Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Lawrence County Woman Sentenced for Wire Fraud Targeting the Missouri LotteryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mt. Vernon, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud scheme that targeted the Missouri Lottery Commission and an area gas station.
Amy Young, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 23 months imprisonment with the Bureau of Prisons based upon her prior guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
Young conspired with others to employ a scheme to purchase Missouri lottery tickets using stolen and fraudulent credit cards and credit card numbers at a Joplin, Mo., gas station. Young and her co-conspirators made $62,082.50 in fraudulent transactions at the gas station in July and August of 2022. These transactions included the purchase of Missouri Lottery tickets. The perpetrators would send other individuals to collect any cash prizes associated with the tickets. The group fraudulently claimed $54,248 in cash prizes from the Missouri Lottery Commission. The fraudulent cash prizes and credit card transactions totaled $116,330.50.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Joplin, Missouri, Police Department.
Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing a Bank with a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today for robbing a local bank with the use of a firearm.
Richie E. Manley, 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, to one count of aiding & abetting bank robbery, along with one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On Oct. 3, 2024, at approximately 10:43 a.m., Richie E. Manley entered a bank in Kansas City, Missouri. While speaking to a bank teller, Manley pulled out a handgun, later determined to be a Smith and Wesson, Model SD, .40 caliber pistol, and told the tellers “give me your money.” While pointing the pistol at the tellers, Manley told the tellers to give him the “hundreds.” The tellers provided the money from the bank drawers and Manley took the money and fled the bank. The bank reported an estimated loss of $2,155 from the robbery. The bank was federally insured by the FDIC.
Under federal statutes, Manley is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, up to life in federal prison without parole. The minimum and maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (KCPD).
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Corporate Executives Sentenced for Sprawling Racketeering Conspiracy Aimed at Violating Immigration LawsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eleven defendants, including the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, and controller of a Joplin, Mo., corporation, have been sentenced in federal court for their role in a racketeering conspiracy to hire, harbor, and transport undocumented workers in several Midwestern states.
“Immigration issues in the country and in this district are not limited to those who illegally enter the United States. Businesses and entities who skirt the law and provide an environment that encourages and assists undocumented individuals to enter and remain in the United States unlawfully will be held accountable. My office is committed to prosecuting both individuals who illegally enter the United States as well as businesses and entities that profit off their labor,” said R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney, Western District of Missouri. “I would like to thank our law enforcement partners at HSI Kansas City for their work on this important matter.”
“The sentencing handed down today sends an unmistakable message. If you build your business on illegal labor and criminal racketeering, you will pay a steep price,” said Mark Zito, HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge. “This criminal enterprise was a calculated attack on our laws, our economy, and the most vulnerable among us. HSI Kansas City will not tolerate those who exploit workers and cheat honest business owners for profit. Today’s sentence proves that anyone who thinks they can get away with this kind of lawlessness will be hunted down, prosecuted, and held to the highest account.”
Jose Luis Bravo, 55, of Claremore, Ok.; Jose Guadalupe Razo, 44, of Carl Junction, Mo.; Anthony Edward Doll, 47, and Miguel Tarin-Martinez, 47, both of Joplin, Mo.; Antonio Martinez-Munoz, 48, of Collinsville, Ok.; Rodrigo Manrique Razo, 43, of Great Bend, Ks.; Juan Carlos Palma-Cedeno, 41, a citizen of Mexico; Jose Luis Lopez-Valadez, 45, of West Plains, Mo.; Jaime Ramirez-Ceja, 47, a citizen of Mexico; Jose Luis Rodriguez-Valerio, 61, of Tulsa, Ok.; and Veronica Razo de Lara, 51, of Great Bend, Ks., have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark.
Each defendant previously admitted to taking part in a RICO (racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations) conspiracy from Jan. 2018, to Aug. 2021, that transported and employed Mexican, Guatemalan, and El Salvadoran nationals who were not authorized to live or work in the United States. Conspirators also harbored and encouraged the unauthorized workers to remain and reside in the United States by providing them with housing and, in certain circumstances, fraudulent identification documentation.
Specialty Foods Distribution (SFD) is a Missouri corporation, based in Joplin, specializing in wholesale Mexican food products and restaurant supply products. During the racketeering conspiracy, SFD’s executive staff included Jose Bravo as chief executive officer; Jose Razo as president; Anthony Doll as chief financial officer; Miguel Tarin-Martinez as controller.
Bravo, J. Razo, Doll, and Tarin-Martinez created, maintained, and/or otherwise oversaw a network of enterprise-affiliated restaurants in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma that were serviced by SFD. The enterprise-affiliated restaurants were managed and/or staffed by coconspirators, including defendants Martinez-Munoz, R. Razo, Palma-Cedeno, Lopez-Valadez, Ramirez-Ceja, Rodriguez-Valerio, and Razo de Lara. Together, the defendants conspired to staff the restaurants with unauthorized workers—a workforce not available to law-abiding business owners—thereby gaining an unfair and illegal competitive business advantage.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants utilized evasive and fraudulent tactics. Specifically, to keep the enterprise-affiliated restaurants staffed and profitable, the defendants kept certain unauthorized workers off official payroll records; required certain unauthorized workers to work at times when federal officials were unlikely to conduct inspections; failed to collect or maintain complete and accurate Form I-9 documentation; falsely attested to the accuracy of Form I-9 documentation; submitted inaccurate wage and hour reports to state officials; and facilitated fraudulent identification documentation being produced, transported, and provided to unauthorized workers.
To date, the Court has imposed an aggregate 164 months of imprisonment and ordered forfeiture in an amount over $6,400,000.00. As to each defendant, the Court imposed the below-listed sentences.
- Bravo, who was the leader and organizer of the racketeering conspiracy, was sentenced to a 36-month term of imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide approximately $5,764.537.47 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise, property he acquired or maintained as part of the racketeering enterprise, and/or property that afforded a source of influence over the racketeering enterprise. Specifically, the forfeiture amount includes funds from five bank accounts; payment for his share of 12 real properties, including one personal residence and 11 commercial buildings; and payment for his share of over 20 business entities, including a portion of SFD.
- J. Razo, who was a supervisor and manager of the racketeering conspiracy, was sentenced to a 30-month term of imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $130,700.04 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Doll, who was a supervisor and manager of the racketeering conspiracy, was sentenced to a 10-month term of home detention as a condition of probation and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $132,303.09 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Tarin-Martinez was sentenced to a 24-month term of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $23,094.97 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Martinez-Munoz, who worked as a manager at Bravo’s Mexican Grill in Overland Park, Ks., was sentenced to a 15-month term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
- R. Razo, who served as the manager of Playa Azul Mexican Restaurant in Great Bend, Ks., was sentenced to a 13-month term of imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $81,933.28 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Palma-Cedeno, who worked as an employee at El Banquete Mexican Restaurant in Claremore, Ok., was sentenced to a 10-month term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
- Lopez-Valadez, who served as the manager of two El Charro Mexican Restaurant locations in West Plains, Mo., was sentenced to an eight-month term of home detention as a condition of probation and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $345,791.86 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Ramirez-Ceja, who served as the manager of El Charro Mexican Restaurant in Lebanon, Mo., was sentenced to an 11-month term of imprisonment and a one-year term of supervised release.
- Rodriguez-Valerio, who served as a manager at Bravo’s Mexican Grill in Overland Park, Ks., was sentenced to a 13-month term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
- Razo de Lara, who served as the manager of Maria’s Mexican Grill, in Great Bend, Ks., was sentenced to a 12-month-and-one-day term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
Defendants Eusebio Ramirez-Ceja, 55; Alejandro Castillo-Ramirez, 44; and Lorenzo Castro-Manzanarez, 43, all three citizens of Mexico, have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, Nicholas Heberle, David Wagner, and Leigh Farmakidis. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations; Kansas Bureau of Investigation; Kansas Department of Labor; Kansas Department of Revenue; Kansas Highway Patrol; Missouri State Highway Patrol; and Butler, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Raytown Man Pleads Guilty to Using Gun During CVS RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to using a firearm during an armed robbery of a CVS pharmacy in Kansas City, Mo.
Ta’Rod Glenel Perkins, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuan M. Counts to one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, specifically a robbery of a CVS pharmacy store.
According to the written plea agreement, Perkins admitted that on February 13, 2025, he entered a CVS in Kansas City, Mo., wearing a Nike mask, black Nike coat, blue jeans, and gloves. Witnesses reported that the robber had a handgun and stated: “I want promethazine and oxy. I don’t want any trouble. Just give me promethazine and oxy.” Perkins jumped over the counter and grabbed a red tub that was filled with controlled substances. CVS employees were able to place a tracking device in the red tub that Perkins stole. This tracker led investigators to a residence in Belton, Mo., where Perkins was found. Investigators obtained a search warrant of the residence and found clothing worn by the robber during the robbery. A firearm was later recovered from a neighbor who found it hidden under a barbeque grill on his deck. Law enforcement officials swabbed the firearm for genetic material and DNA comparative analysis tended to show that Perkins’s DNA was present on the firearm.
Under federal statutes, Ta’Rod Glenel Perkins is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison and a minimum sentence of five years of imprisonment without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by Kansas City, Mo. Police Department, the Belton, Mo. Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien.
Gilberto Javana-Zuniga, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Bough to one year and one day imprisonment in federal prison without parole followed by one year of supervised release.
On July 8, 2025, North Kansas City Police Department officers saw the defendant rummaging through trash bins in a business area. Upon contacting the defendant, Officers determined he was driving a van which had been reported stolen. Javana-Zuniga gave officers a false name. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents identified Javana-Zuniga was illegally in the United States after having been removed three times before – once in 2011 and twice in 2013.
Javana-Zuniga had been convicted of misdemeanor battery in 2011 and had six pending cases for theft, driving under the influence, driving without a license, and displaying license plates of another.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Mahoney. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing Firearms without a LicenseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty to willfully dealing firearms without a license.
Delron Montrez Pickens, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of engaging in the business of firearms sales despite not having a federal firearms license. According to the plea agreement, Pickens admitted that he purchased or attempted to purchase 23 firearms from federal firearms licensees to obtain firearms that he would later sell to other persons for profit. Pickens admitted that he made false statements on the required ATF Form 4473 documents that he was required to complete at the time he purchased the firearms. On these forms, Pickens intentionally provided an incorrect address for his residence and falsely claimed he was purchasing the firearm for himself. In his plea agreement, Pickens admitted that he was purchasing the firearms for third parties. Pickens acknowledged that on several occasions he was serving as a “straw purchaser” of firearms – Pickens was buying the firearms for persons whom he knew were legally prohibited from possessing them. Pickens engaged in this business for profit despite not having a valid federal license to sell firearms.
Under federal statutes, Pickens is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran National illegally residing the Springfield, Missouri, area, was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien after subsequently being convicted of a prior felony crime.
Rubin Arturo Pinot-Banegas, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 10 months imprisonment without parole followed by one year of supervised release.
On June 27, 2025, Nixa Police Department officers responded to a traffic accident involving a two-car collision. Officers contacted five Honduran nationals, who had been involved in the traffic collision. The defendant, Pinot-Banegas, provided local officers with his name. Identity documents were then obtained by law enforcement, and it was determined that Pinot-Banegas had a Honduran passport, but did not have documents showing that he was legally within the United States. Department of Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE) Agents responded and determined that Pinot-Banegas was illegally in the United States after having been removed four time before – once in 2007, once in 2009, once in 2015, and once in 2017.
Pinot-Banegas had been convicted of domestic battery, as well as a misdemeanor conviction for illegally entering the United States in 2015, and a felony conviction for illegally entering the United States after being previously deported in 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Nixa, Missouri, Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 46 Months on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction.
James Arthur Tatum, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 46 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. His sentence also includes three years of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, Tatum was encountered by a Columbia, Mo. Police Department officer on June 8, 2024. Tatum was alone in a vehicle, and while the officer was checking Tatum’s identification, he saw Tatum making what he believed were furtive movements in the front passenger area. During a subsequent search of the car, officers located a Glock 43X firearm under the driver’s seat. Tatum has prior felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction, and is not permitted to possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for fentanyl distribution and illegally possessing firearms.
Darius Burnett, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to a total sentence of 13 years in federal prison without parole.
Burnett pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 8, 2025.
On Nov. 8, 2023, investigators with the ATF, DEA, and Springfield Police Department executed a search warrant at Burnett’s residence. During the search of Burnett’s apartment and vehicle, officers located four loaded semi-automatic pistols, including two with extended magazines, body armor, ammunition, marijuana, over 1,000 pills containing fentanyl, and $78,935.80 in cash. In an interview, the defendant described himself as the “top dude” in Springfield, Missouri, for fentanyl sales, stated that he was purchasing 5,000 pills a month from a source in St. Louis, Missouri, and admitted that the cash located by law enforcement were drug proceeds.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Marshall Man Admits to Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Marshall, Mo., man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to drug and gun charges arising out of a May 2025 search warrant, during which two Pettis County deputies were injured.
James Joseph Elsea, 62, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharging and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction. In a plea agreement filed with the court after the hearing, Elsea admitted that while Pettis County Sheriff’s Office deputies were executing a no-knock search warrant at his home on May 2, 2025, Elsea fired shots from inside the residence, hitting and injuring two deputies. Approximately nine minutes after the shots were fired, Elsea made a 911 call reporting that he believed he had shot someone. Later, after the officers arrested Elsea and made entry into his residence, they found evidence that Elsea had discarded methamphetamine down the toilet, leaving loose methamphetamine on the bathroom floor, around and underneath the toilet, on the toilet seat, and in the toilet bowl. Firearms were also found within the home. Elsea has prior felony convictions and is not permitted to possess a gun.
Under federal statutes, Elsea is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and up to 15 years for his possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction. He is also subject to a sentence of not less than 10 years for possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, which must be consecutive to any other sentence imposed in the case. These maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes, but Elsea’s ultimate sentence will be determined by the court based on 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 Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Kansas City Man Indicted for Distribution of Controlled Substances and Illegal Sales of FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – German Alvarez-Rubio, 28, of Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, and psilocybin as well as firearms offenses.
Alvarez-Rubio made his first appearance in federal court after his arrest on January 12, 2026.
The indictment alleges that on July 22, 2025, the Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine. On July 29, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine and methamphetamine and illegally sold ten firearms. On August 19, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed methamphetamine, cocaine, and psilocybin (mushrooms) and illegally possessed a machinegun.
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 Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Liberty Man Sentenced to 15 years for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Liberty, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his involvement in a fentanyl drug conspiracy.
Dakota Thomas Morris, also known as “DMO,” 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 15 years’ imprisonment without parole. Morris previously pleaded to guilty one count of conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, between Oct. 27, 2020, and Jan. 24, 2023, in the Western District of Missouri.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Grundy County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office; Trenton, Missouri, Police Department; Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Buchanan County, Missouri Drug Strike Force; U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Mercer County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office; and the Internal Revenue Service.
Homeland Security Task Force
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Drug Enforcement with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
‘Mayor’ of Homeless Camp Sentenced for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute near a school and illegally possessing a firearm to further his drug distribution.
Ricky Lee Myers, also known as “The Mayor,” 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to more than 10 years in prison followed by six years of supervised release.
On May 21, 2025, Myers pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Oct. 23, 2024, Myers was inside the residential structure that he built in a homeless camp located on a dirt road extending from East 23rd St. roughly between Vine St. and Highland Avenue, in Kansas City, Missouri, when federal agents executed a search warrant there. This area is within 1,000 feet of a school. In Myers’ residence, agents located a bag with approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine along with a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Member Pleaded Guilty for Armed Assault Against RivalRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A member of the Los Valerosos Motorcycle Gang, a support club for the Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of rival motorcycle club.
Graham S. Gattis, also known as “Dro,” 41, of East Ridge, Tn., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On Sept. 17, 2022, Gattis and other members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo. Various members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle. Gattis and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg.
Under federal statutes, Gattis is subject to a sentence of not less than five years and up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Guatemalan man was indicted by federal grand jury today for illegally reentering the United States after he was previously deported.
Edras Leonel Alcides Ramirez-Peralta, 35, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry.
On December 17, 2025, Ramirez-Peralta was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Criminal Alien Program (ICE CAP) Agents for being unlawfully present in the United States. Agents determined that Ramirez-Peralta had recently been deported to Guatemala on November 15, 2024.
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 Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Colorado Man Convicted of Trafficking Fentanyl, Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Denver man was convicted by a federal trial jury of trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms.
Jason S. Thompson, 50, was found guilty of one count each of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
In the early morning hours of Aug. 30, 2024, officers with the Nixa, Mo., Police Department contacted Thompson, who was camping in a minivan in the parking lot of the Nixa Walmart. Thompson initially provided officers with a false name and date of birth. When officers attempted to arrest him, Thompson fled on foot but was quickly apprehended. Once Thompson gave officers his actual name and identifying information, they learned that he had a federal probation and parole warrant for his arrest.
Officers searched Thompson and found a small bag of cocaine and more than $1,000 in cash. Officers also located two loaded firearms, drug paraphernalia, and a large plastic bag containing nearly 140 grams of fentanyl pills in the minivan.
Thompson has an extensive criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and theft.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for about two hours before returning guilty verdicts yesterday to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
Under federal statutes, Thompson faces a sentence of 15 years to life in federal prison, without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver, James J. Kelleher, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Lucas. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Chinese National Charged with Unlawfully Photographing Air Force Base and Vital Military EquipmentRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – United States Attorney R. Matthew Price today announced the filing of a criminal complaint against Qilin Wu, 35, in the Western District of Missouri. The complaint charges Wu with one count of taking photographs of a vital military installation and military equipment without authorization, in violation of U.S. law.
The complaint alleges that on December 2, 2025, the Whiteman Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) investigated a report of a suspicious minivan bearing a Massachusetts license plate near the perimeter of the military installation. Air Force patrolmen were dispatched to the area to investigate, and encountered Wu, who stated that he was there to observe the B-2 Spirit aircraft. The patrolmen informed Wu that he was not permitted to take photographs or make video recordings of the military installation.
The following day, according to the complaint, AFOSI was notified that the same minivan was again identified at a perimeter fence of Whiteman Air Force Base. AFOSI agents went to the area to investigate and again made contact with Wu. Wu admitted to taking videos of the B-2 Spirit aircraft and numerous photographs of Whiteman’s perimeter fencing, a gate, and military equipment. Wu showed investigators his phone, including images of Whiteman Air Force Base and military equipment that Wu had recorded. In total, investigators observed 18 images and videos that Wu admitted he had taken of the installation and of military equipment. Wu also admitted to having photographed another U.S. Air Force base and its military aircraft as well.
According to court documents, Wu is a Chinese national who illegally entered the United States on June 22, 2023, near Nogales, Arizona. At that time, Wu was arrested by immigration authorities for illegally being present in the United States. Due to a lack of detention space, Wu was released on his own recognizance to await immigration removal proceedings originally scheduled for February 9, 2027. On December 3, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) re-arrested Wu.
The allegations contained in the complaint are accusations, not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 795, Wu would be subject to a sentence of up to one year in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes; any sentence would be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Brendan P. Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. It was investigated by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Air Force’s Security Forces, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
United States Files Forfeiture Action Against $1.2 Million Involved in Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a civil forfeiture complaint has been filed in federal court against approximately $1.2 million in digital currency seized by the government in connection to a fraudulent online investment scheme.
According to the complaint, the unidentified perpetrators identified potential victims using a “wrong number” scam, in which they sent unsolicited texts and social media messages to random individuals throughout the United States. Once the perpetrators developed a relationship, they introduced the victims to online investment opportunities that they promised would provide huge returns.
The victims were persuaded to purchase cryptocurrency and transfer it to fake investment platforms called TMGM and NEEX. When the victims tried to withdraw their funds, they were met with various excuses and fraudulent demands. Law enforcement used blockchain analysis and other investigative techniques to determine that the cryptocurrency sought to be forfeited was tied to the scheme.
The civil forfeiture complaint is merely a set of allegations. It is the government’s burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Constance is representing the United States.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud and other cyber-enabled crime should contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
1_complaint_tmgm_2081-1435-6485_v.1_0.pdfMexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Convicted of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Lee’s Summit, Mo., was sentenced in federal court yesterday for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien Previously Convicted of an Aggravated Felony.
Severo De La Torre-Sanchez, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes to three years and six months in federal prison without parole followed by three years of supervised release.
On Aug. 7, 2024, De La Torre-Sanchez was found at a Lee’s Summit restaurant when officers were attempting to serve him with an ex-parte order of protection. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents identified De La Torre-Sanchez was illegally in the United States after having been removed on two prior occasions in 2020 and 2022. He was removed in 2020 after serving a 17 year federal sentence for drug trafficking in the Southern District of Georgia.
De La Torre-Sanchez was also previously convicted for Attempted Re-entry of a Removed Alien in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in 2022.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson. It was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
VA Hospital Nurse Sentenced to 10 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 10 years’ imprisonment and 15 years of supervised release.
Paul Robert Wyatt, 57, pleaded guilty to a three-count indictment, charging him with distribution of child pornography over the internet, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography (which involved a victim under the age of 12). At the time of these offenses, Wyatt was employed as a nurse at the Kansas City Veteran Affairs Medical Center on Linwood Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri.
Wyatt will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States and Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien Previously Removed and Felon in Possession of Firearm.
Tomas Alejandro Yanez-Fraide, 23, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to four years federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
On August 21, 2025, Yanez-Fraide pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after previously being removed following a conviction for an aggravated felony and felon in possession of a firearm. Yanez-Fraide admitted he knew he did not have permission to enter the United States lawfully and that, as a felon, he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to knowingly re-enter the United States without permission after being removed. Yanez-Fraide had previously been removed from the country in 2022 after he was convicted in Jackson County, Missouri of robbery in the second degree. He unlawfully returned sometime after his 2022 removal and was found in the Western District of Missouri when he was arrested in February of 2025 by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. At the time of his arrest, Yanez-Fraide was in possession of Glock 9 mm firearm, an extended magazine and live ammunition. Under federal law it is illegal for a person convicted of a felony to possess a firearm or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Belton Man Sentenced for Treasury Check TheftRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Belton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in the theft of government property, Treasury checks.
Julian King, 32, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 6 months imprisonment based upon his guilty plea to theft of government funds relating to stolen United States Treasury checks.
According to court documents, King and his co-defendants cashed a $72,236 U.S. Treasury check on Aug. 9, 2023, which was subsequently altered to indicate co-defendant, Sierra McCall, as the payee. McCall then deposited this altered check into her bank account and subsequently obtained two cashier’s checks for $36,000 each which were provided to King and Jalen Koonce. Koonce was employed by the U.S. Postal Service at the sorting facility where government checks are processed. On Sept. 6, 2023, King and Koonce deposited another stolen and altered Treasury check in the amount of $30,264.56. This check was held by the bank and did not clear.
“My office has a very low threshold whenever a government employee is involved in criminal conduct and violates the public trust,” said R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney Western District of Missouri. “In those cases, we will hold not only those individuals accountable, but also those who help them during the commission of a crime.”
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
Koonce and co-defendant McCall have both pleaded guilty and are scheduled for sentencing in 2026.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and TIGTA.
Three Indicted for Conspiracy to Violate Asbestos-Related Laws at Barry County Long-Term Care FacilityRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The former administrator, maintenance contractor, and company owner of a Monett, Mo., skilled nursing facility were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to impede the EPA, a related state agency, and OHSA, and violate the Clean Air Act regarding the removal of asbestos-containing materials.
Juan Carlos Aguilar Gomez, 45, a citizen of Honduras, residing in Lawrence, N.Y., who was previously charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 1, 2025, with one count of violating the Clean Air Act, was charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Air Act, six counts of violating the Clean Air Act, and one count of making a false statement to a federal department or agency.
Rebecca Massey, 46, of Granby, Mo., was charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Air Act, six counts of violating the Clean Air Act, and one count of making a false statement to a federal department or agency.
Goldner Capital Management, LLC (GCM), a limited liability company located in the state of New York, was charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Clean Air Act, and six counts of violating the Clean Air Act.
“The Department of Justice, working in partnership with the EPA, will seek to hold accountable those who violate environmental laws, as evidenced by the charges returned today,” said R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
“Conspiring to violate our nation’s environmental laws to prevent exposure to the lethal dangers of asbestos is a betrayal of trust that puts the most defenseless members of our society at risk. By neglecting proper asbestos inspections and precautions, the defendants have not only violated laws but endangered the health of over 150 residents and staff,” said Cate Holston, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Missouri.
According to today’s indictment, in Dec. 2018, Gomez’s company was contracted to do maintenance and renovation work at nursing homes within GCM’s investment portfolio, including a long-term care facility in Monett, Mo. The services in their signed agreement included planning and overseeing all construction, alteration, maintenance, and repair projects at the facilities.
The facility provided senior and other assisted-living care to at least 67 residents and was staffed by approximately 80 employees between 2018 and 2021 and was owned and operated as part of an investment portfolio owned by GCM, which funded all capital improvements to facilities owned by the parent company.
As early as July 2020 GCM agents and employees, including Massey, began plans to renovate the facility, including plans to remove the existing linoleum flooring and replace it with new flooring. This flooring contained at least 6-12% chrysotile asbestos, was in poor condition and crumbled easily, making the tile a regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM) under EPA guidelines. The removal of RACM requires special handling and disposal precautions and procedures.
GCM, Massey, and Gomez were advised during the bidding process by other construction contractors and maintenance employees that the floor needed to be tested for the presence of asbestos and that an asbestos certified contractor needed to remove any flooring containing asbestos.
Despite receiving at least one bid from a reputable contracting company, which advised that the floors likely contained asbestos, no testing or asbestos abatement was conducted at the facility. Instead, GCM agents and employees engaged Gomez to conduct the proposed renovations. Neither Gomez, nor any of his employees were qualified asbestos abatement contractors, workers, or supervisors.
Renovations began around Oct. 2020 and continued through Jan. 2021. During renovations, Gomez and his employees used an electrical/mechanical floor stripper, other scrapers, chippers, and other abrading or grinding machinery to remove the tile flooring. This process generated visible emissions throughout the facility’s hallways, dining areas, and residents’ rooms. Additionally, Gomez and his employees posted no signs regarding potential asbestos exposure, erected no containment, used no water to mitigate visible emissions, had no decontamination units constructed, did not use negative air machines, and disposed of RACM waste in an unlined, unsealed dumpster that was sent to a landfill not authorized to accept RACM.
Massey, knowing that no asbestos analysis/inspection had occurred and that one was needed, permitted the work to continue even though as the Administrator she was empowered, and obligated, under law to shut down any operations that posed a health or safety hazard to the facility’s residents.
On Jan. 20, 2021, officials with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) inspected the facility and obtained a bulk floor sample from the hallway. MDNR conveyed to Massey that they were concerned that the materials contained RACM and that, if they did, the owners of the facility would need to evacuate the residents. Gomez told MDNR inspectors that he had no knowledge of the presence of asbestos or permitting requirements prior to their inspection, both of which were false statements.
The indictment alleges that on April 30, 2021, Massey falsely told OSHA inspectors that she was unaware of the renovation project involving the flooring prior to Gomez and his workers beginning work in Dec. 2020. She also claimed that she knew nothing about asbestos until MDNR arrived at the facility. Both were false statements.
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 Casey Clark, who was significantly assisted by former Environmental Crimes Section Senior Litigation Counsel Todd W. Gleason. It was investigated by the EPA – Criminal Investigations Division and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Texas Woman Sentenced for Quarter Million Dollar COVID FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Texas woman was sentenced in federal court today for her leadership role in a case that resulted in more than $250,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Daisha Sanders, formerly from Kansas City, Mo., 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 18 months imprisonment based upon her conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, guaranteed by the SBA under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
Sanders conspired with others to prepare and file fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf. Sanders received kickbacks of $5,000 for each of the $20,832 PPP loans. Sanders filed false PPP loan applications for numerous persons resulting in a loss of approximately $270,820,33, which she was ordered to pay back in a restitution judgment.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.
Springfield Business Owner Indicted for Covid Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield business owner was indicted by a federal grand jury for fraudulently obtaining $316,062 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and for laundering over $35,000 of PPP funds.
Jason L. Hemingway, 47, was charged with two counts each of bank fraud and making a false statement on a loan application, and three counts of money laundering.
According to the indictment, Hemingway applied for a PPP loan for his business, Principal Transfer Group, LLC on Feb. 9, 2021. The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments.
On his electronically submitted loan application Hemingway claimed that another individual was the owner of his business, Principal Transfer Group, LLC, and stated that the business had an average monthly payroll of $63,212 and employed 25 people, all of which were false statements. Hemingway signed the application in the name of the individual he claimed was the president and owner. Hemingway received $158,031 in PPP proceeds.
On April 8, 2021, Hemingway applied for a second PPP loan on behalf of Principal Transfer Group, LLC. On that application, again submitted under another individual’s name, Hemingway certified that he had received a previous PPP loan and that he had used the full loan amount for eligible expenses only, which was a false statement. He again claimed that another individual was the president and owner, that the business had an average monthly payroll of $63,212 and employed eight people, all of which were false statements. Hemingway signed the application in the name of the individual he claimed was the president and owner and received another $158,031 in PPP loan proceeds.
The indictment alleges that Hemingway used the PPP proceeds for non-approved purposes, including for his personal benefit. According to the indictment, Hemingway transferred $11,000 of the PPP funds into the bank account for another business he owned, 417 Print Shop, LLC, an additional $11,000 in PPP funds into his personal bank account, and $13,851.16 of PPP funds to his Robinhood account. Robinhood is a financial services company that allows users to invest and trade in stocks and cryptocurrencies.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Hemingway to forfeit to the government any property derived from the alleged fraud scheme, including a money judgment of at least $316,062, and an additional $35,851.16 money judgment for proceeds derived from the alleged money laundering scheme.
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 Casey Clark. It was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Portageville Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Portageville, Mo., man, who was convicted following a January 2025 jury trial for trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms, was sentenced in federal court yesterday.
Michael C. Patton, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 21 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 14, 2025, Patton was found guilty after a two-day jury trial of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Patton was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Springfield police officers on May 12, 2021. When officers searched the vehicle, they found a backpack in the front passenger floorboard that contained a loaded Beretta firearm, along with a plastic bag that contained 344 grams of pure methamphetamine and Patton’s Missouri identification. Officers also found a small black backpack in the backseat floorboard that contained a loaded revolver.
According to court documents, Patton has an extensive criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today for his role in a mail fraud scheme in which false documents were submitted to the Missouri Department of Revenue to obtain mechanics liens and titles for vehicles that had previously been reported stolen.
Dennis Arthur Cleveland, 75, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count each of mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
According to the plea agreement, Cleveland, as the owner of Affordable Towing, directed his employees, who he knew were submitted fraudulent documents, to send those documents to the Missouri Department of Revenue. These fraudulent documents were used to obtain substitute or replacement mechanics liens and vehicle titles that would allow Cleveland to sell the vehicles. In each instance, the documents submitted by Cleveland and his employees claimed to have received permission from the vehicle’s owner. Upon reviewing the documents, it was discovered that none of the listed vehicle owners gave Cleveland or Affordable Towing permission to seize or sell their vehicle. Further, in all these documents, a signature in the name of the vehicle’s owner was provided and was confirmed to be a forgery. In those instances that Cleveland obtained a replacement lien or title, he would sell the vehicle at a used car dealership. In those instances that Cleveland failed to receive a replacement title or mechanics lien, he would send the vehicle to a local scrapyard. Under either circumstance, Cleveland took all the proceeds from the vehicle’s sale or scrapping of these vehicles for himself. Each of the vehicles involved in this scheme were confirmed to have been reported stolen and neither Cleveland or Affordable Towing had permission to possess, sell, or scrap any of these vehicles.
Under federal statutes, Cleveland is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for the offense of mail fraud. Further, Cleveland is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for the offense of money laundering. Finally, Cleveland is subject to a sentence of 2 years, run consecutively to the mail fraud and money laundering, for the offense of aggravated identity theft. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney It was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue, Compliance and Investigation Bureau, the United States Post Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Former Elementary School Teacher Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former elementary school teacher and employee of two area school districts has been indicted by a federal grand jury for additional child pornography offenses.
Dennis Adlai Hernandez, 28, was charged in a thirteen-count federal superseding indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. yesterday. Hernandez was previously charged in a seven-count indictment with five counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The superseding indictment includes those charges and six additional counts of production and attempted production of child pornography. The offenses charged in the indictment are alleged to involve twelve minor victims and are alleged to have occurred between August 2022 and August 2025.
The charges contained in this superseding 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 Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to illegal reentry and alien in possession of a firearm.
Israel Ramirez-Jaramillo, 33, pleaded guilty before Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. to a federal indictment charging him with one count of illegal reentry and one count of alien in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, on April 20, 2025, Osage Beach Police Department officers were called to an apartment building regarding a report of shots fired and a domestic disturbance. Upon their arrival, officers contacted the subjects reportedly engaged in the domestic disturbance. The investigation revealed that Ramirez-Jaramillo and his girlfriend had been at a party earlier in the evening and upon coming back to her apartment, got into an argument. Witness statements indicated that after a neighbor who had overheard the argument went outside to check on the girlfriend, Ramirez-Jaramillo retrieved a firearm from his vehicle, walked towards the neighbor’s apartment while making a threatening statement, and then discharged the firearm into the air.
Officers eventually located the firearm and loaded magazine in the toilet upon which Ramirez-Jaramillo was seated.
In his plea agreement, Ramirez-Jaramillo admitted that he was first removed from the United States on April 5, 2011, at San Ysidro, California. His initial order of removal was reinstated after he was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol on April 13, 2011, near Cowlic, Arizona. Ramirez-Jaramillo was again removed from the United States to Mexico on July 13, 2011, at Brownsville, Texas.
Under federal statutes, Ramirez-Jaramillo is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole for the firearms offense, and up to two years on the illegal reentry offense. 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 Cecily L. Hicks. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Osage Beach Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Springfield Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to unlawfully possessing firearms and filing a false tax return.
Marco Lorimer Denis, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm, and one count of filing a false tax return.
At the time of the offenses, Denis was the owner of Springfield Property LLC, a company providing retail and commercial rental space, including at Plaza Towers in Springfield.
As part of his plea, Denis admitted to knowingly possessing firearms when he had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Denis pleaded guilty in 2003 to misdemeanor domestic assault in the Greene County, Mo., Circuit Court. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to be in possession of a firearm.
In December 2012, Denis attempted to purchase a firearm from a federal firearm licensee. His purchase was immediately denied after a background check, resulting in the federal firearm licensee refusing to transfer the firearm to Denis.
On July 15 and 16, 2024, as part of a domestic violence investigation, officers with the Springfield Police Department executed search warrants at Denis’s residence and located 8 firearms in his residence and in the driver’s side door panel of his vehicle.
Denis also admitted to filing a false tax return for the calendar year 2023. Denis’s 2023 tax return, which was filed in March 2025, did not include $57,391.06 of income he received in the course of operating Springfield Property, LLC. The IRS tax loss associated with Denis’s unreported income is $24,749.
Under federal statutes, Denis is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $250,000 for unlawfully possessing firearms; and a sentence of up to 3 years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $250,000, and an order of restitution, for filing a false tax return. 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 Stephanie L. Wan and Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Minnesota and New York Men Convicted for Providing Material Support to Separatist Fighters in CameroonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY – A federal trial jury convicted two individuals for their roles in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to kill, kidnap, and maim persons and use weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in a foreign country. The defendants conspired to provide funds and equipment to separatist fighters in Cameroon to allow them to construct and use IEDs against various targets in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
Francis Chenyi, Sr., 52, of Saint Paul, Mn., and Lah Nestor Langmi, 49, of Buffalo, Ny., both of whom are U.S. citizens of Cameroonian origin, were found guilty on Monday, Dec. 8, on multiple counts. Chenyi and Langmi were both found guilty of one count of a conspiracy to provide material support or resources intended it be used to carry out conspiracies to kill, kidnap, and maim persons in a foreign country and to use a WMD outside the United States. Chenyi and Langmi were also found guilty of one count of being involved in an international money laundering conspiracy that transferred funds from the United States to Cameroon to promote conspiracies to kill, kidnap, and maim and use WMDs abroad.
Additionally, Chenyi was found guilty of one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to use a WMD abroad.
“As the verdict indicates whether you’re committing a crime locally or – as in this case – supporting illegal conduct half a world away – when you conspire to violate federal law, we will hold you accountable.” said United States Attorney R. Matthew Price.
“The guilty verdict brings to close a conspiracy by a group of U.S. Citizens of Cameroonian origin to support a plot that, among other acts, included kidnapping Cameroonian civilians and holding them for ransom. Their actions also included providing equipment, supplies, and weapons to a separatist movement for the purpose of carrying out attacks against the government of Cameroon and its personnel,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus, Kansas City Field Division. “We are grateful for the verdict, and it should send a strong message to anyone in the United States looking to provide support to these types of acts across the world.”
A third defendant, Claude Ngenevu Chi, 43, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to use a WMD abroad on Nov. 19, 2025.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on around Nov. 5, 2020, Langmi sent an audio message to separatist fighters requesting they kidnap a traditional leader in Cameroon. Langmi said he had been tracking the traditional leader’s movements prior to the kidnapping. Following a battle with Cameroonian forces, separatists took the traditional leader along with the Catholic Cardinal Christian Tumi, who was traveling with the traditional leader, from their vehicles.
Following the kidnapping, Chenyi, provided the interrogation questions to be asked of the traditional leader and the Cardinal and approved the transferring of funds through peer-to-peer transactions to the separatists fighters in Cameroon to further the kidnapping.
Chenyi was involved in ransom payments paid by individuals outside of Cameroon for the release of family members taken in Cameroon and communicated with Langmi about these payments.
Multiple instances occurred in which co-conspirators, including Langmi, requested funds to purchase IEDs or components of IEDs for construction and use in Cameroon that were approved and funded by Chenyi. Chenyi also coordinated with individuals in Cameroon to ensure separatist fighters he supported obtained training on IED use. The defendants corresponded with co-conspirators in Cameroon to coordinate development, payment for, and logistical support toward IED use upon targets in Cameroon.
Specifically, around Dec. 3, 2020, Chenyi was requested to provide funds for construction of multiple IEDs to be used in connection with efforts to enforce a lockdown of an area before an upcoming election. Chenyi, along with Chi, agreed to provide funds for the IEDs’ construction and Chenyi coordinated the transfer of funds from the United States through peer-to-peer transactions to the separatist fighters in Cameroon.
Langmi coordinated with, and provided funds to, an unindicted co-conspirator to develop IEDs and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) in Cameroon and kept Chenyi apprised of the IED and RPG development. Langmi also attempted to coordinate attacks near the 2021 African Cup of Nations soccer tournament hosted in Cameroon, as well as various cities throughout the Northwest Region throughout the spring of 2022.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about two hours and 24 minutes before returning guilty verdicts yesterday to U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.
Under federal statutes, Chenyi and Langmi each are subject to a sentence of up to 15 years for conspiracy to provide material support or resources and up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Chi also is subject to a penalty of up to 15 years for providing material support or resources. 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. Attorneys Sean T. Foley and Joseph M. Marquez for the Western District of Missouri, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The case was investigated by the FBI Kansas City Field Division.
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Ks., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a fully automatic pistol.
Verdell D. Mays, 30, of Overland Park, Ks. pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun.
By pleading guilty today, Mays admitted on June 28, 2025, he possessed a Glock, Model 22C, .40 caliber fully automatic pistol and that the Glock pistol had a rear slide plate that was modified to produce automatic fire. Mays is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions, including a prior conviction in federal court for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Under federal statutes, Mays is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 2, 2026, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cass County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States.
Andres G. Angel-Martinez, 25, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously removed alien and was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Dec. 3, 2025. Angel-Martinez has been in custody since March 2025. He is being held on an active immigration detainer and will soon be deported to Mexico.
According to information presented in court, on April 15, 2025, Angel-Martinez was transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Cass County, Missouri Jail after being previously removed from the United States on November 11, 2019.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Kansas City Woman Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to preparing and filing false income tax returns for others.
Tanisha Spencer, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill Morris to aiding in the preparation of a false tax return.
According to court documents, Spencer prepared income tax returns for pay for persons who contacted her via Facebook. She prepared the income tax returns at 4300 Bellefontaine, Kansas City, Missouri, and the returns were electronically filed with the Internal Revenue Service in Kansas City, Missouri. The Federal income tax returns prepared by Spencer included fraudulent Sick Leave and Family Leave credits, illegitimate fuel tax credits, and fraudulently inflated federal tax withholdings. By including these and other fraudulent items on the client’s tax returns, Spencer was able to manufacture substantial refunds to her clients that they would not have been entitled to if the returns had been accurately prepared. Spencer electronically filed returns and charged her clients a return preparation fee of between $500 and $14,840 per return. The 156 returns that Spencer prepared claimed $4,047,531 in refunds, of which the IRS paid out $689,872.
Under federal statutes, Spencer is subject to a sentence of up to 3 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to COVID FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City man pled guilty today to wire fraud in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a $312,500 Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the United States Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
Jarrell Curne, 36, was the owner of a Missouri limited liability company called Hustle Ova Everything Entertainment (Hustle). On May 13, 2020, Curne submitted a $312,500 PPP loan application to U.S. Bank on behalf of Hustle. In the loan application, Curne falsely stated that, in 2019, Hustle had an annual payroll of $1.5 million and 100 employees. In reality, Hustle had no eligible employees or payroll whatsoever.
Based on the fraudulent representations Curne made in the Hustle PPP loan application, on May 15, 2020, U.S. Bank transferred $312,500 to a bank account controlled by Curne in the name of Hustle. In furtherance of his wire-fraud scheme and in an effort for the Small Business Administration to forgive the Hustle PPP loan, Curne falsely certified that the loan proceeds were used for permissible business purposes under the PPP. In reality, the funds were used by Curne for personal expenses.
Under federal statutes, Curne 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. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on a set of 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 Paul S. Becker and James Kirkpatrick. It was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Indiana Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana following a High-Speed PursuitRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Hammond, In., man has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana in Daviess County, Missouri.
Nickolas J Burch, 36, was charged and had his initial appearance yesterday in a two-count criminal complaint. Burch was charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2025, a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper was conducting routine patrol on I-35 northbound in Daviess County. He observed a black sport utility vehicle (SUV) overtaking his vehicle from the rear at 103 miles per hour. After the MSHP Trooper attempted to stop the SUV, it attempted to flee at a high rate of speed, ultimately reaching 128 miles per hour before crashing into a field.
Immediately after the crash the driver, later identified as Burch, exited the vehicle and fled on foot, carrying a red duffle bag over his shoulder. After a foot pursuit and resistance by Burch, law enforcement was ultimately able to take Burch into custody.
A red duffle bag was recovered from the field, which was dropped by Burch during the pursuit. and searched. Law enforcement located $205,950 in United States Currency.
A second duffel bag was in the second row of the SUV which contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine and 18 pounds of marijuana.
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 Robert Smith. was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Daviess County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Justice Department Seizes Unlawful 7-OH Products at Three WarehousesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department, together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced today that recent actions targeting illegal products containing 7-hydroxymitragine, commonly known as 7-OH, resulted in the seizure of approximately 73,000 units of product at three warehouses.
In seizure complaints and accompanying court papers filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the government alleged that two firms in the Kansas City area received warnings from FDA that 7-OH products were illegal under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. According to the seizure complaints, recent FDA inspections showed that the firms continued to distribute unlawful 7-OH products after receiving the warnings.
The seizures were carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service, with support from FDA. The products were seized from facilities operated by Shaman Botanicals LLC and Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading LLC.
“Products containing 7-OH are illegal under federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We have seen numerous reports of harmful health consequences in consumers, including children, who have taken 7-OH products. Working with our partners at FDA, we will take action against anyone participating in the illegal distribution of these products.”
“The 7-OH products seized are illegal under federal law and pose risks to consumers, including children,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price for the Western District of Missouri. “We are committed to helping American consumers protect themselves from dangerous chemicals posing as health products. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure illegal products never enter the stream of commerce and pursue all possible civil and criminal remedies against those who violate federal laws.”
The FDA has recognized 7-OH products as dangerous and potentially addictive, recommending in July 2025 that a scheduling action be taken to control certain 7-OH products under the Controlled Substances Act. FDA also issued warning letters to multiple firms stating that their 7-OH products appeared to be unlawful.
7-OH products were not marketed in the United States until recent years. Under a bipartisan law passed by Congress in 1994, a dietary supplement may not contain a “New Dietary Ingredient,” meaning a dietary ingredient that was not marketed in the United States prior to October 15, 1994, if there is inadequate information available to provide a reasonable assurance that the ingredient does not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury. Because there is inadequate information available to provide a reasonable assurance that 7-OH does not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury, it is illegal to sell dietary supplement products containing it as an ingredient. In each of the seizure actions, the clerk of court issued a warrant authorizing the seizure of specified illegal 7-OH products.
Assistant Director Patrick Runkle, Senior Litigation Counsel David Sullivan, and Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson of the Justice Department’s Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch are handling the cases under the leadership of Sarmad Khojasteh, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bradshaw and Leigh Farmakidis in the Western District of Missouri provided critical support, along with attorneys at the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of General Counsel and FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Justice Department Seizes Unlawful 7-OH Opioid Products at Three WarehousesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced today that recent actions targeting illegal products containing 7-hydroxymitragine, commonly known as 7-OH, resulted in the seizure of approximately 73,000 units of product at three warehouses.
In seizure complaints and accompanying court papers filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the government alleged that two firms in the Kansas City area received warnings from FDA that 7-OH products were illegal under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. According to the seizure complaints, recent FDA inspections showed that the firms continued to distribute unlawful 7-OH products after receiving the warnings.
The seizures were carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service, with support from FDA. The products were seized from facilities operated by Shaman Botanicals LLC and Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading LLC.
“Products containing 7-OH are illegal under federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We have seen numerous reports of harmful health consequences in consumers, including children, who have taken 7-OH products. Working with our partners at FDA, we will take action against anyone participating in the illegal distribution of these products.”
“The 7-OH products seized are illegal under federal law and pose risks to consumers, including children,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price for the Western District of Missouri. “We are committed to helping American consumers protect themselves from dangerous chemicals posing as health products. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure illegal products never enter the stream of commerce and pursue all possible civil and criminal remedies against those who violate federal laws.”
The FDA has recognized 7-OH products as dangerous and potentially addictive, recommending in July 2025 that a scheduling action be taken to control certain 7-OH products under the Controlled Substances Act. FDA also issued warning letters to multiple firms stating that their 7-OH products appeared to be unlawful.
7-OH products were not marketed in the United States until recent years. Under a bipartisan law passed by Congress in 1994, a dietary supplement may not contain a “New Dietary Ingredient,” meaning a dietary ingredient that was not marketed in the United States prior to October 15, 1994, if there is inadequate information available to provide a reasonable assurance that the ingredient does not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury. Because there is inadequate information available to provide a reasonable assurance that 7-OH does not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury, it is illegal to sell dietary supplement products containing it as an ingredient. In each of the seizure actions, the clerk of court issued a warrant authorizing the seizure of specified illegal 7-OH products.
Assistant Director Patrick Runkle, Senior Litigation Counsel David Sullivan, and Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson of the Justice Department’s Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch are handling the cases under the leadership of Sarmad Khojasteh, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bradshaw and Leigh Farmakidis in the Western District of Missouri provided critical support, along with attorneys at the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of General Counsel and FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov.
Kansas City Woman Sentenced to 5 Years for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced yesterday to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for a fraud scheme in which she embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer.
Jennifer L. Cabral, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, to 60 months in federal prison on for one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering to run concurrently and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $306,034.28 to her former employer and to forfeit $1,393.50.
As part of her plea, Cabral admitted that she stole money from the checking account of her employer and used those funds for her personal benefit, including purchasing a 2019 Mazda CX-9 automobile, in which she has since agreed to forfeit all interests.
According to information presented in court, Cabral made unauthorized Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments to herself using her employer’s online account at a local financial institution. Cabral accessed her employer’s accounting software and directed payments to her personal bank accounts at two other financial institutions. Once those funds were deposited in her personal accounts, she used them for various personal benefits including vehicle payments toward the purchase of her car.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grandview, Mo. Police Department.
“OPERATION BRIGHTSIDE” - Multi-Agency Warrant Sweep Columbia, MORead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, Mo. - In December of 2024, the United States Attorney's Office established a coalition of Missouri-based federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to form a Violent Crime Abatement Team (VCAT) in response to ongoing violence and gun crimes. The goal of this team is to bring significant, coordinated resources to address violent crime in the mid-Missouri area. In practice, the team works to identify local violent offenders and determine which cases may be appropriate for federal prosecution.
On Nov. 20 and 21, “Operation Brightside” was an enforcement effort to identify, apprehend, and initiate prosecution against some of the most violent offenders in the Columbia metropolitan area. Its mission was straightforward: use existing Missouri law-enforcement resources in a coordinated way to serve warrants across partner agencies, arrest individuals wanted for serious crimes, and identify additional evidence that supports successful prosecution.
Partner agencies in this coordinated effort include:
- Boone County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO)
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Columbia Police Department (CPD)
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP)
- United States Marshals Service (USMS)
“Operation Brightside is an example of the extraordinary impact that law enforcement, at all levels of government, can have when we combine our resources and focus collectively on violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price. “This approach is not new, but rather a hybrid of proven strategies that have delivered results across the country. When we work together, we can make communities measurably safer.”
Price continued, “Violence in our community is unacceptable, especially when innocent people are harmed. Enough is enough. Every agency in this coalition is committed to using all appropriate tools and resource to confront and reduce violent crime in Columbia.”
The following is a breakdown of the “Operation Brightside” effort:
- 33 Individuals Arrested (all but 1 are facing felony charges)
- 19 Federal Indictments
- 21 Felony State Warrants
- 6 Residential Search Warrants
The charges contained in any charging document are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for possessing more than 56 pounds of methamphetamine.
Pedro Alberto Quiroz Ayala, 22, and Pablo DeJesus Peralta Anguis, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Anguis also pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry after removal.
On Sept. 3, 2024, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a gray 2011 Acura MDX on Interstate 29, near the N.W. 112th Street exit in Kansas City, Mo. Ayala, who did not have a valid driver’s license, was driving the Acura, with a female juvenile in the front passenger seat and Anguis and Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco in the back seat.
When the trooper searched the vehicle, he found a large duffle bag in the third-row seating area that contained approximately 55.6 pounds of methamphetamine. He also found a grocery bag that contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine on the floorboard where the female juvenile had been sitting, and a loaded firearm in the driver’s door pouch.
When the four occupants got out of the vehicle for the search, Ayala and Anguis fled on foot. A manhunt ensued and both were apprehended a short time later.
Ayala told investigators that he, Pacheco and Anguis drove to Omaha, Neb., to pick up drugs and that he was going to receive approximately $2,000 for his help in transporting the drugs.
Anguis told investigators that he was illegally in the United States from Mexico and that he had arrived in the United States two days before his arrest.
Officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Anguis and Pacheco had previously been found illegally in the United States by Border Patrol Agents near Nogales, Arizona on Aug. 22, 2024. Anguis and Pacheco were removed from the United States to Mexico that same day.
Co-defendant Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of unlawful reentry after removal, on Nov. 19, 2025.
Under federal statutes, Ayala, Anguis and Pacheco are each subject to a sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI, DEA, Jackson County Drug Task Force, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Numerous Individuals Charged as Part of Operation BrightsideRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The United States Attorney announces multiple new indictments against individuals in mid-Missouri, returned by a grand jury in Jefferson City, Missouri on November 18, 2025.
The following individuals were each charged with being in possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction:
- Thomas Adam Abbey, Jr., 38, of Columbia;
- Paul Stewart Arnall, 35, of Columbia;
- David Tyler Blair, 27, of Columbia;
- Frank Cortez Bonaparte, 44, of Columbia;
- Jordan Booker, 31, of Jefferson City;
- Jaimonte Tremelle Cooper, 34, of Columbia;
- James Elvaughn Hanton, 45, of Columbia;
- Malachi Allen Hughes, 21, of Columbia;
- Paul Allen Johnson, 58, of Columbia;
- Quinton Marquez Miller, 27, of Columbia;
- Leo Demarcus Roland, 34, of Columbia;
- Tyrone Sabb, 49, of Columbia;
- Justin Terrell Shelton, 31, of Columbia;
- Terrell Maurice Sims, 29, of Columbia;
- Damon Lashay Thompson, 25, of Columbia;
- Timmy Ray Whittle, 69, of Lohman, Mo.
If convicted, these individuals will face up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Several other defendants were also indicted by the grand jury in Jefferson City, Missouri, on November 18, 2025, and charged with other crimes.
- Kenneth Ryan Williams, 41, and Asia Javone Shafer, 24, were both charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as separate counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Williams is also alleged to have possessed a firearm after a prior felony conviction.
- Dexter Terrell Mason, 45, of Jefferson City, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges contained in all these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
The cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley S. Turner, Jim Lynn, Aaron M. Maness, Cecily L. Hicks, and Lauren E. Kummerer.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Elder Fraud Conspiracy Involving Gold BarsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Illinois man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to taking part in an elder fraud conspiracy in which victims liquidated savings and retirement accounts to buy gold bars, coins, and cash.
Syed M. Makki, 37, a citizen of India, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Makki admitted that from 2023 to March 2024, he acted as a courier for the conspiracy, in which he picked up gold bullion and cash from victims and delivered it to co-conspirators.
From 2023 through March 31, 2024, conspirators put malware on people’s computers with a phone number to call. When the victims called, they falsely represented themselves as ‘Microsoft’ employees, banking officials, government employees, and law enforcement officers. Conspirators convinced the victims, who were mostly elderly, that their identities had been compromised, that their money was not safe in banks, and often that victims were assisting law enforcement.
Having established relationships with the victims, the perpetrators had the victims liquidate bank and retirement accounts and buy gold bullion in the form of gold bars or gold coins with the proceeds. When the gold was delivered to the victims’ houses, conspirators directed the victims to provide the gold for ‘safekeeping’ to a co-conspirator, including Makki.
Sometimes conspirators instructed the victims to package the gold and address it to the ‘Department of Justice’ in the name of a specific person, to further the false impression that victims were dealing with trustworthy officials. Makki and others picked up the gold or cash and then transported it across state lines to co-conspirators.
On March 25 and 26, 2024, Makki picked up 16 gold bars, weighing one kilogram apiece and worth more than $1 million, from victims in Littleton, Co. and Kansas City, Mo. On March 27, 2024, Makki transported the gold bars to Illinois to deliver them to co-conspirators. That date, Makki was arrested in possession of the gold bars by a Morgan County, Illinois, Deputy Sheriff and by an Illinois State Highway Patrol Sergeant.
Ten victims identified to date lost over $6 million in the scheme.
Under federal statutes, Makki is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of Makki 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 Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the Douglas County, Colorado Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois State Highway Patrol, and the Morgan County, Illinois Sheriff’s Department.
Former School District Accountant Sentenced for Embezzlement of Funds from Savannah School District and His EmployeesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Savannah, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, wire fraud, and embezzlement from an employee benefit plan.
Anthony S. Moon, 44, worked as the district accountant for the Savannah R-III School District (District). In addition to his duties as district accountant, Moon was also the owner and president of Parker and Associates LLC, a tax preparation and bookkeeping service company.
Moon was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a total of 12 months and one day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Moon to pay restitution of $92,746.99 to the District and $29,695.77 to his two employee-victims. In addition, the court entered a final order of money judgment forfeiture of $122,442.76.
Beginning in or about January 2023, and continuing through on or about Nov. 21, 2023, Moon embezzled funds from the District. Moon used his position at the District to write unauthorized checks to himself and his business from the District’s checking account. Moon also used the District’s checking account to make Automated Clearing House payments, to his and his wife’s personal credit card accounts.
Moon also devised a scheme as president of his accounting business and embezzled funds from his employees’ retirement savings plan. For his employees, Moon sponsored an employee pension plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Simple IRA Plan (Plan). However, for nearly two years, Moon caused tens of thousands of dollars to be withheld from salaries of his employees but failed to transfer those funds to the Plan. In addition, Moon failed to deposit funds in employer matching contributions to the Plan.
Moon used those embezzled funds to pay for his and his wife’s personal expenses, including, among other things, Kansas City Chiefs tickets, food, travel, gas, and entertainment.
The court ordered Moon to self-surrender on Jan. 8, 2026.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration.
Former Recording Financial Secretary Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen UnionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former recording financial secretary of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, AFL-CIO, Local Lodge 21 (BRS Local Lodge 21), pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to embezzling nearly $55,000 from the labor union.
David L. Scofield, 65, of Independence, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to an information charging him with four counts of bank fraud, one count of embezzlement theft of labor union funds, and one count of falsification of an annual financial report filed by a labor union.
Scofield was an officer of BRS Local Lodge 21, namely, the recording financial secretary, having been elected to that position in or about 2005, and holding that position until in or about November 2023. In that capacity, Scofield had access to BRS Local Lodge 21’s bank account and was authorized to use the checking account only for BRS Local Lodge 21’s expenses.
By pleading guilty yesterday, Scofield admitted that he used BRS Local Lodge 21’s bank account to make $54,412.67 in personal expenditures, including expenditures for the payment of his personal PayPal account, personal credit cards, and personal loans.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Scofield must pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $54,412.67.
Under federal statutes, Scofield is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole on the bank fraud counts to which he has pleaded guilty. 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. The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 31, 2026.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, Kansas City Resident Investigator Office.
Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced for Armed Assault Against RivalRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club.
Brandon S. Hodge, also known as “Youngblood,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 57 months in federal prison without parole for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.
On Sept. 17, 2022, Hodge and 12 other members of the Pagan’s and their support club chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo. Various members of the Pagan’s and their support club were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle. Hodge, who was a Pagan’s prospect at the time, and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to their knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks, and back of their leg. Hodge and several others fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.
Following this event, several members, including Hodge, were awarded club patches for their participation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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For additional information regarding this case: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/three-pagans-motorcycle-club-members-pleaded-guilty-armed-assaults-against-rivals
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court today for possessing more than 56 pounds of methamphetamine and for entering the United States illegally after deportation.
Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of unlawful reentry after removal.
On Sept. 3, 2024, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a gray 2011 Acura MDX on Interstate 29, near the N.W. 112th Street exit in Kansas City, Mo. An adult male, who did not have a valid driver’s license, was driving the Acura, with a female juvenile in the front passenger seat and Pacheco and another adult male in the back seat.
When the trooper searched the vehicle, he found a large duffle bag in the third-row seating area that contained approximately 55.6 pounds of methamphetamine. He also found a grocery bag that contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine on the floorboard where the female juvenile had been sitting, and a loaded firearm in the driver’s door pouch.
When the four occupants got out of the vehicle for the search, two of the adult males fled on foot. A manhunt ensued and both were apprehended a short time later.
Pacheco told investigators that he arrived in the United States approximately two weeks earlier from Nogales Sonora, Mexico. Pacheco said he entered the United States illegally and paid $6,000 to cross the border. Pacheco said he was asked to travel from Kansas City, Ks., to Omaha to pick up drugs by one of the adult males that was traveling with him in the Acura. Pacheco said he was promised to receive a significant amount of U.S. currency by the adult male for assisting with the transportation of the drugs from Omaha to the Kansas City area.
Officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Pacheco had previously been found illegally in the United States by Border Patrol Agents near Nogalez, Arizona on Aug. 22, 2024. Pacheco was removed from the United States to Mexico that same day.
Under federal statutes, Pacheco is subject to a sentence of not less than 5 years and up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI, DEA, Jackson County Drug Task Force, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
KC Man Sentenced to 115 Months for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Shannon J. Price, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 115 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Price has multiple prior felony convictions.
On July 28, 2023, Price was a convicted felon who was on probation for aggravated assault for unlawfully and knowingly placing another person in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm with a deadly weapon.
On that day, law enforcement officers were investigating a stolen automobile ring. They saw that Price was driving a stolen vehicle, so they surveilled him. Price drove this stolen vehicle to a convenience store in the afternoon. He then entered the store with a loaded firearm when other customers were present. When he spotted law enforcement officers, he hid this loaded firearm on a low shelf in the store, where anyone could have retrieved it. Law enforcement officers took Price into custody and found the firearm before anyone else did. Surveillance video captured the incident.
This case is being prosecuted by Department of Justice Trial Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam. It was investigated by the FBI.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Raytown Man Sentenced for Possessing Machine GunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing and transferring two machine gun conversion devices.
Darius R. Harris, also known as “D” and “D2,” 23, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, to twenty-one months in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing and transferring machine guns. That sentence was ordered to be served consecutively, or in addition to a seven-year, state sentence that Harris is serving for assault in the first degree.
On Oct. 30, 2023, Harris sold a silver, Glock-type switch to an undercover agent for $350. On Nov. 9, 2023, Harris sold a Glock 9mm handgun, Glock-type switch, extended magazine and twenty-three rounds of ammunition to an undercover agent for $960.
On Sept. 24, 2025, Harris’ brother, Demetrius Harris, also known as “Meech,” 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs, to two and a half years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing and transferring machine guns. On Jan. 24, 2024, Demetrius Harris sold an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, multi-caliber firearm containing an AR-type machine gun conversion device, two AR-type machine gun conversion devices and ammunition to an undercover agent for $1,060.
Machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches” or “auto sears,” are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns that fire multiple shots automatically through a single pull of the trigger, enabling more rapid and often less accurate gunfire. Whether or not they are attached to a firearm, these devices constitute machine guns under federal law. It is therefore illegal to possess, sell, or use machine gun conversion devices.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Gang Member Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man with ties to a local gang was sentenced in federal court today to illegally possessing a stolen firearm that has been connected to two shootings.
Jayden Isaac Simmonds, 19, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, to 63 months in federal prison without parole for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.
Simmonds, who pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, admitted he possessed a stolen Smith and Wesson 10mm semi-automatic pistol, was a daily user of marijuana, and addicted to fentanyl. Simmonds also admitted to being a member of a local gang known as the “1500” which is closely associated to another area gang, FTO.
On Jan. 30, 2024, the Springfield Police Department responded to a car accident. One of the drivers indicated that his two passengers, which included Simmonds, had fled the scene and taken the driver’s two firearms with him. The following day, police responded to a drive-by shooting and located shell casings which were consistent with the firearm that Simmonds had taken on Jan. 30, 2024.
On Aug. 23, 2024, Simmonds’s father turned in the Smith & Wesson pistol to the Springfield Police Department. Investigators later learned that the pistol had been stolen.
Following his arrest, Simmonds told investigators he had been using marijuana daily since he was 11 or 12 years old, that he had been using opioids since he was around 15 or 16, and had been using fentanyl.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.