Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former St. Joseph School Superintendent Sentenced for $662,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former superintendent of the St. Joseph School District and former president of the Board of Education was sentenced in federal court today for a fraud scheme in which he received more than $662,000 in pension payments to which he was not entitled.
Danny L. Colgan, 70, of St. Joseph, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to one year and one day in federal prison without parole. Colgan also made a final payment of $608,257 today to complete his court-ordered restitution.
Colgan, who pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on June 13, 2016, was the superintendent of the St. Joseph School District from July 1, 1992, until his retirement on Dec. 31, 2005. Colgan was entitled to retirement benefits from the Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri (PSRS) with the amount of the retirement benefits based upon his highest consecutive three years of reported salary.
Colgan admitted that he caused others to falsely report his salary to the PSRS in order to increase his retirement benefits. Colgan knew that the salary figures he caused the school district to submit to PSRS on his behalf included fringe benefits and other payments to Colgan that were not eligible to be counted as salary under state statutes.
This fraud scheme began during the 1997-98 school year and lasted for eight years, until Colgan’s retirement. Colgan’s retirement benefits were calculated by using the amounts reported by the school district over the final three-year period before he retired.
During that final three-year period, the school district falsely reported that Colgan’s salary totaled $586,030. In reality, his salary totaled $343,286 – a difference of $242,744. As a result of the false statements to the PSRS, the school district made excess payments in the amount of $14,652 to the PSRS from 2003 through 2005, and Colgan was paid excess benefits that totaled $677,313 over a 10-year period.
Colgan’s salary reported for his final three years as school superintendent improperly included the following:
- Car Allowance/Travel Stipend: The $9,600 car allowance/travel stipend was a fringe benefit that was ineligible for retirement salary calculation purposes;
- Family Insurance Premiums: The family insurance benefits/premiums paid by the district of $5,225, $5,603, and $6,258 were fringe benefits that were ineligible for retirement salary calculation purposes;
- District Contribution to Taxable Annuity: The district payment for the school year 2004-2005 of $25,000 to purchase a taxable annuity for the superintendent was ineligible for retirement salary calculation purposes;
- “District Vehicle” Payments: In the final three years, the school district reported “District Vehicle” payments of $11,300, $11,300, and $28,975. The “District Vehicle” payments were separate from the $800 per month car allowance payments (described above). The “District Vehicle” payments were fringe benefits that were ineligible for retirement salary calculation purposes; and
- Unused Vacation Payment: An unused vacation payment in June 2005 of $10,820 was a fringe benefit that was ineligible for retirement salary calculation purposes.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.
Three Columbia Men Sentenced for Distributing Synthetic Heroin, Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that three Columbia, Mo., men have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in distributing synthetic heroin, which resulted in the death of an 18-year-old man.
Marquette Deandre Murrell, 26, Nick Connor Burris, 22, and Nathaniel Dean Rodgers, 23, all of Columbia, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Tuesday, Nov. 8,2016. Murrell was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole. Burris was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole. Rodgers was sentenced to five years of probation.
Murrell and Burris each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute acetyl fentanyl (synthetic heroin) in August 2015. Rodgers pleaded guilty to maintaining a place for the purpose of distributing and using acetyl fentanyl.
Columbia Police Department officers were dispatched to an apartment in the 2400 block of West Broadway in reference to a drug overdose at approximately 12:33 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2015. Upon arrival, officers located an 18-year-old deceased white male. Burris admitted that he supplied the drug which the deceased man had taken immediately prior to overdosing. The toxicology report from the autopsy of the deceased male identified the cause of death as an overdose by the combination of acetyl fentanyl and cocaine that was ruled an accident.
Officers located a bag containing the synthetic heroin on Burris. Burris admitted to purchasing the heroin the deceased man took from Murrell, and bringing it to the apartment where the overdose occurred. Burris also commented that Murrell told him the heroin was 95 percent pure, and that efforts should be made to dilute the purity by adding a cutting agent. Burris mixed the synthetic heroin with Benadryl before distributing it to the victim.
Rodgers stated that he allowed Burris, who brought what Rodgers believed to be heroin, to come to his apartment. On the previous morning, Aug. 8, 2015, Burris had distributed a “speedball” to Rodgers. Rodgers believed the “speedball” contained heroin and cocaine. Rodgers reported that he overdosed but lived. Thereafter, Rodgers helped Burris cut the purity of the drug by adding Benadryl to the substance.
The deceased male used the substance mixed by Burris and Rodgers. Others at Rodgers’ apartment attempted to revive the deceased male by placing him in cold water and then attempting to have him vomit. Rodgers estimated that 10 minutes passed before emergency responders arrived at his apartment.
At approximately 7 p.m. the same day, Murrell was located near downtown Columbia and taken into custody. Murrell was in possession of a bag containing numerous suspected Alprazolam pills and approximately four grams of synthetic heroin. Murrell admitted that he supplied the drug that Burris mixed with Benadryl and distributed to the deceased male.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Springfield, Columbia Men Sentenced for Drug-trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that three co-defendants were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine in Boone County, Mo.
Ryan D. Wright, 39, of Springfield, and Marcus Dion Jordan, 36, and Kenneth Scott, Jr., 27, both of Columbia, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough. Wright was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison without parole. Jordan was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole. Scott was sentenced to five years of probation.
Wright pleaded guilty on March 2, 2015, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Wright also pleaded guilty to using a telephone to promote the conspiracy and to being a felon in possession of firearms.
Wright admitted that, in the spring of 2014, he traveled to Columbia to meet with co-defendant Malcolm Desean Redmon, also known as “Harp,” 33, of Columbia. They had each agreed to show the other parts of his business. Redmon explained the drug-trafficking business to Wright, and asked Wright to supply him with a prostitute for his own business. Prior to that time, Wright had purchased quantities of cocaine from Redmon and knew that Redmon sold and distributed cocaine to others. Redmon knew that Wright supplemented his regular income with revenue from female prostitutes.
Wright admitted that, over the time charged, he received approximately half a pound of cocaine powder from Redmon, and that he had it converted into at least 112 grams of crack cocaine, which he distributed. When Wright was arrested on Nov. 13, 2014, he was in possession of a Taurus .357-caliber revolver, a Ruger .38-caliber revolver and ammunition.
Jordan pleaded guilty on April 5, 2016, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Jordan admitted that his residence, where he lived with his mother, was used as a meeting place, and a location from which crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana were distributed. Conspirators also cooked cocaine into crack at that location. On at least one occasion, Redmon gave Jordan’s mother money for utilities in return for use of the premises. Jordan was also given some cocaine for allowing the use of his home, which he either used or distributed.
When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jordan’s residence they found bags of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. In the garage, officers found two handguns, a Jennings .22-caliber pistol and a Phoenix Arms .25-caliber pistol.
Scott pleaded guilty on April 26, 2016, to using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime. Scott’s father and co-defendant Kenneth Scott, Sr., 48, of Fulton, Mo., was in the business of distributing cocaine. Scott, Jr., was not a significant distributor but was a trusted member of the drug-trafficking conspiracy who admitted that he assisted his father with acts that facilitated the conspiracy.
One of the ways which Scott, Sr. would get cocaine to his customers was to arrange to have a key left in a car or truck, and once the customer had ordered and paid for the cocaine, the customer was told where the key was located. The customer could then use the key on the car or truck they were directed to, and pick up the cocaine. On June 13, 2014, Scott Sr. agreed to sell a person powder cocaine and told the person he would have Scott, Jr., take a key to him so that he could have access to what he was purchasing. Immediately afterward, Scott Sr. called his son on the phone and instructed him to go and get a key and hide it in the back of a truck so that a person could pick it up and use it. Once Scott, Jr., had complied with his father’s request to hide the key, he called him and told him that he had hidden the key in the truck in a gum box.
Wright, Jordan and Scott, Jr., are among 17 defendants in this case who have been sentenced; nine defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Scott was sentenced on Sept. 29, 2016, to 10 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, to being a felon in possession of firearms and to money laundering. Scott admitted that he was a major distributor of cocaine to various persons in the mid-Missouri area, including Columbia and Fulton. Scott was responsible for distributing more than six kilograms of cocaine, some of which had been converted into many pounds of crack cocaine.
Redmon was sentenced on Sept. 29, 2016, to 24 years and four months in federal prison without parole. Redmon pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine and crack cocaine in Boone County from November 2011 to August 2014.
According to court documents, Redmon – the leader of the criminal conspiracy – and those working for him received a total of four kilograms of powder cocaine over the course of the conspiracy. During the investigation, law enforcement purchased 216.78 grams of crack cocaine and 46.04 grams of powder cocaine from members of the conspiracy. Law enforcement also seized 55.5 grams of crack cocaine and 93.63 grams of powder cocaine. The interception of telephone calls and statements made by co-defendants reflected a substantial number of additional transactions between members of the conspiracy. Court documents also cite Redmon’s involvement in numerous shooting incidents and his history of criminal activity, including violent crimes and drug use.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group), the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Boone County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Lee's Summit Business Owner Sentenced for Underpaying EmployeesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lee’s Summit, Mo., business owner was sentenced in federal court today for underpaying his employees in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Gary L. Walker, 51, of Lee’s Summit, was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert E. Larsen to five years of probation. The court also ordered Walker to pay $196,484 in restitution to his former employees.
“This company’s former employees will not only receive the wages they rightfully earned, but will be paid restitution of twice the amount they were unfairly denied,” Dickinson said. “I will uphold the rights of employees and prosecute employers who violate federal laws designed to protect workers.”
Walker, who pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge on April 7, 2016, was the owner of Magic Touch Cleaning, Inc., a commercial janitorial business providing services to banks and health care companies.
“Gary Walker provided falsified records to the U.S. Department of Labor in order to conceal his failure to pay nearly $100,000 in wages to his employees. We will continue to work with our departmental and other law enforcement partners to ensure that employers do not victimize American workers by denying them the wages they have earned,” stated Steven Grell, Special Agent-in-Charge, of the Dallas Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Walker’s employees were entitled to a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and overtime pay at a rate of at least one and half times the regular rate of pay after 40 hours of work in a work-week. From 2010 through Aug. 3, 2013, Magic Touch Cleaning underpaid its employees approximately $98,242 in unpaid minimum wages and overtime. The amount of victim restitution ordered by the court today represents these unpaid wages and overtime, which is doubled in a violation of the wage and hour laws and regulations. Walker will make payments of a minimum of $50,000 each year until the full amount of restitution is paid.
Under the terms of Walker’s plea agreement, the government will dismiss the civil action filed against him and his company in Perez v. Magic Touch Cleaning, Inc. et al (Case No. 15-CV-00174-SWH).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Jefferson City Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Charles Allen Roark, 38, of Jefferson City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 12 years in federal prison without parole – 10 years, which is the statutory maximum penalty for the offense, plus a consecutive sentence of two years for his supervised release revocation (Roark was on supervised release as part of a federal sentence for a prior conviction of distributing crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm).
On July 18, 2016, a jury found Roark guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Roark was in possession of a loaded Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol on July 18, 2015.
On that date, Jefferson City police officers activated their emergency lights to pull over Roark for having expired license plates. Roark, however, refused to stop and continued driving to the 300 block of Washington Street, where he pulled into a parking lot, got out of his vehicle and fled on foot. Officers pursued Roark on foot. During the pursuit, Roark pulled a pistol from his waistband and threw it on the ground. Roark scaled a fence and continued to flee.
An officer was able to grab Roark and take him to the ground. Roark continued to resist, but officers were able to gain control and was forcibly taken into custody at gunpoint. During the pursuit, one of the officers broke his ankle.
Officers found the loaded pistol lying on the ground during a search of the area. Roark was in possession of $20,131, of which $8,151 was recovered from underneath the soles of his shoes.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Roark has prior federal felony convictions for distributing controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Roark also has two prior state felony convictions for possession of controlled substances, two prior state felony convictions for assault, and prior state felony convictions for driving while intoxicated and unlawful use of a weapon.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department.
Jefferson City Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing and receiving child pornography over the Internet.
Ryan Michael Moberg, 37, of Jefferson City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to five years in federal prison without parole.
Moberg was convicted at trial on July 12, 2016. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Moberg utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to access child pornography over the Internet. In November 2012, a Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department detective identified Moberg’s computer as sharing files online. One of the video files on Moberg’s computer depicted a young girl engaged in sexual activity with a dog.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Moberg’s residence in April 2013 and seized an Acer tower computer. Moberg was not home at the time the warrant was executed; investigators went to his workplace and interviewed him. Moberg admitted to investigators that he searched for child pornography online and downloaded it to his computer.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Columbia, Kingdom City Men Sentenced for Drug-trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that two co-defendants have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and powder cocaine in Boone County, Mo.
Travis Dewayne Dennis, 33, of Columbia, Mo., and Ronnie Lee Gillette, 55, of Kingdom City, Mo., and were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. Dennis was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole. Gillette was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison without parole.
On April 8, 2016, Dennis pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. According to court documents, Dennis sold a total of 63.94 grams of crack cocaine to a confidential informant on five separate occasions. Dennis distributed crack cocaine that was supplied to him by co-defendant Malcolm Desean Redmon, also known as “Harp,” 33, of Columbia.
Redmon was sentenced on Sept. 29, 2016, to 24 years and four months in federal prison without parole. Redmon pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine and crack cocaine in Boone County from November 2011 to August 2014.
According to court documents, Redmon – the leader of the criminal conspiracy – and those working for him received a total of four kilograms of powder cocaine over the course of the conspiracy. During the investigation, law enforcement purchased 216.78 grams of crack cocaine and 46.04 grams of powder cocaine from members of the conspiracy. Law enforcement also seized 55.5 grams of crack cocaine and 93.63 grams of powder cocaine. The interception of telephone calls and statements made by co-defendants reflected a substantial number of additional transactions between members of the conspiracy. Court documents also cite Redmon’s involvement in numerous shooting incidents and his history of criminal activity, including violent crimes and drug use.
On April 22, 2016, Gillette pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and to using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime. According to court documents, Gillette was a trusted lieutenant who worked for co-defendant Kenneth Scott, Sr., 48, of Fulton, Mo.
Scott, who was sentenced on Sept. 29, 2016, to 10 years in federal prison without parole, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, to being a felon in possession of firearms and to money laundering. Scott admitted that he was a major distributor of cocaine to various persons in the mid-Missouri area, including Columbia and Fulton. Scott was responsible for distributing more than six kilograms of cocaine, some of which had been converted into many pounds of crack cocaine.
Gillette and Dennis are among 14 defendants in this case who have been sentenced; 12 defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group), the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Boone County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Former Weston Man Pleads Guilty to $2.25 Million Internet Steroids DistributionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former Weston, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to leading a $2.25 million conspiracy to sell anabolic steroids over the Internet.
Aaron Vincent Schweidler, 32, of Smithfield, N.C., formerly of Weston, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute anabolic steroids and to a conspiracy to commit money laundering.
By pleading guilty today, Schweidler admitted that he and co-conspirators operated an Internet-based company, Power Trip, which sold various anabolic steroids to customers (including athletes and minors) throughout the United States.
Co-defendants Nicole R. Lyne, 26, also of Smithfield, N.C., and formerly of Weston; Michael G. Peters, 27, of Pelham, N.H.; and Samuel C. Miller IV, 30, of Annapolis, Md., have also pleaded guilty.
Conspirators required customers to pay for the steroids by using various debit cards. Customers used names and account numbers for these debit cards that were provided by conspirators. Conspirators used stolen identities to produce or obtain debit cards, such as Green Dot MoneyPak, MyVanilla, ReloadIT, NetSpend ReloadIT and BlackHawk. They required their customers to send payments to these cards in order to conceal and disguise the proceeds of the illegal transactions.
Schweidler began operating this online anabolic steroid distribution business in late 2011 in Utah. Schweidler quickly sought out assistance from other conspirators, including Peters, to help collect the proceeds from the illegal drug sales. Eventually Schweidler relocated the operation to North Carolina, until relocating again in 2013 to the Kansas City, Mo., area.
During the early stages of the conspiracy Schweidler was as the leader of the conspiracy. Schweidler was primarily responsible for the manufacture and distribution of the steroids and he managed the collection of illegal drug proceeds. Initially Peters’s role was primarily to collect the illegal drug proceeds from customers who were required to pay via MoneyGram and Western Union, and also later via debit cards. Peters eventually joined Schweidler in North Carolina to continue the operation. Over time Peters also became more involved with Schweidler in purchasing supplies and assisting in the steroid manufacturing process, as well has handling online customer orders and shipping steroids to customers.
In late summer 2013, Schweidler and Peters relocated the operation to the Kansas City, Mo, area, and Lyne became involved in the conspiracy. Eventually Schweidler turned over more operational duties to Peters, who recruited Miller to move to Kansas City to assist in the operation. In the fall of 2014, Peters and Miller took over operational responsibilities for PowerTrip and relocated the operation back to North Carolina in an effort to avoid law enforcement detection of the operation.
During the conspiracy Schweidler personally sent in excess of $176,000 in drug proceeds to China via Western Union and MoneyGram to purchase additional raw materials to manufacture anabolic steroids.
According to today’s plea agreement, a reasonable conservative estimate of the dosage units of anabolic steroids which were reasonably foreseeable to Schweidler is over 60,000 dosage units of Testosterone Propionate, Halotestin, and other anabolic steroids. This estimate is based upon the ingredients and amounts indicated in the steroid recipe notebook recovered when Peters and Miller were arrested in North Carolina.
Utilizing the least expensive raw ingredients for the manufactured finished product (Testosterone Propionate), and utilizing the known dollar amount of raw ingredients purchased by conspirators (approximately $200,000, less shipping costs), would yield nearly 1 million grams of raw materials that could manufacture approximately 90,000 vials (approximately 900,000 dosage units based upon a 10 – 100mg dosage unit per vial). PowerTrip sold this product for $25 per vial, which results in a conservative estimate of gross proceeds of at least $2.25 million in sales.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Schweidler will be sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole. Schweidler also must forfeit to the government $2.25 million, which was derived from the proceeds of the illegal drug trafficking, and property in Smithfield, N. C. 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 Jess E. Michaelsen. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Six Southern Missouri Men Indicted for Child PornRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that six southern Missouri men have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in separate and unrelated cases, for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Each of the defendants was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016.
Sergio Rivera, 25, an active duty service member stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., allegedly received and distributed child pornography between Oct. 9, 2015, and May 17, 2016. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the South Central Missouri Computer Task Force.
Martin Vern Ellis, 26, of Carl Junction, Mo., allegedly received and distributed child pornography between April 24, 2015, and Oct. 17, 2016. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
William M. Walker, 74, of Branson, Mo., allegedly received and distributed child pornography between June 1 and Aug. 10, 2016. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the South Central Missouri Computer Task Force and the Taney County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Casey Robert Caudle, 33, of Oronogo, Mo., allegedly received and distributed child pornography between Aug. 19, 2015, and June 22, 2016.
Brian G. Long, 38, of Oronogo, Mo., allegedly received and distributed child pornography between June 5 and Aug. 31, 2016.
Aaron Sean Fletcher, 31, Aurora, Mo., allegedly received and distributed child pornography between Sept. 11 and Oct. 24, 2016.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. They were investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
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."
Liberty Attorney Indicted for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Liberty, Mo., attorney has been indicted by a federal grand jury for obstruction of justice after stealing funds earmarked for victim restitution.
Robert J. Young, II, 47, of Liberty, was charged in an indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Young’s arrest and initial court appearance.
According to the indictment, Young represented defendant Rodney J. Tatum, who was indicted by a federal grand jury and convicted of mail fraud in connection with the embezzlement of funds from his employer. The federal indictment alleges that Young obstructed justice by embezzling money that was given to him by Tatum’s family for the purpose of paying restitution in the criminal case.
Young allegedly engaged in a scheme to spend restitution funds to purchase a motorcycle for himself, to make numerous cash withdrawals, to make rent payments and to make retail purchases. Young was not able to provide the restitution at Tatum’s sentencing hearing on Jan. 21, 2016. The total amount of restitution not provided at that time was $62,412, which was later paid. The sentencing hearing was continued to March 3, 2016, at which time the court ordered Tatum to pay a total of $442,810 in restitution. Tatum was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.
Young utilized an Interest on Lawyers Trust Account to accept four separate deposits from Tatum’s wife for the purpose of making restitution, the indictment says. Tatum’s wife also made one deposit into Young’s business account for restitution purposes. These checks totaled $42,412.
In addition, Young allegedly advised Tatum’s wife to draft a check, made payable to Young, as the FBI was pursuing money laundering charges against Tatum and the Tatums’ joint checking account would be frozen. Young allegedly stated he would be able to protect the funds in his business account. Tatum’s wife gave Young a check for $20,000.
During the scheme, the indictment alleges, Young made numerous transfers of restitution funds from the trust account to his business account.
Dickinson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.
Former Dental Clinic Owners Indicted for $1 Million Health Care, Payroll Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that Marshfield, Mo., husband and wife have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in health care fraud and payroll tax fraud schemes that totaled more than $1 million.
Pamela Van Drie, 57, and her husband, Lorin G. Van Drie, 57, both of Marshfield, were charged in a 40-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearance of Pamela Van Drie.
Pamela and Lorin Van Drie were the owners of All About Smiles, LLC, a Springfield company that provided dental services at clinics in Springfield (until it closed in November 2015), Mountain Grove, Mo., (until it closed in October 2014) and Bolivar, Mo. (until it closed in March 2014). They also owned PL Family Management Company, LLC, which managed the staff for those clinics.
$885,748 Health Care Fraud Conspiracy
Today’s indictment alleges that Pamela Van Drie participated in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud from Oct. 6, 2010, to Aug. 19, 2015. According to the indictment, this conspiracy consisted of a fraud scheme related to dentures and other dental services and a fraud scheme related to orthodontic appliances. Both fraud schemes involved fraudulent Medicaid claims and payments.
Pamela Van Drie and a dentist at the clinics arranged for All About Smiles to provide dentures and other dental services to adults who did not qualify for Medicaid reimbursement. They allegedly submitted claims to Medicaid for those dentures and other dental services, knowing that Medicaid’s requirements were not met.
The indictment alleges that Pamela Van Drie, through All About Smiles, submitted and received $720,048 on numerous claims for dentures and other dental services that lacked the required written referral from a physician.
Additionally, according to the indictment, Pamela Van Drie and a dentist at the clinics purchased Oroth-Tain orthodontic appliances (designed to straighten teeth without braces) for approximately $50 each, provided them to Medicaid pediatric beneficiaries and billed each such appliance to Medicaid as a speech aid prosthesis for approximately $695. They knew the Ortho-Tain appliances should have been billed to Medicaid as orthodontic services, the indictment says; they also knew Medicaid did not cover orthodontic services unless the Medicaid program’s requirements were met and they received precertification, which required review by a dentist/orthodontist employed by Medicaid. They allegedly billed the Ortho-Tain appliances as speech aid prostheses in order to bypass the precertification requirement.
Between Oct. 6, 2010, and Aug. 19, 2015, Pamela Van Drie submitted and received payment for approximately 241 claims submitted for speech aid prosthesis. On each claim, All About Smiles was paid between $675 to $695, for an approximate total amount of $165,700.
$194,751 Payroll Tax Fraud Conspiracy
In addition to the health care fraud conspiracy, Pamela and Lorin Van Drie are charged with participating in a conspiracy to defraud the government by failing to pay over the IRS payroll taxes from Jan. 31, 2013, to Jan. 31, 2015. Although payroll taxes were withheld from the paychecks of employees at All About Smiles and PL Family Management Company, the indictment says, the Van Dries failed to pay over to the IRS approximately $194,751 in payroll taxes.
According to the indictment, the Van Dries diverted substantial amount of money from their businesses during this period. They allegedly caused All About Smiles and PL Family Management Company to make thousands of dollars for their personal benefit while failing to pay over to the IRS payroll taxes withheld from their employees’ paychecks.
Rather than paying the payroll taxes due and owing, the indictment alleges, the Van Dries purchased and made payments on a 2013 Tracker boat and trailer, a recreational vehicle, multiple vehicles (including a 2010 Hummer and a 2009 Mercedes), diamonds, several utility trailers, two golf carts, a motorcycle, expenses associated with two homes and family vacations in Florida, and a pulling truck called “Momma’s Money,” which Pamela Van Drie’s son used in pulling competitions throughout Missouri.
Additional Charges
In addition to the two conspiracy charges, Pamela Van Drie is charged with eight counts of health care fraud related to fraudulent claims for speech aid prosetheses, 10 counts of health care fraud related to fraudulent claims for dentures and other dental services and one count of theft of public money related to unemployment benefits that she was not entitled to receive. Lorin Van Drie is also charged with one count of theft of public money related to unemployment benefits that he was not entitled to receive and 18 counts of failure to pay over employment tax.
Today’s indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Pamela Van Drie to forfeit to the government any property derived from the gross proceeds traceable to the alleged offenses, including at least $885,748.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven M. Mohlhenrich and Cindi S. Woolery and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Kempf. It was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Jury Convicts KC Man of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of illegally possessing a firearm.
Keith R. Hardin, 58, of Kansas City, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hardin was in possession of a Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun on Jan. 15, 2016.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hardin has prior felony convictions for armed criminal action, stealing a motor vehicle, sodomy, robbery and burglary.
Hardin was stopped by Kansas City police officers at approximately 3:22 a.m. on Jan. 15, 2016, who saw him walking in the street near 35th Street and S. Benton Avenue. Officers arrested Hardin on outstanding warrants. While searching him during the arrest, they found a loaded Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun on his left hip.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about 15 minutes before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, Oct. 31, 2016.
Under federal statutes, Hardin is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce A. Rhoades. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Two Noel Men, Crocker Man Indicted for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Noel, Mo., men and a Crocker, Mo., man were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pulaski County, Mo., and McDonald County, Mo.
Michael Huckabey, 39, and Wesley A. Burrow, 34, both of Noel, and Steven C. McCurley, 50, of Crocker, were charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.
Today’s indictment alleges that Huckabey, Burrow and McCurley participated in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in Pulaski and McDonald counties from Dec. 16, 2015, to May 9, 2016.
Dickinson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody Larison. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Waynesville, Mo., Police Department, the Pulaski County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team and the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Three More Indicted Related to Conspiracy to Lure Robbery Victims with Online AdsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that three more defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury in relation to a conspiracy to use online ads to lure robbery victims.
Kenneth W. Sexson, 32, and Nicole L. Covey, also known as Nicole Waguespack and Nicole Preston, 33, both of Sugar Creek, Mo.; Sage E. Harrison, 35, Devon Davis-Aumua, 21, and Serina Campos, 23, all of Independence, Mo.; and Ray Mahurin, 34, of Blue Springs, Mo., were charged in an 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s superseding indictment replaces a June 29, 2016, federal indictment and includes Davis-Aumua, Campos and Mahurin as additional defendants as well as additional charges against Sexson, Covey and Harrison.
Today’s indictment alleges that Sexson, Covey, Harrison and Davis-Aumua participated in a conspiracy to commit armed robbery from April 1, 2015, to June 7, 2016. They allegedly used several websites (including craigslist.org, backpage.com and skout.com) to make connections with their victims and arrange meetings at local hotels, residences and apartments. When customers arrived for the meetings, the indictment says, conspirators would be lying in wait, armed with firearms, and rob the customers.
The indictment specifically refers to six armed robberies that occurred in October 2015 at various locations in Kansas City, Mo., Independence, Mo., and North Kansas City, Mo.
In addition to the conspiracy, Sexson and Covey are charged together in two counts of aiding and abetting an armed robbery. Sexson, Covey and Harrison are also charged together in two counts of aiding and abetting armed robbery. Sexson, Covey and Davis-Aumua are also charged together in one count of aiding and abetting an armed robbery and one count of aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Sexson is also charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The indictment alleges that Sexson was in possession of a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, a Marlin 30-30-caliber rifle, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Springfield 9mm pistol, and various rounds of ammunition on June 7, 2016. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Sexson has three prior felony convictions for assault and prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance and leaving the scene of an accident.
Davis-Aumua is also charged with one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that Davis-Aumua was in possession of a Springfield .45-caliber pistol on Oct. 10, 2015.
Sexson, Mahurin, Covey and Campos are also charged together in one count of being unlawful drug users in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Dickinson cautioned that 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 Matthew P. Wolesky. It was investigated by the FBI, and the Independence, Mo., Police Department, with assistance from the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the North Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department.
Sedalia Man Pleads Guilty to Meth, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Sedalia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to illegally possessing a firearm.
Justin Ray Shelledy, 38, of Sedalia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William A. Knox to the charges contained in a March 17, 2016, federal indictment.
Shelledy admitted that he was in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, with the intent to distribute, on March 4, 2016.
Shelledy also admitted that he was in possession of a Ruger 9mm handgun and ammunition on March 4, 2016. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Shelledy has prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon and domestic assault.
According to court documents, Shelledy was arrested on an outstanding Pettis County warrant after getting out of his vehicle at his residence on March 4, 2016. Sedalia police officers found a black sunglasses case in his left jeans pocket. Inside the case was a plastic baggie that contained approximately 6.9 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 1.5 grams of marijuana and five prescription pills. Officers then searched Shelledy’s vehicle and located two cell phones and a loaded magazine for the Ruger 9mm handgun. Officers found the handgun inside the house in a bedroom closet along with another loaded magazine. In the same bedroom, officers found a box that contained three baggies with a total of 57.7 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal statutes, Shelledy is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 50 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department and the Pettis County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Holts Summit Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Holts Summit, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Justin Raul Sanchez, 48, of Holts Summit, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge William A. Knox to the charge contained in a May 21, 2014, federal indictment. Sanchez remains in federal custody.
According to today’s plea agreement, Sanchez and his co-conspirator had made three trips to Georgia in March and April 2014 to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine. The supplier in Georgia sold them approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine, in a sealed silver coffee can, which they brought back to Holts Summit to distribute.
Sanchez’s co-conspirator was stopped by state troopers on U.S. Highway 63 in Taos, Mo., on April 21, 2014, while returning from the third trip to Georgia, according to the plea agreement. The trooper located a large silver coffee can that contained 27 small baggies of methamphetamine (totaling .85 kilograms) underneath the third row of seats in the vehicle. The trooper also found a loaded Taurus .380-caliber handgun inside a glove on the front passenger floorboard.
On April 24, 2014, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Sanchez’s residence. Officers seized two baggies containing methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, $7,817 and a drug ledger. Sanchez was arrested and admitted to officers that he had been distributing methamphetamine from his residence.
Today’s plea agreement also cites two controlled purchases of methamphetamine by a confidential informant at Sanchez’s residence in April 2014. In each instance, the confidential informant agreed to pay $1,300 for 28 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal statutes, Sanchez is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Sanchez must forfeit to the government $7,817, which was proceeds from the conspiracy and was seized by law enforcement officers. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, LANEG (Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group), the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and the MUSTANG Drug Task Force.
Desloge Man Indicted for Robbing Blue Springs BankRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Desloge, Mo., man, who was arrested after a high-speed chase in Callaway County, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing a Blue Springs, Mo., bank and for illegally possessing a firearm.
James Todd Hulsey, 51, of Desloge, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Hulsey on Oct. 17, 2016. Hulsey remains in federal custody.
Today’s indictment alleges that Hulsey stole $7,845 from Adams Dairy Bank on Oct. 14, 2016. In addition to bank robbery, the indictment charges Hulsey with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Hulsey walked into Adams Dairy Bank, 651 N.E. Coronado Dr., Blue Springs, at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2016. Hulsey allegedly approached the teller counter, displayed a Diamondback Arms 9mm pistol, presented a demand note to the teller and threatened to kill her. The teller turned over $7,845, the affidavit says, and Hulsey fled from the bank on foot. A description of the robber and the associated vehicle used in the robbery were broadcast to law enforcement agencies.
A couple of hours later, the affidavit says, a state trooper saw Hulsey’s vehicle traveling eastbound on I-70 in Callaway County, Mo., and attempted to stop the vehicle. A vehicle pursuit ensued, reaching speeds of 120 – 130 miles per hour. Hulsey’s vehicle got a flat tire and ran off the road. Hulsey fled from the vehicle on foot and a 75-yard foot pursuit took place before Hulsey was taken into custody.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hulsey has five felony convictions for bank robbery and felony convictions for an illegal weapon and for receiving stolen property.
Dickinson cautioned that 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 Emily A. Orsinger. It was investigated by the FBI, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Jury Convicts Former KC Woman of Fraud Scheme to Steal Victim's Lottery WinningsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Kansas City, Mo., woman was convicted by a federal jury today of engaging in a fraud scheme in which she stole $440,000 in lottery winnings from her victim as part of a scheme that resulted in a total loss of more than $640,000.
Freya Pearson, 43, of Georgia, formerly of Kansas City, was found guilty of all nine counts contained in an Oct. 28,2014, federal indictment.
According to evidence presented during the trial, Pearson convinced her 61-year-old victim to transfer $480,000 into the bank account of an organization called Recidivism at Work (RAW), a nonprofit entity Pearson established the day before her victim made the first wire transfer. This victim, who had been working as a housekeeper before going on disability and who lived in public housing, won $2.4 million in the Missouri Lottery in 2008. After setting money aside for taxes then purchasing a home for herself, a home for a daughter and a car for another daughter, she established an annuity to provide approximately $30,000 per year for the rest of her life.
Pearson convinced her victim she was a friend and falsely represented herself as a financial advisor. Pearson instructed the victim to withdraw her lottery winnings from the annuity account. The victim made three wire transfers in April, May and June 2010 to deposit the funds into Pearson’s RAW checking account. Whether the money was an investment or a business loan, Pearson materially omitted to disclose to the victim that she would use the money to gamble and for her own personal expenses. A partial summary of Pearson’s gambling expenses, which began the day after the first wire transfer, was over $96,000. Pearson also spent $12,000 on travel, purchased three vehicles (a Cadillac Escalade, a Pontiac Sunfire and a Chevrolet Tahoe) and spent money on restaurants, shopping and other personal expenses while she lived in the St. Louis, Mo., metropolitan area. Pearson made payments to her victim of approximately $1,200 per month for a little over a year before she quit paying her altogether – a total of approximately $38,000. No identifiable money was used for the nonprofit entity, and little for any business purpose.
When she met the victim in 2010, Pearson was unemployed and her only income came from child support and Social Security benefits for one of her children. While she was receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from her victim’s lottery winnings, Pearson applied for and received federally subsidized housing benefits under the Section 8 program meant to assist low income residents. In March 2010, Pearson applied with the Weston Housing Authority (in Platte County, Mo.) for Section 8 benefits – claiming that she was unemployed and homeless. Based on these representations, the Weston Housing Authority arranged for the rental of a duplex in Kansas City-North, with housing authority paying $875 per month and Pearson paying $200 per month. Pearson continued to receive federal benefits after moving to Orange County, Calif., in March 2012, until she was terminated from program for fraud in 2014. Pearson received a total of $76,837 in federal housing benefits over four years. In 2011, Pearson also began receiving welfare and/or food stamp benefits.
Pearson filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2010, but did not disclose the RAW bank accounts, which had total balances of $56,506. Pearson received a discharge of her debts on March 15, 2011.
Pearson filed no tax return for tax year 2010, and thus did not pay income taxes of $122,000 that would have been due on the $441,830 of taxable income Pearson received as a result of defrauding her victim.
Pearson defrauded the victim of a total of $441,830. Pearson evaded $122,000 in federal income tax. Pearson defrauded the Weston Housing Authority of $76,837 in housing benefits. Pearson thus caused a total loss of at least $640,667.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about two hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, Oct. 24, 2016.
Pearson was convicted of three counts of wire fraud, four counts of money laundering, one count of tax evasion and one count of making false statements to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (related to her application for federal housing benefits).
Under federal statutes, Pearson is subject to a sentence of up to 100 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney and Jane Pansing Brown. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.
Two Charged for Marijuana Growing Operation at Federal Wildlife RefugeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two men were charged in federal court today, in separate but related cases, for their involvement in a marijuana-growing operation at a federal wildlife refuge in Howard County, Mo.
Carlos Vazguez, 26, and Rigaberto Canacho Reyes, 23, addresses unknown, were each charged with possessing 100 or more marijuana plants with the intent to distribute in separate criminal complaints filed in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo. Both Vazguez and Reyes remain in federal custody pending further proceedings.
According to affidavits filed in support of the federal criminal complaints, law enforcement officers discovered a large marijuana growing operation at the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016. Vazguez and Reyes were arrested at the site, approximately one mile from County Road 317 in Howard County.
The grow operation, the affidavit says, encompasses approximately five acres and includes five tents where marijuana was hung, dried, packaged and processed for delivery. At least three separate locations had marijuana growing, with plants approximately five to six feet tall. Several plants had been pruned and trimmed to allow the marijuana plants to grow larger and produce a maximum amount of raw marijuana.
The grow operation contained in excess of 500 marijuana plants in the ground, the affidavit says, in addition to cut plants drying in the tents, raw marijuana prepared for processing and in excess of 500 plants which had been processed (with the picked stalks laying on the ground).
A water system ran throughout the grow operation. According to the affidavit, black plastic tubing was observed on the ground. Large plastic containers were located to store water and supply the grow operation by utilizing the black plastic tubing running to each field. An area of the grow operation contained a large amount of fertilizer, bedding supplies, pruning devices and chemicals used in the growing and cultivation of marijuana. Two tents were located in the middle of the operation, which appeared to be the location where people would sleep and cook. There was a fire pit and sleeping bags in this area.
Vazguez was arrested within one of the areas that contained marijuana plants, the affidavit says. He allegedly had a large amount of marijuana in a tarp on his shoulder and appeared to be hauling the marijuana to one of the nearby processing tents.
Reyes was arrested as he walked along one of the paths that connected the many areas of the operation, the affidavit says. He allegedly was carrying marijuana plants.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Miller. It was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the East Central Drug Task Force and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Election Officer Will Be on Duty to Receive Complaints of Election Fraud, Voting Rights AbusesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide election day program for the Nov. 8, 2016, general elections.
Daly has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Western District of Missouri, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The department’s long-standing election day program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on Nov. 8, 2016, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, Daly will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at 816-426-3000.
The FBI’s Kansas City Field Office will also have special agents available to receive allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. The public can provide information regarding possible election crimes to the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office’s toll-free hotline, 1-855-527-2847, or email [email protected].
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C., by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767, by fax at 202-307-3961, by e-mail to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
Former Wedding Photographer Indicted in Pornography Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former wedding photographer in Raymore, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury as part of a federal investigation into a fraud scheme to dupe dozens of women into having sex – which he recorded – under the guise they were rehearsing for a pornography movie.
Mario Ambrose Antoine, 33, of Raymore, was charged in a 21-count indictment returned under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 12, 2016. That indictment was unsealed and made public following Antoine’s arrest and initial court appearance today. Antoine remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016.
The federal indictment alleges that Antoine created a succession of various online aliases in which he posed as a talent manager, photographer and videographer for fictitious companies such as “Playboy Worldwide,” “Playboy Asia,” “Dash Agency,” and other companies that he claimed managed private overseas pornography websites. Beginning in August 2011, Antoine allegedly “auditioned” dozens of victims throughout the greater Kansas City area as models for prospective employment with these fictitious businesses by inducing them to engage in sexual and pornographic activity.
Antoine allegedly promised to pay his victims tens of thousands of dollars for entering into contracts for these modeling shoots and engaging in this sexual activity, which entailed auditions in which the victims performed various sexual activities with Antoine, which he recorded.
Antoine presented his victims with forged and false documents to add an appearance of legitimacy to this scheme, the indictment says, including falsified and forged checks issued to other “models,” IRS tax forms, Department of Homeland Security employment forms and various other documents. Antoine falsely registered several Internet domain names, the indictment says, and created false Facebook profiles.
After many of these victims complained they had not been paid as promised, Antoine allegedly forwarded images of this sexual activity with these victims to their employers and significant others.
On Nov. 12, 2015, Antoine allegedly conducted Google searches for “rape by deception,” “rape by deception kansas,” and “illegal to trick girls into sleeping with you,” and viewed websites and law journals regarding the criminality of committing rape by fraud or deception.
The federal indictment charges Antoine with 12 counts of wire fraud, two counts of cyberstalking, two counts of online enticement, two counts of making false statements to federal law enforcement agents, one count of obstructing justice, one count of extortion and one count of the false registration of a domain name.
The federal indictment cites six victims of the alleged scheme (identified as Victims 1 through 6).
The indictment alleges that Antoine promised to pay Victim 1 $1,000 per shoot and produced numerous images and videos of their sexual activity in 2011 and 2012. However, Victim 1 never received any payment from Antoine. In April 2015, Antoine allegedly told her that, in exchange for not selling or distributing the previously produced images and videos of their sexual activity, Victim 1 could either pay him $9,000 or she could come to Antoine’s house and have sex with him. On April 7, 2015, the indictment says, Victim 1 drove to Antoine’s residence to have sex with him in lieu of the payment of $9,000 to avoid the distribution of the pornographic images and videos.
According to the indictment, Antoine sent approximately 15 photos of Victim 1 to Victim 2 in March 2015. Using the alias “Nikki,” he told Victim 2 that the images instead portrayed “Nikki,” who had been paid $24,000 for three 30-minute photo shoots. “Nikki” also told Victim 2 that the images would be sold overseas “so nobody here even knows about it.” Antoine allegedly promised to pay $2,000 to Victim 2 for an “audition” and she engaged in sexual activity with Antoine, which he recorded.
Victim 3 engaged in sexual activity with Antoine in May 2015, the indictment says, which he recorded by taking photographs and making a video recording. When Victim 3 complained to Antoine in August 2015 that he she had never received the payment for her modeling activity, Antoine allegedly sent some of the nude images of Victim 3 taken during the recorded sexual activity to her employer.
According to the indictment, Antoine promised to pay Victim 4 $2,000 for “auditioning.” On April 24, 2015, Antoine allegedly produced and retained images and video recordings of his sexual activity with Victim 4. Between April and July 2015, Victim 4 contacted Antoine numerous times to receive payment, which never occurred. Beginning in June 2015, the indictment says, Antoine (assuming the online alias as “Nikki”) engaged in flirtatious communications with Victim 4’s ex-boyfriend and informed him that Victim 4 and Antoine were now in a relationship. Antoine also allegedly sent messages through the Facebook alias “Dalton Wayne” to Victim 4, referring to her pornographic photos being released and attaching a nude image of Victim 4 to one of the messages.
On May 26, 2015, Victim 5 traveled to Antoine’s residence for sexual activity, which the indictment says was recorded and retained by Antoine, after communicating with Antoine using the Facebook alias of “Nikki.” On Oct. 30, 2015, Antoine, as “Nikki,” sent a series of messages via Facebook to Victim 5’s boyfriend. Antoine informed Victim 5’s boyfriend “she does porn” and suggested that was how she was able to pay for her car. On the same day, Antoine, as “Nikki,” sent images of Victim 5 engaged in sexual activity with Antoine to Victim 5’s boyfriend.
In June 2015, Antoine communicated with Victim 6 using the Facebook alias of “Nikki.” Antoine allegedly sent Victim 6 some of the pornographic images of Victim 1 and claimed that the images instead depicted “Nikki” and that she received thousands of dollars for the photo shoot. On June 18, 2015, Antoine allegedly promised to pay Victim 6 $2,000 as “base compensation” and $8,000 as “special compensation” for “additional productions.” Antoine allegedly produced and retained images and video recordings of his sexual activity with Victim 6.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint (also filed under seal and made public today) Antoine was released from state custody in a separate and unrelated criminal matter on Sept. 10, 2016. Since that time, the affidavit says, he has actively worked to obstruct the due administration of justice in the course of this ongoing criminal investigation. The federal indictment charges Antoine with the obstruction of justice related to this conduct.
On Sept. 27, 2016, Antoine contacted a detective with the Raymore Police Department, according to the affidavit. Antoine allegedly told the detective that a federal agent told him he should be able to retrieve the equipment seized by law enforcement because the FBI was not pursuing this matter any further. Antoine also allegedly claimed that his attorney had reviewed the search warrant and told Antoine it was “improper” and Antoine’s equipment should not have been seized. Antoine provided the name of a specific Kansas City criminal defense attorney, who later told investigators that he doesn’t have an attorney-client relationship with Antoine and had not spoken with him in years. The affidavit also states that Antoine may have created and used a fictitious e-mail account to impersonate the attorney.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities are still identifying additional victims. Anyone who believes they have been victimized by Antoine is urged to contact the FBI at 816-512-8200.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the FBI, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department and the Office of the Missouri Attorney General.
KC Man, Linked to Drive-By Murder of 3-Year-Old, Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man – charged in state court for his role in the murder of a 3-year-old boy killed in a drive-by shooting – was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Sulif I. Wilkins, 26, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 10 years in federal prison without parole, the maximum statutory penalty for the offense.
On June 28, 2016, Wilkins pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. By pleading guilty, Wilkins admitted that he was in possession of a Taurus .40-caliber handgun on June 17, 2015.
According to court documents, Wilkins was identified during an investigation into the death of a 3-year-old boy who was murdered in his bed in a drive-by shooting on May 31, 2015. (Wilkins is charged in state court with murder, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action related to that crime.) Kansas City police officers went to an apartment complex to execute a pick-up order on Wilkins on June 17, 2015. At the apartment complex, Wilkins was seen walking to a blue Chevrolet Cavalier. As officers approached him, Wilkins pulled the gun from his waistband, threw it in the car, and ran towards the apartments. Wilkins was taken into custody and the Taurus handgun was recovered.
According to court documents, the firearm had been stolen. Wilkins previously used the same firearm to shoot at the mother of his child due to a minor argument over a cellphone. After Wilkins shot at the woman, he threatened her life and the lives of her mother and siblings if she ever went to the police.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Wilkins has prior felony convictions for robbery, resisting arrest and assault.
In November 2006, Wilkins robbed and carjacked someone at gunpoint then fled from police. While on probation for that crime, in May 2008 Wilkins fired numerous shots into an automobile occupied by two individuals at a BP gas station. Some of the bullets hit an occupied postal truck. In May 2013, according to court documents, Wilkins got into an argument with the woman he was dating and threatened her, destroyed her property, pulled her hair and smacked her repeatedly in the face. Four days later, according to court documents, Wilkins got into another argument with individuals standing outside of a residence and attempted to kill the individuals by firing numerous shots at them as they stood on the porch of the residence. In May 2015, Wilkins got into a heated argument with his girlfriend, took a knife and slashed the tires on her car. One day after that incident, according to court documents, a 3-year-old boy was murdered in his bed, due in part to Wilkins’s actions.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ukrainian National Pleads Guilty to Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Ukrainian national pleaded guilty in federal court today to transporting thousands of cartons of cigarettes from Missouri to Chicago, Ill., in order to avoid paying nearly $160,000 in excise taxes.
Yevhen Sychikov, 32, a citizen of Ukraine residing in Chicago, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to the interstate transportation of contraband cigarettes.
According to today’s plea agreement, Sychikov purchased large quantities of cigarettes at convenience stores in northwest Missouri then transported them back to Chicago, which has a much higher excise tax on cigarettes.
Sychikov purchased cigarettes from Trex Mart in Lathrop, Mo.; Discount Smoke and Liquor Store in Riverside, Mo.; and Tipsy Liquor in Smithville, Mo. On May 10, 2014, Sychikov purchased 20 cases (1,200 cartons) of cigarettes and transported them back to Chicago. On June 14 and 15, 2014, Sychikov purchased 1,395 cartons of cigarettes and transported them back to Chicago.
The tax rate on cigarettes in Missouri is 17 cents per pack. The Illinois state excise tax on cigarettes is $1.98 per package. Cook County, Ill., imposes an excise tax of $3 per package and the city of Chicago imposes an additional tax of $1.18 per package. Therefore, in the city of Chicago, the total excise tax is $6.16 per pack. The tax loss to Illinois, Cook County, and the city of Chicago was a total of $159,852.
Under federal statutes, Sychikov 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 Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives NITRO Task Force.
Tennessee man Sentenced for Thayer Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Memphis, Tenn., man was sentenced in federal court today for robbing a bank in Thayer, Mo.
Bobby Laughton Yates, 26, of Memphis, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Oct. 11, 2016, to five years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Yates to pay $2,325 in restitution.
On March 16, 2016, Yates pleaded guilty to bank robbery. Yates admitted that he stole $2,325 from Great Southern Bank, 323 E. Walnut St., Thayer, on April 22, 2015.
Yates entered the bank on April 22, 2015, and asked for a deposit slip. A teller directed Yates to a kiosk to the right of the teller’s station. Yates went to the kiosk and wrote out a note on a withdrawal slip. Yates presented the slip, and a plastic bag, to the teller. The slip stated, “put ALL the Money in the BAG Dont do anything dumb.” Yates instructed the teller not to draw the attention of the bank manager. The teller noted Yates kept his hand in his left sweater pocket, where she observed a bulge that appeared to be a gun.
Yates told the teller to give him the money from all the drawers; however, the teller informed him she only had access to hers. The teller placed all the bills in her drawer, into the bag and handed it to Yates. As Yates was leaving, he ran into the door jam and dropped what appeared to be a handgun. Yates picked the item up, but part of a broken piece was left behind. The broken piece was later determined to be part of an Airsoft gun.
Yates was later arrested for robbing the Patriot Bank in Millington, Tenn., and has pleaded guilty to that bank robbery in a separate case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Thayer, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
Springfield Man Sentenced for $1.1 Million Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for a more than $1.1 million investment fraud scheme.
Christopher Hanson, 54, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to two years and nine months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Hanson to pay $1,134,500 in restitution to his victims.
On Sept. 14,2015, Hanson pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Hanson, the owner of Hanson Holdings, LLC, admitted that he was responsible for losses that totaled $1,134,500 for three victims of his Ponzi scheme.
Hanson offered the three victims what he described as “an investment opportunity.” Hanson told two of the victims that he would take their investment monies and purchase a collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO). Hanson claimed that a line of credit would be obtained against the CMO and both victim investors would receive their original investment plus a substantial dividend within months. Hanson told the third victim that he would purchase bonds and securities with his $100,000 investment. Hanson claimed this investment would generate a 250 percent return and that the victim investor would receive double his original investment within 40 weeks.
Financial records revealed that none of the monies obtained by Hanson or Hanson Holdings from these three investors were used to purchase securities or a CMO as Hanson had promised. Agents determined that Hanson authorized the release of the investors’ monies from his Scottrade Account, ETrade Account, or StockCross Account, into his personal bank accounts. Hanson used the money for personal expenses, to pay off parties unrelated to the investment, or he would use the money to pay off earlier investors who were clamoring for a return of their money.
According to court documents, Hanson also engaged in an unrelated ongoing fraud in Apple Valley, Minn., for which he faces a civil suit. Hanson also faces state charges in Greene County Circuit Court for a similar, but unrelated, fraud scheme.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Independence Father, Son Plead Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., father and son pleaded guilty in federal court today to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Jesse L. Davis, Jr., 27, and his father, Jesse L. Davis, Sr., 50, both of Independence, pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from November 2013 to September 2014.
By pleading guilty today, Davis, Jr., admitted that he lived in the home of a co-conspirator, where drug transactions occurred, to act as a “strong hand” and provide protection. According to today’s plea agreement, Davis, Jr., is individually responsible for the purchase and redistribution of at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Davis, Jr., must forfeit to the government a money judgment of $52,500 (based upon a conservative street price of $35 per gram of methamphetamine).
Davis, Sr., admitted that he purchased methamphetamine from a co-conspirator and then redistributed the methamphetamine to others. According to the plea agreement, Davis, Sr., is individually responsible for the purchase and redistribution of approximately 340 grams of methamphetamine. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Davis, Sr., must forfeit to the government a money judgment of $11,900 (based upon a conservative street price of $35 per gram of methamphetamine).
Under federal statutes, Davis, Jr., is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Davis, Sr., will be sentenced to 87 months in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Edwards. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Taney County Business Owner Sentenced for Failure to Pay $500,000 in Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Taney County, Mo., business owner has been sentenced in federal court for failing to pay over more than $500,000 in taxes he withheld from his employees’ paychecks.
Carl Justin Gage, 42, of Ridgedale, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, to a year and a day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Gage to pay $627,000 in restitution.
On Jan. 15, 2016, Gage pleaded guilty to the willful failure to pay over taxes.
Gage owned and operated multiple businesses in Taney County, including Eagle Construction and Excavating, LLC, Gage Excavating, LLC, Gage Family Entertainment, LLC, and Hollister Pizza Company, LLC. Based on his theft of the employee taxes from those businesses (including the employer’s matching portions), Gage embezzled approximately $503,000 (which does not include statutory interest owed) from 2008 to 2011.
Gage admitted he was aware of these requirements and willfully did not pay over the tax even though he withheld the taxes from the employees’ paychecks. Gage hired a bookkeeper to manage the finances of his businesses, including the payroll and preparation of payroll tax returns. The bookkeeper notified Gage of the payroll tax due and owning, but Gage willfully made the decision each quarter to not pay over the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks to the Internal Revenue Service.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FDIC Office of Inpsector General and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Two Men Charged with Sex Trafficking of Three VictimsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two men were charged in federal court today for the sex trafficking of three victims.
Calvin Anthony Miller, also known as “Serious,” 34, and his cousin, Henry Dailey, 36, were charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Miller and Dailey remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Oct. 20, 2016.
Today’s complaint is the result of Operation Cross Country X, an international FBI investigation of sex trafficking in partnership with local law enforcement agencies.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, a federal undercover agent assisted the Independence, Mo., Police Department, posing as a customer attempting to hire a prostitute for sex. On Oct. 14, 2016, the undercover agent located an online listing for an individual identified as Victim 1. The post included provocative and partially nude photos and her description and some possible acts that she was willing to do. The agent contacted Victim 1 and she agreed to meet him at a hotel.
Victim 1 provided law enforcement officers with information on Miller, who she said was her pimp, and Dailey, both of whom she said exploited commercial sex workers. Victim 1 told law enforcement officers that Miller was violent and abusive, the affidavit says.
According to the affidavit, Victim 1 located online advertisements for two additional women who had been trafficked by Miller, identified as Victim 2 and Victim 3. Victim 2, who is described in the affidavit as “a very young baby-faced girl,” had recently arrived in Kansas City on a bus with Dailey, the affidavit says.
An Independence police detective located Victim 2 with Dailey at an Independence hotel. They were detained, the affidavit says, and Victim 2 told the detective that she wanted away from the group and just wanted to go home. Law enforcement officers also found Victim 3 at the hotel. She stated, “If I tell you anything he will kill me” and started crying. Victim 3 stated that she did not believe the police could provide enough security to protect her from “these guys.” Victim 3 said she wanted to leave and get away from Miller.
While at the hotel, agents determined that Miller had rented two rooms on the third floor and a room on the first floor. Agents made contact with Miller on the third floor. Miller was noncompliant with law enforcement requests, was directed to the ground, and cuffed.
Each of the victims told law enforcement officers that Miller and Dailey required them to work as prostitutes, threatening them with violence and death if they tried to leave, and took all of their money. According to the affidavit, they also said that Miller and Dailey forced them to use drugs to keep them addicted and dependent on them.
Victim 3 said Miller had broken her hip during a violent encounter in Overland Park, Kan., in June 2016. According to the affidavit, Victim 3 was treated at the hospital, and when she was released she was given six weeks’ worth of pain medication. After a week, she said, Miller had used the remaining amount of her pain medication. After two weeks, Miller allegedly required her to begin working as a commercial sex worker with a broken hip, without pain medication.
According to the affidavit, Victim 3 showed federal agents the ledger where she had been keeping track of the money she had made. Victim 3 told agents that she had paid Miller approximately $13,000 over the past month.
Victim 3 told agents that Miller had transported her from St. Louis to Kansas City, Las Vegas, and as far away as Washington state to work as a commercial sex worker. She had wanted to leave on multiple occasions, she said, but was not able to leave. Victim 3 also told agents that Miller had a Google voice account which allowed him to view and hear all text message and verbal conversations on her phone.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. It was investigated by the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Missouri Man Who Set Fire to Mosque and Who Attempted Arson at Planned Parenthood Sentenced to 63 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jedediah Stout, 32, of Joplin, Missouri, was sentenced today in the Western District of Missouri to 63 months in prison for setting fire to the Islamic Society of Joplin mosque as well as for two attempted arsons of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Joplin, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson of the Western District of Missouri.
Stout pleaded guilty on April 18, 2016, to a four-count information that charged him with one count of damage to the Islamic Society of Joplin mosque, two counts of arson at a Planned Parenthood facility in Joplin and one count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Stout was also ordered to pay $701,971 in restitution.
Stout, who told investigators that he did not like Islam as a religion, admitted in his guilty plea to setting a fire that destroyed the mosque on Aug. 6, 2012. The mosque served families from neighboring states, many of whom provided funding for the operation of the mosque. As a direct result of the fire, many donations made during the Muslim holy period of Ramadan were destroyed.
In his guilty plea, Stout also admitted to two arson attempts on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4, 2013, against the Planned Parenthood of Joplin. In both attempts, Stout threw items containing an accelerant onto the roof of the Planned Parenthood facility and then ignited material attached to the accelerant. Surveillance video captured his consecutive attempts to set the fires and Stout was apprehended soon after those attempts. Stout admitted to investigators that he was responsible for both Planned Parenthood arson attempts and for the mosque arson, and that he had committed the mosque arson using the same kind of incendiary device as in the Planned Parenthood arson attempts. Stout further admitted that he targeted Planned Parenthood because they provide reproductive health care services.
“This sentence sends a clear message that violence targeting where people worship or access reproductive health care services violates federal law and carries severe consequences,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute these crimes as we strive to protect the safety and diversity of our communities.”
“No American should fear being the victim of violence simply for exercising their constitutional rights,” said U.S. Attorney Dickinson. “When hate and intolerance lead to criminal attacks, we will protect our citizens and defend their civil rights.”
The case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Joplin Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Kelleher of the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Texas Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Killeen, Texas woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to her role in a tax fraud scheme.
Kalena Latoya Winston, 39, of Killeen, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016.
Winston operated a return preparation scheme for tax years 2011 and 2012. Winston solicited clients who lived in Colorado, Kansas and Tennessee, and prepared and submitted the returns electronically. Most of the false returns were filed with the IRS service center in Kansas City, Mo.
Winston’s main practice was to include false Schedule C businesses on her clients’ returns in order to increase the amount of the refunds by qualifying them for, or maximizing, the Earned Income Tax Credit. Winston also occasionally claimed false dependents on the tax returns. On two occasions, Winston used the personal identifying information the client provided her for the 2010 tax year in order to file a return without that client’s knowledge or permission for the following tax year.
Winston received debit cards containing the tax refunds from the false returns. Instead of listing her clients’ address on the returns, Winston listed the addresses of her co-conspirators so that she could maintain control over the refunds.
According to the plea agreement, the total intended tax loss for the charged conduct is $70,570. The IRS calculates the tax loss attributable to the relevant conduct to be approximately $200,000.
Under federal statutes, Winston is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on March 14, 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Verona Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Producing Child PornRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Verona, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for producing and receiving child pornography.
Allen S. Worley, 42, of Verona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On May 16, 2016, Worley pleaded guilty to attempting to use a minor, identified as Jane Doe #1, to produce child pornography between Dec. 9, 2014, and April 16, 2015. Worley also pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the Internet.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force and the Aurora, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Springfield Man Sentenced for Fraud Scheme to Overcharge Medicaid, Medicare at Four ClinicsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, and Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced that a Springfield, Mo., man who operated four Family Medical Center clinics in southern Missouri was sentenced in federal court today for health care fraud.
Michael A. Tucker, 47, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to one year and one day in federal prison. The court also ordered Tucker to pay $54,273 in restitution.
On March 30, 2016, Tucker pleaded guilty to health care fraud. Tucker was the owner of four Family Medical Center clinics in Carthage, Mo., Branson, Mo., Nevada, Mo., and Lamar, Mo. In June 2015, Tucker closed his clinics and Family Medical Centers ceased doing business.
Tucker admitted that he defrauded Medicaid and Medicare by submitting claims to the government for more expensive treatment than was provided at his clinics. Although the physicians and nurse practitioners at Tucker’s clinics accurately recorded the services they provided, Tucker billed Medicaid and Medicare for more expensive services. The Medicaid scheme lasted from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2014. The Medicare scheme lasted from April 15, 2013, to Sept. 24, 2014.
Specifically, Tucker routinely billed Medicaid for more complex office visits than were actually provided. In addition, Tucker routinely billed both Medicaid and Medicare for the services of physicians when the patient had actually been seen by a nurse practitioner. Lastly, Tucker billed Medicaid for physician office visits when only laboratory services had been provided. In each of these instances Tucker’s conduct resulted in his clinics receiving greater reimbursement than they were entitled to from Medicaid and Medicare.
The Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division led the initial investigation into Tucker’s conduct and then assisted the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri and the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services in Tucker’s prosecution.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindi Woolery. It was investigated by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to $2.25 Million Internet Steroids DistributionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a New Hampshire man, who formerly lived in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a $2.25 million conspiracy to sell anabolic steroids over the Internet.
Michael G. Peters, 28, of Pelham, N.H., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute anabolic steroids and to a conspiracy to commit money laundering.
By pleading guilty today, Peters admitted that he and co-conspirators operated an Internet-based company, Power Trip, which sold various anabolic steroids to customers throughout the United States.
Peters became involved in the steroids and money-laundering conspiracies in June 2012. Initially his role was primarily to collect the illegal drug proceeds from customers who were required to pay via MoneyGram and Western Union, and also later via debit cards. Conspirators used stolen identities to produce or obtain debit cards, such as Green Dot MoneyPak, MyVanilla, ReloadIT, NetSpend ReloadIT and BlackHawk. They required their customers to send payments to these cards in order to conceal and disguise the proceeds of the illegal transactions.
Peters became more involved in purchasing supplies and assisting in the steroid manufacturing process, as well as handling online customer orders and shipping steroids to customers. Peters further acted in recruiting others to obtain their means of identification, which was used to produce various access devices that would be used to obtain the illegal drug proceeds.
In late summer 2013, Peters relocated the operation to the Kansas City, Mo., area, but relocated to North Carolina in the fall of 2014 in an effort to avoid detection of the operation.
Peters was arrested on Dec. 23, 2014, in a residence in North Carolina that was being used to manufacture and distribute illegal anabolic steroids. Peters was in possession of anabolic steroids (Oxandrolone and Methandrostenolone, Schedule III controlled substances). Also in the residence were firearms, numerous unauthorized debit cards, several vials with PowerTrip labels, a PowerTrip customer list, sheets of PowerTrip labels and various steroid product shipping labels. Peters also had a notebook that contained a handwritten recipe for the manufacture of several anabolic steroids offered for sale by PowerTrip.
During the conspiracy, Peters personally sent more than $3,000 in drug proceeds to China via Western Union and MoneyGram. Conspirators sent a total of approximately $200,000 in drug proceeds to China to purchase additional raw materials to manufacture anabolic steroids.
According to today’s plea agreement, a reasonable conservative estimate of the dosage units of anabolic steroids which were reasonably foreseeable to Peters is over 60,000 dosage units of Testosterone Propionate, Halotestin, and other anabolic steroids. This estimate is based upon the ingredients and amounts indicated in the steroid recipe notebook recovered when Peters was arrested in North Carolina.
Utilizing the least expensive raw ingredients for the manufactured finished product (Testosterone Propionate), and utilizing the known dollar amount of raw ingredients purchased by Peters and other conspirators (approximately $200,000, less shipping costs), would yield nearly 1 million grams of raw materials that could manufacture approximately 90,000 vials (approximately 900,000 dosage units based upon a 10 – 100mg dosage unit per vial). PowerTrip sold this product for $25 per vial, which results in a conservative estimate of gross proceeds of at least $2.25 million in sales.
Under federal statutes, Peters is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Peters must forfeit to the government $2.25 million, which was derived from the proceeds of the illegal drug trafficking.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess E. Michaelsen. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Former Springfield Man Sentenced for Defacing Islamic Center, Burning Qur'anRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for violating the civil rights of others by leading a conspiracy to deface The Islamic Center of Springfield with graffiti and burn two copies of the Qur’an.
Adam David Smock, 24, of Edgewater, Calif., formerly of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark five years’ probation with conditions of the probation to include 14 days’ incarceration, payment of $10,440 in restitution and performance of 40 hours of community service. Smock will meet with and personally apologize to the leadership of the Islamic Center of Springfield for his crime.
On Dec. 29, 2015, Smock pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to oppress, threaten, and intimidate worshippers at the Islamic Center of Springfield in the free exercise and enjoyment of their Constitutional right to the free exercise of their religious beliefs.
Joshua Daniel Lobsien, 24, of Orland, Calif., formerly of Springfield, was sentenced on July 13, 2016, after pleading guilty to defacing religious property. The court sentenced Lobsien to five years of probation, including 20 hours of community service, and ordered him to pay $5,220 in restitution. If the Islamic Center of Springfield, or an Islamic Center located near Lobsien’s residence, is willing to have him perform his community service on its premises, then that is the location where Lobsien should perform his community service. Lobsien has personally apologized to the leadership of the Islamic Center of Springfield for his crime.
The Islamic Center of Springfield, 2151 E. Division St., provides services common to most religious establishments, including regular prayer service, a venue for individuals to pray on their own, community activities and a forum for charitable fund-raising.
Both Lobsien and Smock were 18 years old at the time of the offense. They admitted that, along with a 14-year-old minor, they spray-painted graffiti on the exterior walls of the Islamic Center of Springfield on Jan. 7, 2011. The graffiti included explicit and offensive language in addition to such statements as “Bash Back,” “Now is our time!” and “You bash us in Pakistan we bash here.”
Smock and Lobsien also admitted that on April 10, 2011, they partially burned two copies of the Qur’an (the Muslim holy book) and transported the Qur’ans to the Islamic Center of Springfield. Smock left the burned Qur’ans directly in front of the main doors to the Islamic Center, approximately 30 feet away from the building. Lobsien left a computer-printed note on the mat in front of the main doors. The note contained the image of a goat’s or ram’s head, and the following text:
“To: Sincere Followers of Allah,
“Today, we show the Muslim Nation that its oppressive religion won't go without a fight, not from soldiers, but from average citizens willing to fight for America – for there are three (sic) burned Qur'ans that lay spread in the driveway. For we grow tired of Anti-Zionism. The Islamification of Europe. Terroristic regimes. And worst of all, the membership of 1.5 billion Muslims that stain the earth. And we vow one thing: Islam will not survive.
“Death to Islam!”
Smock admitted that it was his idea to commit the acts and that he persuaded his co-conspirators to participate. He also admitted that he selected the Islamic Center of Springfield for vandalism because of the religious nature of the property, in order to threaten and intimidate worshippers, so as to hinder and interfere with the worshippers’ enjoyment of their Constitutional right to the free exercise of religion.
The total cost of restoration and repair of the damage to the Islamic Center of Springfield, including sandblasting and applying anti-graffiti paint, is $15,662
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the FBI and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Man Convicted of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man has been found guilty in federal court of illegally possessing a firearm.
Scott Goodwin-Bey, 49, of was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool issued the verdict on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, following a one-day bench trial on Aug. 23, 2016.
According to the court’s findings of fact, Goodwin-Bey entered the Star Mart on W. Chestnut Expressway on Nov. 30, 2014, carrying a loaded Ruger 9mm pistol. Goodwin-Bey placed the gun on the counter and the store clerk took the firearm and handed it to the store manager. Both the clerk and the manager recognized Goodwin-Bey from earlier interactions because he had behaved in a strange manner. The clerk escorted Goodwin-Bey outside the store and Goodwin-Bey left in a white Lincoln. The store manager dialed 911 and requested that officers come to the Star Mart because of concern over Goodwin-Bey’s actions.
When an officer arrived, the store manager turned over the firearm. Another officer stopped Goodwin-Bey, who was driving the Lincoln, and he was arrested. Officers found loose 9mm ammunition on the floor of his vehicle and in the parking lot in front of the store in the vicinity of where the vehicle had been parked.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Goodwin-Bey has two prior felony convictions for carrying a concealed weapon and prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of crack cocaine, resisting arrest and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
Under federal statutes, Goodwin-Bey is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Raytown Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Raytown, Mo., man who formerly worked at a karate studio in Lee’s Summit, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for distributing and receiving child pornography over the Internet.
Jered Scott Faulkner, 37, of Raytown, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On May 25, 2016, Faulkner pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography over the Internet and one count of receiving child pornography over the Internet.
An FBI Child Exploitation Task Force officer identified Faulkner’s computer as sharing videos of child pornography during an investigation into a peer-to-peer file-sharing network in September and October 2014. The undercover agent, on multiple occasions, downloaded numerous video files from Faulkner’s computer that contained child pornography. According to court documents, a recurring theme in the images was the graphic depiction of the rape and sodomy of pubescent and prepubescent girls, some as young as babies, by adult men. Some of the files also depicted child bondage.
According to court documents, the same officer was conducting a separate investigation and located a second and distinct IP address sharing images and videos of child pornography between November 2014 and December 2014. Though not known to the officer at that time, this IP address was also later determined to be Faulkner’s.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Faulkner’s residence on Jan. 15, 2015. Officers seized Faulkner’s laptop computer and hard drive. A forensic analysis confirmed the presence of at least 300 videos and 2,552 images of child pornography.
Also discovered by the forensic analyst were two images of an approximately 7-year-old female that had been taken by a cell phone in July 2014 and downloaded onto Faulkner’s computer. Investigators learned that the child victim was a prior student at a local martial arts studio where Faulkner was employed at the time of the investigation.
Faulkner also admitted that his mother, whom law enforcement officers had initially contacted, alerted him about the investigation before officers arrived at his residence to execute the search warrant. When officers arrived, Faulkner was in the process of reformatting his laptop computer. Despite the attempt to reformat the computer, however, the forensic examiner was able to successfully recover the contents of the computer.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Jasper County Meth Conspiracy, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper County, Mo., and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Dustin S. Parrish, 30, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.
On March 16, 2016, Parrish pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper County from May 1 to Oct. 1, 2015, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On Oct. 1, 2015, Joplin police officers stopped Parrish, who was driving a white Chevrolet Cruz, at 32nd Street and Rangeline in Joplin. Parrish did not immediately stop his vehicle, but continued driving slowly west on 32nd Street. An officer saw Parrish lean down in the seat. After Parrish stopped his vehicle, the officer approached and noticed that Parrish was leaning forward in his seat, sweating, breathing heavily, and appeared nervous. The officer ran his driver’s license, and it showed that Parrish’s driver’s license was revoked.
After Parrish got out of the vehicle, the officer located a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the driver’s side floorboard. A service canine indicated on a black nylon bag on the front passenger side floorboard. The officer searched the bag and found six clear plastic bags containing a total of 66 grams of methamphetamine as well as drug paraphernalia.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Child PornRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Springfield, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
James Lucas Angotti, 33, of Springfield, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Monday, Oct. 3,2016, to a federal information that charges him with receiving and distributing child pornography.
By pleading guilty, Angotti admitted that he received and distributed child pornography through the use of the Internet. On Jan. 3, 2014, Angotti gave an undercover FBI agent access to his folder, on a peer-to-peer website, that contained multiple images of child pornography, of a child approximately 8-10 years of age, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
On Oct. 3, 2014, a federal search warrant was served at Angotti’s residence, where agents located a computer containing multiple images and videos of child pornography. Agents also recovered Internet chat logs between Angotti and various other individuals discussing minors in a sexual manner.
Under federal statutes, Angotti is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, and up to a sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
KC Postal Clerk Pleads Guilty to Stealing MailRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., postal clerk pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing gift cards from the mail.
Veronica K. Grant, 63, of Kansas City, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges her with the theft of mail by a postal employee.
Grant was employed as a clerk by the U.S. Postal Service at the processing and distribution center in Kansas City, Mo. Grant’s role was to match any loose contents that became separated from the addressed envelope or container from which it was mailed, then forward the mail to its destination.
On April 3, 2015, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General received information that a $50 T.J.Maxx gift card had been reported missing from the mail. The gift card had been mailed from the sender in Springfield, Mo., on March 7, 2015, to the recipient in Texas. USPS determined that the gift card went through the process and distribution center where Grant was employed but never reached its intended recipient.
Grant admitted that she used the gift card at the T.J. Maxx store in Blue Springs, Mo., on March 12, 2015. Store surveillance video depicted her at the checkout counter utilizing the stolen gift card.
Following an interview with investigators on October 5, 2015, Grant consented to a search of her belongings. Five additional gift cards were recovered from Grant’s purse. Investigators later determined that these gift cards had been stolen from the mail as well. Investigators have identified 11 victims of Grant’s mail theft.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government agrees it will recommend probation, which could include a combination of home confinement or a half-way house. Grant agrees to pay restitution to any victims identified. 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 Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
10 Local Residents Among 15 Indicted for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that eight Springfield, Mo., residents and two Willard, Mo., residents are among 15 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County, Mo.
Patrick Roger Brigaudin, 54, Timothy Garth Hall, 55, Jennifer Louise Minor, 41, Amber Marie Vantuyl, 35, Gary Lee Driggers, 64, William Frank Eft, 66, Leah Renee Binney, 55, and William David Watts, 58, all of Springfield, Gayla Rochelle Phillips, 41, and Richard Todd Sherwood, 58, both of Willard, Mo., Adrian Ortiz-Corrales, 41, and Eduardo Diaz, 52, both of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Carlos Alberto Luna, 42, Federico Herrera-Preciado, 51, and Maria Zetina-Ortega, 28, who have no known address, were charged in a 37-count second superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. The second superseding indictment replaces an earlier indictment and includes additional charges and defendants.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers in Texas interdicted a shipment of approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine, of which nine pounds was allegedly being delivered to Brigaudin, in March 2015. Brigaudin was arrested with Hall, Diaz and Ortiz-Corrales on Feb. 29, 2016, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence. According to court documents, Diaz and Ortiz-Corrales were in the garage and were in the process of accessing a hidden compartment underneath the bed of a 1994 Dodge pickup. Brigaudin was taken into custody as he exited the back door of the residence. Officers found approximately 12 pounds of methamphetamine and six and half pounds of heroin inside the truck’s hidden compartment. While officers were at Brigaudin’s residence, Hall arrived, driving a motorcycle, and was placed under arrest.
The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants participated in conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County from October 2013 to Feb. 29, 2016. The federal indictment also alleges that Brigaudin, Ortiz-Corrales, Phillips, Luna, Herrera-Preciado and Zetina-Ortega participated in a money-laundering conspiracy during that time by conspiring to conduct financial transactions that involved the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.
Ortiz-Corrales and Diaz are also charged together in one count of possessing one kilogram or more of heroin with the intent to distribute.
In addition to the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies, Brigaudin is charged with four counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Brigaudin, Ortiz-Corrales and Diaz are charged together in one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Brigaudin and Phillips are charged together in one count of money laundering. Ortiz-Corrales and Luna are charged together in two counts of money laundering. Ortiz-Corrales and Herrera-Preciado are charged together in two counts of money laundering. Ortiz-Corrales, Herrera-Preciado and Zetina-Ortega are charged together in two counts of money laundering.
Vantuyl, Hall, Binney, Eft and Sherwood are each also charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Minor is also charged with two counts of distributing methamphetamine. Phillips is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine.
Driggers is also charged with four counts of using a telephone to facilitate the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Binney is charged with two counts of using a telephone to facilitate the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Minor, Eft, Hall, Phillips, Watts and Sherwood are each charged with one count of using a telephone to facilitate the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Watts is also charged with maintaining a premises that he made available for unlawfully storing, distributing, and using methamphetamine.
The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations, which would require Brigaudin to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy, including $5,603, a 2006 Lincoln Mark LT and a 1998 Harley Davidson motorcycle, all of which were seized by law enforcement officers. A forfeiture allegation would require Phillips to forfeit $18,000, which was seized by law enforcement officers. A forfeiture allegation would require Ortiz-Corrales to forfeit $880 that was seized by law enforcement officers.
Dickinson cautioned that 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 Timothy A. Garrison. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the COMET (Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team) Task Force and the South Central Drug Task Force.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to over $9.5 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Texas man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in an elaborate, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme in which conspirators impersonated North Kansas City-based Cerner Corporation in a series of business and legal activities.
Albert Davis, 56, of Richardson, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
By pleading guilty today, Davis admitted that he was the leader of a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in which more than 10 victims suffered losses exceeding $9.5 million from Aug. 25, 2008, to Feb. 19, 2015. Conspirators engaged in a scheme to use Cerner Corporation’s reputation and standing in the medical field to manipulate business transactions and court proceedings in their favor.
Davis is the fifth defendant to plead guilty. Co-defendants David Hernon, 55, of Fishers, Ind. (formerly of Richardson, Texas), David Tayce, 67, of Lucas, Texas, and Richard Bryant, 41, and his wife, Christina Bryant, 41, both of Sachse, Texas, have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.
In order to impersonate Cerner Corporation, Davis and his co-conspirators created a fake Cerner business entity for a similarly-named company, Cerner, LLC. Conspirators opened a fake Cerner bank account, registered a fake Cerner Internet domain and leased virtual office space for a fake Cerner address in Kansas City, Mo. They created fictitious employees from Cerner Corporation – including both fictitious identities and impersonating actual employees – to communicate with others. Conspirators fabricated documents, price quotes, agreements and invoices, which were all made to appear to be authentic Cerner Corporation documents, when they were not.
For example, conspirators sent e-mails to doctors at Summit Medical Center in Oklahoma, which falsely represented Cerner Corporation in negotiations by containing a quote for the sale of a MRI to Summit Medical Center. Conspirators also created fraudulent invoices for the sale of an MRI to Dallas Medical Center.
Davis also admitted that conspirators provided false and misleading information and testimony during the litigation of several lawsuits. The false and misleading testimony was regarding business deals where the conspirators had impersonated Cerner Corporation.
For example, Davis received a jury award of $24 million following the 2014 trial in LBDS Holding Company, LLC v. ISOL Technology, Inc., et al., Case No. 6:11-CV-428-LED, in the Eastern District of Texas. When the fraud was discovered, attorneys for ISOL Technology filed an emergency motion for sanctions against LBDS (Davis’s company). Davis admitted that similar false and misleading testimony was provided by conspirators in iHeart Care DMC Holdings, LLC. v. Dallas Medical Center, LLC., et al., Cause No. 13-09460, in Dallas County, Texas; and Alice George, et al., v. Albert Davis, et al., Case No. 3:13-CV-03058-PKH, in the Western District of Arkansas.
In addition to impersonating Cerner Corporation, Davis admitted, conspirators used additional e-mail accounts to impersonate business entities and physicians in order to send communications designed to manipulate others in business transactions.
For example, conspirators forged signatures and misled doctors into guaranteeing over $8 million in loans from Community Trust Bank in Texas. Davis admitted that he and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained five individual loans from Community Trust Bank.
Conspirators also impersonated bondholders in order to file an involuntary bankruptcy petition against their own company, CMI Holding Company, Inc., in Case no. 10-38011-SGJ-7, in the Northern District of Texas. Conspirators continued to impersonate those bondholders throughout the litigation in phone calls and email communications, and by signing as the bondholders in a settlement agreement. Davis and his co-conspirators concealed their ownership of Eureka Group, LLC and used that entity to receive and disburse the monies received from the $1.8 million settlement of the involuntary bankruptcy.
Additionally, Davis admitted, conspirators solicited investments using fabricated communications and documents from entities they created, including the entity created to impersonate Cerner Corporation. Those misrepresentations included false financial documents, altered MRI images and false claims that used MRI systems were newly developed technology.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Wolesky, in cooperation with Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Kummerfeld of the Eastern District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Davis of the Western District of Arkansas. It was investigated by the FBI.
Braymer Man Sentenced for $262,000 Cattle FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Braymer, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for a cattle fraud scheme that resulted in losses of more than $262,000 to his victims.
Garland Joseph “Joey” Nelson, 22, of Braymer, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Nelson to pay $262,450 in restitution to his victims, including the USDA Farm Service Agency, Cyclone Cattle Company and individual victims. The government may enforce restitution and the recovery of government property under lien at any time. Nelson must report to the Bureau of Prisons on Nov. 21, 2016, to begin serving his sentence.
On Nov. 30, 2015, Nelson pleaded guilty to a fraud scheme using property mortgaged or pledged to farm credit agencies. Nelson engaged in a three-part fraud scheme that caused a combined loss of $262,450.
Loan Fraud: $138,452
Nelson admitted that he engaged in a scheme to sell at least 114 mortgaged head of cattle that were pledged to the Farm Service Agency (FSA), without notifying FSA of the sales, from April 1, 2013, through June 2014. He did not instruct purchasers to address proceeds checks to the FSA as well as to him, and he did not remit the bulk of the sale proceeds to FSA, as was required by the terms of his loans. Instead, Nelson admitted that he kept the funds for his personal use.
Nelson received two livestock operating loans in April 2013 totaling $158,000 for the limited purpose of buying and raising cattle. In violation of the express terms of his loans, and with fraudulent intent, Nelson conducted livestock sales from April 2013 to July 2014 under the name “Joey Nelson” to avoid detection. He conducted other sales in the name of a friend to further conceal his involvement. His friend then transferred the proceeds to Nelson.
Nelson ceased making repayments on his FSA loans as of Jan. 12, 2015. His outstanding principal balance is $138,452, plus applicable interest and penalties. Nelson filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on June 25, 2015.
Livestock Sales: $124,000
Nelson also schemed to remove identification from cattle that was owned by others but placed in his care to graze. Nelson removed identification tags from 646 head of cattle that belonged to others, and commingled these cattle with his own and with those owned by his neighbor and landlord, in order to sell livestock undetected. He sold those cattle for his own benefit, for a total loss to three victims of $124,000.
This case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Gregg R. Coonrod. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene, Polk, Christian, Jasper, Laclede and Webster counties.
Jeffrey M. Gardner, 34, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On April 14, 2016, Gardner pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gardner admitted that he sold 44 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential law enforcement source for $1,100 on Dec. 20, 2013. Gardner also admitted that he sold 57 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential source for $2,350 on Jan. 9, 2014.
Beginning in 2012, the Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted by other agencies, began investigating a large-scale methamphetamine distribution network in southwest Missouri involving several sources of supply both inside and outside of the state. Co-defendant Kenna Harmon, 37, of Republic, Mo., has pleaded guilty to being the leader of the drug-trafficking conspiracy along with her husband, Daniel Harmon. Daniel Harmon was indicted in the Eastern District of Missouri and pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In total, the Harmon drug-trafficking organization was responsible for the distribution of over 45 kilograms of methamphetamine from June 1, 2013, through Nov. 29, 2014. The Harmons obtained pound amounts of methamphetamine from sources in Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo., and in Oklahoma for distribution in the Springfield, Mo., area.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randall D. Eggert, Nhan D. Nguyen and Cynthia J. Hyde. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Springfield Man Indicted for Heroin, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for distributing heroin and illegally possessing a firearm.
Michael Sutton, 33, of Springfield, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Today’s indictment alleges that Sutton distributed heroin on April 19, 2016, and again on May 26, 2016.
Sutton is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Sutton was in possession of a Colt Night Defender .45-caliber handgun on Aug. 19, 2016. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
Dickinson cautioned that 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody Larison. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Springfield Man Indicted for Child PornRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Michael V. Lucas, 31, of Springfield, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Lucas on Sept. 21, 2016. Lucas remains in federal custody without bond.
The federal indictment alleges that Lucas received and distributed child pornography from Jan. 1, 2016, to Sept. 22, 2016.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a federal law enforcement agent in Phoenix, Ariz., encountered a person later identified as Lucas among the participants who were live streaming images and videos of child pornography over the Internet on Sept. 15, 2016. During the live streaming session, the affidavit says, Lucas claimed to have molested two 13- and 16-year-old victims and said he would attempt to broadcast a future sexual encounter with the victims.
Lucas was partially visible in a reflection during the live stream, the affidavit says. The federal agent engaged in two additional live streaming sessions that day in which Lucas allegedly participated and continued to share images and videos of child pornography.
On Sept. 19, 2016, according to the affidavit, Lucas was identified by the agent posting messages in a known pedophile group. These messages described the number of videos he possessed as well as advertising his new Skype group. Lucas was live streaming videos of child pornography, the affidavit says, and his reflection could be seen. Lucas also shared two links to a Dropbox account that contained images of child pornography, the affidavit says, and claimed that he was in possession of more than 1,000 videos of child pornography.
On Sept. 20, 2016, Lucas allegedly was live streaming and moved the position of the camera to show his face. Lucas allegedly also displayed a handgun and loaded magazine for the weapon during the course of the stream.
A federal law enforcement agent in Springfield executed a search warrant at Lucas’s residence on Sept. 22, 2016, and Lucas was arrested.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictments is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Lee's Summit Woman Sentenced for Oxycodone ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lee’s Summit, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy that used hundreds of fraudulent prescriptions to obtain tens of thousands of oxycodone pills.
Amy M. Alley, 31, of Lee’s Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to seven years in federal prison without parole.
On May 18, 2016, Alley pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone that began in January 2010 and lasted until she was indicted on July 28, 2015.
According to court documents, Alley was involved in a large scale, wide ranging drug conspiracy to obtain oxycodone by way of fraud, then use or sell those fraudulently-obtained pills to further support their drug habits. Conspirators used stolen prescription pads, stolen identifications and fraudulently created prescriptions to obtain the oxycodone from area pharmacies. A number of fraud “script” ledgers were recovered in this case that showed Alley and her co-conspirators had fraudulently passed and attempted to pass hundreds of fraud prescriptions and obtained approximately 30,155 pills before their arrests.
Alley’s twin sister and co-defendant Amanda F. Alley, 31, of Lee’s Summit, pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy on June 3, 2016, and awaits sentencing. Co-defendant Heather J. Martinez, 28, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Springfield Man Indicted for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today as an armed career criminal who illegally possessed firearms and ammunition.
Christopher M. Behn, 39, of Springfield, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Today’s indictment alleges that Behn was in possession of a Harrington & Richardson pump model .12-gauge shotgun, a New England Firearms .410-gauge shotgun, a Mossberg .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle, a Springfield Armory .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Taurus .38-caliber revolver, a Citadel .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a DSA .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle and ammunition on Nov. 6, 2015.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Due to his prior felony convictions, Behn is charged as an armed career criminal, which upon conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole.
Dickinson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Branson, Springfield Men Indicted for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Branson, Mo., man and a Springfield, Mo., man were indicted by a federal grand jury today in separate and unrelated cases related to the sexual exploitation of minors.
USA v. Adams
Samuel Lynn Adams, 28, of Branson, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Adams on Sept. 1, 2016, which charged him with the same offense.
The federal indictment alleges that Adams received and distributed child pornography from Jan. 1 through July 21, 2016.
According to an affidavit filed in support or the original criminal complaint, law enforcement officials received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on March 4, 2016, regarding a video file of suspected child pornography posted on Adams’s Gmail account.
On July 21, 2016, Branson police officers were contacted by Motel 9, an extended stay motel where Adams had been residing. According to the owner of the motel, a housekeeper found an SD memory card that contained suspected child pornography while cleaning the room vacated by Adams earlier that day.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Branson, Mo., Police Department.
USA v. Dunn
Mark Damon Dunn, 30, of Springfield, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.
Today’s indictment alleges that Dunn used the Internet and a cell phone to attempt to persuade, induce and entice a minor victim (less than 17 years of age) to engage in illicit sexual activity from June 1, 2016, to July 13, 2016.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Independence Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to using a telephone in the commission of a murder-for-hire scheme.
Teresa Owen, 62, of Independence, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to the charge contained in a July 7, 2015, federal indictment. Owen has been in federal custody without bail since her arrest on June 18, 2015.
By pleading guilty today, Owen admitted that she had contact with two separate individuals via telephone and offered them money to kill a person identified in court documents as “B.H.” Owen spoke with an acquaintance and later with an undercover police officer to discuss (or arrange to meet to discuss) the murder of B.H.
Owen also admitted that she met with an undercover officer in Independence on June 10 and 11, 2015. During the meetings, Owen asked the undercover officer to kill B.H. and agreed to pay the undercover officer $700 for the murder of B.H. Owen used her phone to access Facebook photos of B.H. in order to identify B.H. to the undercover officer. She also provided written identification and location information for B.H., and made a payment of $200 to the undercover officer on June 11, 2015.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Owen will be sentenced to at least three years in federal prison without parole, up to four 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 Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.
Former Joplin Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former Joplin, Mo., police officer has pleaded guilty in federal court to violating the civil rights of a woman he arrested by attempting to get her case dismissed in exchange for a sexual relationship.
Brian Rogers, 30, of Joplin, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, to the deprivation of rights under color of law.
According to his plea agreement, Rogers – who was a Joplin police officer at the time – arrested a woman identified in court documents as Jane Doe for driving under the influence in October 2015. She was subsequently charged with DUI by the Joplin Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Rogers admitted that he communicated with Jane Doe via texts and Facebook Messenger in December 2015 and offered to get the charge dismissed. Rogers said he would like to see Jane Doe’s body and asked her to send him pictures, which she refused to do. Rogers asked Jane Doe what she was offering and said he wanted her to “show me one hell of a time!” Rogers also asked her to come by his office, which she also refused to do.
On Dec. 28, 2015, Rogers approached city prosecutor Becky Seidl and suggested she dismiss the case. Rogers stated that he had experienced a maintenance issue with the breathalyzer that he had used to take the sample from Jane Doe. Rogers told Seidl they would have a hard time of making the case stick and he was inclined to give Jane Doe the benefit of the doubt.
Seidl told Rogers she agreed and the case would need to be dismissed. After speaking with Rogers, Seidl spoke to police officials, who contacted the FBI. When federal agents interviewed Jane Doe, she agreed to place a recorded phone call to Rogers. During the call Rogers stated he had spoken with the city prosecutor and he believed the charges would be dropped. Rogers also stated he would check up on the status of the case the following day.
On Jan. 25, 2016, federal agents interviewed Rogers. Rogers admitted that he had hoped his actions in helping to dismiss Jane Doe’s case would lead to him and Jane Doe developing a friendship and then a sexual relationship. Rogers had hoped that after getting the charges dropped Jane Doe would meet with him.
Under federal statutes, Rogers is subject to a sentence of up to one year in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.