Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney Urges the Public to Report Suspected COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison today urged the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or writing to the NCDF email address at [email protected].
The Department of Justice is committed to preventing, pursuing, prosecuting, and punishing individuals and businesses that take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to engage in criminal fraud.
“I have no tolerance for criminals who seize upon this public health crisis as an opportunity to prey on anxious Missourians,” said Garrison. “In contrast to the many citizens who are courageously and generously coming forward to help their neighbors, the actions of a few criminals threaten to make a difficult situation more dangerous. I am therefore making it a priority to investigate and prosecute those who try to profit by selling bogus cures, soliciting fake donations, engaging in online or email phishing scams, or engaging in any other fraud.”
Some examples of these fraud schemes include:
• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
• Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.Garrison announced the appointment of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Mahoney as the designated Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator. Mahoney, who is the chief of the Fraud and Corruption Unit, will serve as the legal counsel on matters relating to the coronavirus, direct the prosecution of coronavirus-related crimes, and conduct outreach and awareness activities.
The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes. The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state attorneys general and local authorities.
To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Taney County Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Arizona man has pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Taney County, Missouri.
Darcell M. Mills, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Friday, March 13, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
On Jan. 14, 2019, law enforcement received information that Mills had arrived in Branson, Missouri, with approximately five pounds of methamphetamine to sell. Officers searched a hotel room and a truck associated with Mills and found 303 grams of methamphetamine in the hotel room and 500 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the truck. Officers followed Mills to a residence in Lampe, Missouri, where he was arrested. After Mills was arrested, he admitted that he brought methamphetamine from Tucson to sell in Branson for $500 per ounce.
Mills also admitted that during a four-month stay in Branson in 2018, he was selling approximately 15.5 pounds of methamphetamine every week and a half. Mills sold approximately 165 pounds of methamphetamine while he was in Missouri. Mills said he left Branson in October 2018, after two loads of methamphetamine were seized by law enforcement.
Under federal statutes, Mills 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 Abram McGull II. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Branson, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Republic Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Minors for Sex, Faces at Least 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Republic, Missouri, truck driver pleaded guilty in federal court today to transporting two Missouri teenagers across state lines and sexually assaulting them.
Cleveland Lee Crumsey, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity.
By pleading guilty today, Crumsey admitted that he transported two child victims across state lines from Missouri to Iowa in his truck. Crumsey also admitted that he had sexual intercourse with both of the child victims.
Under federal statutes, Crumsey 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 Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Monett, Mo., Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Fremont County, Iowa, 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."17 Defendants Indicted for $10 Million Conspiracy to Distribute 1,000 Kilos of MethRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A total of 17 defendants, primarily from the Kansas City metropolitan area, have been indicted for their roles in a nearly $10 million conspiracy to distribute almost 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Fahrudin F. Fejzic, also known as “Frank,” 48, Steven M. Lyons, also known as “Pops,” 60, Shelly Marie Exton, 38, Mary L. Corona, 38, and Jesus Banuelos Jr., 21, all of Kansas City, Missouri; Jessica E. Ashworth, also known as “Barbie,” 30, of Kansas City, Kansas; Justin D. Warren, 31, and Crystell A. Smith, 34, both of Independence, Missouri; John W. Tatom, 48, of Leavenworth, Kansas; and Lesley A. Wilkerson, 45, of Clinton, Missouri, were charged in a 44-count second superseding indictment that was returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of several defendants.
The second superseding indictment adds those 10 defendants to previous indictments that included seven additional defendants: Mirza Alihodzic, also known as “Poni Boi” and “Russian,” 34, a citizen of Bosnia residing in Kansas City, Missouri; Jason D. Rice, 42, Brandy N. Foster, 37, and Keith Dale Hughes, 48, all of Kansas City, Missouri; Michael B. Becher, 38, of Raytown, Missouri; Joshua A. Brown, 36, of Leavenworth; and Amy S. Janish, 44, of Lincoln, Missouri.
The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Sept. 1, 2018, to Nov. 5, 2019. The indictment also charges all of the defendants with a related money-laundering conspiracy.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require payment of a money judgment representing all of the proceeds each defendant obtained as a result of the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy. The forfeiture is based on a conservative street price of $2,300 for 226 grams (a half-pound) of methamphetamine and the total conspiracy distribution of nearly 979 kilograms (978,859 grams) of methamphetamine, totaling approximately $9,961,839.
In addition to the two conspiracy counts, Alihodzic is also charged with two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, illegally possessing a machine gun, two counts of possessing a stolen firearm, possessing an unregistered firearm, possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and three counts related to distributing methamphetamine.
The indictment also charges various other defendants in the remaining counts with illegally possessing firearms and with possessing and distributing methamphetamine.
According to an affidavit filed in the original criminal complaint, Alihodzic made arrangements with a confidential source to pilot an airplane to California to purchase 40 kilograms of methamphetamine from a Mexican national who is wanted by federal law enforcement for drug trafficking. On Nov. 5, 2019 – the day of the trip – Alihodzic and the confidential source went inside Alihodzic’s residence. Federal agents heard popping noises similar to that of a firearm and the screaming sound of human voices. Investigators determined, based upon the safety of the individuals inside of the residence, to enter the residence. Alihodzic was taken into custody; no evidence of a violent act was immediately observed.
The affidavit also cites previous instances in which Alihodzic was confronted by law enforcement.
Law enforcement investigators were conducting surveillance at Alihodzic’s residence on Feb. 19, 2019. On that day, the affidavit says, investigators seized approximately six pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms, including an AK-47 type assault pistol with two high capacity magazines. Investigators also executed a search warrant at Alihodzic’s residence and seized additional methamphetamine and firearms. They also seized 18 firearms from Alihodzic’s vehicle, including a fully automatic machine gun, two sawed-off shotguns, and a stolen firearm.
Alihodzic was also involved in a shooting on July 5, 2019, in the area of 6th Street and Tracy Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to the affidavit. Alihodzic was the driver of a Ford F250 pickup from which law enforcement officers seized two firearms. Officers also found a number of spent shell casings on top of the truck, in the street, and in a nearby residence’s front yard.
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 Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Meth, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms and methamphetamine to distribute.
Jacob Winterhawk Ryder, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Springfield police officers noticed suspicious behavior and approached Ryder, the driver of a Ford Ranger that was parked beside another vehicle in a parking lot, on Jan. 21, 2016. When it appeared as if Ryder was attempting to conceal something underneath the front seat, an officer directed him to step out of his vehicle. The officer saw a live round for a 9mm handgun lying on the driver’s seat.
Police officers searched Ryder’s vehicle and found a loaded Walther .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol underneath the armrest, a loaded New England Firearms 20-gauge sawed-off shotgun under the driver’s seat, and more ammunition. Officers also found a black cloth bag with four Ziploc baggies that contained a total of 63.93 grams of pure methamphetamine, a Ziploc baggie that contained 17.8 grams of pure methamphetamine, a Rubbermaid container that contained 297.6 grams of pure methamphetamine, two LSD tabs, a Ziploc baggie containing mushrooms, a Ziploc baggie with unknown pills, and $1,175.
Under federal statutes, Ryder 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, 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.Nixa Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today for distributing methamphetamine he received in the mail from California.
Jerry D. Thornton, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Thornton admitted that he received multiple pounds of methamphetamine through the mail from a source in California from Dec. 8, 2018, to Feb. 5, 2019. He then distributed the methamphetamine to others in southwest Missouri. Thornton received and distributed at least 11.34 kilograms of methamphetamine.
A confidential source told investigators that Thornton received approximately one shipment of methamphetamine each week, and each package contained about five pounds. On Feb. 5, 2019, postal inspectors intercepted a parcel being shipped to Thornton’s address, which contained 990.3 grams of methamphetamine. Inspectors conducted a controlled delivery of a duplicate package, which contained rock salt, to Thornton’s residence.
When the package was retrieved from his porch, officers executed a search warrant of the residence. During a search of Thornton’s residence, agents found a Ruger .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol in the drawer of a bedside table and a loaded Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic rifle in the garage.
Under federal statutes, Thornton 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Nixa, Mo., Police Department.
Lee's Summit Man Sentenced for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Joshua Hardin, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 25, 2019, Hardin pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Oct. 16, 2018, to June 3, 2019.
Hardin was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Kansas City police officers on Oct. 30, 2018. Officers seized a bag that contained 371.38 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle’s driver and a stolen Glock handgun from the floorboard directly behind the driver’s seat. Hardin had 6.8 grams of methamphetamine and 5.22 grams of marijuana in his pockets.
Officers had earlier seized a bag from Hardin that contained54.86 grams of methamphetamine. Officers were called by a homeowner on Oct. 16, 2018, who reported that he saw Hardin, whom he did not know, walk out from behind a shed on his property. The homeowner’s wife then found the bag of methamphetamine behind the shed, and the homeowner contacted the police. Hardin admitted the methamphetamine belonged to him.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man who has been charged separately in state court with multiple crimes against children was sentenced in federal court today for failing to register as a sex offender during the time he allegedly committed those state crimes.
Frank Patrick Lambert, 61, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to three years and four months in federal prison without parole, which must be served consecutively to any sentence he receives in the unrelated Greene County, Missouri, case. The court also sentenced Lambert to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. Lambert will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Lambert was convicted in Texas of indecency with a child and sentenced to 30 years in prison. After serving 15 years’ incarceration, he was released on parole. Lambert’s parole was revoked six months later and he served nearly another six years before being released from custody on Feb. 14, 2011. Lambert was required to register as a sex offender in Texas, to inform authorities in Texas upon moving from that state, and to maintain his registration in any state where he resided.
On Oct. 9, 2019, Lambert pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender between June 30, 2012, and July 1, 2016. Lambert admitted he moved from Texas to Missouri in 2012, but lived under the false name of “Frank Schultz” and did not register as required. During that time, according to court documents, Lambert allegedly engaged in criminal conduct that has resulted in him being charged with numerous crimes against children. Lambert has yet to be convicted of the state charges for endangering the welfare of a child involving drugs, child molestation, and statutory sodomy.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."KC Man Sentenced to 15 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.
Chris D. Page, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Page was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Sept. 11, 2019, Page pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Page was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Kansas City police officers on Nov. 7, 2016. Page was carrying a Colt .38-caliber revolver in his pocket. He also had a baggie that contained crack cocaine in another pocket.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Page has prior felony convictions for murder, armed criminal action, and possessing illegal drugs, and two prior felony convictions for distributing heroin.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. 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.Kirbyville Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Kirbyville, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
Brent A. Tribble, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 24 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 16, 2019, Tribble pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in southwest Missouri and in the Lebanon, Missouri, area from March 1, 2018, to Jan. 22, 2019. According to court documents, Neal A. Norles, 30, of Blue Springs, Missouri, supplied methamphetamine to Stephan D. Samons, 30, of Camdenton, Missouri, who in turn, supplied methamphetamine to both Tribble and April E. Luke, 31, of Springfield, Missouri.
Tribble was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Luke, which was stopped by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on June 24, 2018. The trooper searched the vehicle and found a zippered bag that contained 469.9 grams of 98 percent pure methamphetamine. Inside a black backpack, the trooper found a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, an SCCY 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Connecticut Valley Arms .50-caliber black-powder rifle (without a serial number, shortened and converted to use either a .410-gauge shotgun cartridge or a .44-caliber pistol cartridge), ammunition, Tribble’s debit card, and 3.5 grams of methamphetamine. Tribble admitted that the methamphetamine and firearms were his.
During the course of the investigation, troopers 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, Missouri, on Jan. 22, 2019, while Norles was returning from a trip to Los Angeles, California.
Tribble is the first defendant sentenced in this case. Co-defendants Norles, Samons, and Luke have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being 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.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced to 236 months in prison in federal court today for his role in making preparations to launch a terrorist attack with persons he believed were members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), but who were actually undercover law enforcement employees, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison for the Western District of Missouri.
Robert Lorenzo Hester Jr., 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 236 months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Hester to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration.
Hester pleaded guilty on Sept. 24, 2019, to attempting to provide material support to ISIS from October 2016 to Feb. 17, 2017, knowing that it was a designated foreign terrorist organization that engages in terrorist activity. Hester actively attempted to plot a mass casualty attack with others that he believed were acting on behalf of ISIS. Hester drew the attention of law enforcement through advocating violence on social media, and when contacted by undercover officers, he immediately showed that he wanted action in addition to words. Law enforcement engaged Hester to see if he was truly committed to an act of terrorism, and his responses left no doubt that he was.
Hester, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in February 2017, is a U.S. citizen. He was enlisted in the U.S. Army for less than a year, receiving a general discharge from service in mid-2013.
According to the plea agreement, multiple confidential sources reported to the FBI that Hester had posted a variety of material on multiple social media accounts. Hester indicated that he had converted to Islam, expressed animus toward the United States, and posted photos of weapons and the ISIS flag, among other material, suggesting an adherence to radical Islamic ideology and a propensity for violence. In order to assess whether Hester posed a security threat, the FBI undertook a series of investigative steps, beginning with an examination of whether and to what extent Hester would engage directly online with confidential sources working for the FBI and, later, with FBI employees working in an undercover capacity.
FBI employees using undercover identities communicated with Hester via social media, texting and personal meetings on several occasions. In those conversations, Hester said, for example, that the U.S. government should be “overthrown,” and he suggested “hitting” the government “hard,” while noting that it would not be “a one man job.” Hester identified categories of potential targets for attack, including “oil production,” “military bases,” “federal places,” “government officials,” and “Wall Street.” Hester specified that “[a]ny government building in DC would get attention of everyone.” He said he wanted a “global jihad.” Citing his brief enlistment in the U.S. Army, Hester also claimed proficiency with “assault weapons” and said that his favorite firearm was the AK-47 rifle. Hester spoke about the perceived ease in which one could gain access to a military base.
Hester established an apparent willingness to act on the statements that he made online. An undercover FBI employee conversing online with Hester offered an in-person meeting with a like-minded “brother.” Hester agreed to meet and subsequently did meet on numerous occasions with a person who was described as, and Hester believed was, a terrorist operative – but who, in reality, was an employee of the FBI working in an undercover capacity. Throughout their conversations, the undercover employee provided Hester a number of opportunities to dissociate with no questions asked, but Hester repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to their plot.
In the meetings, the FBI undercover made clear to Hester that the undercover was representing a foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) and that the undercover was planning an attack that would involve multiple operatives, deploy bombs and guns, and result in mass casualties. Hester indicated through his statements and actions that he was ready and willing to participate and assist in the “plot.”
Hester obtained, at the undercover’s request, items that he was told would be used as bomb components, including boxes of roofing nails. The undercover made clear to Hester that the nails’ purpose was to maximize the number of casualties. In addition, Hester did not hesitate when the undercover showed him a cache of three machine guns and two handguns that would be used in the “attack,” and two pipes that would be used to construct the “bombs.” In fact, in the days after seeing this display, which was arrayed in the rear compartment of the undercover’s SUV, Hester provided information on storage units that could be used to hold the weapons and agreed to obtain additional supplies for the operation.
As the plea agreement cites in greater detail, throughout the investigation, Hester expressed his interest in and exhibited his willingness to commit violence in support and on behalf of ISIS.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Casey and David Raskin and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the FBI.
Grandview Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm.
Jorge Omar Hernandez, also known as “Little Mexico,” 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years and one month in federal prison without parole.
On April 11, 2019, Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Hernandez admitted that he sold methamphetamine to an undercover federal agent on several occasions. Law enforcement apprehended a total of 833.9 grams of pure methamphetamine from Hernandez.
According to court documents, Hernandez concealed 108.9 grams of pure methamphetamine in a folded child’s diaper, which he sold to the undercover agent for $1,500, on Sept. 21, 2017. Hernandez met the undercover agent again on Sept. 28, 2017, and sold 201.5 grams of pure methamphetamine for $2,800. On Feb. 14, 2018, Hernandez sold the undercover agent 90.8 grams of pure methamphetamine for $1,200.
Hernandez agreed to meet again on Feb. 27, 2018, to sell a pound of methamphetamine. When Hernandez arrived at the meeting location, he was arrested. Agents searched his vehicle and found a plastic baggie that contained 432.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, a loaded Glock .40-caliber pistol, a loaded extended Glock magazine, a loaded shotgun magazine, and two cell phones.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Johnson County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, and the Overland Park, Kan., 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.Alabama Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Madison, Alabama, man was sentenced in federal court today for enticing a 16-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, victim into engaging in illegal sexual activity.
James Reece Vance, 46, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Vance to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration. Vance will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Vance, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 16, 2019, met the child victim through the Game of War application on her cell phone. They also communicated through email and by phone, and met on two separate occasions when Vance drove from Alabama to Kansas City in April 2017. Vance gave her a diamond ring and promised to marry her when she turned 18.
When the child victim’s father discovered the email communication between her and Vance, he reported it to law enforcement.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Springfield Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Heroin Trafficking, Numerous Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing heroin to distribute and illegally possessing 10 firearms.
William C. Merriweather, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 4, 2019, Merriweather pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in Greene County, Missouri, from July 14 to Dec. 14, 2017, and to one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On Dec. 14, 2017, Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Merriweather’s residence. Merriweather admitted that he flushed several grams of heroin down the toilet while officers were attempting to enter. Officers found 7.39 grams of heroin inside a purse hanging in the bedroom closet. On the floor of the closet, officers found a loaded Armi Fratelli Tanfoglio 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Also inside the bedroom, leaning against a bedroom wall, officers found a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, a Walther .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle, and a Mossberg .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle. On the left side of the bed near the headboard, officers found a loaded Taurus .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a loaded Hi-Point .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a loaded (and stolen) Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a loaded Kel-Tec 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and two loaded Taurus .25-caliber semi-automatic pistols with defaced serial numbers.
Merriweather admitted to officers that he had been making one or two trips per week to buy 20 to 24 grams of heroin on each trip, for the last four to five months. He purchased the heroin for $100 per gram and sold it for $150 per gram.
Merriweather has five prior felony convictions for possessing cocaine, two prior felony convictions for possessing heroin, and a prior felony conviction for burglary.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, 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.Oronogo, Joplin Men Charged with Kidnapping Webb City WomanRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two southwest Missouri men have been charged in federal court for kidnapping a Webb City, Missouri, woman and threatening to kill her and her family unless she recanted her testimony in another criminal case.
Jeffrey Marsh, 32, of Oronogo, and Zaqouri Traves Archer, 31, of Joplin, were charged together in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield on Friday, Feb. 28.
The federal criminal complaint alleges that Marsh and Archer kidnapped a victim identified in court documents as “Jane Doe” and transported her across states lines from Kansas to Missouri.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Jane Doe was staying at a friend’s residence in Crawford County, Kansas, because she was trying to hide from Marsh. Marsh was angry with her, she told investigators, because she had reported him as a suspect when her handgun was stolen. Officers with the Oronogo, Missouri, Police Department had executed a search warrant on Marsh’s residence on January 26, 2020, and located Jane Doe’s stolen firearm in Marsh’s bedroom and returned the firearm to her.
On February 2, 2020, Jane Doe watched the Super Bowl at her friend’s residence and then walked out to her car to go to work. The affidavit describes that when she opened the front passenger door and placed her purse on the seat, Marsh grabbed her and told her to get into the vehicle. She began screaming and fell to the ground in an attempt to get her firearm out of her purse. She felt the barrel of a firearm placed against the back of her head, and Marsh told her to stop screaming or he would shoot her in the head. In the meantime, the affidavit says, Archer – who, like Marsh, was dressed in all black – arrived. Archer had a Taser with him. Jane Doe was forced into the front passenger seat, with Marsh in the driver’s seat and Archer in the back passenger seat. Archer placed duct taped over Jane Doe’s eyes and face.
At one point as they were driving around and making several stops, the affidavit says, Marsh shoved the barrel of his handgun in Jane Doe’s mouth and pulled the trigger. The gun made a click, but did not fire. After the click, Marsh chambered a round and shot it outside the vehicle towards a body of water. During the kidnapping, Marsh struck Jane Doe in her left jaw and told her she was going to recant her statements to the police.
Archer eventually left, the affidavit says, and Marsh took Jane Doe to her apartment in Webb City in his vehicle. Marsh held Jane Doe at gunpoint in her apartment and she was unable to leave that night. Marsh allegedly told Jane Doe to recant her earlier statement or her, her kids, and her whole family would die. Marsh allegedly told Jane Doe that she needed to make his weapon charges go away or her kids would die.
In the morning hours of February 3, 2020, Marsh took Jane Doe back to her vehicle so she could go to the Oronogo Police Department to recant her statement. Once at the Oronogo Police Department, Jane Doe tried to recant her statement, but then disclosed her kidnapping. Later that day, the Jasper County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office located Jane Doe’s firearm, Marsh’s firearm, and a duct tape roll from a location where they located Archer.
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 Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Crawford County, Kan., Sheriff’s Office, and the Oronogo, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Dionysus Azeria Hale, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Monday, Feb. 24, to 10 years in federal prison without parole, which is the statutory maximum for this offense.
On Aug. 14, 2019, Hale pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Hale’s residence on Feb. 20, 2019, as part of an investigation into the distribution of heroin and/or fentanyl. In Hale’s front right pocket were two zipper pouches that contained a total of $3,264. Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with an extended capacity magazine in the bedroom. Hale’s sentence reflects the court’s ruling that Hale used or possessed the firearm in connection with a drug-trafficking offense.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. In 2001, Hale was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in two separate cases and was given a suspended two-year sentence, but his probation was revoked due to incurring numerous violations. In 2002, Hale was convicted of possession with the intent to distribute and possession of a controlled substance and had his parole revoked numerous times for various violations. While on parole, Hale committed and was convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and once again had his probation and parole revoked due to numerous violations.
While on supervision for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Hale committed and was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hale was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison and released on Jan. 6, 2017. Upon being placed on supervised release, he incurred violations that led to a revocation of his supervised release and received a seven-month sentence and a new two-year term of supervised release. While on his new term of supervised release, he committed this offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, 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.Mexican National Illegally Entered the United States Six Times, Sentenced for Drug-Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national in Kansas City, Missouri, has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana, illegally possessing a firearm, and illegally entering the United States for the sixth time.
Uriel L. Martinez, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Wednesday, Feb. 26, to six years in federal prison without parole.
Co-defendant Omar A. Bustillos, 34, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Bustillos admitted he was responsible for distributing or possessing at least 1.966 kilograms of heroin, 2.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 4.8 kilograms of marijuana.
On Oct. 21, 2019, Martinez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and illegally reentering the United States.
Martinez had previously been deported from the United States on five separate occasions between April 12, 2015, and April 19, 2018.
According to court documents, Martinez’s role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy was limited to marijuana. Martinez was responsible for distributing or possessing at least 50 kilograms of marijuana. Both Martinez and Bustillos admitted that $64,600 seized by law enforcement was proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs.
According to court documents, Martinez was arrested in California in 2017 when law enforcement officers found 98 large marijuana plants (approximately six to eight feet in height and four to five feet in width) on the property where he had been living. The total weight of the plants was 5,100 pounds. Martinez failed to appear in court and those charges are still pending.
Detectives with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department executed a search warrant on the residence of co-defendant Nathan R. Carpenter, 28, of Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 8, 2019, and seized nearly a kilogram of heroin, more than 1.2 kilograms of marijuana, 86.19 grams of methamphetamine, a stolen Romarm 7.62x39 caliber, AK-style rifle, a Taurus .22-caliber handgun and a Remington .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle. Carpenter told investigators he was holding the approximately two pounds of heroin for Bustillos and his girlfriend, co-defendant Tonya Marie Thomas, 34, of Kansas City, Missouri, who were Carpenter’s suppliers for narcotics.
On Jan. 15, 2019, detectives executed a search warrant at the residence of Thomas and Martinez (where Bustillos also resided before his arrest on unrelated state charges). They seized more than a kilogram of heroin, 605.81 grams of methamphetamine, more than 4.7 kilograms of marijuana, 31 acetaminophen/hydrocodone pills, a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun, a Stoeger 9mm handgun, an SCCY 9mm handgun, $20,283, and two drug ledgers. Officers also found $44,317 in Thomas’s vehicle, along with approximately 73.26 grams of marijuana. Thomas told detectives she had been selling methamphetamine since Bustillos was arrested, and estimated selling a quarter pound of methamphetamine every day during the previous two weeks.
Martinez, Carpenter, Bustillos and Thomas are among six defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case. Martinez is the first defendant to be sentenced.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Aurora Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Aurora, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Michael Steven Copfer, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Monday, Feb. 24, to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Copfer to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration. Copfer will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Sept. 9, 2019, Copfer pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Copfer was identified by law enforcement after Google discovered files containing images of child pornography stored in Copfer’s Google Photos account.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his fourth conviction of failing to register as a sex offender.
Terry Lee Holmes, 66, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to two years and nine months in federal prison without parole. Holmes will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Oct. 10, 2019, Holmes pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, Holmes has failed to register and follow the registration laws since his release from state prison in Illinois, where he served 20 years for aggravated criminal sexual assault. For more than 14 years, he has disregarded his registration requirements. Holmes failed to register even after he was repeatedly convicted for failing to register as a sex offender.
Holmes was located by a deputy marshal, who learned he was living near an elementary school playground. He has never registered in the state of Missouri as a sex offender.
Holmes has prior felony convictions for the aggravated sexual assaults of two victims, a 3-year-old and a 7-year-old child, and three prior felony convictions (in Illinois and Arkansas) for failing to register as a sex offender.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Police Officer Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Missouri, man who was formerly a police officer was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Gary McKinney, 44, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced McKinney to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. McKinney will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
McKinney, who pleaded guilty on Aug. 12, 2019, was an officer with the Joplin Police Department for about seven years until May 20, 2006. He also worked for a short time as a police officer in Webb City, Missouri, and Duquesne, Missouri. He owned and operated Gary McKinney Plumbing Services at the time of his arrest.
The investigation began on Sept. 17, 2018, when a federal agent received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Facebook reported that a user had uploaded a video file of the sexual assault of a 4-year-old victim. Law enforcement officers contacted the Facebook user, who at that time was conversing with McKinney using the KIK messaging application.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McKinney’s residence on Oct. 3, 2018, and seized his cell phone. Investigators located 506 images and 148 videos that contained child pornography on McKinney’s cell phone. The examination showed that McKinney used both the Telegram and KIK applications to converse with others and exchange child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Diamond Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography.
Larry James Lyle, 70, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 11 years in federal prison without parole. Lyle will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Sept. 6, 2019, Lyle pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Images and videos of child pornography were found on his laptop computer. Lyle admitted he used the internet to receive child pornography.
According to court documents, Lyle was identified by law enforcement agents during an investigation into the enticement of a 14-year-old victim in Ohio, whom Lyle met through an online game. The victim’s parents located messages, which were sexual in nature, between her and Lyle within the messaging app of the game and within the victim’s emails.
Lyle admitted to investigators that he communicated with underage minor females, and that many of those conversations were sexual in nature. He also admitted that he received nude images of minors.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Appleton City Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Appleton City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for sending images of child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Anthony Dale Smith, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 13 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Smith to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration. Smith will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Oct. 21, 2018, Smith pleaded guilty to attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet. Smith admitted that he sent images of child pornography to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence on May 24, 2018, and seized computers and other electronic media.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project 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."St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Leading $2.1 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a $2.1 million conspiracy that distributed more than 100 kilograms of methamphetamine in Buchanan, Clinton, and Nodaway counties.
James Patrick Pardee II, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Pardee to pay the government a money judgment of $2.1 million, which represents the amount of money received in exchange for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine.
On Sept. 4, 2019, Pardee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2015, to Nov. 16, 2017, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Law enforcement investigators identified Pardee as the head of the organization coordinating large shipments of methamphetamine from the Kansas City area to Buchanan County, Clinton County, and Nodaway County, where it was then redistributed by Pardee and others.
Pardee was arrested following a high-speed chase on Sept. 23, 2017. Plattsburg, Missouri, police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop for a lane violation on a black Audi A4 driven by Pardee. Pardee fled from officers at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour for approximately nine miles, until his vehicle crashed into a guardrail. Pardee and a female passenger got out of the vehicle; Pardee was arrested and the female passenger escaped. Officers found a backpack inside the vehicle that contained numerous clear plastic baggies with a total of more than 2.1 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Investigators later determined that Pardee had recently sold approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine. Pardee admitted that he had sold more than three kilograms of methamphetamine every other day for the past three months.
Pardee is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case. Michael Robert Ramsel, 28, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 13 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Eleeseea Leeann Crail, 27, Johnathan Scott Graf, 31, and Adam Christopher Lowe, 40, all of St. Joseph, have pleaded guilty to the same charges and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Plattsburg, Mo., Police Department; the Atchison County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department; the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and Sheriff’s Department; the Jackson County Drug Task Force; the Clinton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; and the Clay County Drug Task Force.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Tim I. Hocutt, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 25, 2019, Hocutt pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distributing methamphetamine. Hocutt admitted that he participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Sept. 20, 2017, to Feb. 7, 2018.
Hocutt admitted that he sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer in Springfield on two separate occasions. Hocutt also possessed methamphetamine at the time of his arrest on Feb. 7, 2018. Hocutt admitted that he had been selling methamphetamine almost daily for approximately one year. Hocutt also admitted to having purchased from co-conspirators, and distributed to others, at least 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine during that time period.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
KC Tax Preparer Sentenced for False Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, tax preparer was sentenced in federal court today for a scheme to file false tax returns.
Azareia Derseh, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 18 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Derseh to pay $108,621 in restitution to the IRS.
On Oct. 24, 2019, Derseh pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. His brother and co-defendant, Ananeia Derseh, 42, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to the same offense and awaits sentencing. Co-defendant Quashanda King, 39, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to the same offense and has been sentenced to three years of probation.
Azareia Derseh owned and operated a tax preparation business in the Kansas City metropolitan area, under the names Instant Tax Service and Speedy Tax Service, at various locations. Ananiea was the manager in charge of one of the offices and King was the manager in charge of another office.
Azareia and Ananeia Derseh and King each admitted they prepared federal income tax returns for clients containing materially false and fraudulent items. They prepared returns for at least 37 individuals resulting in at least 47 false income tax returns for tax years 2012, 2013, and 2014.
The preparation of false tax returns for individuals was conducted by including false Schedule C information claiming a modest amount of income in order to maximize the Earned Income Credit. This resulted in a higher tax return for the individuals and higher fees paid to the tax preparation business.
Azareia and Ananeia Derseh and King included higher fees to prepare clients’ returns than what the clients were originally quoted. Often, a false Schedule C was included with clients’ returns to increase clients’ refunds. Client refunds were used to pay the high fees, with the fees most often being deducted from clients’ refunds before the refund was issued to the client. Most of the clients had between $669 and $1,437 in fees deducted from their refund.
According to court documents, the typical client who had their return prepared at Instant Tax Service was a very low wage earner, typically with under $3,000 inW-2 wages. Further, the clients were unsophisticated in tax or financial matters. When they walked into one of the two offices, they were assigned a preparer, who input their W-2 wages, dependents, and other identifying information into the appropriate field of their electronically filed returns. There was no meaningful review of the completed return, and sometimes, the client did not get a copy of the return.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Man Sentenced for Stolen Vehicle Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to steal high-end sport utility vehicles and pick-ups from out-of-state dealerships and transport them to Kansas City for sale on the black market.
Joshua Walker, 44, was sentenced by U.S District Howard F. Sachs to seven years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Walker to pay $212,998 in restitution.
On July 10, 2019, Walker pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles across state lines and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Walker admitted that he participated in a conspiracy from Dec. 1, 2015, to Feb. 2, 2016, to steal at least 10 high-end sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks from three out-of-state auto dealerships and deliver them to Kansas City.
Co-defendant Timothy Hood, 38, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 6, 2019, to three years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.
Hood and co-conspirators organized small groups to steal 10 vehicles, worth approximately $710,933, from three dealerships in Nebraska and Iowa. Hood affixed fraudulent vehicle identification numbers (VINs) onto the dashboard of the stolen vehicles. Many of the fraudulent VINs used during the conspiracy were true VINs from other vehicles owned by car dealerships and were utilized so that the stolen vehicles would be difficult to trace and could be sold on the black market.
On Jan. 12, 2016, Walker was stopped by police while driving one of the stolen vehicles, a 2015 GMC Sierra. The VIN affixed on the dashboard was fraudulent.
On Jan. 6, 2019, Kansas City police officers saw Walker driving a stolen 2019 Ford F-150. When Walker parked and got out of the truck, he was arrested by officers due to a warrant for a felony probation violation. One of the officers saw a loaded Glock .40-caliber firearm with an extended magazine in the driver’s side door pocket of Walker’s vehicle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Walker has been convicted in 16 felony cases, including a 2003 case for being a felon in possession of a firearm. After serving his federal sentence in that case, according to court documents, Walker was revoked twice for violating the terms of his supervised release.
On Sept. 22, 2016, Hood was pulled over for a traffic infraction while he was driving one of the stolen vehicles with a fraudulent VIN. Investigators searched Hood’s laptop, which was in the vehicle. The computer contained scanned images of templates for temporary Kansas license plates, insurance cards, notary stamps, bills of sale, release of liens, and bar code labels of VINs. The search of the computer also revealed searches of legitimate VINs that were fraudulently used or affixed to other stolen vehicles in this case.
All of the stolen vehicles have been recovered by law enforcement officers and sold as salvage. Two of the stolen vehicles were recovered at the residence of Hood’s girlfriend.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
California Man Indicted for Carrying Two Kilos of Cocaine Aboard Train Traveling Through KCRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Sacramento, California, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for carrying more than two kilograms of cocaine aboard a train traveling through Kansas City.
Eduardo Fernando Orozco-Lizaola, 22, was charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Orozco-Lizaola on Jan. 28, 2020.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, a detective with the Kansas City Police Department contacted Orozco-Lizaola aboard a train that arrived at the Kansas City terminal for a layover on Jan. 28, 2020. Orozco-Lizaola had a ticket to Newark, New Jersey.
Orozco-Lizaola allowed the detective to search his backpack, which was underneath his seat. The backpack contained some clothes and two bundles with a total of approximately 2.4 kilograms of cocaine.
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 Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City Interdiction Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Wright City Man Sentenced for Stealing Firearms from Williamsburg StoreRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Wright City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for stealing firearms from a Williamsburg, Missouri, store then leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase in which a state trooper was injured.
Jack Arnold Wodke, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to eight years in federal prison without parole.
On June 26, 2019, Wodke pleaded guilty to stealing firearms from a licensed dealer. Wodke admitted he stole 25 firearms and other items when he burglarized Crane’s Country Store, 10675 State Road D in Williamsburg, on Dec. 19, 2017.
On Dec. 20, 2017, law enforcement officers responded to the Missouri Department of Transportation building in Williamsburg when Wodke pointed a handgun at an employee and threatened him. Wodke was driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck with no license plates, which was later determined to be stolen. As a state trooper and sheriff’s deputy arrived at that location, Wodke fled from them at a high rate of speed. The trooper and several deputies pursued Wodke.
While pursuing Wodke on County Road 1005, the trooper was involved in a single-vehicle accident where he was trapped in his patrol car for nearly two hours and was later transported
to University Hospital by ambulance for his injuries.Deputies continued pursuing Wodke until he drove into a bean field. At the intersection of County Roads 1022 and 1034, Wodke lost control of his vehicle and the truck spun into the grass. As deputies approached, Wodke put the truck into reverse and rammed it into the side of a Ford Explorer, operated and occupied by a Callaway County deputy, and attempted to drive away. At this point, deputies took Wodke into custody.
Wodke appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance. He was animated, had exaggerated movements, and kept twitching and talking about people that were not in the truck with him. Wodke admitted to using amphetamine, and later admitted that he had been up for three days and started seeing an imaginary person on the third day.
Deputies searched Wodke, who had a Ruger .380-caliber pistol in his left coat pocket along with numerous rounds of ammunition and knives. Found just outside the driver’s door of the truck
was a black cloth pull string bag that containing a glass methamphetamine smoking pipe
with a crystal residue inside and a small tin containing methamphetamine.Deputies searched the truck and found several firearms that had been reported stolen from Crane’s Country Store.
In the bed of the truck was an ATM machine, numerous surveillance cameras, well over 100 packages of cigarette, display cases containing chewing tobacco, alcohol, and other items. Montgomery County deputies were investigating a commercial burglary at R&G Fuels, a gas station at the Danville exit of I-70. The owner of the business arrived and confirmed the items in the bed of the truck had been stolen from his business.
Deputies later recovered a Glock handgun with the serial number defaced, which had been reported stolen from Crane's Country Store, from the Missouri Department of Transportation parking lot.
All of the firearms stolen from Crane’s Country Store were recovered.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Lebanon Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Lebanon, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography.
Michael Brannon, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 5, 2019, Brannon pleaded guilty to producing child pornography.
According to court documents, Facebook submitted a CyberTipline report to law enforcement in June 2018 regarding an online conversation between Brannon and the 16-year-old victim, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe #1.” During the course of the chat, which was sexual in nature, Jane Doe #1 transmitted pornographic images to Brannon at his request.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Lebanon, Mo., Police Department, and the Lake Area 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."Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Infant Child and Misleading Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
A Missouri woman pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Missouri for assaulting her infant child while living overseas in Germany as the dependent of an enlisted member of the U.S. Army, and repeatedly lying to law enforcement during the course of the subsequent federal investigation.
Baillie Rachelle Dickenson, aka Baillie Hannah, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts. Sentencing will be set once a U.S. District Judge accepts the plea.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison of the Western District of Missouri, Christopher Grey of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) and Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Langan of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office made the announcement.
According to admissions made as part of her plea, in March 2016, Baillie Dickenson lived in Kaiserslautern, Germany with her then-husband Derreck Dickenson and their two minor children. Baillie Dickenson and her children were dependents of Derreck Dickenson, who was at that time an active duty member of the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. In March 2016, the victim, D.D., was about two months old.
On March 12, 2016, Baillie Dickenson and Derreck Dickenson brought D.D. to the emergency room at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), an overseas U.S. military hospital, where medical personnel observed numerous bruises on D.D.’s face and body. Further examination of D.D. at LRMC and a local German hospital revealed that D.D. had suffered a massive brain injury, numerous broken bones that were in various stages of healing and many retinal hemorrhages.
Baillie Dickenson and Derreck Dickenson told medical personnel they suspected that their elder child, 16-month-old B.D. had fallen onto D.D. while both children were napping, likely causing D.D.’s injuries. Baillie Dickenson repeated these statements in subsequent interviews and written statements to personnel and CID special agents even though she knew they were untrue and had the potential to affect CID’s investigation. On May 30, 2017, the FBI interviewed Baillie Dickenson about D.D.’s injuries. During this recorded interview, Baillie Dickenson admitted that on a date prior to March 12, 2016, she squeezed D.D. into her chest too hard causing his rib fractures.
On Dec. 11, 2019, Derreck Dickenson pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction and one count of false statements. He is awaiting sentencing.
Army CID and the FBI conducted the investigation. Trial Attorney Mona Sahaf of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore of the Western District of Missouri are handling the prosecution.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
More Defendants, Charges Added to Heroin/Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Additional charges and more defendants have been added to two federal indictments that now charge a total of 21 defendants for their roles in separate conspiracies to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Springfield, Missouri, area, resulting in the overdose deaths of at least two people.
Most of the defendants were arrested in a coordinated law enforcement sweep in November 2019 and originally charged in a series of federal criminal complaints, which were followed up by initial indictments in December 2019. Among the defendants who were arrested and charged in November and December 2019, 19 defendants along with two new defendants were charged in two separate superseding indictments this week (six other defendants have been indicted in separate, but related, cases).
According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement partners launched an investigation into the drug-trafficking organization in June 2019. Affidavits cite numerous undercover and controlled drug purchases, as well as seizures of heroin, fentanyl, and large amounts of cash. Heroin and fentanyl, the affidavits say, were sold to Springfield residents by suppliers in Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri.
Two additional defendants were charged in one of the two separate, but related, superseding indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, Feb. 18, for a total of 21 defendants in those two cases. The superseding indictments also include additional charges against several defendants related to drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms, including a new charge in each of the two cases related to overdose deaths that resulted from fentanyl trafficking.
Sheron Loggins, also known as “Bane,” 47, of Florissant, Missouri; Jerry Bedell, also known as “d’Andre,” 29, his father, Jerry Wheeler, also known as “Love,” 44, his significant other, Bethany Rice, 29, all of Springfield, Missouri, and his mother, Nichole Bedell, 48, of Nixa, Missouri; and Delante Worsham, 35, Crystal J. Hill, 23, William Leath, also known as “Chill,” 44, Marquise Martin, 29, Robin Roberts, 50, and Laurel J. Lindsey, also known as “Mama,” 47, all of Springfield, were among those charged in November and December 2019. They, along with additional defendants Solomon Hodges, also known as “Little Daddy,” 60, and Cordaroe D. Sims, 33, all of Springfield, were charged in a 30-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Additionally, Worsham, Hill, and Hodges are charged together in one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl that caused the death of another person (who is not identified in court documents) and one count of distributing fentanyl on or about Sept. 23, 2018, that caused the death of this person.
In a separate but related case, Derrick E. Dailey, also known as “Cuzzo,” 34, William C. Farisse, also known as “Wack,” 33, Roderick L. Stewart, 35, Antwanae L. Morgan, 29, Robert D. Everette, 40, and Dominique Glosson, 26, all of Springfield, were among those charged in November and December 2019. All six are now named in a 16-count superseding indictment, which includes additional charges, returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Additionally, Farisse and Everett also are charged together in one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person (who is not identified in court documents), and one count of distributing fentanyl on or about Oct. 17, 2019, which caused the death of this person.
USA v. Loggins, et al
The federal indictment charges each of the 15 defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin and/or 400 grams or more of fentanyl in Christian and Greene counties from Sept. 23, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019.
In addition to the conspiracy, Crawford is charged with three counts of possessing heroin or fentanyl with the intent to distribute, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Crawford allegedly possessed an Armscor of the Philippines 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Dec. 3, 2018, and a Lorcin .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Jan. 15, 2019.
Leath is also charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Leath allegedly possessed an RG .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Dec. 14, 2018, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol on May 22, 2019.
Martin is also charged with two counts related to distributing fentanyl. Worsham, Sims, and Lindsey are each also charged with one count of possessing heroin and/or fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
Hodges is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school. Hodges is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hodges allegedly possessed a Kel-Tec .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on June 4, 2019.Bedell is also charged with two counts of distributing heroin and/or fentanyl, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Bedell allegedly possessed a .223-caliber semi-automatic pistol without a serial number, a Springfield Armory .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Sept. 12, 2019.
Wheeler is also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes and being a felon in possession of firearms. Wheeler allegedly possessed a Sig Sauer .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, an Izhmash .308-caliber semi-automatic rifle, and a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 14, 2019.
Hill is also charged with attempting to escape from the custody of a DEA agent after being arrested.
USA v. Dailey, et al
Each of the six defendants were charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin and/or 400 grams or more of fentanyl in Greene County from Mar. 27, 2018, to Nov. 14, 2019.
In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracies, Farisse is charged with three counts of distributing heroin and/or fentanyl, two counts of possessing heroin and/or fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Farisse allegedly was in possession of a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 14, 2019.
Glosson is also charged with one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of being an unlawful user of controlled substances (heroin) in possession of firearms. Glosson was allegedly in possession of a Springfield 9mm semi-automatic pistol and an SCCY 9mm semi-automatic pistol on March 7, 2019. Glosson was allegedly in possession of a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Oct. 23, 2019.
Stewart is also charged with one count of distributing heroin and/or fentanyl.
Morgan is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Morgan allegedly possessed an SCCY 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Nov. 14, 2019.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy, including $2,200 seized by law enforcement from Glosson’s residence on March 7, 2019; $11,266 seized by law enforcement from a vehicle occupied by Dailey and Morgan on Nov. 14, 2019; $5,214 seized by law enforcement from Farisse’s hotel room on Nov. 14, 2019; and $4,400 belonging to Dailey, which was seized by law enforcement during the search of a residence on Nov. 27, 2019.
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Josephine L. Stockard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Springfield, Missouri, Police Department; the Greene County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department; the Phelps County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department; the Bourbon, Missouri, Police Department; and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
OCDETF
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.Grain Valley Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Grain Valley, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Matthew Scott Burr, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 21, 2019, Burr pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes (the distribution of marijuana and cocaine).
Columbia, Missouri, police officers located Burr, who had active warrants for his arrest, at a Columbia apartment on Oct. 13, 2016. Two women at the apartment told officers that Burr was not living there, but had been staying there for the past week. One of the women told officers that Burr abused cocaine and talked about drug deals for thousands of dollars. She recalled Burr sitting at the kitchen table with another person with “lines of cocaine.”
After Burr was taken into custody, officers searched his duffel bag and found a loaded Hi-Point .45-caliber handgun and a dismantled cell phone with two SIM cards. The cell phone contained a series of text messages related to Burr’s distribution of cocaine and marijuana to at least three individuals in Boone County, Missouri.
According to court documents, Burr has a significant criminal history. On Oct. 27, 1986 (at age 18), he was convicted of felonies for selling marijuana and secobarbital. He had a felony conviction for driving while intoxicated at age 29, a felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon (a golf club) at age 38, and another felony conviction for driving while intoxicated at age 41. He had a misdemeanor assault conviction at age 45, and received concurrent sentences for felony second degree burglary, felony stealing and felony possession of methamphetamine at age 46.
Burr also has a significant substance abuse history, according to court documents. He admitted that he began drinking and using marijuana as a teenager, and used or attempted to use methamphetamine from age 46 to the day of his arrest. He has also been a heavy user of cocaine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Columbia, 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.Former Camden County Deputy Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former Camden County, Missouri, sheriff’s deputy was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography.
Leonard Jerome Wilson, 41, formerly of Camdenton, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to eight years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wilson to serve 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Wilson was required to surrender his peace officer license and enter guilty pleas in two related state cases.
Wilson, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 17, 2019, was employed as a Camden County sheriff’s deputy at the time of the offenses. During an internal investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct and behavior while he was both on and off duty, deputies obtained a tablet and two cell phones used by Wilson. One cell phone contained a MicroSD card with 18 images of child pornography and 49 images of child erotica. All of the images were of infant, toddler, and prepubescent children.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley S. Turner and Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
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."Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Samuel Ernest Haley III, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Haley was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Oct. 21, 2019, Haley pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Haley, driving a 2018 Toyota Corolla, was stopped by Columbia police officers on April 4, 2018, after he merged off Interstate 70 onto the Lake of the Woods Road exit without using his turn signal. As officers were questioning Haley outside his car, he jumped into the driver’s seat and attempted to drive off. As Haley attempted to put the car in drive with his foot on the gas pedal, an officer struggled with him to shut off the car. Another officer deployed his Taser on Haley in order to gain compliance and take him into custody. After several cycles of the Taser, Haley began to comply with the officers’ commands. He was placed in handcuffs and removed from the car.
When officers searched Haley’s car, they found a loaded KAHR Arms CW45 semi-automatic handgun. They also found a soft zipper case that contained approximately 1.56 grams of crack cocaine.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Haley has two prior felony convictions for assault, and prior felony convictions for armed criminal action and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to court documents, over the course of Haley’s life, he has shot three different people on three different occasions, including his own daughter. In 2016, Haley was charged with driving a moving truck through the front wall of his former paramour’s home (because he was upset she was sleeping with another man) while her teenage daughter was asleep upstairs. Haley has been convicted of a litany of violent and dangerous domestic violence offenses, as well as a host of other crimes including property offenses and resisting arrest. Following Haley’s arrest and detention in this case, according to court documents, he has been involved in four fights with other inmates and assaulted a corrections officer.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly. It was investigated by the Columbia, 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.Diamond Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Missouri, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Terry Lee Miksell, 63, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Miksell on Jan. 28, 2020.
Miksell is charged with one count of producing child pornography and one count of using the internet and a cell phone to attempt to induce a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Facebook initiated two CyberTips in September 2019 after locating sexually explicit messages and images between Miksell and a 16-year-old victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe. Miksell allegedly asked Jane Doe in Facebook Messenger chats to send him sexually explicit images and videos. She told investigators she sent those images and videos at his request.
Officers executed a search warrant at Miksell’s residence on Jan. 16, 2020, and seized several devices, including a cell phone. According to the affidavit, the cell phone contained a pornographic video of the child victim.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) 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."Former Caregiver Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Investigation Related to Violation of Disabled Resident’s Civil RightsRead the Press Release
Anthony R. K. Flores, a former employee of a Missouri residential treatment facility, pleaded guilty in federal court in the Western District of Missouri to criminal charges arising from a civil rights investigation into the death of C.D., a Missouri ward of the state with developmental disabilities. Flores pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice by knowingly falsifying a document with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence an investigation related to the death of C.D.
According to the plea agreement, Flores worked as a caregiver at Second Chance Homes, an organization that provided housing and care for developmentally disabled persons through a Missouri Department of Mental Health initiative. Victim C.D. had been a resident at Second Chance Homes since 2008.
In early 2016, C.D.’s health deteriorated over a period of several months, culminating in his death later that year. Prior to the law enforcement becoming aware of C.D.’s death, he was reported missing by his primary caretaker, Sherry Paulo. In 2019, Sherry Paulo and Anthony Flores – the defendant’s parents – pleaded guilty to civil rights violations in connection with C.D.’s death.
Flores admitted in his plea agreement that after C.D. was reported missing to the Fulton Police Department, Flores wrote a false statement in which he stated that he saw C.D. alive and well on April 16, 2017. Flores did so while knowing that he had not seen C.D. in at least six months.
“The defendants’ actions in seeking to impede law enforcement from locating a developmentally disabled individual are unacceptable,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to hold people accountable who seek to obstruct the investigation of criminal civil rights offenses.”
“The defendant attempted to cover up a crime and lied to authorities who were searching for the missing victim,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison of the Western District of Missouri. “Obstructing justice and impeding an investigation won’t be tolerated. Our nation’s civil rights laws are designed to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, which each one of us is morally and legally obligated to uphold.”
“The FBI will continue to work aggressively with our federal, state and local partners to protect the civil rights of every citizen. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to seek justice on behalf of all victims and aggressively investigate and bring those responsible to justice,” said Timothy Langan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Kansas City, Missouri.
“Flores’ efforts to obstruct the investigation into the death of this vulnerable individual is a serious crime that demands punishment,” said Curt L. Muller, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Coordinating with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to investigating such misconduct.”
Under Flores’s plea agreement, he faces a maximum of 24 months incarceration. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Jefferson City Resident Agency of the FBI Kansas City Division and the St. Louis Field Office of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General Kansas City Region. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cindi Woolery and Gregg Coonrod of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Special Litigation Counsel Julia Gegenheimer and Trial Attorney Janea Lamar of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Criminal Section. The Fulton, Missouri Police Department and Callaway County Prosecutor Christopher Wilson contributed significantly to the successful investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Belton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography After His Lost Cell Phone is Found at a Truck StopRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Belton, Missouri, man whose lost cell phone containing child pornography was found at a truck stop, pleaded guilty in federal court today.
Christopher Lee Caven, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Maughmer to receiving child pornography over the internet.
By pleading guilty today, Caven admitted that he used his cell phone to receive child pornography via Kik, an online sharing application.
Caven’s cell phone was found at the Flying J Truck Plaza in Peculiar, Missouri, on March 5, 2017. The person who found the cell phone was unable to locate the owner and attempted to conduct a factory reset of the phone in order to set it up for his own use. In the process, however, he discovered a large amount of child pornography in the photo folder and contacted law enforcement.
Investigators found 402 video files of child pornography and 302 images of child pornography on Caven’s cell phone. Many of the images depicted children as young as toddlers posed in sexual positions or being sexually violated by others.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Caven agree to recommend to the court a sentence between 15 years and 18 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. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime 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."Six KCMO Employees Plead Guilty to $58,000 Overtime Pay Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Six employees of the Kansas City, Missouri, public works department have pleaded guilty to their roles in a nearly three-year-long conspiracy to collect $58,000 in fraudulent overtime pay.
Prentis M. Rayford, 37, Eric McKamey, 47, and Edward Lee Ellingburg, 48, all of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty today in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Co-defendants Paul Myers, 62, Kenneth Gethers, 34, and Julio Prospero, 49, all of Kansas City, Missouri, have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the wire fraud conspiracy.
All of the defendants were employees of the city of Kansas City, in the Public Works Sign Division. The federal indictment alleges they participated in a conspiracy from January 2013 to Nov. 30, 2016, to receive more than $58,000 in overtime pay as a result of material false and fraudulent representations.
Among their responsibilities, these city employees replaced and repaired traffic signs that were missing or damaged. Certain signs, like stop signs, yield signs, one-way signs, and do not enter signs, are considered essential signs. The public can report a problem with an essential sign by calling the traffic operations dispatch or the 311 Action Center. When those reports are made after hours or on weekends, the city’s Public Works Sign Division calls in employees who are willing to work overtime. When an employee is called back after regular working hours or on the weekend, a minimum overtime of four hours is earned, regardless of how long it takes to resolve the issue. Overtime pay is time-and-a-half of the employee’s usual pay.
The defendants admitted they called in damaged signs after hours, called in signs that were not damaged, and had friends and relatives call in reportedly damaged signs, all in order to generate callouts for themselves and other employees. Conspirators submitted timesheets and work orders for callouts stating that they went to the location of the damaged sign and fixed it, when in fact they did not. They also submitted timesheets and work orders for callouts when signs were actually damaged, but were not fixed until the following normal work day.
Four of the defendants – Rayford, McKamey, Ellingburg, and Prospero – acquired a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone application, which disguised their phone number when they called the 311 Action Center.
A supervisor at the Public Works Sign Division suspected in the summer of 2016 that employees were fraudulently creating and claiming overtime for callouts which were unnecessary or even false. Management arranged to be contacted when calls regarding downed signs were made to the 311 Action Center or traffic operations dispatch. Employees or their relatives often made the calls regarding downed signs themselves. Managers would go to the scene, usually before the employee, and photograph the sign. Often all the signs were up. Occasionally, a sign was down but was not repaired until the following workday. Managers tracked the GPS on work trucks, the indictment says, and often found that the trucks did not go to the location of the supposedly downed sign. Sometimes GPS indicated the trucks went to the location but either did not stop or did not stop long enough to repair a sign.
The internal investigation lasted from Aug. 23, 2016, to Nov. 13, 2016. During that time, approximately 75 percent of all callouts were found to be fraudulent. The city then reported its findings to the FBI for further investigation.
Rayford admitted he submitted work orders that falsely claimed he maintained or installed stop signs on five occasions. McKamey admitted he submitted work orders that falsely claimed he maintained or installed stop signs on 10 occasions. Ellingburg admitted he submitted work orders that falsely claimed he maintained or installed stop signs on three occasions. Myers admitted he submitted work orders that falsely claimed he maintained or installed stop signs on four occasions. Gethers admitted he submitted work orders that falsely claimed he maintained or installed stop signs on five occasions. Prospero admitted he submitted work orders that falsely claimed he maintained or installed stop signs on four occasions. Under the terms of their plea agreements, each defendant must forfeit to the government any proceeds he obtained from the conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Under federal statutes, each of the defendants is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Mahoney and Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was convicted by a federal jury today of drug trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.
Paris B. Young, 48, was found guilty of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Kansas City, Missouri, police officers stopped Young on June 16, 2018, because he failed to signal while making a turn at the intersection of 41st and Garfield Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Young, who was driving a maroon BMW 650i, was seen making furtive movements by leaning towards the center console of the vehicle and placing items inside the center console. Young opened his car door and got out of the vehicle; he refused to listen to multiple commands by the officers to get back into the vehicle. While speaking with the officers, Young suddenly pushed off of one officer and began to run. The officer grabbed Young’s shirt and Young was immediately taken into custody.
Officers searched Young’s car and found a Taurus .45-caliber revolver, with an obliterated serial number, underneath the driver’s seat. The revolver was loaded with three .45-caliber Colt rounds of ammunition and two 410 shotgun shells in the cylinder. Officers also found a large plastic bag that contained 46 individually wrapped bags of crack cocaine, with a total weight of 12.49 grams, and 4.38 grams of marijuana in the center console of the vehicle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Young has prior felony convictions for murder, armed criminal action, possessing a controlled substance, and two prior felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Missouri, deliberated for less than an hour before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Under federal statutes, Young is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Special 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.Springfield Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Evading $300,000 in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to pay more than $300,000 in employment taxes for his businesses in Springfield.
John P. Hardwick, 51, waived his right to an indictment and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with attempting to evade taxation.
Hardwick owned and operated JTBT Investments, LLC, and Hardwick Quartz & Granite, LLC, both located in Springfield. Hardwick accumulated $306,298 in employment tax liabilities as an employer from 1994 through 2016, and failed to pay the money to the IRS.
In 2016, the IRS issued a Notice of Intent to Levy, which notified Hardwick that the IRS would contact individuals and entities that conducted business with him and notify those customers of the fact that he owed the IRS money. This notice would also direct customers to pay any monies due to Hardwick to the IRS instead, as a means of collecting on the amount due.
Hardwick then directed at least two of his customers to disregard the IRS levies; he also told them he would not complete their ongoing projects if they paid the IRS instead of him.
Under federal statutes, Hardwick is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm After Being Wounded in ShootoutRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Missouri, man who was wounded in a shoot-out on Troost Avenue pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Malliek D. Haynes, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
By pleading guilty today, Haynes admitted that he possessed a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol when he engaged in a shootout on Troost Avenue on April 2, 2017.
The incident began with a verbal altercation between Haynes and a group of people at the Troost Market, 8001 Troost Avenue in Kansas City. Haynes loudly proclaimed that he was “a gangster” and lifted up his shirt in a threatening manner, exposing the firearm in his waistband. After the group left the store, Haynes continued to make loud comments to other patrons and again lifted his shirt to show that he was carrying the firearm.
When Haynes left the store and walked to his car, he again engaged in a verbal altercation with the same group of individuals from before, who were now in their vehicles across the gas station parking lot. They began to shoot at Haynes with a rifle from their vehicle. He immediately pulled out his firearm and began to wildly return fire, falling to the ground. During the shootout, Haynes was shot in the upper thigh.
The group drove away; Haynes got into the passenger side of his vehicle and a female companion drove him to the hospital. Haynes was arrested at the hospital and officers seized the firearm from his vehicle.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Haynes has prior felony convictions for robbery and unlawful use of a weapon.
Under federal statutes, Haynes 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 Kenneth W. Borgnino. 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.U.S. Attorney Praises Cooperation of State, Local Law Enforcement Agencies to Combat Illegal ImmigrationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – United States Attorney Tim Garrison praised the cooperation of state and local law enforcement agencies in the Western District of Missouri today, as U.S. Attorney General William Barr addressed the problem of sanctuary cities elsewhere in the nation.
“We appreciate the cooperation in this district among state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Garrison. “We know that, unfortunately, some parts of the country don’t benefit from such cooperation. The partnership between law enforcement officers at all levels throughout the Western District of Missouri is essential to presenting a united front against illegal immigration and the drug trafficking and violent crime often associated with it.”
“Local law enforcement agencies are often our first line of defense,” Garrison added. “We count on them to coordinate with federal authorities who enforce immigration laws aimed at protecting our neighborhoods and keeping our communities safe.”
In a recent example, Independence, Missouri, police officers arrested Carlos Colato, a citizen of El Salvador, when they received reports of a man pointing a firearm at motorists. After taking him into custody and learning that he had an active immigration detainer, officers turned him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Colato was recently charged in federal court with being a felon and an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. According to an affidavit filed in support of the Jan. 27, 2020, federal criminal complaint, Colato has illegally entered the United States on at least five separate occasions. Garrison noted this case is being handled by a cross-designated prosecutor from the Missouri Attorney General’s office as part of the Safer Streets Initiative to combat violent crime.
“Cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies is quite simply the most effective way of promoting public safety,” said Robert Guadian, field office director for ICE Chicago, which oversees Kansas City. “Sanctuary city policies simply don’t work. Instead of promoting public safety, sanctuary policies put the lives of our community’s residents at greater risk. The Western District of Missouri has no communities that identify as sanctuary jurisdictions, as such the public is more secure as a direct result of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in this district.”
Garrison cited several more examples of local and federal agency cooperation:
On Aug. 31, 2019, Pleasant Valley, Missouri, police officers arrested Rex Ruiz-Velazquez, a citizen of Mexico, on local charges related to a neighborhood disturbance. At the time of his arrest, Ruiz-Velazquez had a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol in his pickup truck. Ruiz-Velazquez, who has illegally entered the United States at least four times, was turned over to ICE-ERO agents and indicted last fall for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for illegally reentering the United States after having been deported.
Kansas City, Missouri, police officers responded to neighbors’ reports of gunshots on Aug. 5, 2018. They discovered that Juan Carlos Cuevas-Alvarez and Nestor K. Rodriguez, both citizens of Mexico who illegally entered the United States, had been shooting firearms in their back yard. Officers found a Cobray 9mm pistol, a Walther .380-caliber handgun, and a Sig Saur 9mm pistol at the residence. Officers also found 26 pounds of marijuana inside two black trash bags and more than $35,000 in cash. Cuevas-Alvarez and Rodriguez each pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm; Cuevas-Alvarez also pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana to distribute. Cuevas-Alvarez was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison without parole. Rodriguez was sentenced to three years and two months in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 16, 2018, Riverside, Missouri, police officers arrested Miguel Angel Rodriguez-Vazquez for loitering but later learned he had illegally entered the United States from Mexico on five different occasions and had a prior drug-trafficking conviction. Rodriguez-Vazquez was sentenced last summer to almost five years in federal prison without parole.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 720 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An El Paso, Texas, man from whom officers seized nearly $500,000 in illegal drug proceeds pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy that distributed more than 720 kilograms of cocaine in the metropolitan area.
Otilio Zaragoza-Navarrette, 63, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from October 2013 to Nov. 15, 2018. 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.
Co-defendant Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, also known as “Uncle” or “Rambo,” 39, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty on Jan. 22, 2020, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to money laundering. Armendariz-Rascon admitted that he distributed 360 kilograms of cocaine per year in 2015 and 2016, for a total of 720 kilograms of powder cocaine.
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.
Zaragoza-Navarrette delivered cocaine to Jose Armendariz-Rascon as well as to co-defendants Miguel Armendariz-Rascon, 31, a citizen of Mexico residing in Olathe, Kansas, and Jesus Salvador Campoy-Estrada, also known as “Chava” and “Chavita,” 25, who each have pleaded guilty. 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. 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.
Zaragoza-Navarrette admitted that he personally transported in excess of 50 kilograms of cocaine during his involvement in the conspiracy. Zaragoza-Navarrette admitted that he transported at least five kilograms of cocaine each time he made a delivery to the drug-trafficking organization. A confidential witness met with Zaragoza-Navarette approximately 18 times. During every meeting with Zaragoza-Navarrette, the confidential witness reported that at least $40,000 to $50,000 would be given to Zaragoza-Navarrette to ship back to Mexico. On a few occasions, approximately $500,000 was provided to Zaragoza-Navarrette.
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.
Zaragoza-Navarrette and Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon are among nine defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case.
Under federal statutes, Zaragoza-Navarrette is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. Jose Armendariz-Rascon is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department.
Lee's Summit Woman, Brother Sentenced for $1.7 Million Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit, Missouri, woman and her brother, a Denver, Colorado, man, were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than $1.7 million of marijuana that was mailed from Colorado to Missouri.
Natalie J. McNeil, 34, and Tanner L. McNeil, 30, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips. Natalie McNeil was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison without parole and ordered to forfeit $121,000 to the government. Tanner McNeil was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison without parole and ordered to forfeit $1,033,788 to the government.
They are among five Missouri residents and two Colorado residents who have pleaded guilty and been sentenced in this case.
Tanner McNeil and co-defendant Benjamin T. Parker, 29, of Denver, shipped the marijuana to co-conspirators in Missouri for further distribution. The marijuana was shipped in sealed packages inside plastic protein containers, and each shipment usually contained between four to six pounds. A total of 121 packages (484 to 726 pounds of marijuana) were shipped during the conspiracy.
Natalie McNeil deposited cash in structured amounts (to avoid federal transaction reporting requirements) in the bank accounts of Tanner McNeil and Parker. The cash deposits were made in bank branches in Missouri then withdrawn shortly afterward by Tanner McNeil and Parker at bank branches in Colorado.
A total of $1,769,244 in deposits of drug proceeds were made in Missouri, with $1,033,788 being made into Tanner McNeil’s bank account and $735,456 being made into Parker’s bank account. Investigators determined that $1,295,063 of the deposited drug proceeds were withdrawn by Tanner McNeil and Parker in Colorado shortly after the deposits were made in Missouri.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jess E. Michaelsen and Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
OCDETF
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.KC Man Pleads Guilty to Two Bank Robberies, Armed Business RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to two bank robberies and the armed robbery of a Subway store during a February 2016 crime spree.
Mack Davis, 27, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to two counts of bank robbery, one count of robbing a business, and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Davis was originally charged on Feb. 26, 2016, but was a fugitive from justice until he was apprehended on April 20, 2017. Davis has been in federal custody since his arrest.
Davis admitted that he stole $2,210 from Commerce Bank, 6100 Troost Avenue in Kansas City, on Feb. 16, 2016. Davis presented a note to the teller that read: “Give me all the loose money. No INK PACKS No trackers or EVERYBODY Will DIE!!” (sic)
Davis admitted that he stole $2,525 from Central Bank of the Midwest, 9740 Wornall Road in Kansas City, on Feb. 24, 2016. During the robbery, Davis told a bank employee to give him money or “I will shoot you.” Davis kept his right hand in his front pocket as if he had a gun.
Davis admitted that he stole $647 at gunpoint from the Subway store at 3550 Truman Road in Kansas City on Feb. 1, 2016. Davis, brandishing a handgun, demanded money from a Subway employee then fled with the proceeds.
Under federal statutes, Davis is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for each of the three robbery counts, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least seven years in federal prison without parole for the firearm count. 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 D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying 3.4 Kilos of Cocaine on Bus Traveling Through KCRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Georgia man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing more than 3.4 kilograms of cocaine that he was transporting through Kansas City on a bus.
Hason R. Davis, 21, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.
By pleading guilty today, Davis admitted that he was carrying three bundles of cocaine, which weighed a total of 3,447 grams, in a backpack. Kansas City police officers approached Davis at a local bus station on Sept. 3, 2018, after he disembarked from a bus for a layover. Davis gave his consent for the officers to search his carry-on bag, but when asked to search his backpack, he did not respond. Instead, Davis said he need to smoke a cigarette and walked away from the officers, then dropped the backpack and started running. After a short pursuit, he was taken into custody.
Under federal statutes, Davis 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. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Conway Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm in Road Rage IncidentRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Conway, Missouri, man who threatened another driver in a road rage incident pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
William J.W. Duval, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Duval remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
By pleading guilty today, Duval admitted he was in possession of a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol on June 19, 2019. Duval was involved in a disturbance with another driver on that date in the area of Glenstone Avenue and Kearney Street. The other driver told police officers that a white Cadillac driven by Duval had drifted into his lane of traffic and that he honked at the vehicle. Duval then flipped him off and showed him a firearm, at which time the other driver called 911.
Officers stopped Duval and searched his vehicle. They found the loaded pistol between the driver’s seat and center console and arrested Duval.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Duval has prior felony convictions for stealing a motor vehicle, theft, burglary, forgery, possession of a controlled substance, and stealing.
Under federal statutes, Duval 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown, who is a cross-designated prosecutor from the Missouri Attorney General’s office as part of the Safer Streets Initiative to combat violent crime. It was investigated by the Springfield, 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.Springfield Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, woman was sentenced in federal court today for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.
Natalie K. Hampton, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 24, 2019, Hampton pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Dec. 7, 2016, to June 19, 2018, and to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
When Hampton was arrested on several outstanding warrants in April 2019, she was wearing a wig and sitting on a handgun magazine. Officers searched the vehicle she was driving and found approximately 18 grams of methamphetamine, drug distribution materials, five cell phones, additional wigs, $50, and a safe containing two loaded semi-automatic pistols. Officers searched a hotel room associated with Hampton and found a handgun matching the magazine located in the vehicle, $3,706, and an ammunition box containing 84.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, cocaine, pills, mushrooms, suboxone strips, LSD, drug paraphernalia, and drug distribution materials.
On Dec. 7, 2016, Hampton was arrested in possession of a bag that contained 253.27 grams of methamphetamine, a distributive amount. She also possessed a stolen, loaded Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a Sig Sauer .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol. According to court documents, Hampton fled from the police prior to arrest, causing multiple collisions on Glenstone Avenue in Springfield. After crashing the vehicle she was driving, Hampton fled on foot before being apprehended.
On June 19, 2018, she was arrested in possession of seven bags that contained a total of 173.76 grams of methamphetamine, a distributive amount. On June 16, 2017, Hampton was arrested in possession of two bags that contained a total of 14.93 grams of methamphetamine, a distributive amount.
Hampton was on probation with the state of Missouri at the time she committed the instant federal offenses. She has continuously been on state probation for various misdemeanor and felony offenses for almost a decade; she has consistently received sentences of probation and community service hours in lieu of incarceration.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Sedalia Man Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Sedalia, Missouri, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for tax evasion.
Duane Dixon, 57, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Dixon was arrested today when he self-surrendered to federal authorities.
The federal indictment charges Dixon with one count of tax evasion and one count of obstructing the administration of tax laws.
Dixon allegedly failed to file timely tax returns for the years 1996 through 2010, and did not make any voluntary payment toward his taxes for those years. Dixon is specifically charged in the indictment with evading taxes for the calendar years 2005 through 2010, for which the IRS assessed Dixon’s tax due and owing in the total amount of $639,333.
Dixon hired a return preparer to prepare tax returns for the 2005 to 2010 tax years, the indictment says, but provided the preparer with false and incomplete information. Knowing that these returns omitted significant income, Dixon submitted the returns to the IRS.
Dixon formed Dixon Builders, LLC, on Feb. 28, 2012. Dixon then opened bank accounts, bought and sold real estate, and purchased a boat and vehicles in the LLC’s name, according to the indictment. During the 2013 and 2014 tax years, for example, Dixon purchased nine pieces of real estate outright in the name of Dixon Builders LLC. Dixon allegedly concealed assets by transferring several properties from Dixon Builders, LLC, to his adult children.
Dixon allegedly told an IRS revenue officer, who was attempting to collect payments from him, that he had no personal or business bank accounts, that he had no business such as an LLC, that he was self-employed as a handyman and had no employees, and that he did not own any rental homes or have any rentals in a business or other person’s name. Dixon allegedly knew these statements were false at the time he made them.
According to the indictment, Dixon filed bankruptcies at times when the IRS was attempting to assess or collect his taxes, to forestall levies and seizures of his property. Dixon failed to provide information or make payments, however, resulting in dismissals of cases by the bankruptcy court.
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 Tom Larson. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Carl D. Edwards, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Monday, Feb. 3, to nine years and two months in federal prison without parole. Edwards was remanded to custody at the conclusion of yesterday’s sentencing hearing.
Edwards was convicted in a bench trial on June 17, 2019, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Edwards was in possession of a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun on Feb. 24, 2018. Kansas City police officers were dispatched that afternoon in response to a 9-1-1 call reporting a man high on PCP trying to get into a residence. Officers found Edwards lying in the driveway. The loaded handgun was tucked in his 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. Edwards has prior felony convictions for armed bank robbery, assault on a law enforcement officer, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Edwards has an extensive history of violent activity going back 20 years, including misdemeanor convictions for disturbing the peace, multiple assaults, multiple inflictions of injury, and harassment.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly. 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.