Western District of Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Seven Rogersville, Missouri, and Springfield, Mo., residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to transport thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines as part of a multi-million-dollar business.

“A scourge of catalytic converter thefts on a breathtaking scale had a significant impact on the Springfield community over the past two years,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “Not only were numerous individual car owners victimized, but several non-profit organizations and churches were also victimized. We worked closely with our law enforcement partners to shut down this criminal conspiracy and bring those responsible to justice.”

Evan Marshall, 24, and Camren Davis, 24, both of Rogersville, and Cody Ryder, 30, Leslie Ice, 37, his wife, Danielle Ice, 33, Eric Kaltenbach, 37, and Enx Khoshaba, 29, all of Springfield, were charged in a four-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The superseding indictment replaces the indictment returned against Marshall on Nov. 17, 2021, and includes additional charges and defendants. The superseding indictment was unsealed and made public today.

“The Springfield Police Department is pleased to see the end result of a two-year investigation into a series of crimes that has touched every aspect of our community,” said Chief Paul Williams. “Our citizens have not only suffered the inconvenience of all things associated with being a victim of these crimes, but also suffered significant financial losses. The dedicated professionals who worked tirelessly on behalf of the many citizens and organizations impacted by the theft of catalytic converters are to be commended.”

“Organized criminal activity, such as this, is extremely costly to victims, taxpayers and the economy as a whole,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Katherine Greer. “Oftentimes, these types of crimes fund larger, more egregious, criminal enterprises that put the community at a greater risk. HSI, and our law enforcement partners, are working every day to disrupt these criminal organizations and bring those who look to profit from these stolen goods to justice.”

“This case is an example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together and I am thankful for our partnership with the Springfield Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office,” said Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson.

The federal indictment charges all seven defendants with participating in a conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines from Dec. 12, 2019, to Oct. 15, 2021.

Catalytic converters, which are exhaust emission control devices mandated for all cars and trucks, contain metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium that can be recycled. According to the indictment, Marshall bought junk vehicles and scrapped them out for several years prior to 2019, when he started a company, identified as Company D, to provide the appearance of a legitimate business for his purchase, transportation, and sale of stolen catalytic converters.

In the fall of 2019, two co-owners of a firm identified in the indictment as Company C, located in Mountain Home, Arkansas, asked Marshall to buy catalytic converters from the Springfield area and sell them to their company. Company C purchased and sold automotive cores, which refers to automotive parts that can be recycled, including catalytic converters. In addition to selling them catalytic converters from junk vehicles he had purchased from salvage yards, the indictment says, Marshall began to buy stolen catalytic converters from co-conspirators and sell them to Company C.

The owners of Company C purchased tens of thousands of catalytic converters from Marshall from December 2019 through October 2021. According to the indictment, Marshall received more than $6.8 million from Company C, which was, in part, payment for stolen catalytic converters. Marshall loaded between 800 and 1,200 catalytic converters onto trailers and transported them to Company C approximately every two to three weeks. The transports allegedly included stolen catalytic converters.

Marshall allegedly withdrew more than $6.4 million in cash from his bank account, which he used, in part, to promote future purchases of stolen catalytic converters. Marshall provided Davis, Ryder, and others with thousands of dollars in cash to promote future purchases of stolen catalytic converters during the conspiracy.

The owners of Company C sold the catalytic converters they purchased from Marshall to another firm, identified in court documents as Company A, located in Cherry Valley, Ark., which purchased and sold automotive cores, including catalytic converters. Company A paid the owners of Company C $3,247,135 between Dec. 4, 2019, and July 14, 2020. At that point, Company A began selling the catalytic converters they purchased from Marshall to another firm, identified in court documents as Company B, located in Farmington, Mo., which purchased automotive cores, including catalytic converters. Between June 2020 and October 2021, Company B paid Company C more than $18 million. According to the indictment, approximately 32 percent of the catalytic converters Company C sold to Company A and Company B were purchased from Marshall.

On July 5, 2021, Marshall allegedly purchased stolen catalytic converters from an undercover agent and paid $1,030.

On Oct. 15, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Marshall’s residence and seized 67 firearms and $125,000 in cash. The prior evening or morning of the search, however, Marshall learned of the impending law enforcement action and moved 197 catalytic converters from his residence to another location in order to conceal the catalytic converters from law enforcement.

Marshall has remained in federal custody without bond since his arrest on the original criminal complaint, which was filed on Oct. 20, 2021.

According to the indictment, Davis and Ryder worked for Marshall and allegedly bought stolen catalytic converters on Marshall’s behalf. In February 2021, Davis started a new company, referred to in the indictment as Company E, which purchased and sold automotive cores, including catalytic converters.

The indictment alleges that Leslie Ice, Danielle Ice, Kaltenbach, Khoshaba, and others stole catalytic converters from vehicles in the Springfield area and elsewhere, and sold the stolen catalytic converters to Marshall, Davis, or Ryder.

In addition to the conspiracy, Marshall and Davis each are charged with one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Marshall is also charged with one count of possessing an unregistered firearm, a Springfield .410-gauge short-barrel shotgun with no serial number that was seized by law enforcement officers during their search of his residence.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon T. Kempf and Megan W. Chalifoux. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Greene County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney.

Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

This effort 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.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.

Jeremiah Ezekiel Brown, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey on Wednesday, Jan. 26, to 10 years in federal prison without parole. This is the maximum statutory penalty for this offense.

Brown was found guilty at trial on Sept. 20, 2021, of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Brown was arrested by a Columbia police detective during a traffic stop on Nov. 24, 2020. The detective searched him and found a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun in Brown’s waistband. Detectives searched the vehicle Brown was driving and found a backpack in the front seat that contained a total of 37 grams of marijuana, 10 packages that contained marijuana edibles, 14 doses of LSD, a baggie of .5 grams of cocaine and two Alprazolam bars. They also found an empty Glock extended magazine with a 31-round capacity and a pair of brass knuckles.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has prior felony convictions for possession of stolen things, possession of a controlled substance, robbery, receiving stolen property and attempted delivery of a controlled substance into a prison.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron M. Maness and Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A German national was sentenced in federal court today for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing firearms.

Manuel Poludenyj, 36, of Springfield, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 23 years in federal prison without parole.

On June 24, 2021, Poludenyj pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Poludenyj’s residence on Jan. 3, 2019. In a bedroom, officers found a bag that contained 47.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, a stolen Ruger .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine, and a stolen New England Firearms 12-gauge short-barrel shotgun. Officers also found a paint can with a false bottom in the bedroom, which contained 92.5 grams of methamphetamine, 24.09 grams of cocaine, and 1.69 grams of fentanyl. Poludenyj had $625 in cash in his pocket.

Poludenyj has a criminal history that includes five felony convictions and 32 misdemeanor convictions. Among those convictions are acts of violence towards women, police officers, and others, as well as drug-trafficking offenses. Poludenyj was on state supervision at the time of this federal offense.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, woman who was arrested with 19 firearms and quantities of illegal drugs in her home was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.

Robin A. Graham, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.

On June 22, 2021, Graham pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.

Investigators were conducting surveillance on co-defendant Dylan Lee Larson, 29, of Overland Park, Kansas, who engaged in a series of controlled drug transactions with a confidential source in October 2020. Officers followed Larson to Graham’s residence, which had at least two visible surveillance cameras mounted on the residence and pointed towards the front/street area, with what appeared to be a third surveillance camera mounted on the residence pointed directly at the front door. Officers executed a search warrant at the residence on Nov. 5, 2020. Graham and co-defendant Rusty W. Snow, 28, who shared the residence with Snow, were at home during the search and were arrested.

Officers noticed a Coach purse on the couch near where Graham had been sitting. Graham’s wallet was siting on top of the purse and a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun was visible in the open purse.

Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the couch, along with a lunchbox that contained approximately 572 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Officers also found approximately 400.8 grams of marijuana in a shoebox on the floor, and multiple items of drug paraphernalia nearby.

Officers found a total of 19 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition littered throughout the residence. Six of those firearms – a shotgun, a rifle, and four semi-automatic pistols – had been reported stolen.

Additionally, as they continued the search, officers found another approximately 527.44 grams of marijuana, another approximately 33.39 grams of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 33.39 grams of psychedelic mushrooms, approximately 48.9 grams of THC concentrate/THC wax, and 38 full and 11 half pills of various controlled pharmaceuticals.

Officers also found four stolen motorcycles on the property, two police tasers, police identification and other police items stolen from Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan. officers.

Graham, who told investigators she was pregnant with Snow’s child, admitted she was aware of the drug distribution occurring in her residence. She also admitted she was aware of the numerous firearms in her residence.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony, or is a user of controlled substances, to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Graham has four prior felony convictions for burglary, as well as prior felony convictions for tampering, theft/stealing, possession of methamphetamine, attempted theft. Graham was on state parole at the time of her arrest in this case.

Snow pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes and awaits sentencing.

Larson pleaded guilty on April 30, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and awaits sentencing.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for carjacking.

Robert J. Rule, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Rule to pay $500 in restitution to his victim.

On July 9, 2021, Rule pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking. Rule admitted that he used a handgun to forcibly take a 2013 Kia Soul from a woman as she was getting ready to back her vehicle out of her driveway. Rule opened the driver’s door and pointed a handgun at the woman. Rule demanded that she get out of the vehicle, then he got in the driver’s seat and drove away.

Kansas City, Mo., police officers tracked the Kia Soul to the area of 11812 NW Plaza Circle in Kansas City. Officers followed Rule as he got into the car and began driving. After a high-speed chase Rule abandoned the vehicle, fled on foot, and was arrested.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute when officers found large amounts of illegal drugs in his room at a Camdenton, Mo., hotel.

Anthony Martinez Harris, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

On Sept. 29, 2021, Harris was found guilty at trial of one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

On Sept. 26, 2019, employees at the Sleep Inn on Highway 54 called Camdenton police officers to remove Harris, who was under the influence of drugs and stayed past checkout time. When officers arrived and contacted Harris, who was locked out of the room, hotel staff opened the room door. Officers saw a large amount of cash on the room’s bed and a line of cocaine on the coffee table. Officers searched the room and found three-quarters of a kilogram of methamphetamine packaged for sale, a distribution amount of heroin, cocaine, PCP, and marijuana, three loaded pistols, and more than $22,000 in cash.

Harris was questioned by a Camden County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy who arrived to assist the officers. When officers searched the room they found an oblong object wrapped in camouflage fabric, which Harris identified as C-4 explosive. Officers immediately contacted the Missouri State Highway patrol bomb squad and began evacuating the hotel. The substance was later determined not to be an explosive.

After the area was deemed safe, officers searched Harris’s hotel room and found a bag in a dresser drawer that contained approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine, a bag on one of the beds that contained approximately seven grams of cocaine, a Ziploc bag on another bed that contained 18 bags of approximately 37 grams of heroin/opiates, a Dollar General bag on the same bed that contained approximately 224 grams of methamphetamine, a Ziploc bag on the bed that contained small bags of marijuana. a, and a brown leather bag that contained 10 tablets of Oxycodone Hydrochloride, nine Ziploc bags that each contained approximately one gram of heroin/opiates, and a Ziploc bag that contained approximately 28 grams of cocaine. Officers also found a Springfield Armory sub-compact 9mm handgun and a loaded magazine, a Glock 9mm handgun and a loaded magazine, a Glock .40-caliber handgun and a loaded magazine, additional ammunition, and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Officers also searched Harris’s vehicle and found a Black Dawn Armory custom-made AR-15-style .223-caliber rifle loaded with a 30-round magazine in the trunk. Officers also found a plastic bag that contained 581 ecstasy tablets and additional ammunition in the vehicle.

According to court documents, Harris tried to bribe a hotel employee and the police officer who responded to the incident. At trial, Harris committed perjury in his testimony by denying knowledge of the methamphetamine in the hotel room and denying being aware of the presence of firearms.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Richenberger. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Camdenton, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to meet a law enforcement officer, posing online as a 14-year-old girl, for illegal sexual activity.

Darren Wade Lasley, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

 On Aug. 18, 2021, Lasley was found guilty at trial of attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

On June 14, 2017, Lasley responded by email to an online classified advertisement on Craigslist, which was placed as part of an undercover operation by a detective in the Boone County Sheriff’s Department Cyber Crimes Task Force posing as a 14-year-old girl. In a series of email exchanges over the course of the next several days, Lasley described his plans for a sexual encounter with the decoy. Lasley proposed visiting her residence while her mother was at work or out of town.

On June 21, 2017, Lasley asked in an email if the decoy could sneak out of her house to meet him for a sexual rendezvous. Lasley was arrested when he arrived at the arranged location.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley S. Turner and Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Auxvasse, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for growing marijuana and illegally possessing dozens of firearms.

Darrin Dale Smithee, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

On Aug. 31, 2021, Smithee pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing marijuana and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Sept. 21, 2018, Callaway County sheriff’s deputies and members of the MUSTANG Task Force executed a search warrant at Smithee’s residence. Deputies located a room in the basement that contained two large industrial LED lights that ran off 1,000-watt amplifiers, several types of hoses used for ventilation, air filters, fertilizer and a water source. In the same room was a plastic tub containing marijuana stems, branches and leaves.

Also in the basement was a concrete bunker-type room with a bank vault-style door. Smithee used a combination and opened the vault door; officers found 66 firearms inside, including an S&S 12-gauge Street Sweeper, a Rohm .22-caliber rifle, a Smith & Wesson .357-caliber rifle, and a Norinco SKS .762/39 caliber rifle. Officers also found two small hard plastic children’s swimming pools, each of which contained several pounds of marijuana buds that were drying.

Officers searched Smithee’s bedroom and found a loaded pump action pistol grip Mossberg shotgun underneath a mattress.  In the closet was a Ruger .22-caliber rifle with a loaded magazine. Officers also found several ounces of marijuana in a clear tub and in several sections of a dresser.

Officers saw marijuana plants during an aerial search of Smithee’s property. Officers then found 29 fully mature marijuana plants during a search of the field. The total weight of the marijuana plant material submitted for testing to the crime laboratory was 2,697.96 grams.

According to court documents, some of the firearms seized by officers were stolen. Officers also found a short-barrel shotgun which was altered to possibly be a boobytrap in a kitchen drawer. Officers found thousands of rounds of ammunition in the house. Court documents note that two juveniles were found inside the residence when officers entered the house.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Smithee has five prior felony convictions for violating an order of protection, as well as prior felony convictions for burglary, stealing, and receiving stolen property.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the MUSTANG Task Force, the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force, the Fulton, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Missouri National Guard Counter Drug Program.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Overland Park, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling $3.1 million from his employer and failing to pay nearly $1 million in taxes owed to the federal government and the state of Kansas.

Richard Scott Simkins, 56, now residing in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to a federal information that charges him with one count of mail fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.

Simkins was the chief financial officer for Genesys Industrial Corporation, doing business as Genesys Systems Integrator in Kansas City, Missouri. Genesys engineers and designs automated production systems and production machinery.

By pleading guilty today, Simkins admitted that he embezzled at least $3.1 million from Genesys from 2013 to September 2020 by writing checks on the Genesys account to pay his personal expenses. In order to hide his thefts, Simkins recorded the checks to improper accounts. He also aided and abetted another Genesys employee’s embezzlement of approximately $325,000 from the company.

Simkins also admitted that he failed to report the stolen income on his federal income tax returns and his Kansas state personal income tax returns. The total federal tax loss caused by Simkins’s fraudulent behavior was at least $867,713; the total Kansas state tax loss was at least $129,131, for a total federal and state tax loss of at least $996,844.

Simkins spent his tax-free embezzled proceeds on retail purchases, including jewelry; travel to Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, California; Orlando, Florida; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Estes Park, Colorado; household expenses, including pool and lawn care; school expenses, including college tuition, fraternity payments, and extracurricular activities; rent for himself and relatives; and personal mortgage payments.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Simkins must forfeit to the government his residential property in Overland Park and pay a money judgment that represents the proceeds of his embezzlement. Simkins also must pay restitution to Genesys in an amount to be determined by the court, and $867,713 in restitution to the IRS.

Under federal statutes, Simkins is subject to a sentence of up to 23 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 Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.

Jason A. Hamann, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years and five months in federal prison without parole.

On June 23, 2020, Hamann pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Dec. 8, 2018, to April 18, 2019, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers executed a search warrant at a salvage yard in Lebanon, Mo., on Dec. 8, 2018. Hamann was present during the search and was detained by troopers. During the search, troopers found a backpack on the front passenger seat of Hamann’s truck. That backpack contained 11 baggies of methamphetamine and an SCCY 9mm firearm. Troopers also found a Craftsman tool bag in the floorboard of the truck that contained five more firearms, and a zippered bag that contained $11,280. In the bed of the truck, troopers found a plastic tote that contained three vacuum-sealed bags and two Ziploc-style bags with a total of approximately five pounds of methamphetamine.

Hamann was arrested again on April 18, 2019, while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at a Springfield residence. Hamann had a baggie in his front left jacket pocket that contained approximately 37 grams of methamphetamine.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Sarff and Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a heroin trafficking conspiracy.

Solomon B. Hawthorne, 31, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 years and one month in federal prison without parole. Today’s sentence includes a term of two years for violating his federal supervised release in another, unrelated case.

On Aug. 12, 2021, Hawthorne pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to possess heroin with the intent to distribute.

A detective with the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics (MoWin) Task Force located a suspicious box at a Kansas City, Missouri, FedEx facility on Nov. 20, 2020. The parcel had been shipped from California and contained a black metal safe. Inside the safe were three heat-sealed bundles that contained a total of 3,000.32 grams of heroin.

Law enforcement officers conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel to a Kansas City, Mo., residence later the same day. An officer acting in an undercover capacity posed as a FedEx delivery driver and left the parcel on the porch steps. Officers conducted surveillance until Hawthorne arrived, driving a 2016 Dodge Ram truck. Hawthorne and another man drove past the residence and around the block before pulling into the driveway. Both men were arrested.

Officers searched Hawthorne’s truck and found a clear storage bag in the center console that contained approximately 127.31 grams of heroin. A black bag that contained $48,680 was found in the front passenger floorboard. The black bag also contained a Glock 9mm magazine with ammunition; another Glock 9mm magazine with ammunition was found in a hidden compartment in the center console. Drug paraphernalia was found in the back seat of the cab.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man has been convicted by a federal jury of illegally possessing the stolen firearm that he threw out of his car during a police chase.

Cecil Jason Robinson, 42, was found guilty on Thursday, Jan. 13, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robinson was in possession of a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine on Jan. 26, 2021.

ATF task force officers attempted a traffic stop of Robinson, who was driving a Chevrolet Silverado with a defective brake light on I-70 west between the St. Charles Road exit and the Highway 63 connector on Jan. 26, 2021. When the officers activated their emergency lights, Robinson’s vehicle exited I-70 onto the Highway 63 connector, where it immediately conducted an illegal U-turn, forcing oncoming traffic to stop. The vehicle entered the I-70 west entrance ramp, accelerating its speed, and a vehicle pursuit ensued.

Officers saw Robinson open the driver’s side door slightly and throw out the Sig Sauer handgun into the rocky area between the entrance ramp and I-70. Officers recovered the firearm, which had been reported stolen in Kansas City, Ks. Officers also saw Robinson throw out a baggie of marijuana near the 127.8 mile marker of I-70 west. The pursuit ended in the Columbia Mall parking lot and Robinson was taken into custody.

Under federal law, it is illegal for  anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Robinson has two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, and a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., returned the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Wednesday, Jan. 12.

Under federal statutes, Robinson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa, Missouri, woman who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase at night with no headlights pleaded guilty in federal court today to trafficking methamphetamine.

Gina N. Nunez, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

By pleading guilty today, Nunez admitted that she was in possession of methamphetamine found in her vehicle after she led officers on a high-speed chase over two stop strips before crashing her vehicle and being arrested.

A sergeant with the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop Nunez, who was driving a gray Honda on U.S. Highway 65, a few minutes before midnight on June 27, 2021. She was driving approximately 17 to 32 miles per hour on the highway and crossing over the center line. Nunez waved at the officer as he followed her with his emergency lights and siren on for approximately three minutes. Nunez then accelerated to speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour northbound on U.S. Highway 65 to the Finley River bridge, where Ozark, Mo., police officers had positioned spike strips. Nunez continued travelling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, without headlights, into Greene County.

The Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department deployed a spike strip near U.S. Highway 65 and Chestnut Expressway. Nunez continued northbound on U.S. Highway 65 at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. At approximately 12:16 a.m., Nunez exited the highway onto Interstate 44 and crashed into the guardrail. Her vehicle was disabled, and she was arrested.

Law enforcement officers searched Nunez’s vehicle and found six plastic bags in the front passenger floorboard that contained a total of 126 grams of pure methamphetamine.

Under federal statutes, Nunez is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. 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 Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department, and the Ozark, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nevada, Missouri, business owner who failed to pay taxes on nearly $1.5 million of income pleaded guilty in federal court today to filing a false tax return.

“When businesses and individuals don’t pay their fair share in taxes, they are breaking the law and cheating their law-abiding neighbors,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “This business owner shirked his responsibilities as a citizen by willfully failing to pay taxes on nearly $1.5 million of income.”

Kevin R. Morrow, 53, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with filing a false tax return.

“This time of year, hard-working Americans are preparing to submit their federal tax returns, and the majority of them will fully and honestly report their income,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, St. Louis Field Office. “In fairness to them, IRS-Criminal Investigation will aggressively pursue those who attempt to avoid paying their fair share of taxes and hold them accountable.”

By pleading guilty today, Morrow admitted that he omitted a total of $1,467,326 in income from the federal income tax returns he filed from 2014 through 2016. During that time, Morrow operated Morrow Show Steers, a cattle sale business, but did not report any of this income and, therefore, did not pay any taxes on this income. According to today’s plea agreement, Morrow’s false tax returns led to federal tax due and owing in the amount of $92,928. The total tax loss to the Missouri Department of Revenue is $11,910. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Morrow must pay a total of $104,838 in restitution to the federal government and the state of Missouri.

The specific charge to which Morrow pleaded guilty today is filing a false tax return on April 15, 2017. Morrow falsely claimed he received income of only $13,617 in 2016, and willfully did not report that he received additional income of $444,462 from his cattle sale business.

Under federal statutes, Morrow is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Shannon Kempf. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Missouri Department of Revenue – Compliance and Investigation Bureau.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Loose Creek, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.

Leif Christopher Haslag, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

On July 1, 2021, Haslag pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on Sept. 12, 2019, and saw Haslag leaving a Jefferson City, Mo., residence in a Ford Explorer with license plates that were registered to another vehicle. Officers stopped Haslag and searched the vehicle. Inside, they found approximately 48.3 grams of pure methamphetamine and a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun.

Haslag told investigators he had sold between four and six ounces of methamphetamine in the past 30 days. He also told them he had purchased the handgun the day before for $75, with the intent to sell it.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Haslag has seven prior felony convictions for burglary, seven prior felony convictions for theft, multiple prior felony convictions related to drug trafficking, and a prior felony conviction for stealing a motor vehicle.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, and the MUSTANG Drug Task Force.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Belton, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing firearms and for drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies.

Maurice L. Sneed, also known as “Sneedy,” 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, to five years and eight months in federal prison without parole.

On Aug. 4, 2021, Sneed pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

When Sneed was arrested on Jan. 9, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence. Officers found a Diamondback 5.56mm short rifle under the bed and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the bedroom dresser. Investigators also found $4,600 under a bathtub. In the basement, investigators found an elaborate marijuana growing operation. The operation contained approximately 106 live marijuana plants and approximately 401 grams of dried marijuana.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Sneed has prior felony convictions for conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute and possession of a controlled substance.

Sneed admitted that, from Aug 2018 to Jan. 7, 2020, he was the leader of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Through the course of the conspiracy, Sneed distributed, or possessed with the intent to distribute, at least 32.25 pounds of marijuana. High-grade marijuana can be sold for a profit of at least $1,000 per pound; Sneed admitted that he obtained at least $32,250 in proceeds as a result of his participation in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Sneed traveled to Texas to meet with co-conspirator Oscar C. Roberson, 29, of Houston, Texas.  Roberson also made trips to Missouri to meet with Sneed. They also made trips to and from Colorado and Texas while driving in tandem. During those trips, one of them transported marijuana and the other transported money or worked as a decoy to divert possible law enforcement attention. Roberson also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a term of probation.

Sneed also admitted that, from 2016 to Jan. 1, 2018, he and others caused multiple money transfers and cash deposits into various bank accounts across the United States. Sneed knew the funds used for these transactions were the proceeds of drug trafficking. Sneed admitted that he conducted these transactions in order to conceal and disguise the nature of the proceeds.

When Sneed was arrested in 2016, two of his cell phones were seized by law enforcement. Investigators found evidence on the phones that Sneed was directing the mailing of numerous parcels to the Kansas City area. Investigators interdicted a number of parcels and confirmed they contained marijuana. Another cell phone, which Sneed lost during a traffic stop in January 2019, contained additional evidence of money laundering, including photos of deposit slips.

A review of all the accounts named in the deposit slips located on Sneed’s phones revealed total cash deposits conducted in the Kansas City metropolitan area in the amount of $508,020. Shortly after cash deposits were made, the cash was then withdrawn in California. These accounts are known as funnel accounts, which are used to rapidly move cash from one geographic area to another. The identified funnel accounts utilized by Sneed also received cash deposits in other states around the country, including Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Nevada.  The total cash deposits into these funnel accounts from across the country was over $1 million.

On July 2, 2019, Roberson was stopped by the Nebraska State Patrol.  Roberson indicated he was travelling from Colorado to Missouri. He also admitted to troopers there was marijuana in the vehicle. In a subsequent search of his vehicle, troopers discovered seven bags of marijuana, weighing approximately four pounds.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Mary Kate Butterfield. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Woods Village, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of children.

Mark Nicholas Cobb, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, Jan. 7, to 25 years in federal prison without parole.

On June 23, 2021, Cobb pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Cobb admitted that he received and distributed child pornography.

Investigators received several CyberTips regarding Cobb from different sources. On Sept. 16, 2017, a private citizen contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to report that his 9-year-old daughter had been contacted by Cobb through Secretchattalktostrangers, a communication and social media application. On March 5, 2019, Facebook reported a Facebook Messenger chat session that contained possible images of child pornography. On Dec. 17, 2019, Google reported a file of possible child pornography stored in Cobb’s Google Photos account. Investigators confirmed the images were child pornography.

On Feb. 25, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cobb’s residence. Investigators found a video and images of child pornography on Cobb’s cell phone. Some of the images and the video were pornographic images and video that depicted Cobb and included children.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by 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."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in an armed carjacking that led to a high-speed chase in which he collided with another vehicle and killed another motorist.

Derrell M. Wade, 20, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Friday, Jan. 7, to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Co-defendants Michael A. Brown, 20, and Curtis R. Daniels, 19, both of Kansas City, Mo., also have pleaded guilty to carjacking. Brown and Daniels both have been sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole.

Wade and his co-defendants participated in a carjacking that occurred at approximately 10:35 p.m. on Aug. 24. Wade pressed the barrel of his gun against the forehead of the victim, identified in court documents as “T.R.,” and demanded the keys to his gold 2007 Prius. Another person took T.R.’s cell phone from his hand. T.R. was repeatedly struck in the back with an unknown object by a third person, and told to stay on his knees. The three men then fled in T.R.’s vehicle.

T.R. immediately contacted law enforcement, and used his wife’s cell phone to track his stolen cell phone, using the Find My Phone app. Police officers saw the stolen Prius driving southbound on Lister Avenue, passing over the main thoroughfare of East 23rd Street, at about 11:09 p.m. the same day. Officers pulled behind the vehicle, which was being driven by Wade, and the vehicle accelerated a high rate of speed away from the officers. Officers activated their emergency equipment and initiated a pursuit of the vehicle.

The stolen vehicle traveled at speeds up to 75 miles per hour and ran several stop signs during the pursuit. After running the stop sign at 23rd Street and Lawn Avenue, the Prius collided with another vehicle. This collision resulted in the fatality of an occupant from that vehicle and injuries to another person.

Wade attempted to run away but fell to the ground. As he was falling, he pulled a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and threw it in the grass.

Brown got out of the passenger side rear door of the Prius and began running toward Elmwood Avenue. He was found hiding near a grill in a residential backyard and arrested.

Daniels, who was sitting in the front passenger seat of the Prius, was arrested without incident.

If the court accepts the binding plea agreement, Wade will be sentenced to 13 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be held on June 2, 2022.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

Operation LeGend

Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Nineteen firearms were seized by federal agents from Rusty Snow's residence.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was arrested with 19 firearms and quantities of illegal drugs in his home pleaded guilty in federal court today to trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.

Rusty W. Snow, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes.

According to today’s plea agreement, investigators were conducting surveillance on co-defendant Dylan Lee Larson, 29, of Overland Park, Kansas, who engaged in a series of controlled drug transactions with a confidential source in October 2020. Officers followed Larson to Snow’s residence, where they executed a search warrant on Nov. 5, 2020. Snow and co-defendant Robin A. Graham, 38, who shared the residence with Snow, were at home during the search and were arrested.

Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on the couch, along with a lunchbox that contained approximately 572 grams of crystal methamphetamine. Officers also found approximately 400.8 grams of marijuana in a shoebox on the floor, and multiple items of drug paraphernalia nearby.

Officers found 18 more firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition littered throughout the residence. Six of those firearms – a shotgun, a rifle, and four semi-automatic pistols – had been reported stolen.

Additionally, as they continued the search, officers found another approximately 527.44 grams of marijuana, another approximately 33.39 grams of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 33.39 grams of psychedelic mushrooms, approximately 48.9 grams of THC concentrate/THC wax, and 38 full and 11 half pills of various controlled pharmaceuticals.

Officers also found four stolen motorcycles on the property, two police tasers, police identification and other police items stolen from Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan. officers.

Both Larson and Graham have also pleaded guilty.

Under federal statutes, Snow is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who injured two United States deputy marshals by crashing into them while attempting to flee in a stolen truck pleaded guilty in federal court today to forcibly resisting federal law enforcement officers.

Ray E. Clevenger, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to two counts of forcibly resisting a federal law enforcement officer.

Law enforcement officers located Clevenger, who was being sought on a state felony arrest warrant, at a Quality Inn in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 30, 2020. Clevenger left his hotel room shortly after noon with a woman and got into a Ford Explorer, which was later identified as stolen. Officers activated their flashing multi-colored police emergency lights and sirens as they approached Clevenger.

Clevenger quickly accelerated the Explorer from the parking space it had been backed into, and struck the front of a police vehicle. Clevenger continued to attempt to escape while recklessly driving the Explorer at a high rate of speed. Clevenger drove across the hotel’s parking lot with his tires squealing and drove near the exit on the west side of the property. A federal deputy marshal attempted to prevent Clevenger from leaving the parking lot by positioning his police vehicle in front of the exit and striking the Ford Explorer, causing Clevenger to lose control of his vehicle. Clevenger regained control of the vehicle, then fled across the hotel’s lawn and sidewalk toward the east side of the property. Another deputy marshal struck Clevenger’s vehicle on the passenger rear wheel well in an attempt to prevent his escape. Clevenger continued to flee and returned to the west side of the property, where he rammed one of the police vehicles for the second time with enough force to push the SUV into a fence that surrounded the parking lot. Clevenger pushed the police vehicle with enough force that it also struck another police vehicle, which in turn struck a deputy marshal who was on foot.

Clevenger’s vehicle then stopped and he was arrested. Officers searched Clevenger’s stolen vehicle and found a Springfield .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun that had been reported stolen, loaded with an extended magazine, a makeup case that contained approximately 69 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

The two deputy marshals suffered physical injuries as a result of Clevenger’s reckless driving while attempting to avoid arrest. Those injuries required one of the deputy marshals to be treated by emergency medical officials at the scene. The other deputy marshal was provided medical care and instructed to seek follow-up medical care.

Under federal statutes, Clevenger is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the two counts. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man who faces murder charges in state court was sentenced in federal court today on multiple charges of illegally possessing firearms, including stolen firearms, and drug trafficking.

Brandon L. Hill, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole.

On April 29, 2021, Hill pleaded guilty to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possessing a stolen firearm, four counts of possessing a controlled substance, three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Hill was arrested by Kansas City, Mo., police officers on three separate occasions. He was in possession of firearms and illegal drugs on each of those occasions, and attempted to flee from officers on two occasions. One of the firearms in Hill’s possession was used in the murder of Derrick White. Hill has been charged with second degree murder and armed criminal action for that homicide in Jackson County, Mo. Hill has also been charged with first degree robbery and armed criminal action in Jackson County for the car-jacking of the 2001 Buick Regal he was driving on March 31, 2019.

On March 31, 2019, officers saw Hill driving a 2001 Buick Regal that had been taken in an armed robbery carjacking a few days earlier. As Hill drove out of a gas station parking lot at 2601 Swope Parkway, officers attempted to close the distance between themselves and Hill. Hill began driving erratically and at a high rate of speed. He left the road at 49th and Walrond Avenue and ran from the vehicle. He was taken into custody a short time later. Officers found a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun (reported as stolen) tucked in his pants, a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his pants pocket, and a Sig Sauer .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun wrapped in fabric and tucked under his groin. Officers also found a baggie of methamphetamine and a baggie of cocaine in Hill’s pockets.

Hill had earlier been arrested on March 26, 2019. Officers stopped a Ford Ranger truck that was being driven by another person, with Hill a passenger, because it’s license plates belonged to a different vehicle. The driver of the vehicle had eight active warrants, and both the driver and Hill were directed to get out of the truck. Officers brought Hill to the rear of the truck to conduct a frisk, but he resisted multiple orders to put his hands behind his back and bladed his body away from the officer. Hill then turned and ran across the street. An officer pursued him and tackled him to the ground. Hill was then placed under arrest, and officers found methamphetamine and cocaine in his pockets. Officers also found a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a 33-round, extended magazine in the area where Hill ran from the officers. Officers found a Zastava 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle and an AK-47 magazine in the truck. Both the rifle and the Glock contained Hill’s DNA.

Hill’s earliest arrest in this case occurred on Jan. 19, 2019, when police officers conducted a car check on a 2005 GMC Yukon, which had an expired temporary license plate, near 5215 Olive Street. Hill was a passenger in the vehicle. When the driver reached inside her purse for her identification and handed it to a police officer, a baggy that contained methamphetamine fell on the ground and the driver said, “Uh-oh.” She was placed under arrest. She had another baggie of methamphetamine inside her purse. Officers also removed Hill from the passenger seat and detained him in handcuffs. Inside the vehicle, officers found a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol (which had been reported stolen) stuffed between the passenger seat, where Hill was sitting, and the center console. Officers also found a baggie of cocaine and a glass vial that smelled of PCP in Hill’s pockets.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hill has prior felony convictions for drug trafficking, unlawful use of a weapon, burglary, and assault.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Sean T. Foley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Kansas, man who conspired with others to control construction businesses that received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government contracts, was sentenced in federal court today for defrauding the government with respect to contracts set aside for service-disabled veterans and certified minorities.

“This contractor not only defrauded the government, but cheated to get contracts that should have gone to firms led by disabled veterans and minority owners,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “His greed and deception allowed him to enrich himself at the expense of disabled veterans and minority owners. After forfeiting more than $5.5 million to the government and being sent to prison, he has learned the hard way that crime doesn’t pay.”

Matthew C. McPherson, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two years and four months in federal prison without parole. McPherson also has forfeited to the government $5,516,786, which represents his share of the fraud proceeds.

“Today’s outcome demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the DoD procurement process and the Small Business Administration set-aside programs intended to help smaller and/or disadvantaged businesses," said Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mentavlos, DCIS Southwest Field Office.  “We will continue to aggressively investigate and hold those accountable that take advantage of the U.S. government and taxpayer.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that contractors unjustly enriching themselves at the expense of our nation’s veterans will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Gavin McClaren with the VA Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our outstanding law enforcement partners for their efforts in this joint investigation.” 

“McPherson’s sentence sends a strong message that IRS-Criminal Investigation and its federal partners are committed to leveling the playing field when federal contracts are involved,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, St. Louis Field Office. “The government established unique programs designed to help small disadvantaged businesses gain a foothold in the awarding of government contracts. McPherson lied about being qualified for these contracts and used nominees to further his crime.” Hatcher added, “These crimes have a significant negative impact on small disadvantaged businesses.”

On June 3, 2019, McPherson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and major program fraud. McPherson admitted that he participated in a conspiracy from September 2009 to March 2018 to obtain contracts set aside by the federal government for award to small businesses owned and controlled by veterans, service-disabled veterans, and certified minorities. McPherson, who is neither a certified minority nor a veteran, was the owner of an established construction company in Topeka, Kan. (identified in court documents as Business C) that was not entitled to compete for those federal contracts.

McPherson and his co-conspirators controlled and operated Zieson Construction Company. The business was formed on July 9, 2009, with Stephon Ziegler, 61, of Weatherby Lake, Mo. – an African-American service-disabled veteran – as the nominal owner. Zieson’s primary business was obtaining federal construction contracts set aside for award to small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans or certified minorities. However, Ziegler did not control the day-to-day operations or the long-term decision making of Zieson. McPherson and his co-conspirators actually controlled and operated Zieson, and received most of the profits from Zieson through the respective business entities.

Between 2009 and 2018, Zieson was awarded approximately 199 federal contracts set aside for award to small businesses, minority-owned small businesses, and veteran-owned small businesses for which the government paid Zieson approximately $335 million. McPherson and his co-conspirators, through their business entities, received approximately $4,183,920 each from Zieson by using false and fraudulent invoices.

Ziegler pleaded guilty on May 21, 2019, to making a false statement to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Ziegler is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 20, 2022.

In 2014, when Zieson was growing too large to compete for small business contracts, McPherson and his co-conspirators used the minority status of another Zieson employee, Native American Rustin Simon, 45, of Smithville, Mo., to set up Simcon Corp as a small business in the state of Missouri. Simcon’s business, like Zieson’s, was to obtain federal construction contracts set aside for award to qualified small businesses. In reality, McPherson and his co-conspirators managed and controlled Simcon. Simcon was awarded a $4,423,638 contract in July 2016 from the U.S. Air Force and a $6,911,404 contract in September 2016 from the U.S. Army.

Zieson and Simcon used the same employees and shared office space and equipment. Zieson and Simcon were located in a building owned by an LLC that was controlled by McPherson and his co-conspirators. Zieson purported to subcontract work to Simcon (which Simcon did not actually perform) to establish alleged past performance and profitability. This allowed Simcon to claim experience and financial strength to successfully compete for federal set-aside contracts. McPherson and his co-conspirators each received approximately $319,866 from Simcon using false and fraudulent invoices.

Simon pleaded guilty on June 19, 2019, to two counts of making material false statements to the Small Business Administration and awaits sentencing.

McPherson also caused Business C to submit false and fraudulent invoices to Zieson in order to hide and receive profits from the scheme.

Co-defendant Patrick Michael Dingle,50 of Parkville, Mo., pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2020, and awaits sentencing. Dingle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and major program fraud. Dingle also pleaded guilty, in a separate case, to one count of filing a false tax return.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Perkins Rock. It was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; the Army Criminal Investigation Command, Major Procurement Fraud Unit; the Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; IRS-Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Secret Service; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Procurement Fraud; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Contract Audit Agency - Operations Investigative Support (OIS); the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy that distributed more than 2,600 kilograms of cocaine in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Jesus Salvador Campoy-Estrada, also known as “Chava” and “Chavita,” 27, of Kansas City, Kansas, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Campoy-Estrada to forfeit to the government $12,150,000, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.

On Dec. 19, 2019, Campoy-Estrada pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of money laundering. He is the final defendant among 13 defendants to be sentenced in this case.

When Campoy-Estrada was arrested, law enforcement searched his residence and found $111,995 that he admitted was illicit drug proceeds, marijuana, a drug ledger, and a loaded XD 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

Campoy-Estrada was a primary organizer in a drug-trafficking organization that distributed substantial amounts of cocaine from Mexico in the Kansas City metropolitan area from October 2013 to Nov. 15, 2018. Campoy-Estrada admitted that he was personally responsible for the distribution of well in excess of 450 kilograms of cocaine during his involvement with the larger conspiracy. At one point, he distributed approximately 10 to 20 kilograms of cocaine each week.

Campoy-Estrada obtained substantial sums of money from his involvement in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, which he converted to other forms of property, such as real estate, in an effort to conceal the illicit nature of the drug proceeds.

Campoy-Estrada received cocaine from the leader of the conspiracy, co-defendant Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, also known as “Uncle” or “Rambo,” 41, of Kansas City, Kan. Campoy-Estrada then sold cocaine to other cocaine dealers, including co-defendant Howard Christopher Walters, also known as “Chris,” 44, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Investigators intercepted several telephone calls in which Campoy-Estrada and Walters discussed the sale of multiple kilograms of cocaine to Walters. Law enforcement also intercepted many other wire and electronic communications between Campoy-Estrada and persons he sold cocaine to during the course of the conspiracy.

Armendariz-Rascon was sentenced on May 21, 2021, to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Walters was sentenced on April 21, 2021, to 25 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. The court also ordered Armendariz-Rascon to forfeit to the government more than $56 million, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.

Armendariz-Rascon was in charge of coordinating the transportation of loads of cocaine from the El Paso, Texas, area to the Kansas City metropolitan area for distribution. Armendariz-Rascon would then coordinate the collection of bulk cash that was sent back to El Paso as payment for the cocaine.

Otilio Zaragoza-Navarrette, 65, of El Paso, delivered cocaine to Jose Armendariz-Rascon as well as to Campoy-Estrada and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon, 33, a citizen of Mexico residing in Olathe, Kan. Zaragoza-Navarrette and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon have pleaded guilty and been sentenced.

Zaragoza-Navarette also transported illicit drug proceeds from the drug-trafficking organization back to Texas and/or to Mexico. Zaragoza-Navarrette hid the cocaine and/or the cash proceeds inside of five-gallon gas cans and anti-freeze jugs on his commercial semi-tractor trailer. In one instance, law enforcement officers seized nearly $500,000 from Zaragoza-Navarrette, who was transferring the illicit drug proceeds in an operation orchestrated by Armendariz-Rascon.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department.

Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

This effort 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.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The owner of Skelton Tactical, a gun store in Osage Beach, Missouri, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally selling firearms to undercover agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

James Antonio Skelton, 74, of Kaiser, Mo., was charged in a 15-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Dec. 14, 2021. That indictment was unsealed and made public following Skelton’s arrest this morning.

The federal indictment alleges that Skelton, a federal firearms licensee, used his business to illegally sell firearms by allowing straw purchases; that is, allowing customers to purchase firearms on behalf of another person who is the actual buyer, but for whom there is no background check or information recorded.

Federal law requires federal firearms licensees to certify the purchaser is the actual buyer of the firearm. Federal firearms licensees must establish the identity, residence, and age of the actual buyer, as well as complete a background check prior to the sale of a firearm. Licensees must make certain the actual purchaser completes the federal firearms transaction record. The firearms transaction record requires the buyer to certify that he/she was the actual buyer of the firearm.

Federal agents executed a search warrant at Skelton Tactical on Nov. 9, 2021, and seized 323 firearms from Skelton following an undercover ATF investigation. The federal indictment contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Skelton to forfeit all of those firearms to the government.

The federal indictment charges Skelton with four counts of failing to keep proper records mandated for federally licensed dealers. Skelton allegedly sold 19 firearms to an undercover ATF agent in four separate transactions from Sept. 24 to Oct. 29, 2021, without recording the name, age, and place of residence of the purchaser. Skelton also is charged with four counts of failing to conduct background checks related to those sales. Skelton allegedly sold the 19 firearms to an undercover ATF agent without completing the appropriate background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) prior to the sale.

 

Skelton is charged with two counts of false records in a firearms transaction. Skelton allegedly counselled an undercover ATF agent to have another person (also an undercover ATF agent) make a straw purchase of four firearms on his behalf from Oct. 5 to Oct. 15, 2021 – a Romarm/Cugir 7.62 x 39mm rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, a Derva Arms 12-gauge shotgun, and a TISAS .45-caliber pistol. Skelton allegedly counselled an undercover ATF agent to have another person (also an undercover ATF agent) make a straw purchase of 10 firearms on his behalf from Oct. 5 to Oct. 29, 2021 – a BH Best Arms 12-gauge shotgun, a Pioneer Arms 7.62 x 25mm pistol, a Weihrauch .38-caliber revolver, an ALFA-PROJ .357-caliber Magnum revolver, two TISAS 9mm pistols, and four TISAS .45-caliber pistols.

Skelton is charged with five counts of failing to make appropriate entries in a required record. Skelton allegedly sold five firearms from Sept. 24 to Oct. 15, 2021, without making entries in his Acquisition and Disposition Records Book as required by 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 Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for the botched robbery of a Grandview, Mo., auto dealership that ended when he shot an employee while fleeing, after a shootout with the owner, who was also armed.

Lyndale E. Watson, also known as “Red, “Blood,” and “Stoni Blud,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 18 years and one month in federal prison without parole. The court granted the government’s motion to impose a sentence above the federal sentencing guidelines due to the violent and abhorrent nature of this crime.

On July 14, 2021, Watson pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

Watson wore a scarf over his face when he walked into Pride Auto Sales, a car lot at 12800 S. US 78 Highway in Grandview, on Feb. 19, 2015. Watson asked an employee, identified in court documents as “M.M.,” about a car for sale. After the owner came to the front of the business, Watson pulled out a firearm, pointed the gun at the owner, and said, “Don’t move.”

The owner, already armed with a firearm, ran back to his office as Watson shot at him. The two engaged in a firefight. As Watson ran out of the business, he shot M.M. in the back as M.M. was trying to escape himself. M.M. was seriously wounded and nearly died, but survived the shooting.

On Feb. 27, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wallace’s residence and found a Hi-Point 9mm rifle, a plastic bag that contained 98 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a .380-caliber Winchester round that matched the shell casings recovered from the auto dealership.

Watson said he carried out the attempted robbery at the behest of a friend formerly employed at Pride Auto Sales, who claimed to be owed money by the owner of the car lot. According to court documents, Watson was on probation in four different cases at the time he committed this crime. His criminal history includes felony drug possession, eluding police, assault, felony domestic assault, stealing a motor vehicle, and numerous instances of resisting arrest.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Grandview, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing three banks within a period of about a month in Lee’s Summit, Mo., Kansas City, Mo., and Odessa, Mo.

Hubert J. Holmes, 61, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of armed bank robbery and two counts of bank robbery.

Holmes admitted that he robbed three banks in 2019.

Holmes used a firearm to rob Summit Ridge Credit Union, 3485 N.E. Ralph Powell Road in Lee’s Summit on May 21, 2019. Holmes entered the credit union and demanded money from the teller. When the teller hesitated, Holmes displayed a silver handgun and slammed it on the counter. Two bank tellers gave him $13,243 and he left the bank on foot. Surveillance video footage showed that he fled to a blue van, consistent in appearance to a Chrysler Town and Country minivan, which was located in a nearby parking lot. While fleeing the scene of the robbery, Holmes dropped over $7,000 that was later recovered and returned to the credit union. A few days later, investigators received a tip that identified Holmes as the bank robber and provided the license plate number of his minivan.

Holmes robbed Central Bank of the Midwest, 9740 Wornall in Kansas City on June 7, 2019. Holmes, wearing a ski mask, approached a teller and demanded she give him $50 and $100 bills. The teller told Holmes she didn’t have larger bills and he responded, “give me all of them.” She removed $1,094 from her drawer and gave it to Holmes, who fled from the bank of foot. Investigators later matched a fingerprint from the scene of the robbery to Holmes.

Holmes robbed the Bank of Odessa, 201 S. 2nd Street in Odessa on June 20, 2019. Holmes put on a ski mask when he approached a teller’s window and demanded she open her drawer. Holmes reached over the counter and seized $3,099 from the teller’s cash drawer. Holmes then fled from the bank on foot and met an accomplice who was driving his van, which was parked nearby. Holmes, attempting to hurry, dropped money in the alley as he approached the van. Holmes picked up the money he dropped and got into the rear driver’s side of the van, which was being driven by another person.

Holmes was arrested on June 20, 2019, following the robbery of the Bank of Odessa. Shortly after the robbery, law enforcement officers began surveillance of Holmes’s residence. Officers saw Holmes driving a Chrysler Town and Country van, pulled him over, and arrested both Holmes and a passenger. Holmes had a large sum of money in his right front jeans pocket, including bait bills taken during the bank robbery. Bait bills are currency bills with known serial numbers that banks use to assist law enforcement officials in their efforts to trace currency to a bank robbery. The passenger, who matched the description of the get-away driver in the Bank of Odessa robbery, had $404 in his pockets. When officers searched the van, they found a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun under the front passenger seat.

Today’s plea agreement also refers to the robbery of Country Club Bank, 401 Armour Rd. in North Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 26, 2018. Two men wore facial coverings and hooded sweatshirts when they walked into the bank. One of them walked directly to the teller counter, went behind the counter, and removed $16,000 from the teller drawers. He attempted to carry the cash in his sweatshirt, however, he dropped some of the cash as he walked out of the bank. The other thief remained at the door of the bank and gave verbal commands to all of the occupants of the bank. When they left the bank, they got into Holmes’s Chrysler Town and Country van and drove away. Holmes, who did not plead guilty to the indictment’s charge for this bank robbery, denies being involved. However, the surveillance video of the Chrysler Town and Country van, which belongs to Holmes, became an investigative lead later in this case.

Holmes was on federal supervised release at the time of these offenses following a prior felony conviction for bank robbery.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Holmes will be sentenced to at least 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two West Plains, Missouri, residents were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties.

Shirley J. Hicks, 64, and Shaun M. Ross, 44, both of West Plains, were sentenced in separate hearings before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough. Hicks was sentenced to 20 years and one month in federal prison without parole. Ross was sentenced to six years in federal prison without parole.

Hicks, the leader of the conspiracy, and Ross each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties from Dec. 31, 2015, to June 21, 2019. Hicks also pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hicks’s residence on July 24, 2018, they found a red toolbox inside a shop/barn that contained six bags with a total of 5.627 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. Inside a bedroom closet in the house, officers also found 12 bags with a total of 243 grams of pure methamphetamine inside a black leather bag, and a blue waterproof box that contained 122.892 grams of pure methamphetamine.

During the search, officers also found five handguns in the toolbox and five more firearms in the house. Officers also seized a total of $20,393, which Hicks admitted was proceeds from her distribution of methamphetamine.

Two days later, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance and saw Ross visit Hicks’s house. Officers conducted a traffic stop afterward and searched Ross’s vehicle, where they found a zippered bag that contained 17.69 grams of methamphetamine, a small bag of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. After Ross was arrested, he told investigators that he purchased methamphetamine from Hicks for $600 per ounce, which he then distributed to others. Ross said he had been getting two or three ounces of methamphetamine from her each month for several months.

Hicks and Ross are among six defendants who have been sentenced in this case.

Fontella J. Noose, 41, of Springfield, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Benny D. Griffin, 59, of West Plains, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Jordan W. Gutierrez, 27, of West Plains, was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Jose I. Gonzales, 39, of West Plains, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

Co-defendants Raymon F. Ortega, 65, of West Plains; James E. Cooper, 54, of Mountain View; and Luis Ortiz Rodriguez, 39, address unknown, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Sarff. It was investigated by the South Central Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, and the Mountain View, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of illegally possessing a firearm.

Jovell L. Swopes, 43, was found guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 15, of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Swopes sold 2.7 grams of marijuana to an undercover Kansas City, Mo., police officer on July 31, 2019. He was pulled over afterward and placed under arrest. Officers searched the vehicle Swopes was driving and found a loaded Glock .40-caliber pistol on the front passenger seat. Officers found a Glock magazine that contained 21 .40-caliber rounds inside a fanny pack on the rear floorboard of the vehicle.

At the time of his arrest, Swopes was on supervised release after serving almost four years in federal prison for a conviction of 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. In addition to his prior conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Swopes has prior felony convictions for assault, armed criminal action, sale of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for five hours before returning a guilty verdict on this count to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Dec. 13.

Under federal statutes, Swopes is subject to a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth W. Borgnino and David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Missouri, man has been convicted by a federal jury of illegally possessing the firearm he used to shoot another person during an argument.

Dana Ray Day, Jr., 31, was found guilty at trial on Wednesday, Dec. 15, of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On Sept. 15, 2018, Day got into an argument with another man after hitting his car. Day pulled out a Taurus .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun and shot the other man, who was not armed, twice – in the chest and the groin. The shooting victim ran to a nearby apartment and the resident called 911 for him. Day fled from the scene of the shooting.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Day has prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, domestic assault, assault, and resisting arrest.

The Taurus handgun, which had been purchased by another person and given to Day, was later recovered during a homicide investigation by the Chicago, Illinois, Police Department. The shell casing was entered into the NIBIN database, and matched the shell casing recovered from the scene of the Sept. 15, 2018, shooting in Jefferson City.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for an hour and 15 minutes before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a two-day trial that began Tuesday, Dec. 14.

Under federal statutes, Swopes is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be held on May 19, 2022.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Billings, Missouri, man who belongs to the Aryan Brotherhood pleaded guilty in federal court today to methamphetamine trafficking.

Jimmy Jack Pinkley, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

By pleading guilty today, Pinkley admitted that he was in possession of methamphetamine when he was stopped by a Christian County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy on Jan. 17, 2021. Pinkley was driving a Dodge Charger, which was later identified as a stolen vehicle, in the area of Evergreen Circle, driving down multiple roads of the trailer park and stopping briefly at multiple houses. When the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, Pinkley pulled into a driveway and got out of the vehicle. The deputy ordered Pinkley to show his hands, but he reached with both his hands to his rear waistband. The deputy removed his firearm and again ordered Pinkley to show him his hands. After a brief pause, Pinkley lifted his hands above his head. The deputy handcuffed Pinkley and frisked him for weapons.

Pinkley appeared to be very nervous, sweating and breathing heavily. The deputy searched the vehicle and found a brown leather bag on the front passenger seat that contained approximately 195 grams of methamphetamine in multiple individually wrapped clear plastic baggies.

Pinkley told investigators the methamphetamine was what he had left from the 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine he had obtained from his supplier in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the previous day for $2,200. Pinkley, who said he had been selling methamphetamine for approximately six months, told investigators he received approximately one pound of methamphetamine during each trip to Oklahoma City.

Pinkley also told investigators that he is a member of the Aryan Brotherhood and that he joined the gang during his first stint in state prison. He showed them his patch to the gang.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Pinkley’s residence, where they found a loaded Maverick 12-gauge shotgun leaning against a safe in the metal shop located on the property behind Pinkley’s trailer. Inside the safe, officers found a small baggie of methamphetamine and a set of digital scales.

Today’s plea agreement also refers to an earlier traffic stop on Oct. 29, 2020. Law enforcement officers stopped a Pontiac Grand Prix in which Pinkley was a passenger. Officers found a brown nylon case under the front passenger’s seat that contained 11.48 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Under federal statutes, Pinkley is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. 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 Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Stone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a $1 million conspiracy to steal more than 1,400 cell phones in dozens of commercial burglaries across several states, as well as for obstruction of justice.

Bryan C. Kirkendoll II, also known as “B Boy” and “Blockboy,” 32, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to nine years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Kirkendoll to pay $1,075,827 in restitution.

On May 5, 2021, Kirkendoll was found guilty at trial of one count of participating in a conspiracy, three counts of transporting stolen property across state lines, two counts of witness tampering, and one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce.

Co-defendant Viktor Chernetskiy, 31, of Kansas City, Mo., a naturalized citizen from Ukraine, pleaded guilty on June 17, 2020, to his role in the conspiracy and to one count of transporting stolen property across state lines and awaits sentencing.

Kirkendoll and Chernetskiy participated in a conspiracy to steal electronic devices – primarily cell phones – from stores in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Oklahoma, then transport them across state lines in order to sell them. Kirkendoll and Chernetskiy committed approximately 48 burglaries in 28 cities from Nov. 21, 2018, to June 14, 2019, in which they stole approximately 1,401 electronic devices (primarily cell phones) with a total financial loss of approximately $1,114,093.

In each instance, the stores were burglarized after hours; Kirkendoll and Chernetskiy wore hooded sweatshirts, caps, and gloves to conceal their identity and limit the trace evidence left behind during the burglaries. They pried the doors open with a large screwdriver or crowbar; in many instances, they broke the glass windows out of the doors, and then went through the opening. Once inside, they looked for phones that were not secured within a safe or other secure location, and loaded those phones into a plastic bin, trash bag, or other bag. In some instances, they also cut retractable security cables from store demonstration phones and took those as well. There was at least one instance where it appeared that they tried (unsuccessfully) to pry open a safe.

While he was on bond, Kirkendoll used intimidation and threats toward a victim-witness in this case to interfere with his pending criminal trial. In February 2020, Kirkendoll posted threatening messages on Facebook directed at the victim-witness, including, “U on borrowed time … Rats get Klapped snitch. (sic)” Kirkendoll also harassed the victim-witness from Feb. 13-19, 2020, in an attempt to dissuade that person from testifying at his trial.

Kirkendoll’s bond was revoked, and he was arrested in February 2020 for his threats toward the victim-witness.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV and Matthew Blackwood. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Everton, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing the firearm he was carrying at the time he was arrested for rape and sex trafficking in Lawrence County, Mo.

David Arnold, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to seven years and one month in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered this federal sentence to be served consecutively to Arnold’s sentence in a separate state case for illegally possessing a firearm.

On April 13, 2021, Arnold pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Arnold admitted he was in possession of a Jimenez Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Oct. 18, 2019.

The U.S. Marshal Service was searching for Arnold that day following a warrant that was issued for his arrest in Lawrence County on charges related to rape, kidnapping, and sex trafficking A task force officer located Arnold’s vehicle at a residence in Springfield, and he was taken into custody. Arnold was carrying the loaded pistol in a holster on his right hip and was in possession of 3.3 grams of methamphetamine.

The Lawrence County charges are still pending.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Arnold has eight prior felony convictions, including multiple instances of possession or distribution of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated-persistent offender, involuntary manslaughter, illegally possessing a firearm, and assaulting a law enforcement officer. His 31 misdemeanor convictions include several convictions for driving under the influence.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshal Service.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man who contacted hundreds of children through a teen dating website was indicted by a federal grand jury today on child sexual exploitation charges.

Kody Ryan Kelso, 30, was charged in a five-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Today’s superseding indictment replaces the original indictment that was filed on June 23, 2021, and includes additional charges. Kelso has been detained without bond since his arrest on June 16, 2021.

Today’s indictment charges Kelso with the sexual exploitation of a child to produce child pornography and with using the internet and cell phone to induce a child under the age of 14 to engage in illicit sexual activity, both of which are related to an undercover law enforcement operation in the United Kingdom in which officers posed as a child.

The indictment also charges Kelso with one count of the sexual exploitation of a child victim to produce child pornography, one count of using the internet and cell phone to induce a second child victim under the age of 14 to engage in illicit sexual activity, and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.

According to court documents, Kelso used an online service named My LOL, a teen dating site with chat features, to contact a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, but in reality was an undercover law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom. Kelso allegedly asked her to have sexual intercourse with him and to send him nude images.

Kelso allegedly contacted more than 560 additional individual MyLOL users between Jan. 7 and Feb. 21, 2021. Each user was between the age of 13 and 17. In numerous instances, according to court documents, Kelso attempted to discuss sexual topics with these users and request sexual images.

In addition to the information from the United Kingdom, investigators received two Cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding Kelso’s online activity and posting a child pornography video online.

On June 16, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kelso’s apartment and he was arrested. Officers seized multiple electronic devices.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who crashed a stolen car into a house after smoking methamphetamine was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.

William T. Bryand, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to six years in federal prison without parole.

On July 15, 2021, Bryand pleaded guilty to being a felon and an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.

On Feb. 7, 2020, Bryand crashed a stolen car into a house on McGee Street in Kansas City, Mo., ramming into the garage door. The owner of the house did not know Bryand, who told police officers that he had been smoking methamphetamine. When officers searched the vehicle Bryand was driving, a 2009 BMW, they found a loaded Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun stuffed between the driver’s seat and the center console. Officers also found drug paraphernalia with methamphetamine residue in the vehicle.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who illegally uses controlled substances or has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Bryand has five prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for robbery, two prior felony convictions for armed criminal actions, and prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and tampering with a motor vehicle.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was involved in the illegal sale of 15 firearms (four of which were stolen) to a confidential source working with federal agents, has been convicted by a trial jury of illegally possessing and selling firearms and robbery.

Mickael N. Oliver, 27, was found guilty on Friday, Dec. 10, of one count of selling stolen firearms, one count of being a drug user in possession of firearms, one count of unlicensed firearm sales, one count of robbery of federal property with a deadly weapon, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a violent crime, and one count of selling a firearm to a convicted felon.

Oliver was arrested on Oct. 18, 2017, after he attempted to rob a confidential source assisting in an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The confidential source, who had purchased a dozen firearms from Oliver and associates in prior months, had arranged to purchase three more firearms from Oliver for $1,500. When the confidential source arrived at Oliver’s residence, Oliver was holding a Zastava 5.56-caliber pistol, loaded with 36 rounds. When the confidential source walked into the living room, Oliver handed him a Glock .40-caliber pistol, loaded with 16 rounds, which the source had agreed to purchase. Oliver told him the other two firearms were in his pockets. Holding the pistol tucked under his arm, the confidential source began counting out the payment for the firearms. Oliver suggested he put the pistol down, since he was having trouble holding it while counting the money. The confidential source placed the pistol on the couch and continued counting out the money. Oliver picked up the pistol from the couch. When the confidential source handed over the money for the purchase of the three firearms, Oliver pointed both the Glock and the Zastava pistols directly at his face and said, “Now get … out.”

Law enforcement officers immediately surrounded Oliver’s residence and took him into custody. Officers searched his residence and found the two pistols as well as a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol. This armed robbery is the basis for the convictions of robbery of federal property with a deadly weapon and possessing firearms in furtherance of a violent crime.

Between June 12 and Oct. 12, 2017, Oliver sold eight firearms to the confidential source during an undercover investigation by the ATF. Three of those firearms had been reported as stolen. Oliver was armed on at least four of those occasions. The confidential source also purchased four firearms (one stolen) from Oliver’s associates.

On June 12, 2017, the confidential source purchased a Keltec 9mm pistol and a Norinco 7.62-caliber rifle from Oliver and an associate. On June 20, 2017, the confidential source purchased a stolen Glock .40-caliber pistol and a stolen Glock 9mm pistol from Oliver and an associate. On June 22, 2017, the confidential source purchased a stolen Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol from Oliver and an associate.

On Aug. 24, 2017, the confidential source purchased a Glock 9mm pistol and a Maverick Arms 12-gauge shotgun from Oliver. On Sept. 14, 2017, the confidential source purchased a Ruger 9mm pistol from Oliver and a second firearm from an associate. On Sept. 27, 2017, the confidential source purchased three firearms (one stolen) from an associate of Oliver’s. On Oct. 12, 2017, the confidential source attempted to purchase up to four firearms from Oliver, but Oliver did not have the firearms.

The confidential source is a convicted felon, and informed Oliver of such status, which is the basis for Oliver’s conviction of illegally selling firearms to a felon.

Some of the firearms purchased from Oliver have been connected to shootings in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Those investigations are ongoing, but no charges have been filed.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about three hours before returning guilty verdicts on all counts to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a three-day trial that began Wednesday, Dec. 8.

Under federal statutes, Oliver is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole for possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, which must be served consecutively to any sentences (up to 60 years) in federal prison, without parole, he receives for the other convictions. 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.

Co-defendant Isiah D. Clinton, 34, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on March 8, 2021, to six years in federal prison without parole.

Co-defendant Jamonn M. Jackson, 22, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on Aug. 9, 2021, to five years and three months in federal prison without parole.

Co-defendant Richard H. Hampton, 30, of Independence, Mo., pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2021, to possessing stolen firearms and unlicensed firearm sales and awaits sentencing.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing Arvest Bank.

Jamarious K. Braxton, 32, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of bank robbery.

By pleading guilty today, Braxton admitted that he walked into Arvest Bank, 8959 E. 40 Hwy., on Oct. 21, 2017, and handed a teller a demand note. Braxton verbally demanded $4,000 and threatened to shoot the teller in the face. The teller handed Braxton $2,100, and Braxton left the bank.

On Jan. 12, 2018, a report was made to the FBI Public Access Line by a former co-worker of Braxton’s in Kansas City, Mo., and Independence, Mo., who recognized Braxton and identified him as the bank robber. Federal agents learned that Braxton had an active arrest warrant for robbery in Memphis. On Jan. 19, 2018, the FBI was contacted by a law enforcement officer in Tennessee who reported that Braxton had been arrested for robbing a bank in Memphis shortly after the Arvest Bank robbery.

Investigators compared Braxton’s DNA and fingerprint with evidence collected after the Arvest Bank robbery.

Braxton pleaded guilty to the Memphis bank robbery and has been sentenced in that case. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Braxton will be sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole and must pay $2,100 in restitution to Arvest Bank. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $200,000 to the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission, part of more than $17.5 million in grants awarded nationwide to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.

“This funding will support efforts in Kansas City, Mo., and across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “The Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission has been a trusted partner in our Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. The district’s PSN Task Force focuses on areas with the highest violent crime rates in Kansas City, the neighborhoods where most of the homicides and non-fatal shootings occur, to make the most impact on public safety.”

The Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission was awarded $209,477 as the designated fiscal agent to administer grant funds to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Office. One of 88 recipients announced today, the Crime Commission will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.

The selected target area remains an important area for community policing, neighborhood action and enforcement efforts. The Western District of Missouri's PSN program is also working to partner with community engagement and prevention assets to reduce violent crime. The PSN program plans to reintroduce several proven past community awareness strategies, and add to them a targeted social media campaign, to spread the message that those committing violent acts in our community will face severe consequences.

In addition to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission, members of the district’s PSN Task Force include the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, and the Independence Police Department. Federal partners on the task force include the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.

“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards.

“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”

In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade-old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.

PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The domestic partner of a soldier stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today for strangling and assaulting her in their home.

Kevin Levon Bonner, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Wednesday, Dec. 8, to five years and 11 months in federal prison without parole.

On June 21, 2021, Bonner pleaded guilty to one count of assault of an intimate partner or spouse by strangulation or suffocation, and one count of domestic violence. Bonner admitted that he choked the victim, a sergeant in the U.S. Army  and an intimate partner with whom he shared a residence in Fort Leonard Wood, to the point of unconsciousness sometime in the first week of July 2020. The victim, identified in court documents as “S.B.,” later told investigators that both of her eyes were completely bloodshot afterward. She attempted to self-medicate with Visine and compresses, and took a few days off work.

On July 13, 2020, S.B. and Bonner were in their bedroom when Bonner held her against the wall and punched her in the face multiple times. Although her face was severely damaged and she was in significant pain, S.B. reported for work that day. Her command staff ordered her to go to the emergency room. Medical staff observed bilateral blowout fractures to both her orbital sockets and severe petechiae in both eyes, as well as older injuries, such as bruises and scratch marks, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division was notified.

When S.B. was transferred to another hospital, according to court documents, doctors noted she had bilateral orbital fractures, conjunctive hemorrhaging of the eyes, tachycardia, healing fractures of the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth ribs on the right side, healing subacute bilateral fractures of the sixth, seventh, and ninth ribs on the left side, and a minimally displaced fracture on the right ninth posterior rib. Doctors also noted contusions on S.B.’s right upper extremities and on her left anterior thigh.

According to court documents, Bonner is a habitual domestic violence abuser. While on parole for abusing his legal wife (identified in court documents as “C.B.”), Bonner fraudulently married the victim in this case and began his cycle of abuse once again.

After his arrest, Bonner repeatedly attempted to influence S.B. to help him get out of detention, to get the case against him dismissed, and to refuse to cooperate with the investigation.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division and Military Police Investigations.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa, Missouri, physician pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to making a false statement to Medicare to obtain insurance coverage for a fentanyl prescription and to conspiring with others to use his DEA registration number to issue Schedule II controlled substances to patients in his absence.

Randall Halley, 65, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Tuesday, Dec. 7, to one count of making a false statement related to healthcare and one count of conspiracy to use a registration number issued to another person in connection with the distribution of a controlled substance.

Halley, a licensed physician, was employed by Ozark Community Hospital - Christian County Clinic in Nixa from 2004 to June 2019. He also was employed from 2009 to 2017 as the medical director at Magnolia Square, a skilled nursing facility in Springfield, Mo.

By pleading guilty yesterday, Halley admitted that he prescribed Subsys, a fentanyl spray manufactured by Insys Therapeutics, to a patient. Halley submitted a request to Medicare for payment coverage of the prescription, falsely stating that the patient had a diagnosis of cancer. Halley knew that the patient did not have a diagnosis of cancer at that time, and was not being treated for breakthrough cancer-related pain – two conditions that Medicare required for payment coverage of Subsys. Due to Halley’s false statement, Medicare paid a total of $11,945 to cover the prescription and subsequent Subsys prescriptions.

Halley also admitted that he conspired with others at the clinic to use his registration number so they could provide prescription medication in his absence, including Schedule II controlled substances. Halley was scheduled to only be present at the clinic in Nixa on Mondays and Thursdays. Although he was often absent on those days, he still scheduled patients for appointments. In order for the clinic to continue issuing prescriptions in Halley’s absence, he directed others at the clinic to prepare prescriptions ahead of time so that he could sign them several days before the patients’ appointments.  On those days when Halley was absent, he directed others at the clinic to give the patients their prescriptions, including Schedule II controlled substances. Due to this illegal conduct, Medicare paid a total of $18,901 to cover the cost of those prescriptions.

Halley specifically admitted to conspiring with Susan Gail Morris, a nurse practitioner; Lily (Nga) Nguyen, a nurse practitioner; Amber Moeschler, a licensed practical nurse; and Kimberly Hoffer, a licensed practical nurse, to use his DEA registration number to distribute Schedule II controlled substances. Morris, Nguyen, and Moeschler have already pleaded guilty to crimes related to their conduct in this conspiracy.  Co-defendant Hoffer has pleaded not guilty and is set for trial in February 2022.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Halley will pay a $92,225 fine and $44,887 in restitution to Medicare. The government may seek up to $355,678 in additional restitution to Medicare at the time of Halley’s sentencing hearing for conduct relevant to his false statement involving Subsys prescriptions.  Additionally, Halley agreed to refrain from treating medical patients who may require the issuance of prescriptions for controlled substances, throughout the period of any post-sentencing supervision.

Under federal statutes, Halley is subject to a sentence of up to nine years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Clark and Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former employee of the West Plains, Missouri, R-7 School District was sentenced in federal court today with soliciting children to send him sexually explicit photos and videos through Snapchat and Instagram.

Cody Ashton Ary, 31, of West Plains, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Ary to pay $6,000 in restitution.

Ary was employed at the time of the offense with the West Plains R-7 School District as a paraprofessional who commonly assisted with special need students. He was a site director for the Boys and Girls Town Club.

Ary, who has been in federal custody since his arrest on May 20, 2020, pleaded guilty on March 23, 2021, to one count of the sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.

According to court documents, Instagram initiated a CyberTip with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Dec. 3, 2019, after Ary uploaded a sexually explicit video of an 8-to-10-year-old boy to his account. Investigators found a total of 92 chat conversations between Ary and other Instagram users. Ary used the screen name “15anime_boy” and identified himself as a 15-year-old male to other users. He solicited sexually explicit videos and images from other users who identified to be minor males. Ary received dozens of images and videos of child pornography through his Instagram account. Ary asked the child victims to send him videos and images of them stripping in exchange for Ary providing Internet links to folders that contained child pornography.

An FBI task force officer in Buffalo, New York, was investigating a separate case in October 2019 in which Ary used a different Snapchat account to solicit and receive child pornography from other users reporting to be minors.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ary’s residence on May 20, 2020, where he was arrested. Ary admitted to investigators that he searched for minor males on Instagram and asked them for videos and images of themselves nude. Ary stated he would receive images and videos from the users, which depicted minor males engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ary also admitted that he also used Snapchat, chat-avenue, and other internet mediums to distribute links to child pornography folders and to contact minor males. Investigators found images of child pornography on Ary’s cell phone.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carthage, Missouri, husband and wife were sentenced in federal court today for their involvement in a five-year-long scheme to embezzle more than $235,000 from a Joplin, Mo., business owner.

Jeanine A. Poe, 52, and William Poe, 58, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips. Jeanine Poe was sentenced to two years in federal prison without parole. William Poe was sentenced to five years of probation. The court also ordered Jeanine and William Poe to pay $235,744 in restitution to the victim of their thefts.

On June 30, 2020, Jeanine Poe pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and William Poe pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony.

Jeanine Poe was hired by a friend in 2014 to manage two Doc Stop convenience stores in Joplin, for which she was paid more than $50,000 per year. The owner had little to do with the businesses, according to court documents, except to invest his money into both to ensure their financial success. In 2015, Jeanine Poe told the owner the businesses weren’t doing well financially and asked him to invest even more money. The owner invested much of his salary to financially support the businesses.

According to court documents, Jeanine Poe’s criminal activity over a five-year period included hundreds, if not thousands, of individual instances of theft and fraud.

In October 2019, after the businesses continued to lose money, the owner asked a friend to review the financial affairs of the businesses and learned that Jeanine Poe was embezzling money from his businesses. She had obtained at least seven credit cards in the name of the businesses, conducted transactions on the credit cards, and paid for such transactions with funds from the businesses. All of the credit cards opened by Jeanine Poe had reached their maximum allowable credit limit, and many times were used by Jeanine and William Poe for expenses that were entirely unrelated to the operation of the businesses (such as trips and personal expenses). One of the credit cards was in William Poe’s name. The owner also discovered that large amounts of cash were being fraudulently electronically transferred from his businesses’ bank account to Jeanine Poe’s personal bank account.

The two convenience stores were intended to become the victim’s retirement plan and source of future income. However, the business owner had to file for bankruptcy and actually lost one of his two businesses due to the embezzlement scheme.

William Poe admitted that he was aware of his wife’s embezzlement. He concealed these thefts by convincing the owner his wife was not embezzling, when he knew she was stealing from him. His concealment allowed Jeanine Poe to continue to conduct fraudulent credit card transactions and withdrawals from the business accounts.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the FBI.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mountain View, Missouri, woman who used a stolen identity to enroll in college pleaded guilty in federal court today to Social Security fraud.

Laura A. Oglesby, 48, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of intentionally furnishing false information to the Social Security Administration.

By pleading guilty today, Oglesby admitted that she fraudulently applied for a Social Security card on Jan. 14, 2016, using the personal identity information of another person, identified in court documents as “L.A.H.” Based upon her false representations, the Social Security Administration issued a Social Security card to Oglesby in another person’s name.

On the same day, Oglesby used the fraudulently obtained Social Security card to obtain a Missouri driver’s license under L.A.H.’s identity.

In 2017, Oglesby used the fraudulently obtained Social Security card of L.A.H. to enroll at a university, identified in court documents as “University A.” Using the stolen identity of L.A.H., Oglesby applied for and received financial aid to attend University A. Oglesby obtained $9,400 in federal student loans, $5,920 in Pell Grants, $337 for books purchased at University A’s bookstore, and $1,863 in finance charges.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Oglesby must pay $17,521 in restitution to the university, as well as restitution to the victim of her aggravated identity theft.

Under federal statutes, Oglesby 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 Shannon Kempf. It was investigated by Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Mountain View, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Defendants involved in a romance fraud scheme that victimized a Taney County, Missouri, woman and an email hacking scheme that targeted a program at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., were indicted in federal court in the Western District of Missouri as part of the Department of Justice’s fourth annual Money Mule Initiative.

The Money Mule Initiative targets networks of individuals through which international fraudsters obtain proceeds of fraud schemes. These individuals, sometimes referred to as money mules, receive money from fraud victims and forward the illicit funds, often to overseas perpetrators. By receiving and transferring illicit funds, money mules facilitate a wide range of fraud schemes, including those that often predominately impact older Americans — like romance scams and lottery fraud — and those that target companies through business email compromise schemes.

“Foreign fraudsters rely on American accomplices to facilitate their schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “These so-called money mules pocket a share of every stolen dollar and profit from the victimization of others. Whether the criminal conspiracy involves a romance fraud scheme, an email hacking scheme, or some other illegal fraud, we will strive to protect our community from such predators and hold them accountable.”

In the Western District of Missouri, the initiative targeted an online romance scheme that stole more than $300,000 from several victims, including a Taney County resident. The initiative also included the indictment of a Florida man for a business email compromise scheme that stole $164,568 from a program at Fort Leonard Wood that provides transportation for military service members to be with their families during the holidays.

The Department of Justice announced today that, nationwide, federal law enforcement took action to address 4,750 money mules over the last 10 weeks; enforcement actions occurred in every state in the country. These actions more than doubled the number of actions taken during last year’s effort. Agencies are also conducting outreach to educate the public about how fraudsters use money mules and how to avoid unknowingly assisting fraud by receiving and transferring money.

The thousands of actions taken by law enforcement ranged from warning letters to civil and administrative actions, to criminal prosecutions. Law enforcement served approximately 4,670 letters warning individuals that their actions were facilitating fraud schemes. These letters outlined the potential consequences for transferring money acquired illegally. Civil or administrative actions were filed against 11 individuals, and through seizures and voluntary return of funds, law enforcement obtained nearly $3.7 million in fraud proceeds.

Additionally, more than 30 individuals were criminally charged for their roles in receiving and forwarding victim payments or otherwise laundering fraud proceeds.

In the Western District of Missouri, those criminal cases included:

USA v. Huggins

Franklin D. Huggins, 53, of Homosassa, Florida, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Missouri, on Nov. 16, 2021.

The federal indictment alleges that Huggins participated in a $223,427 wire fraud conspiracy and in a money-laundering conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2017, to Jan. 28, 2019. Huggins’s co-conspirators allegedly targeted Fort Leonard Wood and two businesses through a business email compromise scheme. In a business email compromise scheme, conspirators hack into a business email account, then send an email from what appears to be an employee of such business with authority to engage in financial matters, instructing that money be sent to certain bank accounts.

According to the indictment, conspirators sent emails to individuals associated with businesses in an attempt to gain unlawful access to business email accounts. After gaining access to such email accounts, the conspirators then utilized the business email accounts to portray themselves as the businesses and individuals represented. Under such assumed identities, the conspirators would then engage in what seemed to be normal financial transactions with other victim businesses, individuals, and entities, requesting money for certain purposes. These victim businesses, individuals, and entities, believing they were conducting business with the real individuals and not the conspirators, sent money to the conspirators based upon those false representations.

Once Huggins received the victims’ money in one of his accounts, he would withdraw cash, use the proceeds for his own personal benefit, and transfer the money to other individuals or entities, for purposes other than what was represented to the victims.

According to the indictment, Huggins and his co-conspirators stole $164,568 from the Fort Leonard Wood branch of the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Co-conspirators hacked the email of an Illinois business that provided charter bus services then sent emails purportedly from the business, which provides transportation for military service members during the winter holidays – including round-trip bus transportation to airports for military service members to be with their families during the holidays.

Huggins and his co-conspirators allegedly also stole $9,000 from an individual in Tennessee, and allegedly stole $49,859 from a business in Idaho.

The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation, which would require Huggins to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $223,427.

USA v. Obafemi

Badetito O. Obafemi, 39, of Dallas, Georgia, was charged in a14-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Missouri, on July 27, 2021.

The federal indictment alleges that Obafemi participated in a wire fraud conspiracy and a money-laundering conspiracy from June 1, 2016, to March 2018. The indictment also charges Obafemi with 11 counts of money laundering and one count of operating an illegal money transmitting business.

Obafemi was the owner of Easy Tickets, LLC, and Goeasy Logistics, LLC, with offices for both companies listed at his residence.

Romance scams target people, some of them elderly, in search of companionship or romance through online websites such as Facebook, Our Time, and Go Fish. The perpetrators of the romance scams created several profiles on online dating sites and social media sites. The conspirators then contacted individuals throughout the United States, including at least one individual in Taney County, with whom they cultivated a sense of affection and romance.

Having established relationships with the victims, the indictment says, the perpetrators of the romance scams requested money for various untrue purposes, including equipment, business project expenses, other business expenses, hospital and other medical expenses, construction costs, travel expenses, taxes, and loans. The conspirators directed the victims to wire transfer or deposit money into various accounts, including accounts established and maintained by Obafemi. When he received the money, Obafemi allegedly withdrew some of the proceeds in cash, utilized some of the proceeds for his own benefit, and transferred some of the proceeds to other accounts in the United States and overseas.

According to the indictment, the Taney County victim was contacted via Facebook by an individual claiming to be “Kevin Condon” in May 2016. Following several conversations by email, phone, and Facebook, “Condon” convinced the victim to send him money for expenses related to his overseas business project and various medical issues. Conspirators stole a total of $27,460 from the Taney County victim. “Condon” also attempted to convince the victim to deposit $40,000 into an account controlled by Obafemi, purportedly to pay a court in South Africa for his release from jail.

The indictment also specifically refers to a victim in Minnesota who sent Obafemi and his co-conspirators $230,000 after meeting on an online dating site, and a victim in New Jersey who sent conspirators $54,000 after meeting on an online dating site.

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Obafemi to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including a money judgment of $311,460.

The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. They were investigated by the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, the Citrus County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, the Belle Meade, Tenn., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Northfield, Minn., Police Department.

For more information on money mules, please visit https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch/money-mule-initiative.

Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its elder fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).   

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A civilian pharmacist at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, was charged in federal court today with assaulting his supervisor with a knife and stabbing him multiple times.

Robert E. Sapp, 63, was charged in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with the intent to do bodily harm. Sapp remains in federal custody.

According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s criminal complaint, Sapp was working at a dispensing window at the Post Exchange Pharmacy at Fort Leonard Wood when he was approached by the supervisory pharmacist. Another employee told investigators the two men started arguing, then tumbled to the ground. The witness said she saw Sapp standing over the victim with a knife in his hand, stabbing him. When she asked Sapp, “What are you doing?” he put the knife in his pocket and fled from the pharmacy.

Two bystanders chased Sapp to the parking lot, the affidavit says. They saw Sapp get into a vehicle, which they tried to stop, but Sapp backed up and almost hit one of them, who jumped out of the way, and then Sapp drove off.

Military Police Service activated a barrier to prevent anyone from exiting the installation through the main gate. Sapp was detained by military police while attempting to flee in his vehicle. When Sapp was removed from his vehicle, the affidavit says, he had a knife in his pocket with visible hair and blood on it. The vehicle also had visible blood on the interior of the driver’s side door, and Sapp had blood on his clothing.

The victim was transported to the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Medical personal reported that he has multiple stab wounds, including multiple stab wounds to his head.

The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ami Harshad Miller and Jessica R. Sarff. It was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm after leading police officers on a high-speed chase through oncoming traffic and crashing into several police vehicles.

Kyle K. Kessler, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to nine years in federal prison without parole.

On Oct. 15, 2020, Kessler pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Kessler admitted he was in possession of a Jimenez Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Dec. 18, 2019.

Kansas City, Mo., police officers attempted to stop Kessler, who was driving a stolen Chevrolet 2500 pickup truck, shortly after noon on Dec. 18, 2019. When officers activated their emergency lights, however, Kessler refused to stop. Kessler’s vehicle struck several police cars as he fled from the area at a high rate of speed.

According to court documents, Kessler fled in a stolen vehicle at speeds averaging 80 miles per hour, up to 100 miles per hour. Kessler ran two stoplights on Blue Ridge Cutoff at Sni-A-Bar road and at E. 55th Street. Kessler weaved into oncoming traffic, which caused motorists to take evasive action to avoid colliding with Kessler’s vehicle. At E. 80th Street and Raytown Road, Kessler drove through a school zone without slowing. At E. 85th Street and Hickman Mills Road, Kessler lost control and drove off the road, striking a concrete pillar.

Two officers parked their vehicles behind the pickup. Kessler put the pickup in reverse and accelerated rapidly toward one of the officers. The officer dove out of the path of the truck, which struck the officer’s police car and pushed it back. Kessler continued accelerating into another officer’s vehicle. After striking both police cars, Kessler struck a guardrail and stopped. Two more police officers used their vehicles to block the truck and keep Kessler from fleeing.

Kessler refused to follow instructions to get out of the vehicle, so officers had to break the passenger window and pull him out. Kessler continued to resist officers until they handcuffed him. Officers then found the loaded Jimenez Arms pistol in Kessler’s left front jacket pocket.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Kessler has 11 prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle as well as prior felony convictions for burglary of a motor vehicle, tampering with an airplane or motor boat, theft, resisting arrest, and fraudulent use of a credit device.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ash Grove, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing 10 firearms, three of which were stolen during his burglary of a neighbor’s house.

Jason B. Roberts, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to nine years in federal prison without parole.

On June 17, 2021, Roberts pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Roberts’s residence on April 7, 2020. They found three rifles and a jewelry box that Roberts admitted he stole during the burglary of a neighbor’s house. Officers also found seven other firearms and approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Roberts has two prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, three prior felony convictions for forgery and a prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for soliciting images and videos of child pornography from several child victims and others online.

Charles Ray Sheppard, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole.

On July 8, 2021, Sheppard pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography.

Sheppard admitted that he engaged in sexual contact with a 5-or-6-year-old child victim when he was 18 or 19 years old, then reconnected with the child victim through the Facebook Messenger application in 2017, when the child victim was 13 years old. Sheppard and the child victim exchanged pornographic photos during their online conversations.

Investigators seized two cell phones from Sheppard, one of which also contained several conversations between Sheppard and another Kik user in which Sheppard requested and received images and videos of child pornography of unknown minor children. Investigators discovered 38 photos and two videos of child pornography within the cell phone’s Kik communications.

Sheppard also sent multiple nude images of himself to a 14-year-old child victim. Sheppard also admitted that he performed live sexual acts with a 13-year-old child victim on the Kik application.

When Sheppard was arrested on June 9, 2020, he possessed a third cell phone that contained child pornography.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today in two separate cases, including carjacking and using the victim’s debit card to withdraw $500 from his bank account in one case and illegally possessing a firearm in another case.

Abdul M. Williams, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years and 11 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Williams to pay $13,280 in restitution.

On July 22, 2021, Williams pleaded guilty to charges contained in two federal indictments. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Williams also pleaded guilty, in a separate and unrelated case, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Co-defendant Regginald Dace Jr., 20, has pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and awaits sentencing.

Williams, Dace, and an unidentified juvenile were given a ride by the victim, identified in court documents as “J.D.”, on Sept. 9, 2020. When they stopped at a gas station on Prospect Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., Dace put a gun to the victim’s head and threatened to “blow his brains out.” According to the victim, Dace and the juvenile each held the gun to his head at different times. They took the victim’s credit and bank debit card from his pocket and demanded the personal identification number (PIN) associated with the debit card. Williams withdrew $500 from the victim’s bank account, using an ATM inside the gas station.

The victim was forced at gunpoint to move from the driver’s seat to the back seat of his vehicle, a black 2015 GMC Sierra, and the juvenile got into the driver’s seat. They drove to a bank at 4920 Main Street and attempted to withdraw more money from an ATM with the victim’s debit card. However, the bank’s daily limit for ATM withdrawals had already been met with the original $500 withdrawal, so they were unsuccessful. They damaged the victim’s vehicle by side-swiping a pylon while attempting to use the ATM.

They demanded the victim’s home address. When he didn’t give them the address, they used his GPS to obtain his home address and the victim was driven to his home. When they arrived at his home, the victim was able to get out of the vehicle and escape. Williams, Dace, and the juvenile drove away in the victim’s vehicle.

At approximately 5 p.m. the same day, law enforcement officers located the victim’s unoccupied parked vehicle. When Williams, Dace, and the juvenile got into the vehicle and Dace began driving, officers attempted a car check. The vehicle initially stopped, but then fled eastbound on East 39th Street. After a brief pursuit, all three fled from the vehicle on foot. Dace was found hiding on the roof of a structure at 3922 Troost Avenue and taken into custody.

The victim stated he has received threats of violence for cooperating with the police on his case. The victim said in response, he has rarely been able to leave his residence and has taken precautions to fortify his household against the threats.

In the second case, Williams also admitted that he was contacted by Kansas City police officers on July 11, 2020, while he was rolling marijuana into a cigar wrapper inside a Conoco gas station. Officers contacted Williams in response to a call regarding an armed disturbance in which Williams reportedly pointed a gun at another individual. Officers attempted to detain Williams, who physically resisted by pulling away from them and tried to yank away from their grasps. An additional officer entered the store to assist officers gain control of Williams.

One of the officers attempted to use his taser on Williams, but it had no effect. Another officer then deployed his taser, which was effective in gaining compliance, and Williams was placed under arrest. Officers searched his backpack and found 125 grams of marijuana in one bag, 10 individually-packaged plastic bags that contained a total of 71 grams of marijuana, and a loaded Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with 42 rounds in the attached drum magazine. Officers also found $1,558 in Williams’s left front pants pocket.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. They were investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former Joplin, Missouri, middle school teacher was sentenced in federal court today for charges related to enticing one of her students to engage in illicit sex.

Amanda Ruth Schweitzer, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Schweitzer to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration.

On June 16, 2020, Schweitzer pleaded guilty to enticing a minor for illegal sexual activity. Schweitzer was a teacher at North Middle School in Joplin at the time of the offense.

The 13-year-old victim, who was a student of Schweitzer’s, reported Schweitzer sent nude photos of herself to the victim, with whom she primarily communicated via Instagram, and engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim on at least two occasions in March 2017. The victim reported that he also sent a nude image of himself to Schweitzer.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Indianapolis, Indiana, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in the armed robbery of a Walgreens pharmacy in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Daijahn Antwan Reed, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 11 years and three months in federal prison without parole.

On Aug. 17, 2021, Reed pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to court documents, the armed robbery was part of a larger scheme of violence perpetuated by the Indianapolis-based organization called The Mob for which Reed and his co-conspirators worked. This group and others committed similar offenses across the United States during the spring and summer of 2018.

Reed is the third and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendant Jerome Scott King, 22, of Speedway, Indiana, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Raymond Allen Craig, 23, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison without parole. Although Reed and his co-defendants are aware of the identity of a fourth participant in this crime, according to court documents, none of them have identified that individual.

Reed admitted that he and three other men robbed the Walgreens at 2002 Missouri Boulevard at gunpoint shortly after midnight on July 25, 2018. Police officers arrived as the robbers were running from the business. They fled in a vehicle driven by King. As officers followed in pursuit, occupants of the vehicle began throwing items from the vehicle, including more than 4,000 tablets of various controlled substances taken during the robbery with an aggregate value of $9,264.

Multiple officers pursued the vehicle eastbound on U.S. Highway 54 into Callaway County. The Missouri State Highway Patrol deployed spike strips at the U.S. 54-AA/OO interchange. King’s vehicle began to slow, left the highway, crossed the outer road and crashed near Jazel Lane in Holts Summit, Missouri. King and Craig were apprehended; an unidentified man escaped. Officers recovered the loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun used in the pharmacy robbery. The firearm had been stolen from Indianapolis.

A witness called the Jefferson City Police Department at about 4:15 a.m. the same day. The witness reported that Reed, who had not made it to the getaway car after the robbery, knocked on his door and asked to use the phone. Reed spoke with the witness for several hours and admitted that he robbed the Walgreens store. The witness told officers that Reed was on the roof of the O’Reilly Auto Parts store, 1010 Missouri Blvd., in Jefferson City. Officers arrested Reed at that location.

Reed later threatened the life of the witness, according to court documents. After being arrested, Reed conspired with Craig to murder the occupant of the home that Reed ran to for sanctuary following the armed robbery.

King admitted he entered the Walgreens to conduct surveillance and then reported the number of persons inside to Craig. Craig, Reed, and the fourth individual entered the pharmacy wearing medical masks over their faces and medical style gloves on their hands. The unidentified man displayed a firearm and confronted the store clerk. One of the thieves, whose identity could not be determined from the surveillance video, zip-tied the clerk’s hands behind his back while a firearm was pointed at his head, led him to the rear of the business near the pharmacy area, and forced him down on the floor. Craig and Reed jumped over the counter and confronted the pharmacist, brandishing a firearm in a threatening manner, and removed controlled substances from the pharmacy. Both Reed and Craig handled the firearm and brandished it in a threatening manner in the direction of the pharmacist.

This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Richenberger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.