, Read and Swisher are each subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Swisher is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2021. Read’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Clinton, Missouri, man who was identified and arrested on the same day he shared live video and images of his sexual assault of a toddler with an undercover officer was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography.
Gino Alexander Maiorano, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Maiorano to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
On June 23, 2020, Maiorano pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. Maiorano admitted that he used a 2-year-old victim to produce child pornography on April 12, 2019.
An FBI task force officer in Washington, D.C., acting in an undercover capacity, communicated with Maiorano in an online Kik chat group in April 2019. Maiorano sent two sexually explicit photos and a video of the child victim to the undercover officer on April 12, 2019. The photos and video were shot live during the time Maiorano was chatting with the undercover officer. Investigators immediately began working to identify Maiorano and rescue the child victim.
Emergency disclosure requests were sent to Kik, which led to the identification of a family member of Maiorano. Investigators searching social media accounts found a photograph of a kitchen area that matched the kitchen area depicted in a photograph sent by Maiorano to the undercover agent. Another emergency query to Maiorano’s cell phone provider indicated he had been using his phone at the time he sent the video and images of child pornography to the undercover agent.
Officers arrested Maiorano at his residence on the same day. Officers seized his phone, which contained another video of child pornography involving a different child victim.
This case was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore and Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the FBI, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the Clinton, 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."
Raytown Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms.
Victor Rodriguez Kessel, 65, a Cuban national, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Kessel to forfeit to the government $82,213 that was seized by law enforcement and his residential property, which he maintained for the purpose of manufacturing or distributing illegal drugs.
On Dec. 5, 2019, Kessel was found guilty at trial of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, attempting to manufacture crack cocaine, possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the time of his arrest, Kessel possessed three firearms, 62.21 grams of crack cocaine, 404.44 grams of cocaine, 456.8 grams of marijuana, and $82,213 (an additional $10,000 had been interdicted by postal inspectors and seized prior to his arrest).
On July 18, 2017, a federal postal inspector identified a suspicious parcel at the Kansas City, Missouri, Postal Processing and Distribution Center. The 15-ounce parcel was addressed to Kessel’s address, but under a different name. The return address in Tucson, Arizona, also did not correctly identify the sender of the parcel. A police canine alerted to the presence of illegal drugs inside the parcel.
Later the same day, law enforcement officers delivered the parcel to Kessel’s residence. Kessel, who had a loaded Glock 10mm pistol in his waistband, told officers he didn’t recognize the name on the parcel. Kessel gave consent to open the parcel, which contained approximately 274.23 grams of powder cocaine. After Kessel gave consent to search his residence, officers found a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver in the bedroom. Officers also found a purse that contained approximately 156.89 grams of powder cocaine. Officers found approximately 5.36 grams of crack cocaine in the living room and kitchen area, and approximately 304.74 grams of marijuana.
After Kessel withdrew his consent, officers obtained a search warrant for Kessel’s residence and additionally found approximately 3.4 grams of powder cocaine, 74 grams of crack cocaine, and 157.6 grams of marijuana. Officers found a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun under the couch in the living room area. Approximately $5,000 was found in a black bag hidden behind the headboard in the master bedroom.
Officers also found approximately $75,000 in a locked shed in the backyard, which was designed to be a marijuana grow house.
In the course of the investigation, the inspector learned that a parcel containing $10,000 associated with Kessel’s address recently had been mailed to Tucson.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Kessel has nine prior felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction for distributing crack cocaine, for which he served 14 years and 10 months in federal prison. That offense involved the sale of crack cocaine on six separate occasions and the recovery of four firearms and approximately 848.91 grams of crack cocaine following a search of his home. Kessel also has three prior felony convictions for burglary, three prior felony convictions for grand theft, and two prior felony convictions for carrying a concealed firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Newton County Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Leading Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Stella, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in southwestern Missouri.
Nathen D. Libertus, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 21 years in federal prison without parole.
On May 20, 2020, Libertus pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Newton County and Barry County, Mo., from April 30, 2017, to Jan. 20, 2019. According to court documents, Libertus is an affiliate of the Southwest Honkys, a violent prison gang, who has fled from law enforcement officers on several occasions.
A McDonald County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy was passed by a vehicle on West 76 Highway on Nov 10, 2017. The black Cadillac CTS appeared to have something dragging off the back of the vehicle, causing sparks on the roadway. As the deputy attempted to get behind the vehicle, it sped off and nearly spun out. The deputy initiated his emergency lights and the vehicle, which was being driven by a woman (not identified in court documents) with arrest warrants, was stopped. The deputy searched the vehicle and found a plastic bag that contained approximately 332.74 grams of methamphetamine and a total of $6,952 in cash. Inside the bag with the methamphetamine and cash was a wallet with Libertus’s driver’s license.
On March 29, 2018, a sergeant with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department responded to an address in reference to a suspicious vehicle. Once he got there, he saw a grey/silver colored Chevrolet Camaro with Oklahoma plates in the driveway. He pulled in behind the vehicle and approached, knocking on the window and the roof to get Libertus, the driver, to exit. Libertus refused to do so and instead started the vehicle and attempted to flee by driving through the yard. The vehicle got stuck on some shrubbery, a fence, and a cinderblock, and Libertus was unable to go any farther. Libertus bailed out of the vehicle and ran west through the woods with officers in pursuit. After a quarter-mile foot chase, Libertus came to a stop but had to be tased before he could be taken into custody. Officers searched Libertus and found approximately $4,430 in his pants pockets. Officers found another $1,591 in the vehicle, along with a scale that tested positive for methamphetamine, a glass bong, two cell phones, and other drug paraphernalia.
On April 9, 2018, investigators saw Libertus and the woman from the Nov. 10, 2017, arrest arrive together in a Chrysler 300 at a Newton County residence where they were about to execute a search warrant. The Chrysler pulled into the driveway, maneuvered around several parked vehicles, and continued about 100 yards into a wooded area immediately south of the residence. Libertus and two others attempted to conceal the Chrysler 300, which has been reported stolen, with tarps. When officers arrived, Libertus ran into the wooded area. As a Newton County detective arrived, he saw Libertus spring from the east side of the street and start running down the street. The detective drove toward him. Libertus then tried to cut back onto the property, however, there was a steep hillside and he was unable to make it up the hill. He turned around and ran across the street and into the driveway. He tried to shut the cattle gate so the detective couldn’t follow him in his vehicle, but was unable to, then attempted to run again. He tripped on some shrubbery, got up, tried to run, and then tripped on some more shrubbery and fell down again. The detective was then able to take him into custody. Libertus had $1,240 in his wallet and a key to the Chrysler 300 in his pocket.
The detective found a hollowed out railroad tie near the vehicle. Inside was a camouflage box that contained a Ziploc bag of approximately 396 grams of methamphetamine, a used methamphetamine pipe, several distribution bags with methamphetamine residue in them, a bag of suspected marijuana, several bags of suspected synthetic marijuana, and a digital scale with suspected methamphetamine residue. Another detective found a hollowed-out log nearby that contained a black box with approximately two grams of methamphetamine.
On Sept. 4, 2018, a man in Newton County called emergency services after finding Libertus passed out behind the wheel in the middle of the roadway. A Newton County deputy attempted to wake Libertus several times; he finally started awake and said “I don’t have any money.” Libertus denied consent to search the vehicle, but one of the deputies saw a green and yellow bong between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s front seat. A detective went to seize the bong and noticed a black metal combination safe. The detective picked up the safe and it fell open, revealing numerous jewelry bags commonly used to package drugs as well as bags containing methamphetamine residue, gel caps, a set of digital scales with methamphetamine residue on them, and a bag containing more than 30 grams of methamphetamine. Libertus had approximately $1,245 in his pocket.
On Jan. 20, 2019, Libertus was again passed out in his vehicle. He fled from police after being asked to step out of the vehicle. The pursuit lasted an hour and ended only after the Missouri State Highway Patrol threw down a spike strip. When the vehicle finally stopped, officers found nearly three pounds of methamphetamine strewn about the vehicle other drugs, and cash. In phone calls made after his arrest, Libertus tried to persuade his friends to burn up his truck.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the FBI, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, and the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
KCK Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 2,600 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man who was a leader of a $56 million criminal enterprise was sentenced in federal court today for his role in the conspiracy that distributed more than 2,600 kilograms of cocaine in the metropolitan area.
Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, also known as “Uncle” or “Rambo,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Armendariz-Rascon to forfeit to the government more than $56 million, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.
On Jan. 22, 2020, Armendariz-Rascon pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to money laundering. Armendariz-Rascon admitted that he purchased and distributed 10 to 15 kilograms of powder cocaine per week for a period of about four years.
Armendariz-Rascon was in charge of coordinating the transportation of loads of cocaine from the El Paso, Texas, area to the Kansas City metropolitan area for distribution. Armendariz-Rascon would then coordinate the collection of bulk cash that was sent back to El Paso as payment for the cocaine.
Armendariz-Rascon is among 13 defendants convicted in this case, of whom 12 have now been sentenced. Howard Christopher Walters, also known as “Chris,” 43, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was sentenced on April 21, 2021, to 25 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Co-defendant Otilio Zaragoza-Navarrette, 64, of El Paso, delivered cocaine to Jose Armendariz-Rascon as well as to co-defendants Miguel Armendariz-Rascon, 33, a citizen of Mexico residing in Olathe, Kan., and Jesus Salvador Campoy-Estrada, also known as “Chava” and “Chavita,” 26, of Kansas City, Kan. Zaragoza-Navarrette and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Campoy-Estrada pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Zaragoza-Navarette also transported illicit drug proceeds from the drug-trafficking organization back to Texas and/or to Mexico. Zaragoza-Navarrette hid the cocaine and/or the cash proceeds inside of five-gallon gas cans and anti-freeze jugs on his commercial semi-tractor trailer.
In one instance, law enforcement officers seized nearly $500,000 from Zaragoza-Navarrette, who was transferring the illicit drug proceeds in an operation orchestrated by Armendariz-Rascon. On May 21, 2017, investigators were conducting surveillance at a residence in the 4700 block of North Mulberry Court in Kansas City as Campoy-Estrada was driving a white Chevrolet van with Miguel Armendariz-Rascon in the passenger’s seat. Investigators followed the van as it proceeded to the area of Candlewood Suites, 4450 Randolph Road, Kansas City, and pulled onto Corrington Road on the west side of Candlewood Suites. The van parked in front of a diesel tractor-trailer. Campoy-Estrada carried a white plastic jug from the van to the passenger side of the tractor-trailer. Campoy-Estrada then returned to the van with a red plastic gas can and placed the gas can into the rear of the van. Campoy-Estrada and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon then left the area.
Law enforcement officers continued to surveil the tractor-trailer, being driven by Zaragoza-Navarrette, as it left the Candlewood Suites and began to drive northbound on I-35. The Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of the tractor-trailer at mile marker 68. Troopers searched the vehicle and found a red five-gallon plastic gas can and two white plastic jugs that contained a total of $491,211.
A confidential source has indicated the drug-trafficking organization purchased cocaine for approximately $27,000 to $27,500 per kilogram. Accordingly, $491,211 in illicit drug proceeds would convert to between 15 and 19 kilograms of powder cocaine.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department.
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.
FBI Employee Indicted for Illegally Removing National Security Documents, Taking Material to Her HomeRead the Press Release
Note: A full copy of the indictment can be viewed
here.WASHINGTON – An employee of the FBI’s Kansas City Division has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally removing numerous national security documents that were found in her home.
Kendra Kingsbury, 48, of Dodge City, Kansas, was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Tuesday, May 18. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Kingsbury’s arrest and initial court appearance in the District of Kansas.
“As an intelligence analyst for the FBI, the defendant was entrusted with access to sensitive government materials," said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Kingsbury is alleged to have violated our nation’s trust by stealing and retaining classified documents in her home for years. Insider threats are a significant danger to our national security, and we will continue to work relentlessly to identify, pursue and prosecute individuals who pose such a threat.”
“The breadth and depth of classified national security information retained by the defendant for more than a decade is simply astonishing,” said Alan E. Kohler, Jr. Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The defendant, who's well trained in handling classified information, put her country’s sensitive secrets at risk. The FBI will go to great lengths to investigate individuals who put their own interests above U.S. national security, including when the individual is an FBI employee.”
“Our community’s safety and our nation’s security were jeopardized by this criminal behavior,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore for the Western District of Missouri. “Those entrusted with such grave responsibility must be held accountable if they violate their oath and betray their country. I appreciate the diligence and professionalism with which the FBI thoroughly investigated one of their own and brought the perpetrator to justice.”
“Every FBI employee swears to support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy Langan of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “With that oath comes the obligation to protect classified information from unauthorized disclosure to safeguard our national security. Kingsbury’s actions are a betrayal of trust not only to the FBI but also the American people. They can be reassured that the FBI takes any and all allegations of wrongdoing by employees with the utmost gravity and remain committed to investigating these allegations to the fullest extent.”
The federal indictment alleges that Kingsbury improperly removed sensitive government materials – including national defense information and classified documents – from June 2004 to Dec. 15, 2017. Kingsbury allegedly retained these materials in her personal residence.
Kingsbury worked as an intelligence analyst for more than 12 years in the Kansas City Division of the FBI, until she was placed on suspension in December 2017. She was assigned to several different FBI squads during that time, including squads that focused on illegal drug trafficking, violent crime, violent gangs, and counterintelligence. Kingsbury, who held a top secret security clearance, had access to national defense and classified information.
The federal indictment charges Kingsbury with two counts of having unauthorized possession of documents relating to the national defense.
Count one of the federal indictment relates to numerous documents classified at the secret level that describe intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts to defend against counterterrorism, counterintelligence and cyber threats. The documents include details on the FBI’s nationwide objectives and priorities, including specific open investigations across multiple field offices. In addition, there are 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.
Count two of the federal indictment relates to numerous documents classified at the secret level that describe intelligence sources and methods related to U.S. government efforts to collect intelligence on terrorist groups. The documents include information about al Qaeda members on the African continent, including a suspected associate of Usama bin Laden. In addition, there are documents regarding the activities of emerging terrorists and their efforts to establish themselves in support of al Qaeda in Africa.
According to the indictment, Kingsbury was not authorized to remove and retain these sensitive government materials, nor did she have a need to know most, if not all, of the information contained in those materials. Kingsbury knew the unauthorized removal of classified materials and transportation and storage of those materials in unauthorized locations risked disclosure and transmission of those materials, and therefore could endanger the national security of the United States and the safety of its citizens. She also knew that violating the rules governing the handling of classified information could result in criminal prosecution.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and David Raskin in the Western District of Missouri, with the assistance of DOJ Trial Attorney Scott Claffee with the Counterintelligence & Export Control Section of the National Security Division. It was investigated by the FBI Field Office in Omaha, Nebraska.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in which he sold more than 14 kilograms of methamphetamine and 30 firearms to an undercover federal agent.
Jose Alvarado, 28, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Aug. 15 to Dec. 4, 2019, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
By pleading guilty today, Alvarado admitted that he met with an undercover federal agent on six separate occasions and sold the undercover agent a total of approximately 471 grams of methamphetamine and 30 firearms. The undercover agent offered to purchase a Springfield Armory 9mm handgun on Oct. 23, 2019, but Alvarado declined to sell the firearm. Alvarado explained that it was his personal firearm he used to defend himself and his residence.
Alvarado agreed to sell a larger quantity of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. On Dec. 4, 2019, Alvarado and the undercover agent met at Alvarado’s residence. Co-defendant Victor Gomez-Rendon, 30, a citizen of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., arrived at the residence and delivered 14 kilograms of methamphetamine. Alvarado and Gomez-Rendon were arrested. The Springfield Armory 9mm handgun was found in Alvarado’s bedroom.
Gomez-Rendon has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Alvarado 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. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Washington Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexually Assaulting a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Renton, Washington, man was sentenced in federal court today for traveling to Missouri to sexually assault a child victim.
Timothy Smith, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Smith to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
On Nov. 9, 2020, Smith pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
The investigation began in April 2018 when the child victim disclosed to a friend that she had been sexually victimized by Smith. This information -was conveyed to a school counselor, who notified the Missouri Department of Social Services. The child victim reported that Smith had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions between the ages of five and 12. These assaults took place when he traveled from Washington to Missouri, both on the premises of Fort Leonard Wood and at a Missouri residence.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
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."
Southwest Honkys Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Fair Grove, Missouri, man who is a member of the Southwest Honkys violent prison gang was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy in which investigators intercepted a shipment of nearly 9.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
William F. Jones, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
On May 21, 2020, Jones pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Christian County, Greene County, and Polk County, Missouri, from Dec. 21, 2016, to Oct. 15, 2017.
Jones was identified as a high-level member of the Southwest Honkys prison gang who had declined a top leadership role.
Jones, under the surveillance of law enforcement, drove to the Kansas City, Missouri area on Oct. 11, 2017, and checked into an Independence, Mo., hotel. A few days later, co-defendant Justin L. Rhoads, 33, of Lebanon, Mo., met Jones in the hotel’s parking lot. They put a large duffel bag in the cab of Rhoads’s pickup truck, and he left the parking lot. Rhoads was later stopped by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on Missouri Highway 13, just south of Humansville, Mo. The trooper searched Rhoads’s vehicle and found 10 Ziploc-style plastic bags inside the duffel bag that contained a total of approximately 9,439 grams of methamphetamine, which was determined to be at least 93 percent pure.
Rhoads pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Jan. 21, 2021, to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Combined Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team, the Greene County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol,
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
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.
Task Force Releases Child-Focused Video to Combat Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative operated locally by a community task force, released a public service video today to bring attention to combating violent crime. Today’s video emphasizes that, among 751 people who have been murdered in Kansas City, Missouri, in the last five years, 28 victims have been children.
“Violent crime takes a terrible toll on the families who are directly impacted and on the wider community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “The toll is heaviest when children are victims of violence. By focusing on children, this public service video underscores the need for our community to work together for safer neighborhoods.
“The Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force hopes that this video will be widely seen and shared over social media, and will inspire its viewers to action against violent crime,” Moore added, “because every kid deserves to be a kid.”
The public service video can be viewed online at:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/video/project-safe-neighborhoods
The video will also be promoted through the social media accounts of task force members.
“The unacceptable level of violence in our city is hurting our children and so many others,” said Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith. “We work closely with federal and community partners to hold accountable those who carry out violent acts. Every Kansas Citian - especially children - deserves to feel safe.”
“Every person should be able to live where they feel safe and free from harm and our children deserve to have the opportunity to grow, learn and play without fear of violence,” said Timothy Langan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Kansas City Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to working together to combat violent crime, to protect our community, protect our children and protect our future.”
“Our children deserve safe streets, parks and playgrounds, free from the constant threat of gun fire,” said Frederic Winston, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kansas City Field Division. “While every day, ATF uses our expertise to battle gun violence, it is only with the community’s help that law enforcement can make every neighborhood a safer place to live, work and play.”
Today’s public service video promotes the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline. The anonymous TIPS Hotline is operated by the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission, a member of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and the fiscal agent to channel federal funding for the public service video and other initiatives of Project Safe Neighborhoods.
“Since the inception of the TIPS Hotline, over 159,250 anonymous tips have been taken by our program and more than $1.5 million in cash rewards paid,” said Barry Mayer, vice president of the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission. “Tips have resulted in over 11,450 felony arrests, 25,462 cases cleared, $36,555,571 in recovered property and narcotics, 3,899 fugitives arrested, and 1,848 firearms recovered.
“Our program is credited with 662 solved homicides,” Mayer added. “Included in that is 20 homicides in Kansas City, Mo., that have been solved since we increased our KCMO homicide reward to $25,000 on June 21, 2019.”
Tips can be submitted 24/7 via phone (816-474-8477), mobile app and web at www.KCCrimestoppers.com. Tips are completely anonymous. The identity of a tipster has never been discovered. Rewards are also paid completely anonymously.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a Department of Justice initiative that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement with community partners to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
In addition to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, members of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force include the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, and the Independence Police Department. Federal partners on the task force include the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Cattle Fraud Scheme Resulted in Two MurdersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Braymer, Missouri, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a $215,000 cattle fraud scheme that he attempted to cover up by murdering two Wisconsin brothers.
Garland Joseph Nelson, 27, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.
The indictment charges Nelson with one count of mail fraud for a scheme in which he allegedly shot and killed two men whom he had defrauded of $215,000 in a cattle contract. Nelson has been charged with two counts of murder in a separate state case that is scheduled for trial in June 2022.
According to the indictment, Nelson – an employee of J4s Farm Enterprises, Inc., a business started by his mother – agreed to care for cattle belonging to Diemel’s Livestock, LLC, located in Shawano County, Wisconsin. Nicholas and Justin Diemel were principals in Diemel’s Livestock, which invested and traded in cattle and other livestock. Nelson agreed to feed and pasture the cattle, then sell the cattle and send Diemel’s Livestock the proceeds (minus the costs of raising the cattle).
The Diemels sent several loads of cattle to Nelson from November 2018 through April 2019. Nelson sold some loads of cattle and paid the Diemels. However, Nelson allegedly sold, traded, and/or killed many of the Diemels’s cattle without remitting the payments to the Diemels. Nelson continued to fraudulently bill the Diemels for feed and yardage for cattle that had been sold, traded, or had died.
Nelson, the indictment says, did not properly care for cattle due to incompetence, neglect, or maltreatment. Cattle entrusted to Nelson had high death rates dues to underfeeding, neglect, and/or maltreatment. Nelson fed cattle inadequately and poorly. For example, he dropped hay bales in a pasture for calves but did not remove the plastic covering so that calves ate the plastic and died. In another example, in December 2018, Nelson was entrusted with feeding and caring for 131 calves he co-owned with a Kansas farmer. On May 23, 2019, Nelson dropped off 35 calves at the co-owner’s farm in Kansas, apparently all that survived of the 131. Of the surviving 35 calves, many were emaciated and had ringworm. Some calves had their ears torn as though identifying ear tags had been removed.
Throughout the spring of 2019, Nicholas Diemel pressed Nelson for payment for his cattle. He sent no more loads of cattle to Nelson while he awaited his payment.
To deprive the Diemels of their cattle or their money and to prevent them from recovering either their cattle or their money, in June 2019 Nelson fraudulently sent the Diemels a bad check for $215,936 while the account had a balance of 21 cents. The check had been intentionally torn and damaged so that it could not be submitted for payment.
Nicholas Diemel determined to come to Missouri to retrieve his money. On July 17, 2019, Nicholas Diemel bought two round-trip airline tickets from Milwaukee to Kansas City. On July 20, 2019, Nicholas and Justin Diemel arrived in Kansas City and rented a pickup truck from Budget.
On July 21, 2019, the Diemels drove their rental truck to Nelson’s mother’s farm in Braymer, the indictment alleges, where Nelson killed them both and attempted to dispose of their bodies.
Today’s indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Nelson to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged fraud scheme, including $215,936.
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 Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Caldwell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bourbon County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Nation Pays Tribute to Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
“National Police Week provides an opportunity to express our gratitude and to honor the memories of law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their community,” Moore said. “Tragically, four officers in the Western District of Missouri lost their lives in the line of duty in 2021. They will not be forgotten, and their sacrifice was not in vain. Their unflinching dedication reminds us that our law enforcement partners often face uncertain and dangerous situations with bravery and without hesitation.”
“This week is a time to honor our law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am constantly inspired by the extraordinary courage and dedication with which members of law enforcement act each day, putting their lives on the line to make our communities safer. To members of law enforcement and your families: we know that not a single day, nor a single week, is enough to recognize your service and sacrifice. On behalf of the entire Department of Justice, you have our unwavering support and eternal gratitude.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.
During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60 percent succumbed to COVID-19.
Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.
Here in the Western District of Missouri, four officers died in the line of duty in 2021. Officer Chris Walsh of the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, was fatally shot on March 16, 2021. Sheriff Andy Clark of the DeKalb County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department was killed in a traffic crash on June 3, 2021. Detention Officer Dwight Willis of the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department died from COVID-19 on Nov. 22, 2021. Officer Kendle Blackburn of the Lebanon, Mo., Police Department died from COVID-19 on Dec. 28, 2021.
The names of the 394 fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Thursday, May 13, 2021, during a Virtual Candlelight Vigil, which will be livestreamed to the public at 7 p.m. The Police Week in-person public events, originally scheduled for May, have been rescheduled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns to Oct. 13-17, 2021. An in-person Candlelight Vigil event is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2021.
Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2021, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.
To learn more about National Police Week in-person events scheduled for October, please visit www.policeweek.org.
Fulton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for transporting child pornography over the internet.
Kevin Michael Downey, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Downey to pay a total of $30,000 in restitution to 10 of his victims.
On Nov. 3, 2020, Downey pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography. Downey admitted that he uploaded child pornography to his online Dropbox account. Downey was employed as a corrections officer at the Boone County Jail at the time of the offense.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Department received a CyberTip on Aug. 2, 2019, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, based upon a complaint from Dropbox that Downey had uploaded videos and images of child pornography. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Downey’s residence on Nov. 27, 2019, and arrested Downey on state charges, which were dismissed following the return of the federal indictment. He was arrested in this federal case on Aug. 20, 2020, and has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
Downey admitted to downloading, viewing, and uploading child pornography to Dropbox. Downey also admitted to trading child pornography with others online. Investigators found more than 700 videos and more than 400 images in Downey’s Dropbox account that depicted the rape and molestation of prepubescent children, some as young as infants and toddlers, as well as children bound and children engaged in sexual activity with animals.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Fulton, Mo., Police 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."
Springfield Woman Sentenced for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy, led by a Christian County Jail inmate, to fraudulently claim more than $51,000 in income tax refunds.
Heather Nicole Neal, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 17, 2020, Neal pleaded guilty to her role in a conspiracy to defraud the government. Neal admitted that she conspired with John Dennis Sedersten, an inmate in the Christian County Jail in Ozark, Mo., and other co-conspirators to file fraudulent tax returns. All false claims but one were halted by the IRS, and the one refund issued was recovered by law enforcement agents.
Sedersten organized and led the conspiracy from within the jail. He provided his co-conspirators with specific instructions regarding how to complete and file the false federal income tax returns. The fraudulent tax returns included false W-2 information, listing employers who did not employ the individual listed on the return, and reporting wages not earned, employment taxes not withheld, and business expenses not incurred by the individual. Sedersten provided them with the EIN for JDS Enterprises, a company registered to Sedersten, under which they could report the false wages and withholdings.
Neal filed a tax return under her own name that fraudulently claimed a refund of $9,864.
Co-defendant Janet Renea Kirby, 34, of Springfield, has also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. Kirby filed a tax return under her own name that fraudulently claimed a refund of $18,427.
Sedersten, who pleaded guilty in a separate but related case, admitted that conspirators filed fraudulent returns that sought a total of $373,372 in refunds. Sedersten was sentenced on Aug. 17, 2016, to six years and six months in federal prison without parole for his role in the conspiracy.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Steven Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine that was shipped via UPS from Arizona.
Johnny T. Taylor, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 19 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 23, 2020, Taylor pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-defendant Jennifer M. Conant, 41, of Joplin, also pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 13, 2018, to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
Taylor and Conant admitted they had a package shipped via UPS, which contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine, to a residence in Seneca, Mo.
On May 6, 2017, law enforcement officers tracked the suspicious package from its origin in Arizona and upon its arrival at the Joplin UPS conducted a search to confirm the package contained methamphetamine.
A federal agent conducted a controlled delivery of the package to its Seneca destination on May 7, 2017. Shortly after the package was delivered, officers executed a search warrant and located the package in a bedroom of the residence. An occupant of the residence told investigators that Taylor and Conant had the package shipped to his address and that they had inquired about the package just prior to law enforcement executing the search warrant. He then contacted Conant, with law enforcement officers listening to the conversation, and told her the package had arrived. Taylor and Conant arrived at the residence approximately 45 minutes later to pick up the package and were arrested.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Ozark Drug Enforcement Team.
Jury Convicts KC Man of $1 Million Conspiracy to Steal 1,400 Cell Phones in Dozens of BurglariesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has been convicted in federal court for his role in a $1 million conspiracy to steal more than 1,400 cell phones in dozens of commercial burglaries across several states, as well as for obstruction of justice.
Bryan C. Kirkendoll II, also known as “B Boy” and “Blockboy,” 31, was found guilty on Wednesday, May 5, of one count of participating in a conspiracy, three counts of transporting stolen property across state lines, two counts of witness tampering, and one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
Co-defendant Viktor Chernetskiy, 31, of Kansas City, Mo., a naturalized citizen from Ukraine, pleaded guilty on June 17, 2020, to his role in the conspiracy and to one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Chernetskiy is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2021.
Kirkendoll and Chernetskiy participated in a conspiracy to steal electronic devices – primarily cell phones – from stores in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and Oklahoma, then transport them across state lines in order to sell them. Kirkendoll and Chernetskiy committed 48 burglaries from Nov. 21, 2018, to June 14, 2019, in which they stole approximately 1,401 electronic devices (primarily cell phones) with a total financial loss of approximately $1,008,742.
In each instance, the stores were burglarized after hours; Kirkendoll and Chernetskiy wore hooded sweatshirts, caps, and gloves to conceal their identity and limit the trace evidence left behind during the burglaries. They pried the doors open with a large screwdriver or crowbar; in many instances, they broke the glass windows out of the doors, and then went through the opening. Once inside, they looked for phones that were not secured within a safe or other secure location, and loaded those phones into a plastic bin, trash bag, or other bag. In some instances, they also cut retractable security cables from store demonstration phones and took those as well. There was at least one instance where it appeared that they tried (unsuccessfully) to pry open a safe.
While he was on bond, Kirkendoll used intimidation and threats toward a victim-witness in this case to interfere with his pending criminal trial. In February 2020, Kirkendoll posted threatening messages on Facebook directed at the victim-witness, including, “U on borrowed time … Rats get Klapped snitch. (sic)” Kirkendoll also harassed the victim-witness from Feb. 13-19, 2020, in an attempt to dissuade that person from testifying at his trial.
Kirkendoll’s bond was revoked, and he was arrested in February 2020 for his threats toward the victim-witness. Kirkendoll remains in federal custody.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for almost three hours before returning the guilty verdict on Wednesday, May 5, to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, May 3.
Under federal statutes, Kirkendoll is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole on the conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on each of the three counts of transporting stolen property across state lines, up to 23 years in federal prison without parole for both counts of witness tampering, and up to five years in federal prison without parole for transmitting threats. 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 Rudolph R. Rhodes IV and Matthew Blackwood. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
Carl Junction Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Transporting a Minor for Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carl Junction, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for transporting a Kansas minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Nathan Roger Belcher, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Belcher to serve 20 years on supervised release following incarceration.
On Oct. 2, 2019, Belcher pleaded guilty to one count of transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Belcher admitted that he transported a child victim, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe 1” with a date of birth in 2003, from Kansas across the state line into Missouri. They engaged in criminal sexual activity on two occasions, once at a residence in Missouri and once near a creek outside Neosho, Missouri, in 2017.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbus, Kan., Police Department, and the Cherokee County, Kan., 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."
Camdenton Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Camdenton, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
Stephan D. Samons, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 28, 2019, Samons pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene, Laclede, and Newton counties from March 1, 2018, to Jan. 22, 2019. The conspiracy distributed more than 13 kilograms of pure methamphetamine.
Samons is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Neal A. Norles, 31, of Blue Springs, Mo., was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Brent A. Tribble, 31, of Kirbyville, Mo., was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison without parole. April E. Luke, 32, of Springfield, Mo., was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
Norles transported the methamphetamine from California to Kansas City, Mo., Samons purchased methamphetamine from Norles and it was transported to the southwest Missouri and Lebanon, Mo., areas by vehicle. Samons sold methamphetamine to both Luke and Tribble. Samons admitted to buying methamphetamine from Norles on five occasions.
During the investigation, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper seized nearly 2.4 kilograms of methamphetamine from a Dodge Charger in which Norles was a passenger during a traffic stop on Interstate 44 in Newton County, Mo., on Jan. 22, 2019. During a search of the Charger, a trooper found five vacuum-sealed packages of methamphetamine, weighing approximately 2,384 grams, hidden in the rear-windshield-deck trim. The traffic stop was made while Norles was returning from a trip to Los Angeles, California. Norles possessed firearms in connection with his drug-trafficking activities and exchanged methamphetamine for firearms.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Deepwater Man Pleads Guilty to $500,000 CARES Act FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Deepwater, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to fraudulently obtaining more than $500,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Brian Ruth, Sr., 44, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering.
By pleading guilty today, Ruth admitted that he applied online in May and June 2020, and received three PPP loans totaling $522,765 for three separate business entities. Each of the loan applications contained materially false statements and included fraudulent supporting documents. Ruth falsely claimed his three businesses were operational and employed numerous individuals in February 2020, when in reality, the businesses had not been open or operational and did not employ any other individuals.
Ruth also admitted that he directed the fraudulently obtained PPP loan proceeds to be wired to his bank accounts. He used the proceeds to purchase a 2016 Cadillac, a 2020 Dodge Charger, and a 2017 Dodge Challenger. Ruth traded the Cadillac and the Charger (along with $27,415) to purchase the Challenger.
Under federal statutes, Ruth is subject to a sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Carney and Nhan Nguyen. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Two Men Charged with Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two men traveling through Kansas City, Missouri, were charged in federal court today for possessing nearly 24 pounds of heroin aboard a bus en route from California to New York.
Darwin G. Morales-Sagastume, 23, and Cristian J. Lopez-Catalan, 28, were charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with one count of possessing heroin to distribute. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Morales-Sagastume and Lopez-Catalan arrived in Kansas City, Mo., on Monday, May 3, aboard a bus that originated in Los Angeles, Calif. As they were waiting in the bus terminal, a police service dog detected illegal drugs in a suitcase that was stored under the bus. The suitcase had the destination of New York written on its tag.
An officer approached Morales-Sagastume and Lopez-Catalan and asked them to identify their luggage. They identified four suitcases, the affidavit says, including the suitcase alerted upon by the police service dog. Officers searched the four suitcases and found two bundles hidden inside each of the suitcases. The eight bundles contained a total of 23.7 pounds of heroin.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Rasalam. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the Missouri Western Interdiction Narcotics Task Force.
Springfield Man Pleads to Child Pornography on Day of TrialRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man who was scheduled to begin his criminal jury trial today instead pleaded in federal court to receiving child pornography over the internet.
Scott James Wells, 55, withdrew his plea of not guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool in order to enter a nolo contendre, or “no contest,” plea, neither admitting nor disputing the federal charges against him, but acknowledging the government had sufficient evidence to convict him of the crimes charged beyond a reasonable doubt. The court found Wells guilty of one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Wells remains detained in federal custody until his sentencing hearing.
Wells received child pornography over the internet between Dec. 15, 2016, through March 22, 2017. Law enforcement received two CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after Wells used his Facebook account to transmit two images of child pornography to another Facebook user.
Officers executed a search warrant at Wells’s residence and seized his laptop computer, which contained child pornography.
Under federal statutes, Wells is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing 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 James J. Kelleher and Nhan Nguyen. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Former Paraprofessional at Blue Springs High School Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former paraprofessional at Blue Springs High School pleaded guilty in federal court today to producing and distributing child pornography.
Steven B. Allen, 45, of Independence, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two counts of producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography over the internet. Allen, who has been in federal custody since his arrest on Nov. 25, 2019, remains detained until his sentencing hearing.
At the time of the offense, Allen worked as a paraprofessional at Blue Springs High School.
By pleading guilty today, Allen admitted that he used two minor victims to produce child pornography and distributed those images, and others, to individuals over the internet. Allen also admitted he had been sharing images of child pornography over the internet every couple of days for the past five to six years.
According to today’s plea agreement, Allen began communicating over the internet with an undercover officer in the United Kingdom in June 2019. The undercover officer purported to be the father of a 10-year-old girl. Allen sent the undercover officer numerous images of one of the minor victims. He also discussed participating in and fantasizing about sexually abusing the undercover officer’s daughter.
On Oct. 7, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Allen’s residence and seized numerous electronic devices that contained more than 9,200 images and 89 videos of child pornography, including more than 800 images of infants and toddlers being sexually assaulted, 65 images of violent sexual acts, and two images of bestiality.
Allen also produced a number of images and videos of prepubescent girls using a waterproof camera at a community swimming pool.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Allen must pay $5,000 to each of the nine victims who have petitioned for restitution from every person who received or possessed pictures of their sexual abuse, or $3,000 if he can pay restitution within 30 days of his sentencing.
Allen is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 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 Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Union Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Trafficking on Day of TrialRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Union, Missouri, man who was scheduled to begin his criminal jury trial today instead pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing six pounds of methamphetamine to distribute.
Felix Franz Forjan, 71, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to the plea agreement, on Dec. 20, 2016, Forjan was driving a Ford F-250 flat-bed truck and was stopped in Nixa, Mo., by a Christian County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy, for what he believed to be an expired license plate. Forjan also had an expired driver’s license and no proof of auto liability insurance for the vehicle he was driving. Another officer arrived with a police service dog, which alerted to the presence of illegal drugs.
The deputy searched Forjan’s vehicle and found six bags of methamphetamine, wrapped in black electrical tape, in a laundry basket in the back seat of the vehicle. The bundles of methamphetamine weighed a total of approximately six pounds.
Under federal statutes, Forjan 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 is scheduled on Sept. 17, 2021.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Beaver and Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Ozark, Mo., Police Department.
Independence Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms, Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple charges of illegally possessing firearms, including stolen firearms, and drug trafficking.
Brandon L. Hill, 33, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, April 29, to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possessing a stolen firearm, four counts of possessing a controlled substance, three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to the plea agreement, Hill was arrested by Kansas City, Mo., police officers on three separate occasions. He was in possession of firearms and illegal drugs on each of those occasions, and attempted to flee from officers on two occasions.
On March 31, 2019, officers saw Hill driving a 2001 Buick Regal that had been taken in an armed robbery carjacking a few days earlier. As Hill drove out of a gas station parking lot at 2601 Swope Parkway, officers attempted to close the distance between themselves and Hill. Hill began driving erratically and at a high rate of speed. He left the road at 49th and Walrond Avenue and ran from the vehicle. He was taken into custody a short time later. Officers found a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun (reported as stolen) tucked in his pants, a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his pants pocket, and a Sig Sauer .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun wrapped in fabric and tucked under his groin. Officers also found a baggie of methamphetamine and a baggie of cocaine in Hill’s pockets.
Hill had earlier been arrested on March 26, 2019. Officers stopped a Ford Ranger truck that was being driven by another person, with Hill a passenger, because it’s license plates belonged to a different vehicle. The driver of the vehicle had eight active warrants, and both the driver and Hill were directed to get out of the truck. Officers brought Hill to the rear of the truck to conduct a frisk, but he resisted multiple orders to put his hands behind his back and bladed his body away from the officer. Hill then turned and ran across the street. An officer pursued him and tackled him to the ground. Hill was then placed under arrest, and officers found methamphetamine and cocaine in his pockets. Officers also found a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a 33-round, extended magazine in the area where Hill ran from the officers. Officers found a Zastava 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle and an AK-47 magazine in the truck. Both the rifle and the Glock contained Hill’s DNA.
Hill’s earliest arrest in this case occurred on Jan. 19, 2019, when police officers conducted a car check on a 2005 GMC Yukon, which had an expired temporary license plate, near 5215 Olive Street. Hill was a passenger in the vehicle. When the driver reached inside her purse for her identification and handed it to a police officer, a baggy that contained methamphetamine fell on the ground and the driver said, “Uh-oh.” She was placed under arrest. She had another baggie of methamphetamine inside her purse. Officers also removed Hill from the passenger seat and detained him in handcuffs. Inside the vehicle, officers found a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol (which had been reported stolen) stuffed between the passenger seat, where Hill was sitting, and the center console. Officers also found a baggie of cocaine and a glass vial that smelled of PCP in Hill’s pockets.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hill has prior felony convictions for drug trafficking, unlawful use of a weapon, burglary, and assault.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hill is subject to a sentence of at least 20 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole. 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 Brad K. Kavanaugh and Sean T. Foley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Former Youth Director at Fort Leonard Wood Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former soldier in the Army National Guard pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexually abusing four minors over several years while he was director of the youth ministry at Fort Leonard Wood U.S. Army Base.
David J. McKay, 42, of Waynesville, Missouri, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of transporting a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and four counts of sexually abusing a minor.
McKay, at the time an Army National Guard First Sergeant, was the youth ministry director for the Religious Services Office at Fort Leonard Wood. McKay is not currently serving as a member of the National Guard. By pleading guilty today, McKay admitted that he sexually abused four victims, ranging in age from 11 to 17 years old, on dozens of occasions from 2010 to 2017.
According to today’s plea agreement, the sexual abuse occurred at Fort Leonard Wood and various other locations within Pulaski County, Mo. The victims also reported being abused during the youth group’s ski trips to Colorado and on camping trips at Fort Leonard Wood.
Under federal statutes, McKay 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. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command at the Fort Leonard Wood Army Base, the Pulaski County, Mo., Prosecutor’s Office, and the Waynesville, 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."
Overland Park Man Pleads Guilty to Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the robberies (and attempted robberies) of five businesses.
Joshua A. West, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to five counts of robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
By pleading guilty today, West admitted that he robbed the CVS Pharmacy at 6300 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, Mo., on July 17, 2018. When West came around the counter, the cashier, who believed he was armed, opened the cash drawer. West took all of the cash and left the store. Investigators posted a bulletin using a photo from surveillance footage, and received a tip that identified West, who was on probation at the time.
West also admitted that he used a firearm to rob the Sprint Store at 4902 N. Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 10, 2018. West forced an employee to open the locked cabinets behind the counter so he could take all the iPhones, Apple Watches, and Samsung S-9 phones.
The next day, on Aug. 11, 2018, West robbed the Phone Shack at 6392 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, Mo., at gunpoint. West forced two employees to get on the ground, then stole phones and cash from the register.
On Aug. 15, 2018, a manager of a T-Mobile store sent a photo of West to all the managers of stores in the metropolitan area. On the same day, the manager of a T-Mobile store at 12400 S. US Hwy. 71, Grandview, Mo., spotted West in the parking lot outside the store. Because he had been alerted, the manager locked the door. West tried to open the door, then pointed a firearm at the manager from outside for a few seconds before walking away.
Immediately afterward, West entered the nearby AT&T store at 12346 U.S. Hwy. 71, Grandview, Mo. West pulled out a firearm and ordered the employees to give him all the iPhones. West ordered the two employees and a customer into a back room. Another customer stayed in the main showroom and ran out of the store after West went to the back room. That customer called 911. Once in the back room, an employee opened a closet that had all the iPhones. West ordered them to the ground and put the phones in a plastic bag.
West left the back room, going back through the main showroom. Before he reached the front door, however, two Grandview police officers confronted him in the main showroom. West attempted to run through the back room, but the door had locked behind him. The officers ordered West to get on the ground, but he refused, and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a Taurus 9mm pistol fell from West’s waistband. More officers arrived and took West into custody.
Under federal statutes, West is subject to sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the robbery charges, plus a consecutive sentence of at least 14 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole, for the firearm charges. 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 Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Grandview, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
California Man Charged with Trafficking More Than Four Kilos of FentanylRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A California man was charged in federal court today with transporting more than four kilograms of fentanyl from Los Angeles, California, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, aboard a bus that stopped at a Kansas City, Missouri station.
Miguel Angel Duran, 28, was charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.
Today’s federal criminal complaint alleges that Duran was in possession of fentanyl on Monday, April 26.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, a Kansas City, Mo., police detective working as a drug canine handler was conducting sniffs of the luggage on a bus that originated in Los Angeles and stopped at a Kansas City bus station. The canine alerted to the odor of illegal drugs in a pink suitcase and a grey suitcase. Both suitcases had tags on them that did not have a name placed on them. The destination on the tags both indicated they were traveling to Philadelphia. Both tags appeared to be written by the same person.
As passengers lined up to begin reboarding the bus, officers noticed Duran and an unidentified woman (who has not been charged) leave the terminal and walk toward a nearby taxi. Officers contacted them and asked whether they had any additional baggage. Duran indicated the same pink and grey suitcases, which officers searched.
A detective discovered a total of six bundles in the two suitcases, and Duran was placed under arrest. Four of the bundles contained a total of 4,693.07 grams of fentanyl. Tests on two of the bundles, which weighed a total of 2,159.97 grams, were inconclusive. Officers found a baggie in Duran’s pocket that contained 1.88 grams of cocaine.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the DEA and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department in the Missouri Interdiction and Narcotics (MoWin) Task Force.
A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who distributed a video of himself holding a gun to the head of a blindfolded man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms.
Sean A. Winston, 44, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to being a felon in possession of firearms.
By pleading guilty today, Winston admitted he was in possession of a Rossi .38-caliber revolver and a Springfield Armory .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun on April 10, 2018.
According to court documents, an individual contacted law enforcement on April 8, 2018, to report that Winston sent him a video, via text message, in which Winston was holding a handgun to the head of a blindfolded man. Police officers contacted family members, who said they also had received the video. The video showed an unidentified man, who was blindfolded and was sitting on a couch with his hands in the air in a surrendering posture. In the video, Winston said the blindfolded man should be dead. The blindfolded man replied with “I love you, Sean. I love you, Sean.” Winston appeared to be angry and agitated in the video.
Winston’s family members said the blindfolded man appeared to be one of Winston’s associates, who was later identified and located. The man acknowledged that he was in the video, but he did not want to cooperate with the prosecution.
On April 10, 2018, police officers arrested Winston and searched his residence, where they found both firearms.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Winston has prior federal felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Winston 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 Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
KC Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, MO. – A Kansas City, Missouri, woman who led police officers on a high-speed chase in a stolen car pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Erin D. Bisby, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Bisby was present during an exchange of gunfire between multiple people on the morning of July 18, 2019. She was seen driving a stolen PT Cruiser near Truman and Prospect on July 27, 2019. A Kansas City police officer recognized the vehicle as having been reported stolen at gunpoint by an unknown man two days earlier. The officer attempted to stop the PT Cruiser, but Bisby fled at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Bisby came to a stop at Independence and Ewing Avenue, where she exited the driver’s seat holding a loaded Jimenez Arms .380-caliber handgun, which had been reported stolen. Bisby ran on foot and dropped the handgun before she was taken into custody.
Bisby admitted that she possessed the Jimenez Arms handgun during the July 18, 2019, shootout. She also admitted that she was present when an acquaintance stole the PT Cruiser.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Bisby has a prior felony conviction for tampering with a motor vehicle, for which she was on probation at the time of this offense.
Under federal statutes, Bisby 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 Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
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.
Lee’s Summit Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 2,000 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for his leadership role in a multi-million dollar conspiracy that distributed more than 2,000 kilograms of cocaine in the metropolitan area.
“This heavily-armed drug dealer was still on court supervised release for a prior federal drug-trafficking conviction while he was engaged in this drug trafficking conspiracy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. “A long prison sentence will help protect our community from the violence that always accompanies guns and drugs, and send a clear signal to drug traffickers that their criminal activity won’t be tolerated.”
Howard Christopher Walters, also known as “Chris,” 43, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Tuesday, April 20, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Walters to forfeit $976,862 to the government, which represents the profit he made from the sale of illegal drugs.
“Today’s sentencing further shows that IRS Criminal Investigation along with its law enforcement partners are working vigorously to stop individuals conspiring to distribute cocaine and commit money laundering offenses. IRS CI will go after those who commit crimes that involve a financial nexus,” said David Talcott, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation division in the St. Louis Field Office.
On Aug. 6, 2020, Walters pleaded guilty to participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and a money-laundering conspiracy from October 2013 to Nov. 15, 2018. His wife, Nina Walters, 39, was sentenced on April 7, 2021, to a year and a day for her role in the money-laundering conspiracy.
Law enforcement believes that Howard Walters directly distributed approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine during his involvement in the conspiracy. He also sold more than 1,421 kilograms of marijuana. In total, he profited at least $976,862 from the sale of illegal drugs.
“This defendant profited off an industry that makes its money off endangering the safety of our citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Zimmerman of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Missouri. “Working closely with our federal, state and local partners, we’re committed to dismantling and destroying these drug trafficking organizations that bring their drugs into our communities, and then use those proceeds to fund temporary lavish lifestyles.”
“Walters and his co-conspirators flooded the Kansas City area with more than 2,000 kilograms of cocaine and profited from a multi-million dollar conspiracy in the process. This investigation, prosecution and sentencing demonstrates that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to removing drug traffickers from the streets and protecting our community,” said Timothy Langan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Kansas City Division.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement used a confidential source to purchase cocaine directly from Howard Walters on several occasions. During one transaction, the confidential source reported that he saw approximately 15 empty cocaine kilogram wrappers at the residence used by Howard Walters. The source also reported that he observed several kilograms of cocaine in the kitchen cabinets. During the controlled purchase, Walters commented that his source of supply, co-defendant Jesus Campoy-Estrada, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, received 50 to 60 kilograms of cocaine per delivery. Walters said he purchased 10 to 20 kilograms of cocaine from Campoy-Estrada after each delivery.
On Nov. 19, 2018, federal agents executed a search warrant at the Walters’s residence. Although Howard Walters is prohibited from possessing any firearms, agents seized from his residence a FNH 5.7 x 28mm handgun on the top shelf in the master bathroom closet; a FNH 5.7 x 28mm handgun in a cabinet above a built-in desk in the kitchen; a Taurus Millennium G2 PT111 9mm handgun located under the sink in the master bathroom; a Glock 10mm handgun located under the sink in the master bathroom; a PTR91 .308-caliber rifle on the floor of the master bathroom closet; a Spikes Tactical Model ST-15 multi-caliber rifle; approximately 638 live rounds of 5.7 x 28mm ammunition; 89 rounds of 5.56 x 45mm ammunition; and other assorted ammunition.
Howard Walters also admitted that he used illicit drug proceeds to purchase several vehicles with cash in an effort to conceal the illicit nature of the purchases, including a Cadillac Escalade, a Porsche Panamera, and a Mercedes Benz GLS550 SUV. Nina Walters deposited more cash in her bank accounts than both she and her husband reported to the IRS as their income during those years. Nina Walters knew the cash deposits she made were derived from the illicit activity of Howard Walters.
Campoy-Estrada pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy on Dec. 19, 2019, and awaits sentencing.
Co-defendant Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, also known as “Uncle” or “Rambo,” 40, of Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty on Jan. 22, 2020, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to money laundering. Armendariz-Rascon was in charge of coordinating the transportation of loads of cocaine from the El Paso area to the Kansas City metropolitan area for distribution. Armendariz-Rascon would then coordinate the collection of bulk cash that was sent back to El Paso as payment for the cocaine. Armendariz-Rascon admitted that he coordinated the distribution of 10 to 15 kilograms of cocaine per week for four years, for a total of more than 2,000 kilograms of cocaine.
Co-defendant Otilio Zaragoza-Navarrette, 64, of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 28, 2020, to five years in federal prison without parole. Zaragoza-Navarrette admitted that he was a drug courier for the drug-trafficking organization, transporting cocaine to the Kansas City metropolitan area and transporting illicit drug proceeds from the drug-trafficking organization back to Texas and/or to Mexico. Zaragoza-Navarrette hid the cocaine and/or the cash proceeds inside of five-gallon gas cans and anti-freeze jugs on his commercial semi-tractor trailer. Officers seized nearly $500,000 in illegal drug proceeds from Zaragoza-Navarrette at the time of his arrest.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department.
Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Damaging and Removing Trees from National ForestRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Arkansas man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally damaging and removing more than two dozen trees from a national forest.
Jamie R. Edmondson, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of depredation of government property.
By pleading guilty today, Edmondson admitted that he illegally cut and removed 27 walnut and white oak trees in the Mark Twain National Forest in Barry County, Mo., between June 1, 2019, and Jan. 31, 2020, without the permission of the U.S. Forest Service, which owns and manages the national forest. Edmondson sold the timber to various sawmills in the area.
According to the plea agreement, federal agents installed surveillance cameras in the areas of the national forest where numerous trees had been removed. The cameras captured images of the truck used by Edmondson, which was later located by law enforcement.
As part of his plea agreement, Edmondson admitted that the government can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the value of the timber was at least approximately $20,269, and that the ecological damage value of the trees cut from the national forest and the damage remediation costs to the U.S. Forest Service from his actions within the national forest are at least $44,414.
Under federal statutes, Edmondson is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service and the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.