Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
KC Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man with prior felony convictions for child pornography was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography over the Internet.
Travis E. Fleming, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Fleming to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. The court ordered Fleming to pay $5,000 in restitution to each of three identified victims of sexual abuse portrayed in the images of child pornography that he possessed.
Fleming was convicted in federal court in 2010 of two counts of receiving child pornography and two counts of possessing child pornography, for which he was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. He was on supervised release at the time of this offense.
On Sept. 20, 2018, Fleming pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Fleming admitted that he had 256 images of child sexual abuse (including bondage) on his cell phone. Some of the victim children ranged in age from four to 10 years old. A forensic examination determined that Fleming did the bulk of his viewing of child pornography in the dark web.
Fleming’s probation officer discovered the cell phone during a home visit on Nov. 16, 2017. Fleming admitted that he had been accessing the internet since at least February 2017. Among the conditions of Fleming’s supervised release was that he not possess any type of computer or electronic device with access to any on-line computer service.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Jury Convicts Overland Park Woman in Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kan., woman has been convicted by a federal trial jury for her role in a multi-defendant drug-trafficking conspiracy with ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico.
Christine Little Wood, 61, was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin from Jan. 1, 2010, to April 18, 2017, and of participating in a money-laundering conspiracy. In addition to the criminal conspiracies, Little Wood was found guilty of using a cell phone to aid the drug-trafficking conspiracy and of maintaining a residence for the distribution and use of heroin.
In addition to Little Wood, 20 co-defendants have pleaded guilty and three have been sentenced in this case. Dennis McLallen, 66, and his wife, and Pamela Gaddy-McLallen, 65, both of Overland Park, were in direct contact with Mexico-based heroin and methamphetamine suppliers and Kansas City-based suppliers. They received multi-ounce levels of black tar heroin from their suppliers, which they and other conspirators repackaged into ounce and gram levels for distribution by Little Wood and others.
McLallen admitted that he was responsible for the distribution of more than 10 kilograms of heroin. Conspirators distributed at least 500 ounces (more than 14 kilograms) of heroin, with an average sale price of $1,700 per ounce, for a total of $850,000.
In September 2016, investigators searched vehicles and residences and seized heroin, methamphetamine, prescription drugs, more than $200,000 in bulk cash, a load vehicle with hidden compartments, drug ledgers, drug packaging, drug scales, firearms, ammunition, a bullet proof vest, and various other drug trafficking related items. Little Wood’s son, a co-defendant in this case, distributed and used heroin in her residence.
McLallen and Gaddy-McLallen each pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies and to a conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. McLallen was sentenced on April 18, 2018, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Gaddy-McLallen died of natural causes while awaiting sentencing.
Co-defendant Kevin Fletcher,30, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to nine years and two months in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Sterling Cline, 38, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Several co-defendants remain fugitives from justice.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about four hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, ending a trial that began Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019.
Under federal statutes, Little Wood 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 Bruce Rhoades and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
St. Peters Woman Pleads Guilty to $231,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A St. Peters, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to a fraud scheme in which she received more than $231,000 in disability payments intended for her mother, who died nearly 50 years ago.
Marsha Gail Coy, 68, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with one count of bank fraud.
Coy’s mother was an employee of the Kirkwood, Mo., R-VII School District until she retired with the Public School Retirement Systems of Missouri (PSRS) in 1968. PSRS is a non-Social Security contributory system that provides retirement, disability and survivor benefits. Although Coy’s mother died on Sept. 23, 1969, PSRS unwittingly continued to make disability benefit payments into her bank accounts. PSRS made 584 disability benefit payments totaling $382,933 before learning on May 1, 2018, that she had died. Coy’s father was placed in a long-term care facility in April 1996 and resided there until the last few days prior to his death in 1999.
By pleading guilty today, Coy admitted that she engaged in a fraud scheme from April 1996 to May 1, 2018, to steal from PSRS by obtaining benefits to which she was not entitled, and to use the money for her own benefit. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Coy must forfeit to the government $231,148, which is the amount of disability benefits paid by PSRS after April 1, 1996.
Under federal statutes, Coy is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the FBI.
Jury Convicts Former Dental Clinic Owners of $1 Million Health Care, Payroll Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced today that a Marshfield, Mo., couple has been convicted by a federal trial jury of multiple fraud schemes totaling more than $1 million that involved Medicaid payments to their dental clinics, failing to pay over payroll taxes and collecting unemployment benefits they were not entitled to receive.
Pamela M. Van Drie, 59, and her husband, Lorin G. Van Drie, 60, were found guilty on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, of all 40 counts contained in a Nov. 2, 2016, federal indictment.
“When criminals cheat federal programs like Medicaid, they are stealing from the pockets of honest tax-paying citizens,” said Garrison. “This multi-faceted investigation exposed hundreds of fraudulent Medicaid claims and a payroll tax fraud conspiracy that totaled more than $1 million. We are pleased to partner with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office to combat health care fraud and hold accountable those who abuse the system for their own benefit.”
“Those who rig the Medicaid system for unlawful personal gain will be held accountable, and my office’s dedication to this case illustrates how we’re continually working towards bringing fraudsters and scammers to justice,” said Schmitt, “I’m thankful to have such a talented team fighting tirelessly to protect all 6 million Missourians, and I’m grateful to have worked alongside U.S. Attorney Garrison and his talented team.”
Steve Hanson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Kansas City, Mo., said, “Our office will continue to pursue those individuals who bill HHS-funded programs for services that were never rendered or for services provided to ineligible beneficiaries, as such actions place an unnecessary financial burden on both our programs and the American taxpayer.”
“Withholding and properly remitting employment taxes is the responsibility of all business owners,” said Karl Stiften, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “As demonstrated by these guilty verdicts, choosing to spend withheld employment taxes on a luxurious lifestyle will not be tolerated. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Justice will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who commit employment tax fraud.”
Pamela and Lorin Van Drie were the owners of All About Smiles, LLC, a Springfield company that provided dental services at clinics in Springfield (until it closed in November 2015), Mountain Grove, Mo., (until it closed in October 2014) and Bolivar, Mo. (until it closed in March 2014). They also owned PL Family Management Company, LLC, which managed the staff for those clinics.
$885,748 Health Care Fraud Conspiracy
Pamela Van Drie participated in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud from Oct. 6, 2010, to Aug. 19, 2015. This conspiracy consisted of a fraud scheme related to dentures and other dental services and a fraud scheme related to orthodontic appliances. Both fraud schemes involved fraudulent Medicaid claims and payments.
Pamela Van Drie and Dr. James R. Dye, a dentist at the clinics, arranged for All About Smiles to provide dentures and other dental services to adults who did not qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. They submitted claims to Medicaid for those dentures and other dental services, knowing that Medicaid’s requirements were not met.
Pamela Van Drie, through All About Smiles, submitted and received $720,048 on numerous claims for dentures and other dental services that lacked the required written referral from a physician.
Additionally, Pamela Van Drie and Dye purchased Ortho-Tain orthodontic appliances (designed to straighten teeth without braces) for approximately $50 each, provided them to Medicaid pediatric beneficiaries and billed each such appliance to Medicaid as a speech aid prosthesis for approximately $695. They knew the Ortho-Tain appliances should have been billed to Medicaid as orthodontic services; they also knew Medicaid did not cover orthodontic services unless the Medicaid program’s requirements were met and they received precertification, which required review by a dentist/orthodontist employed by Medicaid. They billed the Ortho-Tain appliances as speech aid prostheses in order to bypass the precertification requirement.
Between Oct. 6, 2010, and Aug. 19, 2015, Pamela Van Drie submitted and received payment for approximately 241 claims submitted for speech aid prosthesis. On each claim, All About Smiles (or its predecessor company) was paid between $675 to $695, for an approximate total amount of $165,700.
Dye pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2016, to health care fraud in a separate but related case.
$194,751 Payroll Tax Fraud ConspiracyPamela and Lorin Van Drie participated in a conspiracy to defraud the government by failing to pay over the IRS payroll taxes from Jan. 31, 2013, to Jan. 31, 2015. Although payroll taxes were withheld from the paychecks of employees at All About Smiles and PL Family Management Company, the Van Dries failed to pay over to the IRS approximately $194,751 in payroll taxes.
The Van Dries diverted a substantial amount of money from their businesses during this period. They caused All About Smiles and PL Family Management Company to make thousands of dollars for their personal benefit while failing to pay over to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from their employees’ paychecks.
Rather than paying the payroll taxes due and owing, the Van Dries purchased and made payments on a 2013 Tracker boat and trailer, a recreational vehicle, multiple vehicles (including a 2010 Hummer and a 2009 Mercedes), several utility trailers, two golf carts, a motorcycle, expenses associated with two homes and family vacations in Florida, and a pulling truck called “Momma’s Money,” which Pamela Van Drie’s son used in pulling competitions throughout Missouri.
Additional Charges
In addition to these two criminal conspiracies, Pamela Van Drie was found guilty of eight counts of health care fraud related to fraudulent claims for speech aid prosetheses, 10 counts of health care fraud related to fraudulent claims for dentures and other dental services and one count of theft of public money related to $3,520 in unemployment benefits that she was not entitled to receive while working full-time at All About Smiles.
In addition to the payroll tax conspiracy, Lorin Van Drie also was found guilty of 18 counts of failure to pay over employment tax and one count of theft of public money related to $11,840 in unemployment benefits that he was not entitled to receive while working at his own construction company and doing maintenance work at All About Smiles.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for about one and half hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, ending a six-day trial that began Monday, Feb. 11, 2019.
Under federal statutes, Pamela Van Drie is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on each count of conviction except the payroll tax conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison without parole. Lorin Van Drie is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for theft of unemployment benefits and five years in federal prison without parole on each additional count of conviction. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cindi S. Woolery and Steve Mohlhenrich and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Kempf of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. It was investigated by Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Jefferson City Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $65,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $65,000 from her employer.
Laura Lynn Winge, 47, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with one count of bank fraud and one count of theft from an employee benefit plan.
Winge worked as a bookkeeper for Turk’s Construction, Inc., a residential construction company, and an affiliated company, Pools Unlimited, LLC, which builds in-ground swimming pools and spas, from July 2009 until she left employment on March 11, 2016. Company employees participated in an IRA plan that was administered by Winge.
By pleading guilty today, Winge admitted that she withheld $56,876 of the IRA plan deferrals from employees’ payroll from Jan. 1, 2013, to March 31, 2016, but never forwarded them to their individual accounts. Winge also admitted that she never forwarded the required employer matching contributions of $38,913 for the same time period. Instead, Winge kept those funds in the companies’ operating accounts, and used the employees’ deferrals for her own use and the use of another, including approximately $49,214 for her own personal benefit.
Winge’s theft consisted of $12,871 in unauthorized payroll checks to herself, $19,073 in unauthorized pay by inflating her hours worked, $5,447 in unauthorized spending on the companies’ credit card, and $11,822 in health insurance premiums for her dependents. Winge also admitted that she obtained $16,316 in services and products from the companies and a related company (Midwest Welding) for which she did not pay, but amended the invoices to show paid. Winge’s theft from the companies totaled $65,531.
Under federal statutes, Winge is subject to a sentence of up to 35 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 Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Inspector General, and the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Jury Convicts Two KCK Men of Conspiracy, Kidnapping, Carjacking, Robbery, Drug Trafficking, and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Kan., men have been convicted at trial by a federal jury of 17 counts contained in a Dec. 13, 2016, federal indictment.
Jamerl M. Wortham, 33, and Anthony B. Williams, 36, were each found guilty on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019, of one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, three counts of kidnapping, one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, one count of distribution of phencyclidine (PCP), six counts of possession of a short-barreled shotgun in furtherance of a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime, one count of being felons in possession of a firearm, one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
During the early morning hours of April 9, 2016, the defendants, along with another man, stole a Jaguar vehicle in Kansas City, Kansas, then set off to Kansas City, Missouri, with a plan to rob people at ATM machines. While driving around the Westport entertainment district, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the men came across M.M., a woman who was waiting to be picked up by an Uber car. One of the defendants stepped out of the stolen Jaguar, put his arm around M.M., and corralled her into the vehicle.
From there, the defendants proceeded north toward a set of ATMs located in the River Market neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. There, they waited until a red Toyota Camry pulled up to use the ATM at approximately 2:00 a.m. The defendants drove up behind the Camry where two women, T.J. and Y.C., were attempting to deposit money into the ATM. One of the defendants and another man approached the Camry, pointed a loaded sawed-off shotgun at the driver and passenger, demanded money, then forced them in the backseat of the Camry. The two men then got in the driver and passenger seats of the vehicle and sped away towards Kansas City, Kansas, with the stolen Jaguar containing M.M. following close behind.
Once in Kansas City, Kansas, the defendants forced all of the victims into the Camry. From there, the defendants took the victims to another ATM in Kansas City, Kansas, and told them to withdraw as much money as they could from their bank accounts. After leaving the ATM, the defendants forced M.M. and Y.C. to smoke phencyclidine (PCP), while they drove for hours around the Kansas City metro area. During the entirety of this time, the victims were consistently threatened with death and bodily harm while the defendants pointed the sawed-off shotgun in the victims’ direction. Williams also indicated he was armed with a handgun during this time.
At around 5:00 a.m. the defendants split the victims up into two separate cars – with Wortham in the stolen Jaguar with T.J., and Williams in the stolen Camry with M.M. and Y.C. While they caravanned through Kansas City, Kansas, police officers recognized the stolen Jaguar and engaged it in pursuit. The Jaguar fled at a high rate of speed, lost control, then crashed with T.J. in the passenger seat of the vehicle. After the crash, Wortham fled from the vehicle on foot but was apprehended shortly after and placed under arrest. T.J. was unhurt in the crash. Discovered inside of the vehicle was a loaded Coast to Coast, Master Mag, Model CC660, 20-gauge shotgun that had approximately 12-inches of the barrel sawed off, along with the shotgun stock shortened.
In the stolen Camry, Williams and another man drove M.M. and Y.C. throughout the Kansas City metro area in search of drugs and a house to use. At approximately 8:00 a.m., the other man was dropped off at an unknown location. With only Williams in the vehicle, M.M. found an opportunity to jump out of the Camry at a stop sign, run into a convenience store, and call the police. Soon after, Y.C. also attempted to escape the vehicle, but had to fight Williams to get out of his grasp. Once out of his grasp, Y.C. ran down a residential street, with Williams chasing behind. She used the panic button on her key fob to set off her car alarm, which stopped Williams from pursuing. Y.C. ran for at least three blocks, found a good Samaritan, then called the police.
Investigation of these crimes, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department involved numerous witness interviews, review of surveillance video, and analysis of forensic evidence.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for less than two hours on Thursday, February 14, 2019, before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday afternoon, February 11, 2019.
Under federal statutes, Wortham is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Williams is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of life in federal prison without parole based on prior convictions.
The minimum and maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of each defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Parkville Man Indicted for False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Parkville, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for filing false tax returns.
Patrick Michael Dingle, 48, was charged in a four-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Dingle’s arrest and initial court appearance.
The federal indictment alleges that Dingle filed false tax returns for the four calendar years from 2013 to 2016. According to the indictment, Dingle claimed a total of $1,661,198 in business expenses for Mets, LLC, a business he formed, on Schedule C forms filed during those years. Dingle allegedly knew the actual expenses were substantially lower.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Perkins Rock and Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Enticing a Minor for Illicit SexRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Colorado man pleaded guilty in federal court today to traveling to Kansas City, Mo., to meet an undercover FBI agent, whom he believed to be a mother with her 7-year-old daughter, for illicit sexual activity.
Ryan Edward Mausner, 42, of Basalt, Colo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to the online enticement of a minor.
By pleading guilty today, Mausner admitted that from Jan. 31 to May 25, 2018, he induced, enticed, and coerced a child victim to engage in criminal sexual activity. Mausner was actually communicating (via the Kik messaging application and texts) with an undercover FBI agent, who portrayed a single mother with a 7-year-old daughter.
Mausner admitted that he engaged the undercover agent in several private chat sessions in which he said he wanted to engage in sexual activity with the mother and daughter. These discussions entailed descriptions of the 7-year-old girl and an insistence, on Mausner’s part, that the mother and 7-year-old would call him “Sir.” Mausner described, in explicit detail, the sorts of sexual activity that he intended to perform on the 7-year-old when they met.
Mausner began communicating plans to either travel to Kansas City, Mo., or arrange for the travel of the mother and her daughter to come to Colorado. Mausner traveled by plane from Denver, Colo., to Kansas City, Mo., on May 25, 2018, with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with the child victim.
Under federal statutes, Mausner 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 Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Cameron High School Teacher Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former teacher in Cameron, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for using three minor victims to produce child pornography.
William Derek Williams, 39, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. Williams formerly was a high school language arts teacher and more recently a part-time high school multimedia teacher at the time of the alleged offense.
The federal indictment charges Williams with three counts of producing child pornography, involving three different minor victims, from Jan. 1, 2013, to Sept. 6, 2018. Williams is also charged with one count of possessing child pornography on Sept. 8, 2018.
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 David Luna. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Clinton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."St. Louis Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Meth, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Louis, Mo., man who was found passed out at an Oak Grove, Mo., truck stop after a week-long bender has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.
James P. Pettus, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019, to 14 years and two months in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 26, 2018, Pettus pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Pettus was contacted by an Oak Grove, Mo., police officer at Petro Truck Stop, 301 S.W. 1st Street, Oak Grove, on the morning of May 21, 2018. The officer was called because Pettus was passed out in a booth inside the Iron Skillet Restaurant. He was asleep and snoring, with his face and arms covered in saliva and snot. After many attempts to wake him, he would only advise that his name was James, and could not provide identification.
The officer called an ambulance for Pettus. While waiting for the ambulance, Pettus pulled a knife from his right rear pant pocket and flipped it open. The officer struggled briefly with Pettus to take away the knife and handcuff him. The officer then found a loaded High Point .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun in Pettus’s front waistband. Officers also found approximately 40.9 grams of pure methamphetamine in Pettus’s left front pocket.
Pettus later told detectives he had been on a methamphetamine-fueled bender for the past week.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Oak Grove, Mo., Police Department, the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Joplin Man Sentenced to 28 Years for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the sexual exploitation of several children.
David Allen Giffen, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 28 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Giffen to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
On July 18, 2018, Giffen pleaded guilty to one count of the sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, Giffen had placed cameras in his bathroom and secretly recorded images and videos of three children. Investigators found images of the victim children on a Micro SD card in Giffen’s cell phone. Investigators also seized a second cell phone from Giffen that contained multiple images of child pornography.
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 Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Joplin Day Care Operator Sentenced for Adoption SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., day care operator was sentenced in federal court today for a scheme to take the infant daughter of a client to Arkansas to be adopted by another couple.
Lasonya Faye Poindexter, 31, of Joplin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Poindexter to pay $1,500 in restitution to the victim parents.
On June 21, 2018, Poindexter pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Poindexter began taking care of a Joplin couple’s two children at her home day care in April 2017. Poindexter admitted that she contacted a couple in Lincoln, Ark., and offered to make arrangements for the couple to adopt one of those children, a five-month-old daughter identified in court documents as Jane Doe. The infant’s parents had never put Jane Doe up for adoption, nor had they ever told anyone that Jane Doe was available to be adopted.
Poindexter made multiple trips to Lincoln in June and July 2017 so the Arkansas couple, who had recently suffered the loss of their unborn child due to a miscarriage, could spend time with Jane Doe. Jane Doe’s parents had never given Poindexter permission to take their daughter across state lines to Arkansas and were unaware that any of the trips occurred. The Arkansas couple usually met with Poindexter at the home of Poindexter’s aunt, but one visit was at the couple’s own home (where they had prepared a nursery room for Jane Doe).
Poindexter falsely told the Arkansas couple that the infant’s mother had left her baby at Poindexter’s house and wanted her to find a good family for Jane Doe because she was the product of a rape. Poindexter told the Arkansas couple that Jane Doe’s mother wanted a closed adoption.
Poindexter asked the Arkansas couple for money to provide for the care of Jane Doe until the adoption was finalized. The couple refused to provide Poindexter money until the adoption was finalized.
The Arkansas woman who sought to adopt Jane Doe viewed the mother’s Facebook page in July 2017 and noticed numerous images of Jane Doe with her mother. On July 20, 2017, the Arkansas woman contacted the mother of Jane Doe through Facebook. She sent the mother of Jane Doe a private message, telling the mother that she and her husband were planning to adopt Jane Doe and asking if she truly wanted to put Jane Doe up for adoption. Jane Doe’s parents then contacted law enforcement.
The Arkansas woman confronted Poindexter after communicating with Jane Doe’s mother. Poindexter sent her a screen shot of an e-mail that appeared to be from an attorney. In reality, the fake e-mail was created by Poindexter. The attorney later told investigators he had never represented Poindexter, had any communication with her and was not involved with any adoption proceeding with Jane Doe.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the FBI and the Missouri Division of Family Services.
KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Charles E. Williams, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Williams was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On March 20, 2018, Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Williams admitted that he was in possession of a loaded Norinco semi-automatic rifle on Aug. 7, 2015. Police officers had been called to the scene of a single-vehicle accident, which involved a Dodge Charger driven by Williams. When officers arrived, they were informed by members of the Kansas City Fire Department that Williams had been tossing items from the vehicle.
Williams refused to step away from the vehicle, and instead reached into the trunk and retrieved a red blanket, which he threw away from the vehicle. Officers ordered Williams to the ground; as they attempted to handcuff him, Williams became combative and resisted arrested. An officer utilized his Taser. At one point, Williams was able to stand up and began physically assaulting an officer by pulling at his traffic vest and kicking him several times in the leg. Several members of the fire department came to the aid of the officers. Williams was eventually arrested and placed in handcuffs.
The Norinco rifle was found inside the red blanket that Williams had taken from the trunk. When officers searched Williams, they found a small baggy that contained 1.13 grams of cocaine in his right pant 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. Williams has prior felony convictions for murder, armed criminal action, trafficking and three prior felony convictions for sale of a controlled substance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Emily A. Morgan. 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.Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man who was in a vehicle that led police officers in a pursuit pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Justin Craig Ewing, 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ewing admitted that he was in possession of a loaded Browning .40-caliber handgun.
On Dec. 22, 2017, police officers attempted to stop a 2006 Chevy Impala driven by Jeremy Wade Gerlach, 36, of Harrisburg, Mo., in which Ewing was the passenger. Officers, who were seeking to arrest Gerlach, pulled in behind the parked vehicle at the Days Inn Motel, 900 I-70 Drive Southwest, Columbia, Mo. As officers approached the vehicle on foot, the Impala fled north through a grassy area next to the motel. As another patrol vehicle arrived from the east side of the motel, the Impala swerved left to go around them and crashed into an electric pole. An officer ran up to the vehicle and pointed his gun at the occupants. When the officer realized Gerlach was trying to put the vehicle in reverse, he ran back to his patrol vehicle and used it to pinch in the rear of the Impala to prevent escape and further jeopardy to officers.
When officers approached the vehicle, the driver’s side windows were up and the doors were locked. An officer used his baton to break the driver’s window, and officers pulled Gerlach out of the Impala through the broken driver’s side window.
When officers removed Gerlach and Ewing from the vehicle, they saw the Browning handgun (which had been reported as stolen) lying on the floorboard where Ewing had been sitting. Ewing was wearing a shoulder handgun holster. Officers also found a loaded Rock Island Armory .45-caliber handgun wedged between the driver’s seat and center console.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Ewing has four prior felony convictions for forgery and prior felony convictions for burglary, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Gerlach pleaded guilty on Oct. 9, 2018, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Under federal statutes, Ewing and Gerlach are each 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 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.Willard Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Willard, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Lyndall Clarence Shive, 75, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine since Feb. 9, 2016.
The government asserts in today’s plea agreement that Shive is responsible for possessing more than 5.4 kilograms of methamphetamine during the conspiracy. Shive, who was on parole for first degree robbery and drug distribution at the time, was stopped by law enforcement officers in West Plains, Mo., on Dec. 14, 2016. A state trooper searched his vehicle and found three individual bags of methamphetamine that weighed approximately an ounce each, for a total of 82.91 grams of methamphetamine.
On Dec. 27, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the former Elkland, Mo., residence of co-defendant Dallas Ray Pendergrass, 71, now a resident of Willard. Officers seized approximately 25 pounds of marijuana and approximately six pounds of methamphetamine. Pendergrass admitted that Shive was his source for obtaining the methamphetamine. Pendergrass said he had been getting approximately one to two ounces of methamphetamine a week from Shive for approximately the past year (approximately 52 ounces or 1.474 kilograms). Pendergrass said he was paying $850 per ounce.
Pendergrass pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy on Nov. 27, 2018. In a separate but related case, Phillip Duane George, 32, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years and two months in federal prison without parole.
Under federal statutes, Shive 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 South Central Missouri Drug Task Force, the Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET), the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the West Plains, Mo., Police Department and the Mountain Grove, Mo., Police Department.
Three Cameron Residents Among Five Pleading Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Cameron, Mo., residents are among five defendants who have pleaded guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Benjamin W. Clark, 26, of Cameron, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to the charge contained in a Nov. 16, 2017, federal indictment.
Clark is the fifth defendant to plead guilty to participating in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendant Jalie J. Brinlee, 28, of Cameron, pleaded guilty on Jan. 4, 2019. Co-defendants Felicia C. Ward, 23, of Cameron; Robert J. Keegan, 26, of Harrisonville, Mo.; and Frank E. Hundley, 34, of Kansas City, Mo.; pleaded guilty on Dec. 28, 2018. Brinlee and Keegan also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
All five of the co-defendants admitted they participated in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine from January to May 24, 2017. Clark and Brinlee purchased methamphetamine from various suppliers and distributed it to customers in Cameron, Kansas City and elsewhere.
On May 12, 2017, Keegan was stopped by law enforcement and was found in possession of a Hi-point .40-caliber handgun and a duffel bag containing approximately 3.8 kilograms of methamphetamine.
On May 24, 2017, a trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped Ward, who was carrying a Glock 9mm handgun in her purse. Ward had retrieved the handgun from the vehicle where Clark and Brinlee were located, and Brinlee admitted to possessing the firearm prior to transferring it to Ward. Also found in Ward's purse was approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine, which Brinlee also admitted to possessing at the time of the traffic stop.
Under the terms of their plea agreements, Clark, Brinlee and Keegan each will be sentenced to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
Under federal statutes, Ward and Hundley each are 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 Patrick Edwards. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Iowa Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years for Attempting to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Ames, Iowa sex offender was sentenced in federal court today on child sexual exploitation charges.
John Jordan Lundberg, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Lundberg to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Sept. 24, 2018, Lundberg pleaded guilty to attempting to produce child pornography. Lundberg was previously convicted on Sept. 15, 2017, for enticement of a minor for indecent purposes. Lundberg, who was granted a deferred judgment and placed on probation for three years, was arrested on Oct. 10, 2016 at the Meskwaki Bingo Casino during an undercover operation when he responded to a Craigslist advertisement and arranged a sexual encounter with a (fictitious) 15-year-old female.
According to court documents, just weeks prior to pleading guilty in Iowa to enticing a minor, Lundberg began committing the federal offense in this case. Lundberg was arrested in this case for almost identical behavior just 44 days after pleading guilty and being placed on probation for the Iowa matter.
Lundberg admitted that he responded on Sept. 3, 2017, to an online advertisement that was posted by an undercover Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department detective in an effort to seek out potential sexual predators. The undercover officer posed as a mother offering her 13-year-old daughter for sex. The undercover officer also posed as the 13-year-old daughter, and Lundberg communicated with the “daughter” via text messages.
Lundberg admitted that he sent the “daughter” sexually explicit photos and video of himself as well as adult and child pornography. Lundberg also admitted that he encouraged the “daughter” to send him nude photos of herself.
In an e-mail to the undercover detective, Lundberg described himself as “a fan of incest.” He claimed to have begun sexually molesting his niece when she was 8 years old, and to have had sexual intercourse with her when she was 12 years old.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Three More Texas Men Plead Guilty to Stealing 654 Firearms from UPS Trailers in SpringfieldRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Three more Texas men have recently pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing 654 firearms from United Parcel Service trailers in Springfield, Mo., en route to Bass Pro Shops.
Raynord Hunt, 36, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charges contained in a Feb. 21, 2018, federal indictment. Co-defendants Eric White, 27, of Arlington, Texas, and Derrick White, 33, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to the same charges in January.
Frank McChriston, 34, and Keith Lowe, 29, both of Dallas, and Quinton Haywood, 27, of Glenn Heights, Texas, also have pleaded guilty to the same charges.
By pleading guilty, all six defendants admitted they aided and abetted each other to steal cargo that was being shipped across state lines, from Beretta USA in Maryland to the state of Missouri. They also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting each other to possess stolen firearms.
According to court documents, the defendants stole 600 Beretta .380-caliber handguns and 54 Beretta 12-gauge shotguns from United Parcel Service (UPS) trailers in Springfield in October 2017.
The firearms were in the process of being shipped from Beretta Firearms in Maryland to Bass Pro Shops in Springfield. The trailers in which the firearms were shipped had been parked in the UPS freight lot in a configuration to prevent access to the trailer doors, by being parked back-to-back, with the roll-up doors facing each other. The trailers were then blocked by longer trailers, which should have acted as a preventative measure from someone backing a truck-tractor to the trailer and pulling it forward.
Sometime between noon on Oct. 28, 2017, and 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2017, thieves hot-wired two truck-tractors and used them to push and pull various trailers around the lot, allowing the thieves access to the trailer doors. UPS employees discovered the theft on Oct. 29, 2017, and notified law enforcement.
Under federal statutes, each of the defendants is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Dallas, Texas, Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Three More Sentenced for Conspiracy to Lure Robbery Victims with Online AdsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Mo., brothers and a Sugar Creek, Mo., woman have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies by luring their victims with online advertisements and ambushing them.
Dylan J. Houston, 22, his brother, Andrew J. Houston, 29, and Nicole Waguespack, also known as Nicole Covey, 36, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019.
Dylan Houston was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Andrew Houston was sentenced to seven years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Waguespack was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison without parole. They are among 10 defendants who have been sentenced in this case. Two defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Co-conspirators posted ads on several websites in order to entice customers to meet in person at area hotels, residences and apartments in Kansas City, Mo. When the customers arrived, co-conspirators were lying in wait, armed with firearms and weapons that appeared to be firearms. They ambushed and robbed the customers at gunpoint. They often committed more than one robbery in a night.
According to court documents, the proceeds of the robberies was divided up and usually used to pay for narcotics or to pay for a room where the co-conspirators could use narcotics. When confronting the victim, the co-conspirators used verbal threats, pointed real and fake guns at them, physically hit them, and intimidated them. Records obtained from social media services and hotels corroborate statements by participants that only a small percentage of the victims called the police to report their robbery.
Dylan Houston pleaded guilty on July 12, 2018, to his role in the armed robbery conspiracy as well as to three counts of armed robbery. According to court documents, Dylan Houston was one of the enforcers in this violent robbery scheme. Once a victim was led into a room, he surprised the victim and used firearms and threats of physical violence to intimidate him and take electronics and cash. Dylan Houston admitted that he participated in three armed robberies, including one robbery in which the victim, after being forced into his truck at gunpoint, later jumped out of the moving vehicle while driving at highway speeds, in fear for his life. In another robbery, Dylan Houston stole a firearm from a victim that was later used in subsequent robberies.
Andrew Houston pleaded guilty on July 11, 2018, to his role in the armed robbery conspiracy, as well as to three counts of armed robbery. Andrew Houston served as a look-out for multiple robberies, notifying co-defendants about the arrival of victims and watching for law enforcement response. He also shared in the proceeds from the robberies.
Waguespack pleaded guilty on May 3, 2017, to her role in the armed robbery conspiracy as well as to five counts of armed robbery. Waguespack created dozens of online ads designed to lure men to robberies. When victims arrived, she met the victims at the door. As part of the plan, she then excused herself to the restroom while the other co-conspirators surprised and robbed the victims with threats of violence and firearms.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Wolesky. It was investigated by the FBI, and the Independence, Mo., Police Department, with assistance from the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the North Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department.
Statement from U.S. Attorney Tim GarrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Regarding an incident that occurred on June 26, 2018, Kansas City attorney Andrea Martinez filed a complaint alleging unlawful use of force by Everett Chase, a supervisory officer with the Bureau of Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The incident occurred during routine operations to remove an unlawfully-present Honduran national who had been released pending asylum proceedings, but was ordered removed when she failed to appear for a scheduled hearing. The incident received widespread publicity at the time it occurred, in large part due to Ms. Martinez’s allegations and the presence of media—including a Netflix film crew—she invited to ICE’s office, and dozens of protestors, some of whom shouted obscenities at the officers, and at least one of whom threw trash at the officers as they escorted the Honduran national’s family into the office.
Although the U.S. Attorney’s Office typically does not comment upon investigations unless or until charges are publicly filed, I am making an exception to that policy in this instance. I recognize the legitimate public interest in the conduct of law enforcement officers engaged in their official duties, as well as the necessity of law enforcement officers to maintain public respect and credibility in order to accomplish their mission. The Department of Justice takes such allegations seriously, and this office will prosecute—and has prosecuted—such cases when the evidence establishes a violation of federal law.
In response to the allegation, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General conducted an investigation. Having reviewed the investigation and considered the available evidence, and after consultation with career federal prosecutors, I have determined that the evidence does not support the allegations made against the ICE-ERO officer, and have formally declined to file charges for actions taken in the exercise of his official duties. In light of circumstances created by more than 30 people who came to a routine law enforcement operation at 3 a.m. for the purpose of making a spectacle, the officer’s actions were justified in order to secure and control access to the ICE office entrance from unauthorized persons.
KC Woman Sentenced to 13 Years for Leading Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in leading a large methamphetamine conspiracy.
Yadieras Y. Contreras, also known as “Fajita,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 13 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
Contreras was the third defendant in this case to be sentenced this month. Co-defendant David F. Bushdiecker,47, was sentenced on Jan. 24, 2019, to 20 years and five months in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Benjamin H. McDaniel, also known as “Cowboy,” 56, was sentenced on Jan. 4, 2019, to 14 years in federal prison without parole. Additionally, nine co-defendants in this case have been sentenced and three more have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
On Feb. 9, 2018, Contreras pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Contreras admitted that she sold more than 40 kilograms of methamphetamine to McDaniel from 2014 to April 2015. McDaniel then distributed methamphetamine to others.
Contreras also admitted that she sold methamphetamine to co-defendant Troy C. Hudson, 50, of Belton, Mo. Hudson delivered drugs to Contreras and collected the proceeds of drug trafficking. Hudson also transported a large amount of cash (the proceeds of drug trafficking) to Arizona. Hudson was sentenced on Nov. 16, 2018, to eight years and two months in federal prison without parole.
Contreras also received methamphetamine from Roberto W. Duran, also known as “Muchacho,” 37, a citizen of El Salvador who resided in Phoenix, Ariz. He delivered approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine at a time to Contreras’s residence or to a garage behind a pizza restaurant in Raytown, Mo. The methamphetamine was hidden in various vehicles and removed once it arrived. Contreras paid the drivers for methamphetamine they had previously delivered, and those proceeds were then transported back to Arizona. Duran was sentenced on June 28, 2018, to 14 years and seven months in federal prison without parole.
Contreras was allowed to use the Raytown garage by the garage’s renter, co-defendant Aaron R. Plowman, 41, of Eldon, Mo. On four occasions, Plowman permitted Contreras to use the garage to receive methamphetamine shipments from her Arizona supplier. In exchange for the use of the garage space, Contreras fronted about one pound of methamphetamine to Plowman on each occasion. Plowman was sentenced on July 30, 2018, to 10 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department; the Jackson County Drug Task Force; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Independence, Mo., Police Department; the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department; and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.
Former Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threat at Veterans ClinicRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to making a bomb threat at the Veterans Affairs Clinic in Mount Vernon, Mo.
Richard Leslie Turner III, 48, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charge contained in an Aug. 14, 2018, federal indictment.
By pleading guilty today, Turner admitted that he threatened on July 13, 2018, to blow up the Community Based Outpatient Clinic located at 600 N. Main St. in Mount Vernon.
Turner arrived at the clinic on July 13, 2018, for an appointment but was told the appointment had been changed. Turner became angry and left the clinic. Shortly afterward another patient informed a staff member that Turner was in the parking lot making statements about obtaining explosives and blowing up the clinic. When authorities contacted Turner by phone later that day, he became angry that the clinic had called the police and stated that he really intended to blow up the clinic because the police had called him.
Under federal statutes, Turner 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 Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI, the Mount Vernon, Mo., Police Department, the Veteran’s Affairs Police Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
Former Courthouse Worker Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling Firearms to FelonsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man who supervised workers at the federal courthouse in Jefferson City pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally selling firearms to convicted felons.
Victor Nahum Vargas, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to all three charges contained in an Oct. 24, 2018, federal indictment.
Vargas, who was employed as the custodial supervisor at the Christopher S. Bond Courthouse in Jefferson City, has been in federal custody since his arrest on May 11, 2018. Vargas remains detained without bond. Vargas pleaded guilty today to two counts of knowingly selling firearms to convicted felons and one count of making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer in order to acquire firearms.
Vargas admitted that he sold five firearms to a person he knew to be a convicted felon on April 18, 2018, and that he sold 11 firearms for $8,100 to a person he knew to be a convicted felon on May 11, 2018. In connection with his acquisition of 10 of those firearms, Vargas made a false written statement in which he claimed that he was the actual buyer of the firearms. In reality, Vargas was acquiring those 10 firearms on behalf of another person.
Vargas admitted that he knew both purchasers (confidential sources who cooperated with law enforcement) were convicted felons who are therefore prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing any firearms or ammunition.
According to court documents, Vargas was arrested immediately after the second transaction on May 11, 2018; the 11 firearms purchased by the confidential source were turned over to the officers.
Under federal statutes, Vargas is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole on each of the three counts. 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 Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Chicago, Ill., Police Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department Community Action Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Nader Robert Osama Yanis, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to the charge contained in a March 1, 2018, federal indictment.
Yanis’s father, Osama Nadir Yanis, 49, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on Dec. 4, 2018, as well as to possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Osama Yanis was the owner of Coffee Zone, a coffee shop in Columbia.
Both men were arrested when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Osama Yanis’s residence on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018, after witnessing the delivery of a crate that contained 72 pounds of high-grade marijuana. Officers discovered 33 additional pounds of marijuana and eight firearms inside the residence. They also seized $72,000 from a large gun safe inside the residence (where it was found with seven of the firearms; a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver was found on his desk next to the safe). Osama Yanis also turned over $20,042 that was in his possession.
Officers had been notified a few days earlier about two suspicious shipments addressed to another person at that same address. One crate contained approximately 50 pounds of marijuana and the second crate contained approximately 72 pounds of high-grade marijuana. On Feb. 19, 2018, the second crate was delivered to Osama Yanis’s residence in Columbia. Osama Yanis was observed accepting the delivery and conversing with the delivery personnel. A short time later, Nader Yanis arrived at the residence. Approximately 10 to 15 minutes later, Nader Yanis left the residence and was arrested during a vehicle stop.
Under federal statutes, Nader Yanis is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Second Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man with a prior felony conviction for bank robbery pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing Guaranty Bank in Springfield.
Donald David Hosey III, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charge contained in a Jan. 15, 2019, federal indictment. Hosey has a prior conviction for a nearly identical bank robbery in 2007.
According to court documents, Hosey entered Guaranty Bank, 2109 N. Glenstone in Springfield, on Nov. 29, 2018. He approached a bank teller and passed her a note that said, “Give me all your money. I have a gun don’t make me use it.” The teller complied with the threatening note and gave him $833 from her teller drawer. Hosey then fled from the bank.
Springfield police officers received a tip on Dec. 3, 2018, indicating that Hosey was the person responsible for the bank robbery. They learned that Hosey was staying at the Flagship Inn in Springfield. According to staff at the Flagship Inn, Hosey was behind on his rent but within an hour of the robbery, he repaid all of the back rent owed in cash. Officers contacted Hosey and arrested him.
Under federal statutes, Hosey is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
KCK Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kan., man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing crack cocaine and a firearm.
Antonio E. Wills, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, to 19 years in federal prison without parole. Wills was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions. The court ordered the federal sentence to be served consecutively to the upcoming sentence in the District of Kansas for violating his supervised release in a separate federal case.
On Feb. 9, 2018, Wills pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Wills was a passenger in a vehicle that attempted to avoid a DUI checkpoint on March 19, 2016, by making a U-turn in the middle of Main Street. Kansas City, Mo., police officers stopped the vehicle and directed the driver back to the checkpoint. Officers at the checkpoint smelled a strong odor of marijuana and observed Wills trying to conceal something inside his front hoodie pocket. Wills and the driver were both instructed to get out of the vehicle, at which time an officer saw a clear plastic baggy that contained cocaine in Wills’s hand. An officer instructed Wills to drop the clear bag. Wills failed to comply and placed the bag back in his front hoodie pocket. The officer attempted to take Wills into custody, but he refused to comply and a struggle ensued. Additional officers responded to assist with taking Wills into custody.
When officers searched Wills, they found another clear plastic baggy that contained cocaine in his cargo shorts pocket and a loaded Glock .45-caliber handgun (with an obliterated serial number) in his waistband. They also found marijuana and $2,186 in Wills’s pocket. Wills was in possession of 71.5 grams of powder cocaine and 7.7 grams of crack cocaine.
At the time of his arrest, Wills was on supervised release after being convicted in a separate drug-trafficking case and serving more than 10 years in prison. A federal warrant had been issued for his arrest, based on his absconding from supervision.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Wills has prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a controlled substance and driving while a habitual violator.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Caine and Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.KC, St. Louis Area Residents Indicted for $8.5 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A dozen residents in the Kansas City, Mo., and St. Louis, Mo., areas have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in an $8.5 million drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine over two years.
Trevor Scott Sparks, 29, Gerald L. Ginnings, 38, Gloria May Jones, 29, Vicente Araujo, 22, Leslie Ladon Walker, 31, and Paul J. Kibodeaux, 35, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Markus Michael A. Patterson, 36, of Grandview, Mo.; David Robert Richards II, 31, of Louisburg, Kan.; Christian Douglas Hansen, 39, of St. Louis, Mo.; and Stephanie Thurmond, 28, Leeanna Michelle Schroeder, 25, and Adam Joseph Mainieri, 30, all of Winfield, Mo.; were charged in a four-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. That indictment was unsealed and made public upon the arrests of several defendants.
The federal indictment alleges that 11 of the defendants (with the exception of Sparks) participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 12, 2018. According to the indictment, conspirators received $8,508,500 in exchange for the unlawful distribution of more than 1,001 pounds (455 kilograms) of methamphetamine, based on an average street price of $8,500 per pound of methamphetamine.
Sparks is charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise that involved the distribution of methamphetamine. According to the indictment, Sparks was the principal leader of the criminal enterprise and obtained substantial income from the criminal enterprise.
All 12 of the defendants are also charged with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy during that time to use drug sale proceeds to promote the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to conceal the proceeds of that drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Eleven of the defendants (with the exception of Kibodeaux) are charged together with possessing firearms in furtherance of violent crimes and drug-trafficking crimes.
Ginnings, Sparks, Patterson, Jones, Hansen and Mainieri also are charged together in one count of being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, including a money judgment of $8,508,500.
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 Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Five KC-Area Residents Charged in Drug-Trafficking Conspiracy After Officers Seized 25 Pounds of MethRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five Kansas City, Mo., area residents were charged in federal court today for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy after law enforcement officers seized approximately 25 pounds of methamphetamine during an undercover operation.
Alfredo Soto-Contreras, also known as “Antonio,” 34, Omar Eliseo Barraza-Bueno, also known as “Shell,” 31, Rey Moreno-Chepe, also known as “Chepe,” 24, Daniel Calderon-Vargas, 29, and Nayeli Fuentes-Verdugo, 30, were charged in a two-count complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
The federal criminal complaint charges each of the five defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from May 17 to Dec. 18, 2018.
In addition to the conspiracy, four of the defendants – Barraza-Bueno, Moreno-Chepe, Calderon-Vargas and Fuentes-Verdugo – are charged together in one count of aiding and abetting each other to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. They were arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2018, when they met with an undercover federal law enforcement agent to deliver approximately 25 pounds (more than 11 kilograms) of methamphetamine.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, the defendants are part of an armed drug-trafficking organization that federal agents have been investigating in the Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area. During the investigation, an undercover agent has purchased 14 firearms and approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine.
The affidavit cites several transactions in which Soto-Garcia and Barraza-Bueno sold firearms (some of which were stolen) and methamphetamine to the undercover officer.
Barraza-Bueno allegedly met with the undercover officer on Oct. 3, 2018, and discussed the purchase of large quantities of methamphetamine. Barraza-Bueno told the undercover officer that he purchases 80 pounds of methamphetamine every month or 20 pounds every week. During the discussion, the affidavit says, Barraza-Bueno agreed to sell the undercover officer 100 pounds of methamphetamine for $270,000. On Dec. 10, 2018, Barraza-Bueno told the undercover officer that he had 40 pounds of methamphetamine and could obtain an additional quantity to conduct the delivery on Dec. 18, 2018. When they met the undercover officer for the transaction on that day, Barraza-Bueno, Moreno-Chepe, Calderon-Vargas and Fuentes-Verdugo were arrested by federal agents.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Five Defendants Indicted for $770,000 Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five defendants, including four from the Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area, have been indicted for their roles in a $770,000 drug-trafficking conspiracy.
David Brian Greiner, also known as “Abel,” 54, Stephanie Marie Marquez, 46, and Howard Tyrone Neely, 36, all of Kansas City, Mo., Cathy Lynn Clark-Walskie, 43, of Kansas City, Kan.; and Tyree Laron West, also known as “Mad Max,” “Dirty,” “Chipper,” and “Hitman,” 40, of Houston, Texas; were charged in a five-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. That indictment was unsealed and made public yesterday upon the arrests of Greiner and Marquez.
The federal indictment alleges that Greiner, Marquez, Neely, Clark-Walskie and West participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, PCP, methamphetamine and crack cocaine from Jan. 1, 2016, to Dec. 12, 2018. According to the indictment, they obtained approximately $770,000 in exchange for the unlawful distribution of more than 45 kilograms of methamphetamine at $6,000 a pound, 24 gallons of PCP at $300 an ounce, 25 ounces of heroin at $1,200 an ounce and 11 ounces of crack cocaine at $100 a gram.
Greiner, Marquez, Neely and West are also charged together in one count of possessing and using firearms in furtherance of violent crimes and drug-trafficking crimes. They allegedly were in possession of a loaded Berretta .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun, a CZ 75 .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with magazine and ammunition, a Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with magazine and ammunition, a Heritage .22-caliber revolver and ammunition, and a Remington sawed-off shotgun.
Greiner, Neely and West are also charged together in one count of being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The federal indictment alleges that Greiner, Marquez, Neely, Clark-Walskie and West participated in a money-laundering conspiracy to use drug sale proceeds to promote the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to conceal drug sale proceeds of that drug trafficking conspiracy.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require all five co-defendants to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $770,000.
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 Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Grandview Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Armed Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a three-months-long conspiracy that included at least 27 armed robberies, culminating in the armed robbery of a Walgreens in Blue Springs, Mo., in which a suspect was fatally shot by law enforcement officers.
Deonte J. Collins-Abbott, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 28, 2018, Collins-Abbott pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit robbery and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Collins-Abbott admitted that he committed eight armed robberies between Feb. 3, 2016, and March 24, 2016. Collins-Abbott admitted that he and co-conspirators robbed businesses in Blue Springs, Independence, North Kansas City, Raytown, Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., at gunpoint.
Collins-Abbott admitted that he and two other men robbed the Walgreens at 9th and Duncan in Blue Springs on March 24, 2016. According to court documents, once inside, one of the robbers placed a firearm to the back of an employee’s head and took money from the front register. Collins-Abbott and Jermon Seals of Shawnee, Kan., went over the pharmacy counter and took prescription grade cough syrup at gunpoint from the pharmacist. They left the business but were confronted by law enforcement officers as they were walking back to the vehicle. They failed to comply with the officers’ commands, according to the court documents, and Seals turned towards the officers, pointing a gun in their direction. Officers returned fire and Seals was struck in the exchange. Collins-Abbott and another man were apprehended by officers after a short foot pursuit.
Co-defendants Demetrius Nelson, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., and Parrise K. Black, also known as “Kilo,” 26, and Frank A. Garner, Jr., 24, both of Grandview, have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Caine and David Raskin. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the North Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Lincoln University Student Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former student at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine that was sent through the mail by a co-conspirator in California.
Bria Royale Lanier-Richie, 24, of St. Louis, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from March 30 to April 4, 2017.
Co-defendant Shadeed Seifullah Muhammad, 42, of Compton, Calif., mailed a package, which contained approximately one pound, nine ounces of methamphetamine, from California to an address at Lincoln University on March 30, 2017. By pleading guilty today, Lanier-Richie admitted that another co-defendant, Javier Rashad Rosser, 32, of Jefferson City, asked her to pick up the package and deliver it to him.
Lanier-Richie, who at the time was a student at Lincoln University, attempted to pick up the package but was unable to, because the package had been addressed to another student. On April 4, 2017, U.S. Postal Inspection agents set up a controlled delivery and surveillance at the Lincoln University mailroom. When the student arrived to pick up the package from the mailroom, he was arrested. He told investigators that Lanier-Richie had asked him to pick up the package and deliver it to her.
Muhammad and Rosser also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, which lasted from April 4, 2016, to April 4, 2017, and await sentencing.
Muhammad admitted that he also had mailed a package that contained nearly two pounds of methamphetamine from California to an address in Columbia, Mo., on April 4, 2016. This package was tracked online by a computer IP address that traced to Rosser’s residence.
Muhammad also admitted that he had mailed a package that contained two pounds of methamphetamine to an address in Jefferson City nearly a year earlier. The package was seized by the U.S. Post Office on March 11, 2016. According to computer IP addresses, the package was being tracked online by Muhammad and Rosser.
Under federal statutes, Lanier-Richie is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of ten 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 Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Former Employee Pleads Guilty to $150,000 Theft from Eldon Drug CompanyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former employee pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling nearly $150,000 from Eldon Drug Company in Eldon, Mo.
Katherine Elizabeth Cebuhar, 41, of Olean, Mo., waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with four counts of wire fraud.
Cebuhar worked as the office manager for MLX-RX, LLC d/b/a Eldon Drug Company, a pharmacy in Eldon, from April 2014 until her termination on March 1, 2017. By pleading guilty today, Cebuhar admitted that she conducted four fraudulent embezzlement schemes while employed at Eldon Drug Company, resulting in a total loss to her employer of $148,782.
Cebuhar embezzled $125,444 of the cash receipts from Eldon Drug Company from September 2014 to June 2017. Cebuhar took cash from the company’s daily receipts before making the deposits into the company’s bank account. To conceal her fraud and embezzlement, Cebuhar modified and reduced QuickBooks entries to match the bank deposits.
In her second scheme to defraud Eldon Drug Company, Cebuhar falsely inflated her wages by awarding herself unauthorized hourly raises in January 2015 and January 2017. Through this fraud scheme, Cebuhar embezzled approximately $7,369.
In her third fraud scheme, Cebuhar misused two business credit cards by charging personal expenses to the cards beginning in 2016. Cebuhar then caused the payment of the company credit card bills without making any reimbursement for her use of the company’s cards for personal expenses, resulting in a total loss of approximately $6,646.
In her fourth fraud scheme, Cebuhar used the Eldon Drug Company’s bank account to electronically pay her personal credit card bill from January 2017 to June 2017. Through this fraud scheme, Cebuhar embezzled approximately $6,812 from Eldon Drug Company.
Under federal statutes, Cebuhar is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole on each of the four counts. 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 Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the FBI and the Eldon, Mo., Police Department.
Two Missouri, Two Colorado Defendants Indicted for $1.7 Million Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Missouri residents and two Colorado residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than $1.7 million of marijuana.
Christopher E. Buckingham, 42, of Versailles, Mo.; Natalie J. McNeil, 33, of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; her brother, Tanner L. McNeil, 28, of Denver, Colo.; and Benjamin T. Parker, 28, also of Denver, were charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Buckingham’s arrest and initial court appearance. The remaining defendants are not yet in custody.
The federal indictment alleges that Buckingham, Natalie McNeil, Tanner McNeil and Parker participated in a conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana from Aug. 28, 2015, to July 10, 2018. The indictment also charges Buckingham, Natalie McNeil, Tanner McNeil and Parker with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy during that time.
According to the indictment, conspirators purchased marijuana from sources in Colorado and shipped the marijuana to Missouri for further distribution. Conspirators sold the marijuana in Missouri, the indictment says, and funneled the proceeds back to Colorado by making deposits in multiple bank accounts at different locations. Deposits were simultaneously made in amounts designed, at least in part, to avoid federal transaction reporting requirements, the indictment alleges. Co-conspirators then allegedly withdrew the drug proceeds from bank locations in Colorado.
Members of the conspiracy allegedly deposited approximately $1,769,244 in cash proceeds from the distribution of marijuana in Missouri in bank accounts located in Missouri. The federal indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the drug-trafficking or money-laundering conspiracies, including a money judgment of $1,769,244.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys 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).
Springfield Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Carol A. Hardy, also known as Carol A. Johnson, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 17, 2018, Hardy pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from March 30 to Oct. 18, 2017. Hardy was an upper-level distributor in a drug trafficking organization that distributed at least 4.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine in the Springfield area. The methamphetamine was purchased from Kansas City, Mo., and Oklahoma City, Okla., and transported by vehicle to the Springfield area.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hardy’s residence and found 1.766 kilograms of methamphetamine in a safe on the floor of a bedroom closet. Officers also found a notebook containing a drug ledger inside a purse on top of the bed.
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 Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Tutor Sentenced to 30 Years for Sexual Abuse of 10-year-old StudentRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who worked as a private tutor was sentenced in federal court today for sexually assaulting a former 10-year-old student.
John Paul Sparapani, 30, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 30 years in federal prison without parole, which is the maximum statutory penalty for this offense. The court also sentenced Sparapani to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration.
On Feb. 21, 2018, Sparapani pleaded guilty to using a minor to produce child pornography. He admitted that he took pornographic photos of a student he was tutoring in a private room at a public library.
This investigation began when an officer with the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force identified Sparapani’s computer as sharing child pornography on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network on May 25, 2015. Officers executed a search warrant at Sparapani’s residence on Dec. 21, 2015, and seized two laptop computers, three hard drives and a cell phone, which contained multiple images and videos of child pornography.
On August 25, 2017, a 12-year-old minor female disclosed that Sparapani had sexually assaulted her when she was 10 and 11 years old and had taken photographs of the assault with his cell phone. The child victim disclosed that the sexual abuse occurred while she was being tutored by Sparapani in a private room at a public library.This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Springfield Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for producing and distributing child pornography.
Genard Alonzo Toney, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Toney to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration.
On May 29, 2018, Toney pleaded guilty to one count of using a minor to produce child pornography and to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, Toney engaged in a pattern of soliciting images of child pornography through the internet. Toney pretended to be a female seeking female relationship on a dating website and would text message with women he met on the dating website. Toney used a cell phone application, which provided him with a fake, anonymous cell phone number, cloaking his own number from identification. Generally, one of the first things Toney would ask the person he was messaging with was whether they had any children. Toney would then ask them to send him a sexually explicit picture of the children.
Investigators examined devices seized from Toney and found 283 separate conversations, consisting of 13,676 messages Toney engaged in with the women he met on the dating website, and multiple images of child pornography.
At the time of this offense, Toney was on state probation after being convicted of three counts of distributing a controlled substance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, 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."Ozark Man Pleads Guilty to $2.4 Million Cattle Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to a $2.4 million wire fraud scheme in which he falsely claimed that he had purchased thousands of head of cattle under a contract with a Texas company.
Dwight Moody Cox, 76, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, to one count of wire fraud.
Cox was the owner of Dwight Cox Cattle Company, which provided cattle procurement services. DCCC purchased cattle throughout the region and placed those cattle on land owned or rented by Cox to graze and feed. Once the cattle reached a specified weight, Cox shipped the cattle to his clients.
Cox had a contract with Texas Beef Cattle Company (TBCC), located in Amarillo, Texas, from 2009 until Nov. 30, 2017. During this period of time, Cox purchased cattle from various livestock auction houses and kept them on land he owned or had rented to graze, feed, and provide care. Cox submitted invoices to TBCC for all cattle he purchased, and billed TBCC for feeding the cattle. Once the cattle had reached a weight previously agreed to between Cox and TBCC, the cattle would be shipped by Cox to TBCC. TBCC would then sell the cattle and any profits would be shared equally between TBCC and Cox.
Between April 1, 2017, and Nov. 30, 2017, Cox submitted 35 different invoices, claiming to have purchased approximately 3,250 head of cattle. Cox also claimed to have those cattle grazing on land he owned or rented. In return for his representations, TBCC issued bank transfer payments in the amount of approximately $2,559,419.
In February 2018, TBCC officials contacted Cox and requested that the cattle be shipped to their facility in Amarillo for sale. On Feb. 27, 2018, Cox reported to officials with TBCC that he was unable to deliver the cattle and that he only had 147 head of cattle. When asked why 3,100 head of cattle were missing, Cox admitted that he had submitted false invoices to TBCC.
TBCC officials reported that minus the 147 head of cattle that were received from Cox, he fraudulently obtained $2,403,975 through his wire fraud scheme.
Under federal statutes, Cox is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI.
NKC Woman Indicted for Stealing from EmployerRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A North Kansas City, Mo., woman has been indicted for embezzling $116,367 from her employer.
Tonya Topel, 41, was charged in an 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018.
According to the indictment, Topel worked at SunSource Homes, Inc., from October 2016 to April 2018 as the officer manager and accountant.
The federal indictment alleges that Topel began embezzling from SunSource a month after she was hired, using several different methods.
Topel allegedly made $47,665 in unauthorized purchases on SunSource business credit cards, including purchasing an airline ticket for her boyfriend. Topel allegedly also issued $40,955 in unauthorized checks to herself. Topel allegedly claimed $19,713 in unauthorized or fraudulent expense reimbursements and allegedly created extra paychecks for herself totaling $5,283. In December 2017, Topel allegedly cashed an unauthorized $2,745 check from SunSource.
The indictment alleges Topel embezzled at least $116,367 from SunSource. According to the indictment, she used the embezzlement proceeds to travel, including to the Bahamas, Arizona, Boston, and Florida. She also used the embezzlement proceeds for retail purchases, restaurants, pets, vehicles, overdraft fees, and to pay her attorney.
The federal indictment charges Topel with two counts of money laundering, related to the payments to her attorney made with stolen funds, and nine counts of wire fraud. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Topel to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $116,367.
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 Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI.
Jury Convicts Osceola Woman of Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Osceola, Mo., woman has been convicted by a trial jury of stealing $47,340 in Social Security benefits.
Carol Ann Davis, 56, was found guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, of five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money.
Davis was approved in April 2003 to receive disability insurance benefits. Her son was approved to receive auxiliary benefits, and Davis served as the representative payee for her son’s auxiliary benefits. Davis received monthly disability insurance auxiliary benefits earmarked for her son between June 2007 and December 2014. However, Davis’s son was not residing with her during that time frame, and she did not use the benefits for the care of her son. Davis, therefore, was not entitled to receive the auxiliary benefits.
Davis falsely reported that her son lived with her and that she spent the entirety of auxiliary benefits for the care of her son. In fact, her ex-husband gained residential custody of their son in June 2007.
Counts one through five of the indictment relate to five auxiliary benefits checks of $579 each that Davis received from August through December 2014.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about two and a half hours on Wednesday before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Dec. 10, 2018.
Under federal statutes, Davis is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the wire fraud counts and up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for the theft 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney R. Pratten and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Casey. It was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General.
KC Man Indicted for Child Pornography, Arrested After Stand-off with PoliceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was arrested yesterday after an hours-long standoff with police officers was indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted distribution and possession of child pornography.
Eric C. Hacker, 36, was charged in a 10-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. That indictment was unsealed and made public following his arrest.
The federal indictment alleges that Hacker attempted to distribute child pornography over the internet on eight separate occasions between March 27, 2017, and June 2, 2017. The indictment also charged Hacker with one count of receiving child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography.
Hacker was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, after he fled from police officers and barricaded himself for several hours inside of a storage container he had been using as a residence.
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 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."Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a prostitution operation that involved sex trafficking a minor victim.
Kenneth Ronald Jones, 26, of Columbia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
In separate but related cases, Barry Paul Manthe, 65, and Ronald James Clark, 68, both of Columbia, have pleaded guilty to using the internet to promote a racketeering enterprise, a prostitution business that operated out of a Columbia residence. They are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 24, 2019.
On Aug. 6, 2018, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of the sex trafficking of a minor and two counts of transportation for illegal sexual activity by coercion and enticement. Jones admitted that he induced three victims, including a minor, to travel across state lines to engage in prostitution and illicit sexual activity between May 1 and June 1, 2016.
On June 28, 2016, a 17-year-old victim from Wisconsin – identified in court documents as “FV1” – contacted her social worker and reported that she was being held against her will by Jones. She was located at a residence in Columbia that was known for prostitution and removed by law enforcement officers.
FV1 told investigators that Manthe paid for escort advertisements on the website Backpage for the prostitutes utilizing the brothel. According to FV1, she was advertised under a pseudonym but the ads did not include her photograph. Jones found photographs of other females on the Internet and gave them to Manthe to post with the ad.
Clark collected the door fee from the prostitutes, which ranged from $10 to $30. FV1 gave the rest of the money she earned through prostitution to Jones. Clark applied the door fee income to the monthly bills, then split the remaining profit between himself and Manthe.
FV1 told investigators that she met Jones and another victim, a teenager identified as “FV2,” in May 2016 at a party in Milwaukee, Wis., and agreed to travel with him to Columbia to engage in prostitution. As soon as she arrived in Columbia, she was expected to see clients. Jones, who knew she was 17 years old, instructed FV1 to tell everyone at the house she was 18 years old. Jones had her charge $120 for half an hour, or $160 for a full hour. FV1 gave $20 to the owners of the residence and the rest of the proceeds of her prostitution to Jones.
FV2 told investigators that she met Jones in March 2016 at a party in Milwaukee and accompanied him to Columbia because she believed she would be assisting Jones with selling narcotics. FV2 estimated that she earned about $2,500 for engaging in prostitution, but was not allowed to keep any of the money. After about two weeks in Columbia, FV2 and Jones returned to Milwaukee to pick up FV1, after which they returned to the same brothel in Columbia.
FV2,” told police that she worked at the brothel every day and was advertised through Backpage. Jones physically abused her in the days prior to her running away in late May or early June 2016. She reported Jones pointed a 9mm handgun in her face and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire.
Jones arranged for a third victim, a teenager identified as “FV3,” to join them in Columbia. FV3, after communicating with Jones on Facebook, agreed to come to Columbia to help him with his drug business. After she arrived in Missouri, Jones told FV3 she needed to make money and threatened to kick her to the streets if she did not do what he wanted. FV3 agreed and did a prostitution “date.” FV3 stated Jones directed her to charge clients $120 per half hour and $200 per hour. FV3 gave a door fee to the owners of the brothel and the rest of the money to Jones. She witnessed Jones point guns and threaten the other victims.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the FBI, the Greendale, Wis., Police Department, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Sturgeon Bay, Wis., Police Department.
KC Man Charged After Shooting Female Z-Trip Driver at Least 20 Times During RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in federal court today for the armed robbery of a female Z-Trip driver who was shot at least 20 times.
Derron D. Nevels, also known as “Ronnie,” 18, was charged in a two-count complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s criminal complaint charges Nevels with one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm in a crime of violence.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Nevels was picked up by a Z-Trip driver at 3715 Wabash Ave., Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday evening, Dec. 4, 2018. The Z-Trip taxi in which the crime was committed is equipped with interior and exterior cameras. The cameras show Nevels getting into the rear passenger seat at approximately 8:03 p.m., the affidavit says. The Z-Trip driver took him to 914 Benton Ave., Kansas City, Mo., arriving at the destination at approximately 8:15 p.m.
When they arrived at the destination, they waited in the vehicle for somebody to bring out the fare. When a second (unidentified) suspect approached the vehicle, the affidavit says, Nevels held a Smith and Wesson Military & Police .22-caliber rifle up to the victim’s head and demanded she give him everything. The victim attempted to explain that he was being recorded, to which Nevels allegedly responded, “I don’t care; give me everything.” Nevels also appeared to be taking a photo or video with his cell phone, the affidavit says.
The victim turned toward the back seat and grabbed onto the rifle, and a struggle ensued. The second suspect hit the victim in the face, then reached around the driver’s seat to strike her in the back and the back of her head. The victim released her grip from the gun, the affidavit says, at which time Nevels leaned back in his seat, chambered a live round, and opened fire on the victim within close range, approximately 21 times. Both suspects then fled from the scene, running in a northbound direction.
About 10 minutes later, at approximately 8:25 p.m., the affidavit says, one of the suspects returned to the victim’s vehicle to retrieve Nevel’s cell phone, which he had left behind when he fled from the scene of the crime. He can be heard on the video asking the victim if she is okay, and she informs him that she has been shot and has called the police. He reached into the rear driver’s side of the vehicle to pick up the cell phone then left the scene.
When police officers arrived, the victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. It was determined the victim sustained approximately 20 gunshot wounds to her upper body. To date her condition continues to be critical with substantial and serious bodily injuries.
Investigators used cell phone and Facebook data to identify Nevels, the affidavit says. On Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, Nevels and two other men were seen getting onto a bus in the area of Prospect and Swope Parkway. Nevels was arrested when they got off the bus at 11th Street and Grand Avenue. Nevels was carrying the loaded rifle hidden in his waistband with the barrel going down his right pant leg. Two other individuals were taken into custody but are not charged in the federal complaint.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.KC-Area Man Convicted of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., area man was found guilty at the conclusion of a bench trial today of illegally possessing a firearm.
Seneca Harrison, 36, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Harrison was in possession of a loaded Maverick by Mossberg 12-gauge pump action pistol grip shotgun.
A Blue Springs, Mo., police officer conducted a traffic stop of Harrison’s vehicle on April 9, 2018. Harrison was driving a silver GMC Yukon eastbound on 40 Highway. When Harrison stopped his vehicle, he got out of the vehicle and began to walk away. The officer told Harrison to return to his vehicle, but Harrison continued walking away. When the officer attempted to detain Harrison, he resisted by pulling away and pushing the officer. During this interaction, the officer observed the strong odor of alcohol coming from Harrison’s breath.
Another officer arrived on the scene and saw the shotgun in the driver’s seat of Harrison’s vehicle. Harrison was arrested. Harrison kicked the rear door of the patrol vehicle while he was being transported to the Blue Springs jail and yelled at the officers. Upon arrival at the jail, Harrison continued to be combative as he threatened and cursed at the officers.
While at the jail, an empty prescription pill bottle that contained residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine was located in Harrison’s cell. Harrison said, “Oh yeah that’s mine. It’s got my name on it.” Harrison continued to be combative and refused to provide a breathe test. He was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital for a blood draw. While at the hospital, Harrison said, “I’m kinda glad you guys got me. You knew I was going to kill someone tomorrow. I was about to go away for a long time.” Harrison uttered this multiple times in various ways.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Harrison has two prior felony convictions burglary and prior felony convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, stealing, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of marijuana. He was on parole for the unlawful possession of a firearm conviction at the time of the federal offense.
Under federal statutes, Harrison 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.
U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough announced the verdict at the close of the trial that began this morning.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Moeder and Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Blue Springs, 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.Former Barry County Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Traveling to Tennessee for Illicit Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former Barry County, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for traveling from Missouri to Tennessee to engage in an illicit sexual relationship with a 15-year-old victim, who became pregnant and bore his child.
Michael Douglas Peterson, 35, of Morristown, Tenn., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, to 17 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 25, 2018, Peterson pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual activity.
Peterson admitted that he moved from Missouri to Tennessee in June 2014 because the child victim, who was then 15 years old, moved to Tennessee. Peterson lived with the child victim and her mother and helped to pay for rent and groceries. Peterson engaged in illicit sexual conduct with the child victim, who became pregnant and gave birth to their child on Feb. 26, 2015.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Licking Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Licking, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Wesley Warren Norris, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole.
According to court documents, Norris used a peer-to-peer file-sharing network to receive and distribute images and videos of child pornography over the internet. Norris admitted that he had downloaded hundreds of files containing child pornography. Investigators located 145 images and 1,325 videos of child pornography on Norris’s electronic devices. Norris pleaded guilty on June 25, 2018, to receiving and distributing child pornography.
Norris, according to court documents, was previously convicted of endangering the welfare of a child for providing K2 to a minor female who overdosed. Norris also told investigators that two minor females had accused him of molesting them.
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 Texas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Hubert Carter, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Carter was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On June 7, 2018, Carter pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Carter admitted he was in possession of a loaded Cobra Arms .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun at the time of his arrest on Feb. 21, 2017.
Carter was a passenger on that date in a vehicle that was stopped by Kansas City, Mo., police officers. Carter fled from the vehicle on foot and a police officer pursued him. During the foot chase, Carter refused to stop and continually held onto the front of his waistband. He lost his balance and fell down as he ran down a hill. Carter dropped the handgun as he fell. At the bottom of the hill, the officer grabbed Carter, who attempted to punch the officer. Carter was eventually subdued and arrested.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Carter three prior felony convictions for sale of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for escape from a federal correctional institution, and prior felony convictions for trafficking and distribution of crack cocaine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Moeder. 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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 12 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today after being arrested at a local bus station carrying a duffel bag that contained more than six pounds of methamphetamine.
Jose Miguel Cabrera-Arteaga, 32, a lawful permanent resident married to a United States citizen residing in Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 12 years in federal prison without parole.
On June 7, 2018, Cabrera-Arteaga pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers with a police service canine were checking the luggage under a bus that had arrived from Los Angeles, Calif., at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station. Cabrera-Arteaga, who was watching the officers, got off the bus carrying a black duffel bag. The canine alerted to the odor of narcotics near the seat where Cabrera-Arteaga had been seated.
Officers interviewed Cabrera-Arteaga and searched his duffel bag, which contained six bundles of methamphetamine that weighed a total of approximately 6.3 pounds.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City Interdiction Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of illegally possessing a firearm.
Emmanuel Robinson, 35, was found guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Robinson, a convicted felon, was in possession of a Taurus .40-caliber handgun on March 10, 2017.
Kansas City police detectives were contacting another individual on an unrelated matter on that date when an altercation occurred between that individual and Robinson. During the altercation, Robinson pushed the other individual and made motions towards his front waistband. The detectives identified themselves and Robinson started to walk away but kept his hands near his front waistband. Both Robinson and the other individual were detained in order to control the situation. During a search, a detective found the loaded handgun concealed in the waistband of Robinson’s pants.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Robinson has two prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon and prior felony convictions for robbery, domestic assault, endangering the welfare of a child, assault, and armed criminal action.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for less than half an hour before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018.
Under federal statutes, Robinson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Alison D. Dunning. 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.Jury Convicts St. Joseph Man of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of illegally possessing a firearm following an 11-hour standoff with law enforcement officers.
Terrance T. Brown, 41, of St. Joseph, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Brown was in possession of a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol on Sept. 13, 2017. Brown was arrested following a 11-hour standoff at a St. Joseph residence on that date. Officers with the St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department established a perimeter around the residence. After several minutes, three individuals (including a juvenile) came out of the residence, but Brown – armed with the handgun – remained inside. Officers with the Special Response Team used portable cameras to locate Brown in the attic of the residence. Eventually, Brown surrendered to officers and was arrested as he left the residence. The loaded Ruger 9mm pistol with an extended magazine was found during a search of the attic. Officers also found ammunition and an empty box for a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber firearm, which contained some ammunition.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has a prior federal conviction in the District of Kansas for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brown has two prior felony convictions for robbery in Wyandotte County, Kan., as well as prior felony convictions for aggravated assault, criminal possession of a firearm, and attempted possession of a controlled substance. Brown was under supervision by Missouri Probation and Parole for felony drug possession in Jackson County, Mo., at the time of the offense.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for and an hour and a half before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, Dec. 3, 2018.Under federal statutes, Brown is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Morgan and Adam Caine. It was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s 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.Jefferson City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine that was mailed to him by a co-conspirator in California.
Javier Rashad Rosser, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from April 4, 2016, to April 4, 2017.
Co-defendant Shadeed Seifullah Muhammad, 42, of Compton, Calif., mailed a package that contained nearly two pounds of methamphetamine from California to an address in Columbia, Mo., on April 4, 2016. This package was tracked online by a computer IP address that traced to Rosser’s residence. Co-defendant Robert Istill McNair, 32, of Jefferson City, picked up the package from a co-conspirator at the Columbia residence. McNair traveled to Jefferson City with the package with the intent to deliver it to Rosser. He had instructions leave the package of methamphetamine in a car at his workplace in Jefferson City, but Rosser never picked it up. On the same day, Rosser deposited $5,500 into the bank account of Muhammad’s girlfriend.
Muhammad mailed another package, which contained approximately one pound, nine ounces of methamphetamine, from California to an address at Lincoln University in Jefferson City on March 30, 2017. A student at Lincoln University later told investigators that Rosser had asked her to pick up the package and deliver it to him. On April 4, 2017, U.S. Postal Inspection agents set up a controlled delivery and surveillance at the Lincoln University mailroom. When an individual arrived to pick up the package from the mailroom, he was arrested.
Muhammad also admitted that he had mailed a package that contained two pounds of methamphetamine to an address in Jefferson City nearly a year earlier. The package was seized by the U.S. Post Office on March 11, 2016. According to computer IP addresses, the package was being tracked online by Muhammad and Rosser.
Both Muhammad and McNair have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and await sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Rosser is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of ten 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 Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.