Western District of Missouri
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
KC Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm in IndependenceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who stole a firearm from a vehicle earlier this month has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Irvin M. Swim, 35, was charged today in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Swim on July 7, 2025.
The federal indictment charges Swim with being a felon in possession of a firearm on July 5, 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, a male citizen reported that a male entered the citizen’s vehicle, which was located on the east side of 400 West Southside Boulevard of South Spring Street and stole a 9mm handgun. A female citizen traveling with the male who reported the stealing stated that she observed the suspect in the vehicle and the suspect pointed a gun at her.
Independence, Mo. Police Department officers later observed Swim, who matched the description of the suspect, opening the rear driver door of a vehicle in a gas station parking lot. Officers attempted to contact Swim and Swim fled the officers on foot. Officers pursued Swim and observed him holding a firearm in his right hand. Officers eventually arrested Swim.
Officers recovered a Taurus, Model PT111 Millenium G2, 9mm pistol that Swim threw in a grassy area near 1114 South Fuller Street. The firearm contained 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
The male citizen identified the Taurus as belonging to him.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Swim has four prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, two prior felony convictions for theft of property, and prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and burglary.
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 Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
KC Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm after Detective Witnessed ShootingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who shot a firearm at another man earlier this month has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Clifford E. Porter, 39, was charged today in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Porter on July 2, 2025.
The federal indictment charges Porter with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing methamphetamine on July 1, 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, a detective observed a male riding a bicycle in the roadway on Spruce Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. The detective observed the male arguing with a group of approximately five people. Porter was included in the group of people arguing with the male. The male rode away on his bicycle. The detective observed Porter run after the male, remove a firearm from his waistband, and fire a single round in the direction of the male on the bicycle.
The detective immediately notified uniformed officers of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department, who contacted Porter within seconds of the shooting. Porter refused verbal commands by the officers to raise his hands in the air and lie on the ground. Officers eventually arrested Porter and searched him incident to arrest.
Porter had a small bag containing approximately 2.73 grams of methamphetamine in his pocket. Officers located a Hi-Point, Model C9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol on the sidewalk, just to the south of where Porter was arrested. The firearm was loaded with a live round of ammunition in the chamber and additional live ammunition in the magazine.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Porter has two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and prior felony convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, burglary in the first degree, and robbery in the second degree.
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 Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Blue Springs Man Charged with Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Blue Springs, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, for illegally possessing ammunition.
William Anthony Chaney, 38, was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition after previously being convicted in federal court in the Western District of Missouri for conspiracy to distribute PCP and conspiracy to commit money laundering in 2016. The indictment specifically alleges that, on or about May 24, 2025, Chaney illegally possessed ammunition that had previously travelled in interstate commerce, knowing that he was a prior felon. Chaney was on federal supervised release for his prior conviction at the time he was discovered in possession of the ammunition.
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 Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the Blue Springs Missouri Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Independence Attorney Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., attorney has been sentenced to federal prison for evading payment of $794,540 in income taxes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray today.
John C. Carnes, 70, pleaded guilty to tax evasion on Nov. 25, 2024, and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs. Carnes was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $794,540.
According to court documents, Carnes admitted that he willfully attempted to evade paying his personal income taxes for tax years 2012 through 2018. Carnes kept his income in his attorney trust accounts, then withdrew cash from his attorney trust accounts to pay for personal and business expenses. An attorney trust account is a bank account in which a lawyer has a fiduciary duty to hold property of clients or third persons, including prospective clients. It is for funds that are in a lawyer’s possession in connection with representation, separate from the lawyer’s own property.
Carnes had two trust fund accounts. He withdrew $444,527 in cash from one account from 2016 through 2019, and he withdrew $144,364 from the second account from 2013 through 2015. Carnes used the cash to gamble and pay personal expenses.
Carnes deposited $232,000 in fees received for services provided in the sale of the former Rockwood Golf Course property in November 2017 and the Missouri City Power Plant project, and other income, into his attorney trust accounts.
The total tax loss to the IRS for tax years 2012 through 2018, because of Carnes’s tax evasion, totaled $618,949. In addition, relevant conduct consists of unpaid federal income tax for the tax years 1990-1993, 1996-2003, and 2005, totaling $175,590. The total relevant conduct is $238,513, resulting in a total tax loss of $794,540.
From 2009 to 2020, the IRS continuously engaged in various forms of investigative and enforcement activity regarding Carnes’s outstanding tax liabilities.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV and Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for fentanyl trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.
Lawrence A. Andrews, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On March 4, 2025, Andrews pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Andrews admitted he possessed fentanyl pills weighing a total of approximately 19 grams with the intent to distribute and a SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9mm pistol on Aug. 8, 2023.
On Aug. 8, 2023, officers with the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Andrews. Andrews was arrested on a failure to appear warrant. Officers searched Andrews’ vehicle and located the firearm and fentanyl, along with approximately 10 grams of PCP, 22 grams of cocaine in the base form, 3 grams of cocaine in the salt form, and 3 grams of methamphetamine.
Andrews has prior felony convictions, including two convictions for stealing, eight convictions for possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in drugs in the second degree, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Returning to United States after RemovalRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed.
Florencio Aburto-Feliciano, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of unlawfully returning to the United States after removal.
On May 8, 2025, Aburto-Feliciano was arrested on warrants for outstanding traffic violations by Greenwood, Missouri, Police Officers. On May 10, 2025, he was taken into custody by immigration officers at the Jackson County, Missouri detention center.
Aburto-Feliciano faces up to two years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Chief U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips will impose sentencing on November 13, 2025.
He has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Kansas Man Sentenced to 300 months for Enticement of a Minor and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Leavenworth, Kansas man was sentenced in federal court today for enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and production child pornography, involving a 15-year-old minor victim.
Antoine Askari Richardson, 27, was sentenced to 300 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge D. Gregory Kays for one count of use of interstate facility to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of production of child pornography.
Richardson, a former graduate student and employee of a private University, in Leavenworth, Kansas, previously pled guilty to enticement of a minor and production of child pornography on February 27, 2025. According to the written plea agreement, Richardson met the minor victim on a social media application. Richardson communicated online with the minor victim and travelled to Grain Valley, Missouri to engage in sexual acts with the minor victim four times between November 2022 and January 2023. Richardson recorded the sexual acts with his cellular phone and sent the videos to the minor victim. Richardson admitted to also communicating with a second minor on a social media application and engaging in sexually explicit conversations with the second minor. Richardson admitted to travelling across state lines in attempt to meet the second minor but was unsuccessful in contacting the second minor.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Grain Valley, Missouri Police Department, Leavenworth, Kansas Police Department, and the Jackson County, Missouri Prosecutor’s Office.
Richardson will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
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."
Strafford Woman Sentenced for Embezzling $295,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Strafford, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for using a company credit card for over $295,000 of fraudulent charges.
Kayellen Faye Inskip, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 36 months in federal prison without parole and 3 additional years of supervised release. At sentencing the court found that Inskip’s crimes resulted in a loss of $295,771.91 and issued an order of restitution in the same amount.
On Oct. 10, 2024, Inskip pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud. According to court documents, Inskip admitted to using the credit card issued by her employer, Mears Floral, to make unauthorized personal purchases. The criminal offense pled guilty to by the defendant involved the unlawful use of a credit card between August 31, 2021, through August 25, 2022. However, Inskip was sentenced under facts that were presented to the Court in which her true scope of her embezzlement occurred beginning in 2014 and continuing into 2022, only stopping after her fraud was discovered by company officials.
Inskip used the company card to pay for travel including airplane tickets, vacations that included cruises with Carnival Cruise Line, and vacations to Disney World, as well as entertainment, restaurants, clothing, utilities, medical bills, and she even paid college tuition and fees for her own daughter. Inskip used her position as a bookkeeper and Operations Manager with the business to authorize payments for her fraudulent purchases. Inskip would then provide false financial reports to officers in the company that allowed her to both hide her embezzlement from more than 7 years and ultimately steal nearly $300,000.
Mears Floral was a Springfield, Missouri, business that started in 1949, serving retail florists in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. This hometown business was in operation for over 70 years and based on statements made to the Court, Inskip’s massive embezzlement resulted in Mears Floral going out of business, closing its doors, and the firing of its employees. When Mears Floral closed its doors, it had to layoff nearly 33 employees, who had an average of nearly 11 years of employment with Mears Floral, as well as other employees who had worked for over 50 years with this well-known local business. The loss of Mears Floral, at the hands of Inskip, caused an unknown amount of true losses to the company, its employees, and ultimately the local community who benefitted from the operations of this successful business.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the United States Secret Service.
Social Security Administration Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Related BenefitsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri woman was arrested today following an indictment by a federal grand jury charging her with defrauding the United States government by fraudulently obtaining pandemic benefits.
Tiffanie Foster, 48, was charged with two counts of wire fraud for fraudulently receiving pandemic funds in the form of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and unemployment benefits. The indictment alleges that Foster submitted altered tax and bank documents and made fraudulent statements to obtain both the PPP loan and the unemployment benefits. At the time of the fraud, Foster was employed full-time as a customer service representative with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee identified a list of SSA employees whose personal identifying information had been used to apply for loans or benefits. Foster was identified on that list as obtaining several pandemic assistance loans and unemployment benefits. In July of 2020, Foster applied for unemployment benefits through the state of Michigan even though she was a resident of Missouri and fully employed by SSA. In total, she received over $30,000 in unemployment benefits during 2020 and 2021. In early 2021, Foster applied for a PPP loan for her business. As part of her application, she also provided an altered tax form 1040 Schedule C and an altered bank statement for her business showing an inflated balance amount. This $20,833 loan was ultimately forgiven by the Small Business Administration.
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.
Under federal statutes, if convicted, Foster is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole and three years of supervised release on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson. It was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Returning to United States After Removal and a Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Fraudulent Permanent Resident CardRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed.
Andres G. Angel-Martinez, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of unlawfully returning to the United States after removal.
On April 15, 2025, he was taken into custody for an immigration law violation at the Cass County, Missouri Jail.
Martinez-Jimenez faces up to two years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Greg Kays will impose sentencing on a date to be determined.
He has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing.
In a second, unrelated case, a Guatemalan national has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a fraudulent Permanent Resident card.
According to court documents, Victor Hugo Vasquez-Perez was found in Independence, Missouri on March 15, 2025, after an encounter at his residence. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement law enforcement officers arrested Vasquez-Perez for possession of a United States of America Permanent Resident card and a Social Security card both featuring Vasquez-Perez’s photograph but bearing a false name.
Vasquez-Perez faces up to 10 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Greg Kays will impose sentencing on a date to be determined.
He has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. They were both was investigated by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
KC Man Sentenced to 210 months for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for engaging in illicit sex to produce child pornography with a 13-year-old minor victim.
Talib Bwana Muhammad, 27, was sentenced to 210 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge D. Gregory Kays for one count of producing child pornography.
Muhammad previously pled guilty to the count of producing child pornography on Jan. 3, 2025. According to the written plea agreement, Muhammad produced child pornography with the minor victim in June 2023, after meeting the child victim on a social media application. Muhammad communicated online with the minor victim and purchased an airline ticket for the child to fly from Texas to Kansas City, Missouri to meet and engage in sexual activity. However, when the minor victim was unable to leave home, Muhammad drove to Texas from Missouri to pick them up.
Law enforcement officials were notified when the child victim was missing, and an Amber Alert was issued. Investigators traced her to Muhammad’s residence in the Western District of Missouri.
Muhammad engaged in sexual contact with the minor victim, and video recorded and photographed the sexual activity with a cell phone.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Hitchcock, Texas, Police Department, and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.
Muhammad will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien Previously Removed.
Jorge Alejandro Esparza-Lopez, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to twelve months in federal prison without parole followed by one year of supervised release.
On Feb. 26, 2025, Esparza-Lopez pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after previously being removed. Esparza-Lopez admitted he knew he did not have permission to enter or remain in the United States lawfully.
Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to knowingly re-enter the United States without permission after being removed. Esparza-Lopez had previously been removed from the country on five separate occasions in 2007, 2013, twice in 2016, and 2022. He unlawfully returned sometime after his 2022 removal and was found in the Western District of Missouri after being arrested in October of 2024 by the Independence, Missouri Police Department for domestic assault, stealing, and interfering with police. He was subsequently charged in Independence, Missouri for those acts and the charges remain pending.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Hanson. It was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline)
Two Indicted for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man and woman who sold drugs to an undercover agent have been indicted by a federal grand jury. The man was also indicted on firearm charges.
Marcellus W. Anderson, 31, and Tyra K. M. McGee, 37, were charged today in a 14-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Anderson and McGee on June 12, 2025.
The federal indictment charges Anderson and McGee with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue between December 1, 2023, and June 11, 2025. They are also charged together in one count of distributing fentanyl and one count of distributing a fentanyl analogue.
Additionally, Anderson is charged with three counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, Anderson sold cocaine to an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on three occasions, methamphetamine on one occasion, fentanyl on six occasions, and a fentanyl analogue on one occasion. McGee participated in one of the fentanyl transactions and the fentanyl analogue transaction. Additionally, Anderson had a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber pistol in his lap during one of the transactions, which he commented was for protection. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Anderson has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen firearms.
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 Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; and the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline)
KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine, and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and for knowingly being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Travis N. Black, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Bough to 96 months for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and for knowingly being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to an additional 24 months for violating his conditions of federal supervision for a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Court ordered the sentences to run consecutively for a total sentence of 120 months in federal prison without parole. The Court also sentenced Black to three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
On Feb. 13, 2025, Black waived indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of knowingly being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Nov. 7, 2023, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers observed a Ford Expedition that had been previously reported as stolen on Oct. 13, 2023. Black was in the driver’s seat with a female passenger. While officers were trying to confirm that the vehicle was stolen, in an apparent effort to evade the officers, Black crashed the Ford Expedition into some trees near 5519 North Cypress Avenue, Kansas City, Clay County, Missouri.
When officers arrived at the scene of the crash, Black and the female were no longer present. A citizen contacted law enforcement officials and reported that two unknown individuals were in his yard and he provided the address. Officers went to the reported location and observed a male, later identified as Black, and a female run to a vehicle that was later identified as an Uber ride. Officers arrested Black and the female. While conducting an inventory search of the wrecked Ford Expedition, officers discovered a storage box on the front driver’s seat that contained approximately 70 grams of methamphetamine and a Taurus, Model 85, .38 Special caliber, revolver that was loaded with two rounds of ammunition. The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department Crime Laboratory later analyzed genetic material taken from a swab of the trigger of the firearm and compared it to a known DNA sample taken from Black. The comparative analysis tended to show that Black’s DNA was on the recovered firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Jose Amparan, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 20, 2024, Amparan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Amparan was a source of supply of fentanyl pills for co-defendant Tiger Draggoo. Based upon text messages from seized cell phones and Cash App records, it was determined that Tiger Draggoo purchased at least 22,364 pills from co-defendants, including Amparan. Tiger Draggoo paid $34,363 through Cash App and an unknown amount via cash. Of this amount, Amparan sold at least 3,000 pills to Tiger Draggoo over 15 separate transactions, between approximately Dec. 10, 2022, through approximately Jan. 14, 2023. Amparan was paid approximately $4,835 through Cash App and an additional amount via cash for these transactions. Amparan and Tiger Draggoo conspired to conceal and disguise the nature of the transfer of funds through Cash App by referring to the payments being for items such as “groceries,” “reimbursement,” and “car work.”
On Jan. 10, 2023, a confidential informant purchased 500 counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl for $1,750 from Amparan and another.
Amparan and his co-defendants have all pleaded guilty in this case, with only, Tiger Draggoo, left to be sentenced at a later date.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Conspiracy to Traffic FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for using a straw purchaser to illegally acquire firearms.
DeSean L. Franklin, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 78 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On Nov. 25, 2024, Franklin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms. Franklin admitted to conspiring to receive a firearm from another, knowing that he was prohibited from possessing one.
Franklin is one of three defendants in this case who have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and is the third to be sentenced. Joseph M. Johnson pleaded guilty on May 20, 2024, and was sentenced to 5 years of probation. Raimaiya L. Tyson pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024, and was sentenced to 19 months.
Johnson admitted to purchasing a firearm that he then transferred to another person, Franklin, who was prohibited from possessing firearms. Franklin was a close associate of an area gang known as “ODB,” who have been linked to a number of violent and firearm offenses. Many of the members of ODB are unable to purchase firearms due to their youth, history of drug use, or other prohibited status and use straw purchasers to obtain them.
Investigators with the ATF observed Tyson and Franklin at a gun show in Greene County, Mo., on Aug. 12, 2023. Franklin was prohibited from purchasing firearms because of pending felony criminal charges out of Caddo County, Ok. for unlawful possession of a controlled drug, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony. Tyson attempted to purchase a Draco pistol but was denied due to pending felony criminal charges out of Henry County, Mo. Later that morning, Tyson and Franklin returned to the gun show with Johnson and Johnson purchased a Micro Draco 7.62 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
On Aug. 31, 2023, deputies with the Greene County Sherriff’s Office searched Desean Franklin’s vehicle during a traffic stop and found the loaded Draco pistol which was then equipped with a high-capacity magazine, and three other firearms. Franklin admitted that the Draco pistol belonged to him, and claimed he had purchased it at a gun show.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Leader of PPP Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 51 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her leadership role in two cases that resulted in more than $900,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Renetta Golden-Larimore, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 51 months imprisonment based upon her guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, contained in two separate federal indictments.
The CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments.
Golden-Larimore admitted that from February 2021 to May 2022 she conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent applications for PPP loans. The scheme caused over $900,000 in fraudulent PPP loans to be issued to ineligible borrowers, some of which were forgiven even though the funds were not used for the purposes specified in the PPP.
Golden-Larimore admitted she prepared and filed fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of other persons. Generally, she charged fees between $2,000 and $7,000 for her assistance in filing false and fraudulent PPP loans, earning a total of at least $75,833 from the scheme. Golden-Larimore created counterfeit IRS forms for nonexistent businesses and with inflated income for existing businesses in order to qualify the borrower for a PPP loan.
Golden-Larimore prepared approximately 43 false PPP loan applications that were funded and numerous other false applications that were rejected. The total loss to the Small Business Administration was $908,278.
Twenty-one other persons have been charged and convicted in the Golden-Larimore fraud scheme in these two cases and five additional cases.
Golden-Larimore was ordered to forfeit to the government at least $75,833, which represents the proceeds she personally obtained from the scheme and pay $908,278 in restitution to the Small Business Administration, representing the total fraud loss associated with the wire fraud scheme.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
KC Man Pleads Guilty for Computer HackingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has pleaded guilty for hacking into the computer system at an area nonprofit.
Nicholas Michael Kloster, 32, admitted during his plea that he caused reckless damage to a protected computer owned by an area nonprofit during unauthorized access. Kloster admitted that he entered the premises of a nonprofit corporation on May 20, 2024. Kloster entered an area that is not available to the public and accessed a computer with access to the company’s network.
Kloster specifically admitted that he utilized a boot disk to access the computer through multiple user accounts. By accessing the computer in this manner, Kloster was able to circumvent the password requirements by changing the password assigned to one or more users. Kloster was then able to install a virtual private network on this computer. Since Kloster’s intrusion into its computer and its network, the company has sustained significant losses in an attempt to remediate the effects from this intrusion.
Under federal statutes, Kloster is subject to a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment in federal prison without parole, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and an order of restitution. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Heberle and Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
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Texas Man Sentenced to 48 Months for Stealing from ATMsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Houston, Tx., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in bank burglary and bank theft conspiracies involving the theft of United States currency from an automated teller machine (ATM) in Ozark, Mo.
Nigel Dwayne Luchin, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 48 months in federal prison without parole. He was also ordered to pay $175,700 in restitution to the bank in Ozark, Mo., a bank in Seekonk, Ma., and a bank in LaVale, Md.
Luchin was charged on Aug. 28, 2024, in a six-count superseding indictment, along with two other Texas men. The federal indictment alleges that Luchin, and his co-conspirators participated in a conspiracy to commit bank burglary and a conspiracy to commit bank theft from Oct. 3 to Nov. 8, 2023.
On Nov. 7, 2024, Luchin pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit bank burglary, bank burglary, conspiracy to commit bank theft, and bank theft.
Luchin admitted during his plea that early in the morning on Oct. 30, 2023, he and his co-conspirators used a stolen white Ford F-250 to destroy an ATM. The conspirators used a tow chain and two large hooks to dismantle the door to the ATM by pulling the chain and hooks with the stolen pickup truck. They stole $30,700 from the ATM, left the bank, and abandoned the pickup nearby.
Investigators reviewed surveillance videos from businesses in the area where the Ford F-250 was stolen. The videos allegedly showed conspirators arriving at the area in two vehicles – a Chrysler Voyager minivan and a Toyota Highlander – and leaving the area with the stolen pickup. Both the Voyager and the Highlander were identified on a license plate reader and traced to two car rental agencies in Houston. Later the same day, a license plate reader in Houston captured both of those vehicles traveling in the same direction.
Ozark police officers searched the stolen pickup truck and found Luchin’s Texas identification card on the driver’s seat.
Using Luchin’s phone data, the FBI was able to determine that Luchin was present when the truck was stolen, and at the ATM burglary. Using that same phone data, the FBI connected Luchin to an ATM burglary in Seekonk, Ma. that occurred on Oct. 28, 2023, and an attempted ATM burglary in LaVale, Md. that occurred on Oct. 29, 2023.
Luchin is the first of two defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case to be sentenced. One of his co-defendants, Christopher Merchant, pleaded guilty on March 11, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Republic Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms and Threats Against Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Republic, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 18, 2025, for illegally possessing firearms and threats against law enforcement. The indictment was unsealed and made public today following his arrest and initial court appearance.
Franklin E. Brownlee, 40, was charged with attempted destruction of an aircraft, being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of firearms, and transmitting a threat to injure law enforcement across state lines. The indictment specifically alleges that, on March 27, 2025, Brownlee attempted to destroy an unmanned aerial system operated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, illegally possessed a Glock pistol and a Remington shotgun knowing that he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and knowingly & willfully transmitted a threat to injure law enforcement in interstate and foreign commerce.
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 Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexico, Missouri Man Sentenced to 160 months for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Mexico, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Jordan Shelton, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 160 months in federal prison without parole for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The Court also sentenced Shelton to four years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Jan. 21, 2025, Shelton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
On Aug. 10, 2022, members of the Columbia Police Department and Mexico Police Department served a search warrant at Shelton’s residence in Mexico, Mo., after he was identified as a supplier of fentanyl capsules. During the search, 47 capsules containing fentanyl were recovered, as well as fentanyl powder.
This case was prosecuted by AUSA, Jim Lynn. It was investigated by Columbia Police Department, Mexico Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 127 Months for Trafficking in Fentanyl, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
James Edward Hughes, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 67 months for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Court ordered the sentences to run consecutively for a total sentence of 127 months in federal prison without parole. The Court also sentenced Hughes to four years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Feb. 25, 2025, Hughes pleaded guilty to one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and one count of knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense.
On Sep. 21, 2023, Columbia Police Department officers pulled over a silver Mazda SUV, that had no front license plates. The driver of the vehicle, Hughes was asked to step out of the vehicle, and during a pat down of Hughes, a bag of pills was discovered on his person. Hughes was found to possess 815 pills, which contained fentanyl. During the pat down of Hughes, an officer observed the butt of handgun sticking out from under the driver’s seat. The firearm, a Glock 36, .45 caliber handgun was recovered.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
El Salvadoran Man Convicted of Fentanyl Trafficking, Firearms Offenses, and Illegal EntryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An El Salvadoran national has been found guilty in federal court of trafficking fentanyl, illegally possessing firearms, and unlawful entry to the United States.
Jose Navarrete-Hernandez, 42, was found guilty of one count each of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and illegal entry into the United States. United States District Judge M. Douglas Harpool issued a verdict Monday, June 23, 2025, following a one-day bench trial on May 12, 2025.
On May 11, 2023, officers with the Carthage, Mo., Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a gray Ford F-250 with an expired Texas license plate driven by Navarrete-Hernandez. After confirming that Navarrete-Hernandez did not have a valid driver’s license, the officers searched Navarrete-Hernandez and the F-250.
Officers found in the truck a black backpack containing two drug scales, two glass pipes with white powdery residue, approximately 145 fentanyl pills, a Heritage Rough Rider revolver, ammunition, and a forged social security card. Officers also found a Raven P-25 pistol with an obliterated serial number in the truck. At the time, Navarrete-Hernandez was not a citizen or national of the United States and had entered the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry.
Under federal statutes, Navarrete-Hernandez is subject to a sentence of up to Life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; and the Carthage, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Newton County Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for illegally possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction.
Jason A. Duncan, 40, was charged with three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. The indictment, which replaces a complaint filed on June 3, 2025, alleges that Duncan possessed a Palmetto State Armory rifle and a Taurus pistol on Aug. 19, 2024, a Hi-Point pistol on Oct. 3, 2024, and Glock pistol on Jan. 23, 2025. Duncan has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
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 Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Joplin, Seneca, and Springfield, Mo., Police Departments.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
13 Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine as well as Illegal Possession of Machine GunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ten Mexican nationals, one Guatemalan national, and two United States citizens have been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine as well as numerous counts of distribution of those controlled substances, illegal possession of machine guns, alien in possession of firearms, felon in possession of firearms, and illegal reentry of removed aliens.
The investigation began in January of 2024 and continued through June of 2025, during which time investigators seized approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 11 firearms, three of which had been equipped with machine gun conversion devices and functioned as fully automatic weapons.
A law enforcement operation conducted on June 18, 2025, resulted in nine arrests. Three defendants were already in custody, and one defendant remains at large. More than a dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation which also resulted in the seizure of nine additional firearms.
Uriel Lopez-Farias, 31, a Mexican national; Jesus Adrian Meza-Meza, 42, a Mexican national; Walter Fernandez, 34, of Kansas City, Mo.; Carlos R. Lepe-Virgen, 52, a Mexico national; Pedro Ivan Roldan-Minjares, 44, a Mexican national; Joel Armando Guillen-Rodriguez, 31, a Mexican national; Jose Rodriguez-Vasquez, 44, a Mexican national; Jose Aroldo Troches-Reyes, 33, a Guatemalan national; Adalberto Meza-Meza, 37, a Mexican national; Maximiliano Oliva-Verdin, 30, a Mexican national; Osvaldo Chiapas-Aguilar, 38, a Mexican national; Jesus Alvarez-Giron, 23, a Mexican national; and Kenneth Baez, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a forty-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 11, 2025. The federal indictment was unsealed and made public today following the initial appearances of those in custody.
Lopez-Farias is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, distribution and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
J. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Fernandez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Lepe-Virgen is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Roldan-Minjares is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Guillen-Rodriguez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Rodriguez-Vasquez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Troches-Reyes is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
A. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Oliva-Verdin is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Chiapas-Aguilar is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Alvarez-Giron is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Baez is charged with illegal possession of a machine gun and felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole for this charge.
The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 Megan A. Baker and Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Jackson County Drug Task Force in conjunction with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Wednesday’s law enforcement operation included the FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service, Jackson County (MO) Drug Task Force, Johnson County (KS) Drug Task Force, Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Kansas City Kansas Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Lee’s Summit Police Department, Sugar Creek Police Department, Wyandotte County (KS) Sheriff’s Department, St. Joseph (MO) Police Department, Buchanan County (MO) Drug Strike Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas.
The investigation and arrest operation were part of the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) which is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A St. Louis, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for illegally possessing firearms, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
Melvin Navarro Morgan, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven R. Bough to 210 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
On Dec. 19, 2024, following a one-day bench trial on Oct. 28, 2024, Morgan was found guilty of one count each of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
When Springfield, Mo., Police Department (SPD) officers contacted Morgan on Jan. 5, 2023, he fled on foot. During the foot chase, Morgan threw two baggies containing a total of 24.35 grams of fentanyl. When officers searched Morgan, they found methamphetamine, cocaine, and over $2,000 in cash.
On April 17, 2023, officers with SPD executed a search warrant at Morgan’s residence. Officers seized approximately 117.35 grams of fentanyl, 50.75 grams of cocaine, and 416.87 grams of methamphetamine. During the search, officers found six guns, including an AR-pistol with no serial number or markings (also known as a “ghost gun”), and a pistol with an extended magazine. Officers also seized over $8,200 in cash. At trial, an FBI Special Agent testified that the approximate value of the seized drugs was $43,662.
Morgan fled from officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD), when they attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Oct. 9, 2023. When SLMPD apprehended Morgan, he was in possession of 98 pills containing heroin and fentanyl; powders containing cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and tramadol; and off-white chunks containing cocaine base.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Lucas. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Ozark Timeshare Salesman Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Evade TaxationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of attempting to evade or defeat taxation.
Ryan J. McMillin, 52, admitted during his plea that he did not report income he received while employed as a timeshare salesman with four different companies from 2018 to 2023. Because McMillin claimed exempt status on his W-4s his employers did not withhold taxes from McMillin’s paychecks. McMillin also failed to make an income tax return or pay income taxes to the IRS for those six calendar years. McMillin owes the IRS an estimated $581,981 in unpaid taxes.
Under federal statutes, McMillin is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigations.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court today for illegal possession of firearms.
Jose Montero-Barradas, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of Alien in Possession of Firearms.
According to court documents, Montero-Barradas knew he was present in the United States illegally and unlawfully, when he knowingly possessed two firearms on March 23, 2025. Specifically, on the evening of March 23, 2025, members of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were dispatched to a residential area in Kansas City following a report of shots fired. Officers arriving on the scene observed Montero-Barradas walking into a residence with two firearms, which were later recovered.
Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Montero-Barradas faces up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Ks., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Christopher R.P. Beaman, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs to five years for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Court ordered the sentences to run consecutively for a total sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole. The Court also sentenced Beaman to three years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Nov. 26, 2024, Beaman pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense.
On July 1, 2023, Independence, Missouri Police Department officers pulled over a black Mazda truck with expired plates and missing door handles. The driver of the vehicle was later identified as Beaman. During the traffic stop, officers observed two clear glass pipes and a bowl that appeared to be drug paraphernalia. Officers asked Beaman to step out of the car and directed him to the rear of the Mazda truck. One of the officers was about to conduct a probable cause search of the truck when Beaman fled on foot. Officers chased Beaman and were ultimately able to subdue him after utilizing a Taser and forcefully handcuffing him.
When investigators searched the Mazda truck, they discovered a black, Taurus, .45 caliber revolver with an obliterated serial number. They also found approximately 23.3 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Assault Against a Rival Motorcycle Club MemberRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in an assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club.
Jarrid A. Hammer, also known as “Hammer,” 45, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering.
On July 20, 2023, Hammer and two other members of the Pagan’s assaulted a lone rival motorcycle gang member at a bar & grill in North Kansas City, Mo. Hammer told the victim that they were there to shut the victim’s club down, then flipped a table over knocking the victim to the ground. Once on the ground, Hammer and the other two Pagan’s began stomping, kicking and punching the victim. The victim later told law enforcement that those who assaulted them were wearing steel-toed boots. Hammer and the two others fled the bar & grill before any law enforcement arrived. The victim was later transported by ambulance to a local hospital, suffering from a head contusion (bruise on the brain), rib fracture, hemothorax (accumulation of blood in the area between the chest wall and lungs), a left pulmonary contusion (bruising of the lung), pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and a traumatic brain injury.
Under federal statutes, Hammer is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mexican National Sentenced for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm in the Western District of Missouri.
Brayan Ortega-Carmona, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 months in federal custody.
On May 29, 2024, law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle driven by Ortega-Carmona for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, officers found a loaded firearm concealed inside of the vehicle’s center console. It was also determined that Ortega-Carmona was a Mexican national who had been previously removed from the United States.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican National Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mexican man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported.
Gilberto Silvan-Perez, 38, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on May 29, 2025, charges that Silvan-Perez had previously been removed from the United States at least once, on Aug. 14, 2014.
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 Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Honduran National Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported.
Henry Ariel Aparicio-Fajardo, 33, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on May 20, 2025, charges that Aparicio-Fajardo had previously been removed from the United States at least once, on Dec. 22, 2022.
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 Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Honduran National Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported.
Armando Guzman-Roque, 40, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on June 3, 2025, charges that Guzman-Roque had been removed from the United States at least twice previously, on Sept. 17, 2007, and Nov. 14, 2008.
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 Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Guatemalan man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously deported.
Selvin Mejia-Ramos, 32, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. The indictment, which replaces a criminal complaint filed on May 29, 2025, charges that Mejia-Ramos had previously been removed from the United States at least once, on April 15, 2020.
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 Patrick Carney and was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Two Charged with Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two men have been charged for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Ramon Garcia-Parra, 37, a Mexican national, and Abraham Acevedo-Hernandez, 32, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
The complaint alleges that Ramon Garcia-Parra and Abraham Acevedo-Hernandez conspired to distribute methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants delivered approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine during a controlled purchase on June 2, 2025.
Trinidad Garcia-Parra, 40, a Mexican national and relative of Ramon Garcia-Parra, has also been charged in a separate criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, June 5, 2025, with illegal re-entry. Trinidad Garcia-Parra had previously been removed from the United States on two prior occasions.
The charges contained in these complaints are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Two Men Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two men were sentenced in federal court for transporting 8 kilograms of methamphetamine from Dallas, Tx., to the Joplin, Mo., area.
Juan Alvarado-Alvarado, 45, a Mexican national, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 192 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Alvarado-Alvarado pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2024. Alvarado-Alvarado has two prior felony convictions for illegal reentry into the United States after removal.
Jesus Sanchez, 34, Joplin, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 132 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Sanchez pleaded guilty on Nov. 21, 2024.
Alvarado-Alvarado and Sanchez were charged in an indictment returned on June 6, 2022, for possessing, with intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
On May 25, 2022, during a traffic stop, deputies with the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office seized approximately 8 kilograms of methamphetamine from Alvarado-Alvarado and Sanchez. Later that day, during a post-Miranda interview, Sanchez admitted that he and Alvarado-Alvarado had traveled to Dallas, Tx., to purchase the methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine I. Schlegl. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Ozark Drug Enforcement Team, and the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Kansas City Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in federal court on charges related to child sexual exploitation.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed today, Mohammad Maher Chamma, 26, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity in May 2023, one count of transportation of child pornography in May 2024, and one count of distribution of child pornography between June 2024 and January 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers learned of multiple CyberTips reporting that Chamma had used various online aliases to distribute and transport images and videos depicting child pornography, also referred to as child sexual exploitation material. Law enforcement officers also received a report that Chamma had transported a minor female from Kansas to Missouri to engage in illegal sexual activity in May 2023.
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 Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Three Charged with Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Kansas City, Mo. individuals have been charged for their role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Kajuan M. Jackson, 40, Christopher D. Baird, 40, and Skyler B. Sledd, 26, were charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Wed., May 28. The complaint was unsealed and made public following their arrests and initial court appearance.
The complaint alleges that Jackson, Baird, and Sledd sold tablets labeled “M30”, which contain fentanyl, to an undercover investigator between June 1, 2024, and May 22, 2025.
Sledd is currently on state felony supervision through Missouri Probation and Parole for possession of a controlled substance.
Jackson faces additional charges for possessing firearms and machineguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jackson has prior felony convictions for identity theft; possession of an opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant; criminal possession of a weapon by a felon; two counts of possession of a controlled substance; and tampering with a motor vehicle.
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.
Under federal statutes, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years’ imprisonment in federal prison without parole.
Possession of machineguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri Western Interdiction Drug Task Force, and the United States Postal Service.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Kansas City Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Christopher L. Curtner, 41, was charged with bank robbery in a federal criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The complaint affidavit alleges Curtner robbed a financial institution on the morning of May 27, 2025. After speaking briefly with the bank teller, Curtner wrote a note saying: “give me the money this is a robbery.” The teller activated the bank’s duress code and provided Curtner with approximately $1,400 in cash, after which he fled the scene.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) task force positively identified Curtner as the bank robber. Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (KCPD) officers located Curtner, who was on foot in the Kansas City metro area. The KCPD fugitive unit began physical surveillance on Curtner and took him into custody as he entered a second financial institution.
Under federal statutes, bank robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment 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.
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 Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, Kansas City Division and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
Former Member of Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Involvement in Theft of Firearm from Rival Club MemberRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in the armed theft of a firearm from a member of a rival motorcycle club.
Michael R. Browell, also known as “Dirtbag,” 35, of Savannah, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of aiding and abetting in the possession of a stolen firearm.
On April 25, 2023, a member of the Border Saints Motorcycle Gang was chased down and confronted by Pagan’s Saint Joseph Chapter President Jeremiah Z. Hahn, a/k/a “Pass Out,” and former Pagan’s St. Joseph Chapter Sergeant at Arms Michael Browell, in Saint Joseph, Mo. The Border Saints member (“victim”) had previously been requested by Hahn and other Pagan’s members to set up a meeting with the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang over their possible presence in the Saint Joseph area. The Border Saints were a support club for the Outlaws and the victim was deemed responsible by the Pagan’s for arranging the meeting. After the victim said that he had failed to do so, Hahn and Browell told the victim to remove his Outlaws support shirt. The victim refused. Browell then got an axe handle from his motorcycle and threatened the victim with it. As the victim was giving up his support shirt, Hahn took the victim’s firearm from him. The firearm was a Smith & Wesson, model M&P Shield, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Thereafter, Hahn and Browell left with the firearm and support shirt. Hahn was later found in possession of the firearm when arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on May 3, 2023.
On May 20, 2025, Hahn pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the firearm, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.
Under federal statutes, Browell is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Florissant Man Charged with Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Florissant, Mo., man appeared in court today on an indictment alleging that he possessed firearms after a prior felony conviction.
Jerald Cortez Harris, Jr., 27, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms in an indictment returned on May 13, 2025, by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. The indictment, which was unsealed upon Harris’s arrest and appearance in court, alleges that between March 14, 2025, and March 27, 2025, Harris possessed two firearms: a Glock, model 30, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and a Beretta, model APX A1 Compact, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Harris has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
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 Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo. Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Bronx, Ny., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank fraud involving a scheme to obtain fraudulent automobile loans using stolen identities.
Theo D. Cooke, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents, Cooke submitted applications online for automobile loans from local financial institutions. To complete the loan applications, Cooke used the personal information of an identity theft victim, which included the identity theft victim’s name, date of birth, and social security number. Cooke also submitted false and fraudulent supporting documentation with the loan application which consisted of a fake Certificate of Title for the automobile purportedly being purchased, a fake pay stub in the name of the identity theft victim, and a fraudulent Missouri-Proof of Auto Insurance Card in the name of the identity theft victim.
After the loan application was approved, Cooke visited a bank branch location where he signed a security agreement and/or a promissory note in the name of the identity theft victim. Cooke also presented a fraudulent driver’s license with his picture, but the information of the identity theft victim to bank personnel to finalize the loan. Through this scheme, which occurred from approximately January through May 2023, Cooke victimized multiple banks in Missouri and the victim banks paid out at least $199,000 based on Cooke’s fraudulent automobile loans.
Under federal statutes, Cooke is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
KC Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
James Paden, 63, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Tuesday, May 27, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Paden was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On Nov. 18, 2024, Paden pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On Feb. 22, 2024, investigators of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department executed a search warrant on Paden’s residence after a confidential informant purchased tablets labeled “M30”, which contain fentanyl, from Paden on three occasions. Investigators found a total of over 60 grams of fentanyl, 22 grams of cocaine, and 1 gram of methamphetamine. Investigators also found a Smith & Wesson, .38 caliber revolver, a Taurus, G2 Millenium, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a privately manufactured 9mm semi-automatic pistol with no serial number, with a Louis Vuitton design, and $1,000 in cash.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the FBI.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Independence Man Charged with Cocaine Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with possessing over two kilograms of cocaine and illegally possessing three firearms.
Jacob N. Dodge, 26, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Tuesday, May 27. The complaint charges Dodge with participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The complaint alleges investigators attempted to arrest Dodge on May 23, 2025 after a controlled drug evidence purchase. Members of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department Tactical Unit attempted to initiate a high-risk car stop utilizing a Vehicle Intervention Tactic, also known as a “VIT”. Dodge maneuvered his vehicle out of the VIT and fled at a high rate of speed. Three tactical vehicles attempted the VIT maneuver again, and Dodge purposely struck the occupied police vehicles with his vehicle. Police successfully disabled Dodge’s vehicle in the front yard of a residence and arrested Dodge. Investigators executed a federal search warrant on Dodge’s residence and searched Dodge and his vehicle after he was arrested.
Investigators found over 2 kilograms of cocaine, 290 kilograms of marijuana, 251 kilograms of THC wax, 852 kilograms of THC vapes, 125 kilograms of THC syrup, 44 kilograms of THC edibles, 24 kilograms of miscellaneous THC items, 35 kilograms of THC resin, 5 kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms, 250 kilograms of psilocybin mushroom bars, and 46 grams of LSD. Investigators also found $78,943 in cash and 6 firearms.
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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Independence, Missouri Police Department, and the Johnson County, Kansas Sheriff’s Office.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms.
Aaron Wayne Williams, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Under federal law it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Williams has previous felony convictions for domestic assault in the third degree, attempted burglary in the first degree, property damage motivated by discrimination in the second degree, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Williams admitted to possessing several firearms which were seized by Springfield, Mo., Police Department officers on Jan. 8, 2025, after an officer observed Williams sleeping in his running vehicle in the parking lot of the Kum & Go located at 2963 East Division Street. Officers observed a Ruger, Mini 14, semiautomatic rifle beside Williams as he slept. Officers found three additional firearms on Williams and in the vehicle: a Taurus, G2S, 9mm pistol; an HS Produkt, XD, .40 caliber pistol; and a Star, 9mm pistol.
Under federal statutes, Williams is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jasper County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carthage, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child.
Uriah Behl, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, to one count of sexual exploitation of children. By pleading guilty today, Behl admitted to secretly recording a naked juvenile in the shower.
The investigation began when the Jasper County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) received a call reporting that a camera had been found in a community shower room in Carthage, Mo. Witnesses found a cell phone in the cabinet under the bathroom sink, recording through a crack in the open cabinet door. Several videos were found on the phone, containing multiple victims, including a juvenile.
In a post-Miranda interview, Behl admitted to JCSO officers that he had set the phone up to record the whole room, including the shower, when motion was detected. Behl claimed that he did not intend to record the juvenile victim; however, clips from the videos focused on portions of the video depicting the juvenile victim naked, with their genitals exposed.
Behl gave JCSO officers consent to search the phone he was using to record and the cell phone he used for calls and texting. A forensic search of the phones found over an hour of videos from the shower room, several clips from those videos containing the naked juvenile victim, multiple searches for child pornography, as well as 161 images depicting child pornography downloaded from the internet.
Under federal statutes, Behl is subject to a sentence of at least 15 and 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.
Behl will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Three Mexican Nationals Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Mexican nationals were charged with illegal reentry this week. The first alien, Arturo Cantu-Santiago, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025, to illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Cantu-Santiago was arrested on March 28, 2025, by Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers. He had been removed from the United States twice previously – on July 1, 2011, and on Dec. 22, 2011.
The second alien, Florencio Aburto-Feliciano, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 20, 2025, with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Aburto-Feliciano was arrested on May 8, 2025, by Greenwood, Missouri police officers. He had been removed from the United States at least once previously, on May 28, 2021.
The third alien, Juan Ramirez-Valencia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 20, 2025, with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Ramirez-Valencia was arrested on March 27, 2025, by the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office. He had been removed from the United States at least once previously, on Aug. 22, 2020.
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.
Under federal statutes, Cantu-Santiago, Aburto-Feliciano, and Ramirez-Valencia are subject to a sentence of up to two 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.
These cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican National Charged with Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Illegal Possession of a Firearm.
Jose Montero-Barradas, 34, was charged in a one-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.
Today’s indictment charges that Montero-Barradas, a citizen of Mexico, knew he was present in the United States illegally and unlawfully, when he knowingly possessed two firearms on March 23, 2025. According to an affidavit previously filed in support of a federal criminal complaint against Montero-Barradas, members of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were dispatched to a residential area in Kansas City following a report of shots fired. Officers arriving on the scene observed Montero-Barradas walking into a residence with two firearms, which were later recovered. Witnesses stated Montero-Barradas and another male had been firing shots into the air and the ground, and provided a cell phone video showing, among other things, Montero-Barradas holding firearms.
Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to possess a firearm or ammunition.
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 Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Kansas City Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for filing a false claim as part of a scheme to fraudulently receive approximately $62,811.75 in COVID-19 relief funds from the government.
Robin Brooks, 55, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 15 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $62,811.75 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to Jackson County, Missouri.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a part of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created to provided forgivable loans to small businesses that were administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through corresponding financial institutions. The purpose of PPP was to provide support to small businesses and assist their payroll to their employees during the coronavirus pandemic.
In her guilty plea, Brooks admitted that, in 2021, she two submitted fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration for the loans using fake businesses. In fact, Brooks’ business never actually existed and did not have any employees. In a related scheme, Brooks submitted approximately $30,345 in false invoices to Jackson County, Missouri, to receive CARES Act Funds for a non-profit organization she created to provide food to people negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on these false claims, the SBA issued payments totaling $32,466 to Brooks and Jackson County issued payments totaling $30,345.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by United States Secret Service.