Western District of Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Missouri, man who was beaten and shot during a robbery that resulted in police officers discovering illegal drugs at his residence, pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing methamphetamine and heroin to distribute.

Daniel A. Briscoe, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute.

Kansas City police officers were called to Briscoe’s residence at approximately 5:17 a.m. on Sept. 3, 2019, regarding a shooting. When officers arrived, they found Briscoe on a neighbor’s porch. He had three gunshot wounds to his legs and blood was coming from his head. Briscoe told officers he was in his bedroom with a female companion when he was robbed, pistol whipped, and shot by two men. He said the men took $52,000, his cell phone, and his 2009 Buick Cadillac. Before he was transported to the hospital, Briscoe gave his consent for officers to search his residence.

Officers followed blood droplets leading to a bedroom, where they found pools of blood. In the bedroom where the shooting occurred, detectives found a grocery sack that contained nine bags, which contained a total of 385.9 grams of pure methamphetamine. In the kitchen, detectives found two suspected drug ledgers and, in the freezer, four bags that contained a total of approximately 3.78 grams of heroin.

Under federal statutes, Briscoe is subject to a sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Lebanon, Missouri, attorney has pleaded guilty in federal court to tax and labor violations.

Meagan M. Howe, also known as Meagan M. Hasty, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Thursday, Aug. 19, to one count of failure to pay employment tax and one count of making a false representation related to an employee benefit plan.

Howe owns and operates Conquer the Divide, LLC. She is also the past owner and operator of Garner and Howe Law Firm; Missouri Law Firm, LLC; and Just Ask Howe Tax Advocacy Services, LLC.

Howe admitted that she withheld a total of $15,019 in federal taxes from her employees’ paychecks at Garner and Howe Law Firm and Missouri Law Firm, LLC in 2019, but failed to turn them over to the IRS. Howe further admitted that she failed to pay an additional $10,285 in employment taxes for the businesses in 2019.

Howe also admitted that she falsely prepared and submitted 2018 tax returns for herself and her husband. By filing separate returns that each claimed “Head of Household” status, she was able to fraudulently receive $3,775 earned income tax credits.

Howe also admitted that she failed to transmit $3,111 in contributions to an employee pension plan. Howe then falsely reported there was not a failure to transmit contributions to her employee pension plan.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Howe must pay restitution to the IRS, the Missouri Department of Revenue and individual victims.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Missouri Department of Revenue.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri pharmacy is prohibited from continuing its past practice of filling prescriptions without verifying whether they were issued by a DEA-authorized practitioner under a consent decree approved yesterday in federal court.

Spalitto’s Pharmacy, L.C., a retail pharmacy at 3801 Independence Avenue operated by Peter A. Spalitto as the pharmacist in charge, is named in a consent decree and final judgment signed by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Thursday, August 20.

Under the terms of the consent decree, Spalitto’s is permanently prohibited from dispensing any controlled substance without verifying that the prescription contains a valid DEA registration number for the prescribing practitioner. In a related settlement, Spalitto’s agreed to pay $250,000 to the United States to resolve civil penalty liability related to the United States’ allegations.

The government alleged in a civil complaint that Spalitto’s Pharmacy violated the Controlled Substances Act by dispensing controlled substances without verifying whether they were issued by an authorized practitioner.

According to the complaint, Spalitto’s Pharmacy failed to implement or follow sufficient controls to guard against the diversion of controlled substances. Spalitto’s dispensed prescription drugs on more than 200 occasions since the beginning of 2016 in violation of the Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations.

The complaint says that Spalitto’s Pharmacy filled 125 prescriptions, primarily for oxycodone, for at least a dozen individuals that purported to be from the same physician. The pharmacy filled those prescriptions for several years, from July 2017 to January 2020, despite the existence of significant red flags.

The complaint cites another example in which an individual presented 122 forged prescriptions from January 2016 to June 2019. Spalitto’s Pharmacy filled those narcotic prescriptions despite the existence of significant red flags.

Spalitto’s acknowledged that the pharmacy dispensed controlled substances to individuals presenting prescriptions purporting to be written by a practitioner who was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances. During this time, the DEA made available a free prescriber registration validity application online, which Spalitto’s could have used to discover that the prescriptions were not signed by an authorized practitioner.

The settlement agreement stipulates that it is neither an admission of liability by Spalitto and Spalitto’s Pharmacy to the government’s allegations, nor a concession by the government that its claims are not well-founded.

This civil case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Simpson. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing the firearm he used when he was shot in a rolling gun battle.

Odell J. Jackson, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Thursday, Aug. 19, to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Jackson was shot on May 1, 2020, during a rolling gun battle in the area of Leeds Trafficway and Emmanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. Jackson was driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck when he and a passenger drove into a church parking lot and engaged in a gunfight with the occupants of another vehicle, a red Dodge Charger. During the exchange of gunfire that followed, the Dodge Charger struck another vehicle while being chased by Jackson. Jackson was shot in the eye and his truck collided head-on with a light pole.

Jackson’s passenger called the police. When Kansas City police officers arrived at the scene of the accident, Jackson was lying in the bed of the pickup truck, covered in blood, with a towel covering the bullet wound to his head. Jackson was transported to a local hospital.

Officers later searched Jackson’s truck and found a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun with an obliterated serial number.

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

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former assistant principal at Nixa Junior High School in Nixa, Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court today to soliciting sexually explicit photos from a 13-year-old victim by posing online as a teen girl.

Colby Fronterhouse, 41, of Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of receiving child pornography. Fronterhouse was employed as an assistant principal at the junior high school at the time of the offense; he was terminated on Feb. 8, 2021.

A Christian County sheriff’s deputy was contacted by a 13-year-old child victim and his father in September 2020. The child victim, identified in court documents as “John Doe,” had been engaging in a series of text messages for approximately a week with Fronterhouse, who posed as a 14-year-old girl. Fronterhouse, posing as a 14-year-old, encouraged John Doe to transmit sexually explicit images of himself to Fronterhouse, made specific requests for poses or types of images, and had sexually explicit conversations with John Doe.

Investigators learned that the phone used by Fronterhouse was a burner phone number with a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) account, but they were able to trace the account to Fronterhouse. Officers executed a search warrant at Fronterhouse’s residence on Jan. 26, 2021, and he was arrested. Investigators seized Fronterhouse’s cell phone and found evidence linking his cell phone to the burner account. Investigators confirmed that Fronterhouse had access to the child victim’s cell phone number through school records.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jeffrey Q. McCarther, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Lon O. Hocker Award in recognition of his outstanding trial work in federal court.

“Jeff McCarther has been on the front line of our effort to make our community safer by getting violent criminals off the street and behind bars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “Jeff has worked diligently to aggressively prosecute drug traffickers, armed robbers, kidnappers, carjackers, felons and others who illegally possess firearms. Jeff confronts some of the most dangerous criminals in court and brings them to justice. Combatting violent crime is one of our highest priorities, and his dedication and professionalism have earned the respect of the legal community.”

Each year, the Missouri Bar recognizes one attorney under the age of 40 in the Kansas City, Mo., area who exemplifies the qualities of a trial lawyer, including professionalism and high ethical conduct. Awards are also presented to one attorney in the St. Louis, Mo., area and to one attorney in the remaining counties. The Missouri Bar Foundation describes the Lon O. Hocker Award recipients: “The recipients are chosen based on their demonstrated balance between zealousness and honor, strength and courtesy, and confidence and respect. They must possess a quick wit in the courtroom that is supported by meticulous preparation in the pursuit of truth.”

McCarther has been a federal prosecutor for seven years in the Violent Crime and Drug Trafficking Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He prosecutes felony crimes related to robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, drug trafficking conspiracies, the illegal possession of firearms, as well as other violent and drug-related crimes. Since joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2014, McCarther has successfully prosecuted 18 jury trials, as well as three bench trials.

For example, in 2019 McCarther earned convictions against two defendants who were indicted for kidnapping, robbing, and terrorizing three women during a violent, hours-long crime spree. The victims were threatened with a sawed-off shotgun as their kidnappers forced them to withdraw money from ATMs. One of the victims escaped when police officers recognized the stolen car in which she was being held. The others were able to flee from their captors. The jury deliberated less than two hours before returning guilty verdicts on 17 charges apiece. One defendant was later sentenced as an armed career criminal and “three strikes” violent felon to four consecutive terms of life in federal prison without parole. The other defendant was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison without parole.

In another case, a defendant was convicted at trial for illegally possessing the firearm he had used to shoot his girlfriend. He was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 17 years in federal prison without parole.

Another defendant was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole after being convicted at trial of participating in a conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. His co-defendants, who pleaded guilty, possessed 80,000 pseudoephedrine pills at the time of their arrest – enough to produce approximately three kilograms of pure methamphetamine with a street value of more than $100,000.

McCarther was born, raised, and currently resides in Kansas City, Mo. He is a 2005 graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and a 2009 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia, Mo. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, McCarther was an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney at the Jackson County, Mo., Prosecutor’s Office and, before that, a civil attorney at a top national law firm.

Lon O. Hocker Award

Mary B. Hocker established the Lon O. Hocker Award in 1954 in memory of her late husband, an outstanding trial lawyer who practiced in St. Louis for more than 50 years.  The Missouri Bar Foundation gives the award annually to lawyers who have demonstrated unusual proficiency in the art of trial advocacy.

Traditionally, the Missouri Bar Foundation presents these awards at its Awards Luncheon during The Missouri Bar Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting this year will be held virtually as it was last year. Nominations were taken from throughout the state by previous Lon O. Hocker Award winners, the Missouri Bar president, leaders, or members-at-large. The review committee was comprised of three or more federal or state judges.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man was convicted at trial by a federal jury today of attempting to meet a law enforcement officer, posing online as a 14-year-old girl, for illegal sexual activity.

Darren Wade Lasley, 32, was found guilty 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.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for about an hour before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Aug. 16.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. 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 Indianapolis, Indiana, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in the armed robbery of a Walgreens pharmacy in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Daijahn Antwan Reed, 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps Jr. on Tuesday, Aug. 17, to one count of armed robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Reed, who was scheduled to begin trial next week, is the third and final defendant to plead guilty 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, Indiana.

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.

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.

Under federal statutes, Reed is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for the robbery, plus a mandatory minimum of seven years in federal prison without parole for the firearm offense, 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 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.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Jackson County, Missouri, man was convicted at trial by a federal jury today of illegally possessing a firearm.

James Johnson, 75, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Johnson was in possession of a Ruger .22-caliber semi-automatic handgun on Nov. 28, 2019. Law enforcement officers confronted Johnson after receiving a report that he was trespassing on Union Pacific Railroad property. Johnson, who told officers he was walking to St. Louis, was carrying the loaded firearm in a red and black fabric bag, with additional ammunition in a computer bag.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Johnson was on state parole for murder, robbery, and assault with intent to do great bodily harm at the time of the offense.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about 30 minutes before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Aug. 16.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam. It was investigated by 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 St. Joseph, Missouri, woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms.

Caci R. Clizer, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

On Oct. 16, 2020, Clizer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

According to the plea agreement, Clizer traveled to Kansas City, Mo., every two or three days to pick up cocaine and methamphetamine, and would pick up approximately one pound of cocaine and approximately one pound and 10 ounces of methamphetamine.

On June 16, 2015, Missouri Department of Corrections officials intercepted a controlled substance sent into the prison by Clizer. Investigators also used a confidential informant to purchase methamphetamine, and interviewed buyers who purchased methamphetamine from Clizer.

On July 29, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Clizer’s residence. Officers found approximately 484 grams of pure methamphetamine, approximately 103.55 grams of cocaine, approximately 18.12 grams of crack cocaine, pills, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a Bersa .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun, a Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a 9mm 50-round drum (magazine), a Savage .22-caliber rifle, a box that contained ammunition, $3,025 in cash, five cell phones, and drug paraphernalia in the master bedroom.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than three kilograms of heroin that was intercepted by law enforcement officers when it was shipped from California to Kansas City, Missouri.

Solomon B. Hawthorne, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in a conspiracy to possess heroin with the intent to distribute.

According to court documents, a Kansas City, Mo., police detective intercepted a suspicious package at a local FedEx facility. The package, which was being shipped from California to a Kansas City, Mo., address, contained a black metal safe. Inside the safe were three bundles of a total of 3.179 kilograms of heroin.

An undercover law enforcement officer conducted a controlled delivery of the package on Nov. 20, 2020. The undercover detective knocked on the front door of the residence but no one answered. He placed the package on the steps of the porch and officers initiated surveillance. In less than an hour, an individual arrived via Uber and began continuously walking the block, texting and talking on his cell phone for a couple of hours, appearing to be keeping an eye on the parcel. At one point, he walked up to the house and repositioned the parcel on the porch in order to conceal it from the street.

A couple of hours later, Hawthorne arrived, driving a 2016 Dodge Ram truck. The individual got into Hawthorne’s truck and they drove around the block before pulling into the driveway of the residence. Hawthorne and the other individual were taken into custody.

When officer’s searched Hawthorne’s truck, they found a large clear storage bag that contained approximately 134.04 grams of heroin. They also found a black bag that contained $48,680 in cash and a Glock 9mm magazine with 10 rounds of ammunition. Another Glock 9mm magazine, which contained 15 rounds of ammunition, was found in a hidden compartment underneath the dashboard.

According to court documents, Hawthorne had conducted similar transactions twice over the previous few months and had paid approximately $100,000 to purchase heroin that was shipped to Kansas City.

Under federal statutes, Hawthorne is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Dec. 16, 2021.

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The former general manager of the hospital dining facility at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing more than $69,000 from the cash registers.

Gregory Arthur Norton, 53, of Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of theft of public money.

Norton was employed by Sodexo, Inc., which was contracted to provide food services to the patients and staff of the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital, from August 2015 to July 2018. Norton’s duties as general manager included managing payroll for the employees, managing the budget, reviewing financial statements and tracking operating expenses for the hospital dining area, the close out of all cash drawers, and the preparation and verification of the daily cash deposit.

Significant cash discrepancies totaling $78,320 were discovered during an audit in November 2018. These discrepancies were identified as being related to large unexplained voids conducted at the cash register Point of Sale (“POS”) systems, which began in November 2015 and ended in March 2018. The report concluded the voids were conducted by one or more Sodexo managers in an attempt to defraud the government. The report further concluded Norton was present and working in the dining facility during the loss of at least $69,025. Multiple witnesses stated that Norton worked unusual hours, often staying at work longer than would be considered normal for someone in his position.

Norton admitted he conducted fraudulent voids at the POS systems from August 2015 to March 31, 2018. Norton used his manager code to authorize the voids and stole the voided amount of cash. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Norton must pay $69,025 in restitution to the government.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Kempf. It was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Leonard Wood.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Bates City, Missouri, man who was responsible for distributing nearly 100 kilograms of methamphetamine, has been sentenced in federal court after law enforcement officers seized nearly two dozen firearms and illegal drugs from his residence.

Daniel Dewayne Gregg, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Wednesday, Aug. 11, to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

On April 8, 2021, Gregg pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to court documents, Gregg was responsible for distributing 98 kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers identified Gregg as a major supplier of methamphetamine trafficking following several controlled drug purchases. Officers executed a search warrant at Gregg’s residence on Sept. 11,2020, and placed him under arrest.

Gregg told officers that he had been dealing crystal methamphetamine continuously for at least the past six months. Gregg stated that he was a kilogram-level dealer of crystal methamphetamine and had sold, at a conservative minimum, at least 12 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine per month for the past six months (and had been selling large amounts of methamphetamine for at least a year and a half).

Gregg stated he had several large-scale customers who purchased at least a half-kilogram of methamphetamine from him at a time. One customer, said Gregg, purchased one or two kilograms of methamphetamine each week. Gregg said he purchased methamphetamine for $12,000 per kilogram and sold it for about $13,000 per kilogram.

Officers located a large firearms safe in the basement of Gregg’s residence that contained 22 firearms and a large amount of cash; in total, officers seized $22,240 from Gregg’s residence, which has been forfeited to the government.

Officers also searched Gregg’s vehicle and found 151.6 grams of methamphetamine, 436.5 grams of marijuana, and 207 prescription pills that were identified to be either Xanax, Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine pills, which were in unlabeled prescription pill bottles. Officers seized a total of 318 pills of scheduled controlled pharmaceutical prescriptions not in Gregg’s name. Officers also found methamphetamine inside a fanny pack. They found a loaded Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on top of the fanny pack. Gregg told officers he had the firearm because he had been threatened by individuals wanting to do him harm, and Gregg stated he had the firearm in case those individuals came to his residence to harm him.

According to court documents, Gregg was on supervised release at the time of this offense after serving a sentence of 100 months in federal prison for a conviction of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Gregg has numerous prior convictions, including multiple controlled substances convictions.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography over the internet.

Dana Paul Cline, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 13 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Cline to pay a total of $31,000 in restitution to several of his victims.

On July 7, 2020, Cline pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. Cline’s later motion to withdraw his guilty plea was denied by the court.

The investigation began on May 24, 2018, when a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper downloaded child pornography from Cline’s computer during an investigation into a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. On June 27, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cline’s residence. Officers examined Cline’s laptop and found videos and images of child pornography. According to court documents, Cline was seeking out child pornography of a very disturbing nature. The videos and images he distributed and received depicted extremely young children engaged in horrendous sexual acts with adults.

According to court documents, Cline has a history of domestic violence, substance abuse, and a previous investigation of possession of child pornography. In 2011, Cline’s former landlord reported he found two flash drives in Cline’s apartment that contained child pornography. A forensic examination of the flash drives revealed one contained two child pornography videos and the second contained 17 child pornography videos. The second flash drive also had multiple documents stored on it with Cline’s name and/or images linked to him.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Las Vegas, Nevada, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for possessing more than eight pounds of methamphetamine in his duffel bag aboard a bus passing through Kansas City, Missouri.

Reginald S. Thomas Sr., 52, was charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Thomas on July 28, 2021.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a police service canine alerted to the presence of drugs in a duffel bag that was among the luggage of a bus from Los Angeles, California, that arrived at a bus station in Kansas City, Mo., on July 28, 2021. Thomas, the owner of the duffel bag, was questioned by law enforcement officers.

When officers searched the duffel bag, they found a grey denim backpack that contained seven bundles. Those bundles, the affidavit says, contained approximately 8.1 pounds (3.674 kilograms) of methamphetamine.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Western Interdiction Narcotics (MOWIN) Task Force.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing the firearm he accidentally fired in a fatal shooting at the Kansas City Zoo.

Anthony R. Meneses, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Monday, Aug. 9, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, Kansas City police officers were called to the scene of an accidental shooting in a parking lot at 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 9, 2020. The victim, identified in court documents as “J.S.,” had been shot while he was sitting in the driver’s seat of a 2005 Toyota Camry, which was occupied by three other persons.

Meneses was sitting behind the driver’s seat; there was another passenger in the back seat and in the front passenger seat. Meneses grabbed the gun, a Glock 9mm pistol, from the back pocket of the driver’s seat when the gun accidentally fired. The bullet traveled though the driver’s seat, striking J.S. in the chest.

J. S. was transported to Research Medical Center where he was later pronounced deceased.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Meneses has a prior felony conviction for tampering with a motor vehicle.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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.

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

Benny D. Griffin, 59, and Jordan W. Gutierrez, 26, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough. Griffin was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Gutierrez was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole.

Griffin and Gutierrez each pleaded guilty on March 25, 2021, to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties from Dec. 31, 2015, to June 21, 2019. Griffin also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

On Nov. 26, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Griffin’s residence. They searched Griffin, who had 1.947 grams of pure methamphetamine in his pocket. During a search of the property, officers found a black waterproof case in the wood line approximately 100 yards from the residence. Inside the case, officers found multiple bags of methamphetamine, which totaled 851 grams of pure methamphetamine. Officers also found several bags of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and surveillance equipment both inside and outside the residence. Officers seized $16,098, which has been forfeited to the government as the proceeds of drug trafficking, from a living room safe. Officers also found a loaded Ruger .22-caliber pistol on the bed in the master bedroom.

Griffin told officers he had obtained the methamphetamine a few days earlier from co-defendant Fontella J. Noose, 40, of Springfield. Griffin rented a vehicle and drove it to Springfield, Mo. He stayed in a hotel while Noose took the vehicle to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to purchase the methamphetamine. Noose picked up three pounds of methamphetamine on the trip and gave him two of the pounds. Griffin said he provided all of the cash for the drugs and Noose owed him $9,000 for her pound and another pound she had kept on a previous transaction.

Griffin told officers he had used Noose as his source of supply for approximately three months and had conducted four or five transactions with her, having gotten three pounds of methamphetamine on each occasion. Griffin said he paid $5,000 per pound of methamphetamine.

Noose, who pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy, was sentenced on March 25, 2021, to 20 years in federal prison without parole.

Gutierrez was arrested on Sept. 25, 2018, while returning from a trip to Oklahoma to purchase illegal drugs. When officers detained Gutierrez at a truck stop in Cabool, Mo., he was in possession of 70.63 grams of methamphetamine.

Although the methamphetamine seized at the time of his arrest was purchased from a different source, Gutierrez told officers that he purchased methamphetamine from co-defendant Shirley J. Hicks, 63, of West Plains, on a consistent basis for approximately two months during the conspiracy. Gutierrez purchased one ounce at a time from Hicks, several times per month. 

Hicks has pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy, as well as 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 found12 bags with a total of 243 grams of pure methamphetamine inside a black leather bag, and a bag of methamphetamine inside a blue waterproof box that contained 122.892 grams of pure methamphetamine. Officers also seized a total of $20,393, which Hicks admitted was proceeds from her distribution of methamphetamine.

Co-defendants Jose I. Gonzales, 39, and Shaun M. Ross, 43, both of West Plains, also 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.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Three Springfield, Missouri, residents were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine.

Jeremy A. Ingram, 42, Laurie B. Holmes, 39, and Lonnie J. Tinker, 36, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool. Ingram was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Holmes was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Tinker was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

Ingram, Holmes, and Tinker each pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy from Nov. 22, 2016, to Sept. 26, 2018. Ingram also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Ingram and Holmes each admitted they directly received methamphetamine to distribute from co-defendant Cheyenne W. Conn, 45, of Everton, Mo. Conn transported approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine per week by vehicle from California to the Springfield area. He then distributed the methamphetamine to other dealers in the conspiracy, including Ingram and Holmes, who in turn distributed methamphetamine to other dealers. Tinker admitted that he purchased more than a kilogram of pure methamphetamine from co-defendant Cassidy R. Clayton, 25, of Springfield, who also received methamphetamine directly from Conn. Tinker distributed methamphetamine to at least seven other individuals.

Ingram admitted that he engaged in several controlled purchases of methamphetamine by undercover law enforcement officers and confidential informants. On Sept. 22, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ingram’s motorcycle shop, Straight Clownin’ Customs. He and Conn were present in the garage, where officers seized a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic pistol, 300 rounds of 9mm ammunition, numerous rounds of various caliber ammunition, a lock pick set, and drug paraphernalia. Officers also seized a loaded Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol from Conn’s GMC Sierra, which had been reported as stolen.

When Ingram was arrested on May 10, 2018, he was in possession of a stolen Springfield Armory .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol and 31.79 grams of methamphetamine. Ingram was arrested again on July 4, 2018. Ingram fled from officers on his motorcycle at a high rate of speed, nearly striking a police van as he drove through a public parking lot.

Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Holmes’s residence on Dec. 8, 2017, and seized 82.7 grams of methamphetamine, $2,085, and drug paraphernalia. Holmes admitted she purchased approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine from Conn during the conspiracy, which she distributed to others. Holmes also admitted that she traveled with Conn to Los Angeles, Calif., to purchase methamphetamine.

When officer’s searched Tinker’s residence, they found a safe in his bedroom that contained a Tanfoglio .22-caliber revolver that had been reported stolen, 87 rounds of ammunition, and methamphetamine.

Conn and Clayton are among nine defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case and await sentencing: Larry E Stapp, 42, Tresha R. Ahart, 31, and Megan L McNary, 27, all of Springfield; Ginger L. Huerta, also known as Ginger L. Gray, 41, of Halfway, Mo.; Lloyd R. Bradley, 44, of Fordland, Mo.; Shelby R. Maupin, 32, of Ozark, Mo.; and Summerlee M. Barnett, also known as Summerlee M. Lacount, 35, of Salem, Mo.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Sarff. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Dade County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department, and the Oldham County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department.

Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.  The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy.  OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.  Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ava, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a firearm.

Charles D. Kessler, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on July 29, 2021, to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

On July 2, 2020, Kessler 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. Kessler admitted he was in possession of 37.8 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Taurus .380-caliber pistol when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence on Jan. 5, 2017. The methamphetamine, which Kessler admitted he intended to distribute, was found inside a locked security safe next to a bed in Kessler’s bedroom, along with drug distribution materials. The pistol was found on the headboard of Kessler’s bed.

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 prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, burglary, retail theft, aggravated battery, and theft.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Douglas County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Wright County, Mo., Sheriff’s 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 Sparta, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for failing to pay more than $600,000 in federal taxes.

Jeffrey Scott Allen, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Tuesday, Aug. 3, to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Allen to pay $758,517 in restitution.

On Sept. 1, 2020, Allen pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Allen admitted that he evaded, and failed to pay, $606,338 in federal taxes and $96,478 in state taxes from 2012 through 2017.

Allen, who operates his own business, has worked as a successful installer for satellite-based internet and television for the past 21 years. According to court documents, he utilizes contract labor with five separate contractors, claims a gross annual profit of $2.1 million, and takes a $6,000 draw each month from the business.

According to court documents, Allen substantially underreported net income from his business and paid most of his and his family’s personal expenses from his business accounts. By underreporting his income, Allen was able to illegally receive federal benefits to which he was not entitled. Allen fraudulently received $15,856 in Medicaid benefits for three of his children, $4,392 in free and reduced school lunches for his children, and $35,453 in federal student aid under the Pell Grant program. Allen is required to repay federal and state agencies for those benefits under the court’s restitution order.

This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, Missouri Department of Revenue – Criminal Tax Investigation Bureau, Missouri Department of Social Services – Welfare Investigations Unit, U.S. Department of Education – Office of Inspector General, and USDA – Office of Inspector General.

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.

Raymond L. Pierce, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

On Feb. 10, 2021, Pierce pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pierce admitted that he illegally possessed a loaded Glock 9mm handgun on Dec. 28, 2019. Pierce also admitted in his plea agreement that he was in possession of a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a Glock 9mm  on July 9, 2020.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Pierce has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.

On Dec. 28, 2019, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy was working uniformed, but off-duty, patrolling the area around nightclubs that were letting out on Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo., at 2:36 a.m. As he was trying to move people out of the street, the deputy saw in his rear-view mirror a green Ford Mustang approaching him without its headlights on at a high rate of speed. The Mustang quickly changed lanes to avoid the deputy’s car and individuals in the street moved back to ensure not being hit. The deputy attempted to pull the Mustang over, but the Mustang fled and the deputy discontinued the chase.

At 3:05 a.m., a different Jackson County sheriff’s deputy was traveling eastbound on 1-670 just east of the Broadway overpass in Kansas City, Mo., and saw a green Ford Mustang crash into the center mediate concrete barrier and guard rail. The deputy stopped to render aid. As he approached the green Mustang, he saw Pierce, who was on probation, standing outside the driver’s door. As the deputy approached him, Pierce climbed back inside the vehicle, reached across the center console, and placed his hand down near the passenger side floorboard. The deputy directed Pierce to exit the vehicle and show his hands, and Pierce refused. Once back-up arrived, officers were able to get Pierce out of the vehicle. Pierce said his leg and mouth hurt, and officers ordered EMS. The car was inventoried prior to being towed and officers found the loaded Glock 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat. The serial number on the barrel of the Glock was filed off and the serial number plate had been removed.

On July 9, 2020, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance on Pierce, who had felony arrest warrants. They saw Pierce driving a silver Dodge Avenger with two passengers. Pierce drove to a house in Raytown, Mo., where all three went into the house. When they returned to the car, they placed a backpack in the back seat. Investigators attempted to pull Pierce over, but Pierce fled, disregarding stop signs and light signals. Investigators used aerial surveillance to track Pierce to a gas station in Kansas City, Kansas, where they again attempted to take him into custody. Pierce refused to comply again and fled, striking a law enforcement vehicle in his escape.

Aerial surveillance continued to track Pierce. At one point in his flight, Pierce drove through the area of 40th Street and Genessee Street in Kansas City, Mo. Officers received a call from that area about a car traveling at a high rate of speed the wrong way, which threw out a firearm and a Louis Vuitton backpack. Officers responded to the location and found a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Inside the Louis Vuitton backpack, officers found the Glock 9mm handgun, the Glock 9mm extended magazine, and 115 grams of marijuana. Investigators later identified Pierce’s Facebook account. Posted to that account was a photograph of Pierce with the Louis Vuitton backpack.

Arial surveillance tracked Pierce to a Grandview residence, where he and the two passengers left the car and went into the house. Officers found Pierce hiding in the basement.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the FBI, the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Holts Summit, Missouri, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the armed robbery of a Dollar General store in Jefferson City, Mo.

Tyler Steven Mitchell Williams, 24, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City on Tuesday, Aug. 3.

The federal indictment alleges that Williams used a firearm to rob the Dollar General store at 1414 Missouri Blvd., Jefferson City, on July 7, 2021. Law enforcement officers identified Williams and his vehicle based on surveillance video. Officers located and arrested him a few hours after the robbery occurred.

The indictment also charges Williams with one count of brandishing and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Williams allegedly used a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun in the robbery.

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

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Six southwest Missouri residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the death of the victim.

Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 48, and Carla Jo Ward, 47, both of Joplin, Mo.; Amy Kay Thomas, 38, of Webb City, Mo.; James B. Gibson, 39, of Neosho, Mo.; Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 49, of Newton County, Mo.; and Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 49, of Greenwood, Mo.; were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Thursday, July 29.

The federal indictment alleges that each of the six defendants participated in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. According to the indictment, Ward picked up M.H. and took him to Vaughan’s residence. Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. In Vaughan and Ward’s presence, the indictment says, Thomas cut M.H. repeatedly with a knife and Gibson beat M.H. with a club. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and transported it to Hurtt’s property.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, the indictment says, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended. Officers found M.H.’s body on the property.

In addition to the conspiracy, the indictment charges each of the six defendants in one count of kidnapping resulting in death and in one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, resulting in murder.

Tilton, Thomas, Gibson, and Ward are also charged together in one count of being felons in possession of a firearm on July 14, 2020.

Tilton is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms on July 28, 2020. Tilton allegedly was in possession of a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun at the time of his arrest.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.

Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)

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.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two St. Joseph, Missouri, men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and for illegally possessing firearms.

Roderick A. Hughes, 48, and Franklin T. Hicks Jr., also known as “Frankie,” 40, were charged in a seven-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, July 21. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following their arrest.

The federal indictment alleges that Hughes and Hicks participated in a conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin from Sept. 1, 2019, to March 26, 2021.

In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Hughes and Hicks are charged together with one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. They allegedly were in possession of a silver revolver (with no marking), a Glock 9mm handgun, a Stoeger 9mm handgun, and a Jennings Bryco 9mm handgun on Feb. 23, 2021. Hughes and Hicks are also charged together with one count of being felons in possession of the Glock 9mm handgun, Stoeger 9mm handgun, and Jennings Bryco 9mm handgun.

Hicks is also charged with one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Hicks allegedly possessed a Rock Island Armory .380-caliber handgun and a Ruger 9mm handgun on Jan. 22, 2021.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Noel, Missouri, man has been arrested in the Republic of Guatemala and returned to the United States to face a federal indictment for kidnapping the 4-year-old daughter of a woman whose body was discovered in a suitcase last year.

Mahamud Tooxoow Mahamed, 39, a Somali national, was charged in an indictment returned on Aug. 20, 2019. The indictment alleges that Mahamed kidnapped a minor victim (identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1) and transported her from Missouri to Iowa.

Mahamed, who has been a fugitive from justice since the indictment, was recently arrested in Guatemala, expelled from that country, and returned to the United States. His initial court appearance was held today in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. He remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Aug. 2, 2021.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, the body of Jessica McCormack, of Noel, was discovered on July 29, 2019, near Missouri Highway 59 between Lanagan, Mo., and Noel. The last time McCormack was seen alive, the affidavit says, was when law enforcement officers responded to a call at her home on July 16, 2019. Also present in the residence were Mahamed, who was identified as McCormack’s paramour, and McCormack’s three daughters, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1 (four years old), Jane Doe 2 (two years old), and Jane Doe 3 (six months old).

McCormack’s children could not be located after her body was discovered and identified. An Amber Alert was issued for McCormack’s three children, who were located at a residence in Des Moines, Iowa, and taken into state custody on Aug. 8, 2019. According to the affidavit, a woman who formerly worked with Mahamed at the Tyson plant in Noel told law enforcement officers that Mahamed arrived at her Des Moines residence with the children on Aug. 5, 2019. She discovered he had left on Aug. 8, 2019, the affidavit says, when she found a note from Mahamed informing her that he could not care for the children.

Investigators confirmed with the father of McCormack’s oldest child that Mahamed did not have his consent to take Jane Doe 1 outside the state of Missouri.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Des Moines, Iowa, Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man has been charged in federal court with illegally possessing firearms as part of an ongoing investigation into a rash of car thefts that have occurred in local entertainment districts.

Nathan Mack, 31, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Monday, July 26, with being a felon in possession of firearms.

The federal criminal complaint alleges that Mack was in possession of a Taurus 9mm handgun and a Canik 9mm handgun on Saturday, July 24. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearms or ammunition. Mack has prior felony convictions for robbery and armed criminal action.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, law enforcement was investigating the thefts of dozens of firearms stolen from vehicles near the city’s entertainment districts. In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 24, Kansas City police officers were conducting surveillance in and around the Westport Entertainment District. At about 3:37 a.m., officers saw Mack get out of the driver’s seat of a Chevrolet Cruz in a parking lot near the intersection of 42nd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Officers recognized Mack, whom the affidavit says was in possession of a firearm, as a convicted felon, and he was taken into police custody.

Officers found a Canik 9mm handgun, which had been reported as stolen from a vehicle a week earlier, on the driver’s side floorboard. Officers also found a Taurus 9mm handgun in between the front passenger seat and door of the vehicle.

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. Attorney Sean T. Foley. 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. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing Great Southern Bank in Joplin, Mo., last week.

Leland Scott Graham, 57, was charged with bank robbery in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Graham on July 22, 2021.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original federal criminal complaint, Graham walked into Great Southern Bank, 1232 S. Range Line Road in Joplin, on July 19, 2021. Graham allegedly proceeded to the teller counter, announced a robbery, and demanded money before lifting his shirt to display what tellers believed was a handgun in his waistband. The tellers handed over money, the affidavit says, and Graham left the bank. The affidavit says he dropped some of the cash on the bank floor as he was leaving. Surveillance cameras in the bank captured good quality video during the robbery.

On the day of the robbery, the Joplin Police Department released surveillance images to the media and requested the public’s assistance to identify the bank robber. The next day, July 20, 2021, the police received a tip that identified Graham as the robber. Officers located Graham in Kansas City, Mo., and attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving. Graham did not immediately stop and after a short pursuit, he left the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Graham was taken into custody a short time later.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI; the Joplin, Mo., Police Department; the Miami County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Department; the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department; and the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for enticing a 15-year-old victim through social media to engage in illicit sexual activity.

Clinton Anthony Yeats, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 14 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Yeats to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration.

Yeats, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 23, 2021, admitted he engaged in an online relationship with the 15-year-old victim, identified in court documents as John Doe. They met through Grindr, a dating application, and communicated online for several months. They also used Snapchat and text messaging to communicate. Yeats solicited and received sexually explicit images of John Doe; Yeats also sent sexually explicit images of himself to John Doe. Yeats and the child victim discussed meeting in person to engage in sexual activity.

The investigation began on Jan. 9, 2020, when Snapchat reported four files that contained child pornography, which had been uploaded by Yeats the day before.

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."

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Everton, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in the Springfield, Mo., area.

Cheyenne W. Conn, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

By pleading guilty today, Conn admitted that he participated in a drug-trafficking conspiracy from Nov. 22, 2016, to Sept. 26, 2018, and in a money-laundering conspiracy from June 20, 2017, to Dec. 6, 2017.

Conn transported approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine per week by vehicle from California to the Springfield area. He then distributed the methamphetamine to other dealers in the conspiracy. Conn admitted that the drug quantity attributable to him is at least 4.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine.

Conn also directed others to send wire transfers of the drug-trafficking proceeds to members of the drug-trafficking organization.

Conn was arrested on Nov. 22, 2016, when Greene County, Mo., sheriff’s deputies responded to a report that a truck on Farm Road 124 was unable to maintain lanes, and persons were throwing objects believed to be needles out of the truck. Deputies located the truck, which was being driven by Conn. He jumped out of the truck and was detained while a passenger continued driving the truck. Deputies later found the truck in a ditch at the intersection of State Highway F and State Highway T. A deputy searched the truck and found a Lorcin .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a total of 4.27 grams of methamphetamine. Conn had $1,333 in the front pocket of his sweatshirt.

On Dec. 22, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Conn’s residence and seized a total of 15 grams of methamphetamine, a distributive amount.

On Dec. 10, 2017, Conn was arrested during a traffic stop in Oldham County, Texas. A sheriff’s deputy found $900 in Conn’s pocket and a baggie that contained approximately 6.27 grams of methamphetamine, a distributive amount. The deputy also searched Conn’s vehicle and found a black bag that contained a large amount of money with a note that stated, “$27,000,” a hypodermic needle with a usable amount of methamphetamine, and a 9mm pistol magazine hidden in the left-rear-quarter panel behind the carpet.

On Sept. 22, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the shop owned by co-defendant Jeremy A. Ingram, 42, of Springfield. Conn and Ingram were present in the garage, where officers seized a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic pistol, 300 rounds of 9mm ammunition, numerous rounds of various caliber ammunition, a lock pick set, and drug paraphernalia. Officers also seized a loaded Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol from Conn’s GMC Sierra, which had been reported as stolen.

Conn is one of 12 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case, including Ingram, Larry E Stapp, 42, Tresha R. Ahart, 31, Megan L McNary, 27, Lonnie J. Tinker, 36, Laurie B. Holmes, 39, and Cassidy R. Clayton, 25, all of Springfield; Ginger L. Huerta, also known as Ginger L. Gray, 41, of Halfway, Mo.; Lloyd R. Bradley, 44, of Fordland, Mo.; Shelby R. Maupin, 32, of Ozark, Mo.; and Summerlee M. Barnett, also known as Summerlee M. Lacount, 35, of Salem, Mo.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Sarff. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Dade County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department, and the Oldham County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department.

Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.  The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy.  OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.  Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man who was identified when his photo was broadcast by local TV stations was charged in federal court today with bank robbery.

Charles Edgar King Jr., 56, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, July 20. His initial court appearance was held today and King remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Monday, July 26.

The federal criminal complaint alleges that King used a note to steal $8,815 from Guaranty Bank, 2109 N. Glenstone Ave., in Springfield, on July 10, 2021.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, King entered the bank at about 10:30 a.m. and went straight to a teller counter, where he handed the teller a handwritten note that read, “I have a gun this is a robbery.” The teller handed over cash, the affidavit says, and King left the bank and walked away through a parking lot.

Surveillance cameras in the bank captured good quality video, which allegedly show King, who was not wearing a mask, and images of his bare hands that show a tattoo of a cross on the back of his right middle finger. On the same day as the robbery, July 10, 2021, the FBI released one of the surveillance images to the media and requested assistance from the public in identifying the bank robber. King’s former probation officer saw the media coverage and contacted the FBI the same day and identified King, the affidavit says.

On July 19, 2021, an anonymous source contacted law enforcement with a tip that King was staying at the Springfield Inn near Kearney and North Glenstone in Springfield. Springfield police detectives and FBI agents conducted surveillance on the hotel and saw King leave the hotel driving a purple Scion Cube with no license plate. Springfield police officers conducted a car stop and detained King on an investigative arrest for robbery.

According to the affidavit, King told an FBI agent that he used the stolen money to buy the used Scion Cube for $2,400, and that he gave some of the money away and spent the rest.

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. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Missouri, sex offender was indicted by a federal grand jury today for transferring obscene material to minors after he was identified in two separate and unrelated FBI investigations in Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Mo.

Brent Deadmon, 44, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Deadmon on June 17, 2021. Deadmon is a registered sex offender with prior convictions for statutory sodomy, statutory rape, child molestation, sexual misconduct, and furnishing child pornography to a minor. He remains detained in federal custody without bail pending trial.

The indictment charges Deadmon with two counts of transferring obscene material to a minor.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Deadmon sent obscene photos and video of himself using a smart phone application to two persons he believed to be 14 years old and 15 years old. In reality, Deadmon was communicating online with covert employees of the FBI in Chicago and St. Louis, who were engaged in two separate and unrelated investigations.

Deadmon allegedly sent additional pornographic images and videos. During his online communication from March 8 to 29, 2021, Deadmon also engaged in graphic sexual conversation and expressed his desire to meet the 14-year-old victim for sexual contact, the affidavit says. During his online communication from April 17 to June 7, 2021, Deadmon also expressed an interest in meeting the 15-year-old and her 10-year-old sister to pay them $500 to have sex.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. 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."

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Ozark, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to assaulting a postal carrier who was delivering his mail.

Peter Harrington, 55, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of assaulting an employee of the United States.

By pleading guilty today, Harrington admitted that he assaulted a U.S. Postal carrier on Dec. 4, 2020. As the carrier stopped to deliver mail to the assisted living facility where Harrington resided, Harrington charged toward him, demanding his mail. Harrington began hitting and striking the postal carrier in the head. The carrier turned towards his mail truck and tried to cover up to protect himself, but Harrington continued to strike him repeatedly. When the carrier gave Harrington his mail, Harrington was angry that he only received one envelope and walked away while being verbally belligerent.

An Ozark police officer observed bloody abrasions and contusions to the postal carrier’s ears, face, and the back of his left hand.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Ozark, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Webb City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the sexual exploitation of two victims, an 8-year old and a 16-year old.

Harley Wayne Schrader, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to two counts of the sexual exploitation of a child.

By pleading guilty today, Schrader admitted that he solicited pornographic images from an 8-year-old child victim and that he sent her pornographic images of himself through Facebook Messenger. Schrader also admitted that he solicited pornographic images from a 16-year-old victim he met through a video game.

A Joplin, Mo., police officer took a report on July 7, 2017, that Schrader was sending inappropriate pictures to the child victim through Facebook Messenger. Investigators also found sexually explicit images of the child victim that had been sent to Schrader through Facebook Messenger.

On Oct. 4, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Schrader’s residence and seized his cell phone. During an interview with officers, Schrader also admitted that he met a 16-year-old female through the video game Immortal Knight, and she sent him nude images of herself. Investigators found multiple messages between Schrader and the 16-year-old victim on his cell phone, as well as images of child pornography.

Under federal statutes, Schrader is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government will recommend no more than a concurrent 18-year term of incarceration. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

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

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Gladstone, Missouri, man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for producing and attempting to distribute child pornography.

Joshua Paul Goodspeed, 45, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Goodspeed on June 21, 2021.

Today’s indictment charges Goodspeed with one count of producing child pornography, which involved two child victims, and one count of attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, FBI agents identified Goodspeed during an investigation of a secure file sharing platform, identified in court documents as “Cloud A.” Goodspeed allegedly was among users of the platform who accessed, imported, or maintained video files from a series that depicts the sadistic sexual exploitation, torture, and abuse of a toddler.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Goodspeed’s residence on June 16, 2021. Investigators found hundreds of files of child pornography on Goodspeed’s iPhone, laptop, and external hard drive, including some photos of child victims allegedly taken by Goodspeed. Goodspeed’s file-sharing application account contained more than 1,000 videos of child pornography.

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

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

Project Safe Childhood

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carl Junction, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old victim.

Damion Spillman, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the sexual exploitation of a child.

By pleading guilty today, Spillman admitted  to enticing a 14-year-old victim to give him a pornographic video and photos of herself. Spillman received the nude images and video from Jane Doe between late November 2019 and January 2020.  Spillman admitted to threatening the victim when she reported to the authorities that Spillman was making her give him nude images. 

Under federal statutes, Spillman is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and Homeland Security Investigation.

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 Houston, Texas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to defrauding two Kansas City-area brothers who have also been convicted in the investment fraud scheme.

Duc Nguyen, also known as “Doug,” 57, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of wire fraud.

By pleading guilty today, Nguyen admitted that he engaged in a fraud scheme from April 2018 to August 2019 in which he proposed an opportunity for high net worth individuals to invest in the purchase, refurbishing, and sale of used oil equipment. He told Phillip Hudnall of Lenexa, Kansas, and his brother, Brian Hudnall, of Kansas City, Missouri, that profit from these transactions would be three to five times the amount of the investment. Brian and Phillip Hudnall raised money from investors based upon these representations from Nguyen.

For example, Brian Hudnall wire transferred $415,000 to Nguyen between May 3 and Sept. 19, 2018, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment. Brian Hudnall wire transferred an additional $80,000 to Nguyen on Feb. 26, 2019. Phillip Hudnall transferred $1,075,000 to Nguyen between April 15 and June 17, 2019, for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipping of the oil equipment.

Nguyen admitted that he did not use any of the monies for the purchase, refurbishment, and shipment of used oil equipment, but instead spent the money on personal expenses.

Phillip and Brian Hudnall pleaded guilty in June 2020, in separate but related cases, to their roles in the investment fraud scheme and await sentencing.

Phillip Hudnall told investors that his company, BirdDog Business Group, LLC, had completed two successful transactions – a $244,000 loan and a $490,000 loan, both of which had been repaid with an interest rate of 30 percent. In fact, no prior completed transactions occurred and no monies were received from the sale of any oil equipment including any principal or interest. To support the false claim, Phillip Hudnall requested that Brian Hudnall create documents as proof of the prior successfully completed transactions. Brian Hudnall wrote two checks on the bank account of his business, DonDon LLC, which was closed. Brian Hudnall also created a fraudulent memorandum to support the false claim.

Phillip Hudnall told investors their funds would be used to purchase specific pieces of oil equipment for refurbishment and resale. Persons invested approximately $3.6 million for the purpose of purchasing specific pieces of oil equipment. Phillip Hudnall and another person also obtained a loan from a bank in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for approximately $1.3 million to finance the oil equipment scheme. Most of the money raised from investors, however, was spent on personal expenses.

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

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. They were investigated by the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Village, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexually assaulting two young children to produce child pornography, and to receiving and distributing child pornography, after his wife pleaded guilty to the same charges last month.

Mark John Millman, 37, a citizen of Great Britain and a legal alien resident, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of minors and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.

Millman’s wife and co-defendant, Tara Sau Millman, 41, pleaded guilty to the same charges on June 30, 2021. Both Mark and Tara Millman have been in federal custody since their arrest and remain detained without bail.

The Millmans admitted that Mark used Tara’s iPhone to record video of her performing a sexual act on a 2-year-old child, identified in court documents as John Doe. Mark Millman admitted that he sexually assaulted a 4-year-old child victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, which was also recorded on video. Investigators found images and videos of child pornography on the Millmans’ iPhones, including files that depicted the Millmans sexually assaulting both child victims.

Mark and Tara Millman each admitted they used a social media application to share child pornography over the internet, and that they viewed child pornography together.

The investigation began when agents with Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, California, began investigating users of a cloud storage platform (identified in court documents as “Cloud Platform A”). The cloud platform provides encrypted, cloud-based services that enable private, secure online storage, communication, and collaboration for business and individuals. During the investigation, the agents accessed a weblink to an encrypted chat room with approximately 145 registered users. Files containing child pornography were uploaded/posted by participants in the chat room. Many users were actively involved in the distribution of child pornography. The child pornography distributed within the chat included 129 video files, 324 image files, and 43 cloud-storage weblinks which contained files of child pornography.

Mark Millman’s email was identified among the registered users of the chat room, and a search warrant was executed at the Millmans’ residence in Taney County, Mo., on Jan. 28, 2021.

Under federal statutes, Mark and Tara Millman each are subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 50 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 defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled upon the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being 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 was sentenced in federal court today on child pornography charges after he solicited young victims to engage in sex acts while live streaming over the internet.

Robert P. Salapuddin, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Salapuddin to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.

On Sept. 10, 2020, Salapuddin pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography. Salapuddin admitted that he received a pornographic video of a minor victim on Jan. 3, 2016. He also admitted that he possessed images of child pornography on both his laptop and desktop computers on Jan. 11, 2017.

The investigation began when law enforcement received an anonymous tip that Salapuddin was soliciting young girls to perform sex acts for him via a live streaming app. When officers contacted Salapuddin at his residence on Jan. 11, 2017, they determined that he received and possessed a collection of child pornography. He admitted to using various internet apps to receive and possess videos and images of teenage girls as young as 13 engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Investigators found more than 35 videos of child pornography on Salapuddin’s computers, many of which appeared to be recordings from web cams or chat programs. They also discovered more than 250 images (some duplicates) of possible child pornography. Investigators found thousands of messages on Salapuddin’s iPhones, including message strings that mentioned the user was under the age of 18. More than 1,000 photos of teenage girls and cell phone screen shots were organized into folders with girls' names and/or the term "nudes." The photos often depicted the subject in a series of photos, both clothed, then naked.

For example, investigators discovered a video of a live stream chat between a minor female as she bathed and someone who sounded like Salapuddin on Jan. 11, 2017. They discussed makeup and the girl being just 16 years old. As the girl gets out of the tub, the male off camera voice is heard to say: “Now Rob gets to dress you.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to 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, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of attempted robbery and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

According to today’s plea agreement, 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 wounded 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.

Under federal statutes, Watson 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 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. – A Prairie Village, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for engaging in two separate fraud schemes related to millions of dollars in false payday loan debt and for tax evasion totaling more than $8 million.

“After raking in millions of dollars from the victims of his fraud scheme, the defendant lied repeatedly and used every trick in the book to hide his ill-gotten gain from the IRS,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. “He spent lavishly on jet travel and luxury cars, but hasn’t voluntarily paid a dime in taxes owed for more than a decade. Adding insult to injury, he even fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the government after working for so many years to cheat U.S. taxpayers.”

Joel Jerome Tucker, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Tucker to pay $8,057,079 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, and to forfeit to the government $5,000, which is the amount of stolen proceeds transferred across state lines as referenced in the specific count to which he pleaded guilty.

FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle stated, “Tucker defrauded hundreds of thousands of innocent victims and the U.S. government for his own personal gain. While most people strive to earn an honest living and live the American dream, Tucker chose to live a lavish lifestyle at the cost of working Americans. The FBI will continue to pursue and bring to justice those individuals who take advantage of others for profit and believe they are above the law.”

“Tucker used the proceeds of his criminal activity to live a lavish lifestyle and defraud the American people. His sentencing shows the courts take tax and related fraud schemes seriously,” said Amanda Prestegard, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s St. Louis Field Office. “IRS-CI aggressively investigates and uncovers complex financial crimes to disrupt criminal activity impacting the U.S. tax system.”

Tucker, working through various companies, serviced payday loan businesses. Tucker’s company names changed over the years; the primary company was eData Solutions, LLC. eData, formally registered on July 29, 2009, did not make loans directly to borrowers; it collected loan application information, referred to as leads, and sold those leads to its approximately 70 payday lender clients. As a loan servicer, eData also provided software for payday lenders.

Tucker and the other owners of eData sold the company to the Wyandotte Indian tribe in 2012. However, despite selling his interest in eData, Tucker maintained a file of 7.8 million leads he had acquired through eData, containing detailed customer information (including names, addresses, bank accounts, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, etc.). eData had collected the detailed customer information from online payday loan applications or inquiries to its payday lender clients; the file did not represent loans that were made. In addition, Tucker obtained and retained data regarding defaulted payday loans eData had acquired from a number of different payday lender clients. Tucker used these files to create falsified debt portfolios.

On July 16, 2020, Tucker pleaded guilty to one count of transporting stolen money across state lines as part of the debt fraud scheme, one count of bankruptcy fraud, and one count of tax evasion. The government also alleged in court filings that Tucker engaged in another fraud scheme that was not charged as part of this case, by fraudulently receiving funds under the Payroll Protection Program.

Debt Fraud Scheme

Tucker admitted that he engaged in a fraudulent debt scheme from 2014 to 2016. This scheme involved marketing, distributing, and selling false debt portfolios. Tucker defrauded third party debt collectors and millions of individuals listed as debtors through the sale of falsified debt portfolios. Tucker sold supposed debts which: 1) he didn’t personally own; 2) were not true debts; 3) had already been sold to other buyers; and 4) contained false lenders, false loan dates, false loan amounts, and false payment status. Some of the “debtors” had only applied for a loan but never received one, either because they withdrew their application or because the loan was not funded. Some of the listed debtors, however, actually paid the debt collectors out of fear or confusion of what they owed. Tucker received as much as $7.3 million from the sale of false debt portfolios in just two years, from early 2014 to early 2016.

As part of his fraud scheme, Tucker transferred the proceeds of the fraud scheme across state lines.

Bankruptcy Fraud Scheme

Tucker also admitted that he executed a related bankruptcy fraud scheme in 2015 and 2016. In his bankruptcy fraud scheme, Tucker also sold fraudulent debt, which entered the United States Bankruptcy Courts nationwide. When the United States Bankruptcy Court investigated these purported debts, which were presented as claims in bankruptcy cases, Tucker repeatedly lied under oath by providing false information and testimony to the Bankruptcy Court in order to conceal his scheme.

Tax Evasion

On April 15, 2014, the United States Tax Court entered a decision that Tucker owed tax deficiencies from 2007 and 2008. The total amount owed in 2014 with interest and penalties was $8,057,079.95. For tax years 2014 - 2016, neither Tucker personally nor any of his companies filed federal tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. According to court documents, Tucker now owes approximately $12 million in taxes, interest, and penalties for 2007 through 2014. According to court documents, Tucker has never made any voluntary payments toward his tax debt.

Tucker told IRS agents that he had no income and was living on borrowed money, including a lot of borrowed money from his mother. In reality, bank accounts showed Tucker sent money to his mother rather than borrowing money from her. Tucker used nominee bank accounts to conceal income and assets and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal living expenses such as vehicles, chartered jets, travel and entertainment, and a personal residence.

For example, Tucker leased a $1.59 million home in Prairie Village, bought a $105,367 Cadillac Escalade, spent $226,000 for private charter jet services, spent more than $75,000 to lease a Porsche and a Ferrari, spent $17,536 at The Arrabelle, a luxury hotel in Vail, Colorado, made $50,000 in payments to Vail Mountain Club, paid a total of $682,437 in payments to American Express, and made cash withdrawals totaling almost $200,000.

Paycheck Protection Program Fraud

According to court documents, a month before entering a guilty plea to financial crimes, Tucker fraudulently obtained a PPP loan by denying that he was under indictment.

Tucker submitted a loan application to the Small Business Administration for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on June 13, 2020. Tucker was originally indicted June 5, 2018. A superseding indictment was returned May 21, 2019. Thus, Tucker had been under federal indictment for two years at the time he completed the PPP loan application. Question 5 of the application asked, “Is the Applicant (if an individual)…subject to an indictment, criminal information, arraignment, or other means by which formal criminal charges are brought in any jurisdiction, or presently incarcerated, or on probation or parole?” Immediately prior to this question, the loan application document notes that “If questions (5) or (6) are answered ‘Yes,’ the loan will not be approved.” (emphasis original). Tucker answered no, and electronically signed the application.

Due to Tucker’s false attestation, his loan request for $20,833 was approved and he received the funds on June 16, 2020.

Although Tucker has not been criminally charged in relation to the fraudulent loan, the court considered those actions as relevant behavior in determining today’s sentence.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney and Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee in the Southern District of Texas.

COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national who has been deported seven times after illegally entering the United States was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a Daviess County, Missouri, marijuana-growing operation where law enforcement officers seized nearly $10 million worth of plants.

Sergio Medina-Perez, 47, of El Monte, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years in federal prison without parole. This federal sentence must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed as a result of his violation of probation in an unrelated California case. Medina-Perez pleaded guilty in California to being a felon in possession of a firearm, cultivating marijuana and resisting arrest for a marijuana grow operation in Shasta County, Calif. He received a suspended imposition of sentence and was placed on three years’ probation, but indicted eight months later in this federal case.

The court also ordered Medina-Perez to forfeit the Daviess County property to the government.

On Feb. 3, 2021, Medina-Perez pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and to possess marijuana plants with the intent to distribute. Medina-Perez also pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.

Law enforcement officers, who had been keeping the marijuana grow site under surveillance, executed a search warrant at the property on Aug. 27, 2018. The plants were in a clearing inside a large area of timber. A distinct path led from a building in the wooded area to the area containing the marijuana plants.

Officers located approximately 2,464 cultivated marijuana plants. With an approximate street value of $1,800 per pound of marijuana, this results in approximately $9,757,440 in marijuana plants seized.

Two days later, on Aug. 29, 2018, Medina-Perez was arrested near the grow site. He told law enforcement that he came to Missouri from California to work as a trimmer at the marijuana grow operation and was paid $100 for every pound of marijuana that he trimmed.

Medina-Perez has been deported from the United States on seven previous occasions. He was convicted in Yakima County, Washington, of possessing cocaine on Sept. 22, 1993, and deported in 1995. He illegally reentered the United States and was deported again on April 3, 1998; Aug. 30, 2002; April 4, 2003; Dec. 17, 2005; July 6, 2006; and July 11, 2006.

Co-defendant Miguel Pulido-Maldonado, also known as “Mona,” 30, ran into the woods to escape custody but was arrested on Aug. 30, 2018; he was covered in mud, his arms had numerous bites from either mosquitos or other insects and it appeared he had been outside for several days. Pulido-Maldonado had previously illegally entered the United States and was removed on Jan. 30, 2017. Pulido-Maldonado was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to illegally reentering the United States.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Daviess County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Grundy County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Livingston County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for sexually exploiting a minor to produce child pornography.

Anthony Thompson, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Thompson to spend 10 years on supervised release following incarceration.

On Oct. 19, 2020, Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor. Thompson admitted that he victimized a minor in to produce child pornography on July 1, 2018.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, 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."

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Buffalo, Missouri, man who is a registered sex offender has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography.

Eddie Feck, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark on Thursday, July 1, to 24 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Feck to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.

On Feb. 11, 2021, Feck pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. Feck has a prior conviction for sodomizing an 11-year-old child (for which he served the entirety of his sentence because he refused to participate in sexual offender treatment), as well as an extensive criminal history.

The investigation began when a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper received a Cybertipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Jan. 13, 2020. That report was generated after Feck uploaded five images of child pornography to BingImage.

Law enforcement officers identified Feck as the BingImage account holder and executed a search warrant at Feck’s residence on Feb. 11, 2020. Upon arrival, the investigators located Feck’s computer, which was in the process of downloading suspected child pornography from the internet. Investigators found approximately 35 images of child pornography on Feck’s digital storage devices.

Feck confessed that he employed a variety of programs to access and view child pornography.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

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. – Six Houston, Texas, residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to travel across the country breaking into bank ATMs and stealing the money inside, including at least one theft in Kansas City, Missouri.

Deandre J. Gilliam, 19, Ladarious S. Thomas, 28, Jamarkus D. Bogany, 19, J’Korean K. Hadnott, 19, Ocatvious Q. Waiters, 20, and Clayton J. Brown, 21, were charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 23, 2021. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrest and initial court appearances of Gilliam, Thomas, Bogany, Waiters, and Brown in U.S. District Court in Houston. Gilliam, Thomas, Bogany, Waiters, and Brown are being held in federal custody in the Southern District of Texas pending a detention hearing in that district tomorrow.

The federal indictment alleges the defendants, along with additional co-conspirators not identified or charged in the indictment, participated in a conspiracy from Nov. 10, 2019, to March 6, 2020, to travel in groups or teams from Texas to other states, including Missouri and Kansas, to steal from banks by forcing open ATMs and stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the cash boxes.

According to the indictment, conspirators would steal a large pick-up truck for the theft. They attached tow chains with hooks to the pick-up truck, then searched for a suitable ATM to burglarize. After conducting surveillance and with some conspirators serving as lookouts, the indictment says, conspirators used pry bars or tow chain hooks to forcibly pry open or pry apart the ATM’s protective metal encasement. After the ATM had been opened or disassembled, the conspirators would then remove the ATM canisters containing cash. They then abandoned the stolen truck and traveled back to Texas.

The indictment alleges that all six defendants left Houston on March 5, 2020, and traveled to the Kansas City metropolitan area in three separate vehicles. Conspirators allegedly stole a Ford F-250 pickup on March 6, 2020, that was parked on the street in Fairway, Kansas. At approximately 5:30 a.m. the same day, the indictment says, conspirators connected tow chains to the stolen Ford F-250 and to the door of an ATM at Chase Bank, 1614 E. 63rd Street in Kansas City, Mo. They used the force of acceleration from the truck to remove the exterior metal panel of the ATM, then removed canisters that contained a total of $150,220 from inside the damaged ATM. They abandoned the stolen truck in the parking lot of a nearby apartment building.

Later the same day, the indictment says, law enforcement officers in Montgomery County, Texas, spotted the three vehicles being driven by the defendants, who were traveling in tandem southbound on Interstate 45. Officers attempted to stop all three vehicles; Hadnott and Waiters pulled over to the shoulder, but the other vehicles attempted to flee from law enforcement. A Jeep Cherokee occupied by Brown and another, unnamed conspirator fled from officers at speeds between 80-115 miles per hour before it crashed and they were apprehended. A Chevrolet Impala occupied by Thomas, Gilliam, and Bogany fled from officers at speeds between 90-125 miles per hour before all three defendants fled from the vehicle on foot. Thomas, the driver, was taken into custody after a foot chase. With the assistance of air surveillance, Bogany and Gilliam were located and arrested. Gilliam was carrying a Spiderman backpack that contained approximately $72,385 (primarily in $20 bills). One of the Impala occupants dropped a duffle bag while running from the police. This bag was retrieved by an unknown female before police officers could recover it.

The federal indictment charges each of the defendants with one count of conspiracy, one count of bank theft, and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the FBI Field Offices in Kansas City, Mo., and Houston, Texas, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Montgomery County Constable.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Three Sedalia, Missouri, residents were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine after law enforcement officers seized 28 firearms from a residence during the investigation.

James Jacob Johnson, 23, Amber Marie Lawson, 36, and Eric Ryan Janes, 36, were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.

Today’s indictment alleges that Johnson, Lawson, and Janes participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pettis County, Mo., from April 1 to June 15, 2021.

In addition to the conspiracy, Johnson is charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Law enforcement officers seized 28 firearms from Johnson’s residence while executing a search warrant on June 15, 2021.

Johnson is also charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. According to the indictment, those firearms included two AK 47s, a Glock 9mm pistol, a .38-caliber revolver, a Ruger 57, a Tauron PR 24/7 Pro, a Glock 20, a Smith & Wesson MIP 20, a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, a Ruger EC9S, a Ruger 89, a Rossi 357, a 44 magnum Ruger, a Springfield Armory Saint .223-caliber rifle, a Chrome Palmetto AR .223, a Keltec Sun 2000 9mm, a Savage 300, a Gold 9mm AR, a Marlin 17, an MCK Roni with Glock 17, a Digmonn 200 blackout, a Smith & Wesson, a Black Dawn 300 blackout, a Typhoon F-12 Gold 12 gauge, a Zastava Arms, an M&P Bodyguard 38 special, and a Smith &Wesson M&P 9C.

Lawson and Janes also are each charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Richenberger. It was investigated by the Pettis County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department, the Morgan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the DEA’s Mid Missouri Drug Task Force.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Merriam Village, Missouri, woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to sexually assaulting two children to produce child pornography, and to receiving and distributing child pornography.

Tara Sau Millman, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of minors and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.  Millman has been in federal custody since her arrest and remains detained without bail.

By pleading guilty today, Millman admitted that a co-defendant used her iPhone to record video of her performing a sexual act on a 2-year-old child, identified in court documents as John Doe. Investigators also found images and videos of child pornography on Millman’s iPhone, including files that depicted Millman and her co-defendant sexually assaulting John Doe and a 4-year-old child victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe.

Millman also admitted that she used a social media application to share child pornography over the internet, and that she and her co-defendant viewed child pornography together.

The investigation began when agents with Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, California, began investigating users of a cloud storage platform (identified in court documents as “Cloud Platform A”). The cloud platform provides encrypted, cloud-based services that enable private, secure online storage, communication, and collaboration for business and individuals. During the investigation, the agents accessed a weblink to an encrypted chat room with approximately 145 registered users. Files containing child pornography were uploaded/posted by participants in the chat room. A search warrant was executed at Millman’s residence in Taney County, Mo., on Jan. 28, 2021.

Under federal statutes, Millman is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 50 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 upon the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by 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. – An Independence, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing two firearms that he stole from a car and attempted to sell outside a nearby hotel.

Edward J. Kelly Jr., 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Police officers contacted Kelly at the Truman Inn/Best Western Inn, 4048 S. Lynn Court Drive, Independence, at about 4:20 a.m. on Aug. 24, 2020, after an employee reported a suspicious person in the back courtyard of the hotel trying to sell guns. One officer began to pad-down Kelly when a second officer saw a loaded Glock 9mm handgun on a nearby picnic table. Kelly then fled; officers pursued him and took him into custody. Officers searched a black bag with drawstrings that Kelly had been wearing. Inside the bag, they found a Glock handgun case with three 9mm magazines, a loaded Taurus model “The Judge” revolver which was loaded with five rounds of .410 shells, an additional 10 rounds of .410 shells, and a Taser. They also found a glass smoking pipe that contained methamphetamine in Kelly’s pants pocket.

Both the Glock and the Taurus were reported stolen shortly before Kelly’s arrest. Kelly admitted that he stole the firearms from a car in a nearby home’s driveway.

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

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

 

 

Project Safe Neighborhoods

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mission Hills, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for a bankruptcy fraud scheme related to his online payday loan company.

“It’s ironic that someone who made a fortune loaning money to others, would try to cheat his own creditors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “This business owner engaged in a two-year scheme of lies and deception during his bankruptcy proceedings by secretly holding onto assets instead of paying what he owed. The bankruptcy system relies on the honesty, openness, and accuracy of debtors, and in return grants those debtors a fresh start free of debt. This defendant made a mockery of the system in the hope that he could discharge over $7.5 million in debt while maintaining a luxurious lifestyle for himself.”

Del Hodges Kimball, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven R. Bough to one year and a day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Kimball to pay $909,323 in restitution.

“This sentence should convince others that such behavior and actions will not be tolerated in the bankruptcy system,” said Acting United States Trustee Daniel J. Casamatta.

On Jan. 19, 2021, Kimball pleaded guilty to one count of bankruptcy fraud. Kimball admitted that he engaged in a scheme to defraud the Bankruptcy Court by concealing assets, bank accounts, and claims against third parties, and by making false statements and material omissions regarding his assets and financial transfers to and from third parties.

Three of Kimball’s creditors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against Kimball, his partner, and their company, LTS, an online payday loan company based in Kansas City, on Aug. 5, 2015. The claims of the three creditors totaled more than $15 million.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee filed a complaint to deny Kimball’s discharge on March 10, 2017, and the Bankruptcy Court conducted a trial on Jan. 11, 2018. After the trial, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Cynthia Norton ruled that Kimball had transferred property with the intent to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors, made numerous false oaths in connection with this bankruptcy case, and concealed property from the bankruptcy estate. He did not disclose assets until he was caught and had no choice. The court found that the evidence was “overwhelming” that Kimball made false statements under oath. The court denied Kimball’s discharge due to his fraudulent concealment.

For example, Kimball failed to disclose $86,200 in transfers to friends and relatives. He undervalued collectibles by $24,000. He omitted transfers to Claw Consulting, LLC, another company he owned (with no employees). Kimball established a bank account for Claw Consulting, and caused the bank statements to be mailed to an attorney at the attorney’s business address in order to stash income and proceeds of sales he wanted to conceal from creditors.

According to court documents, Kimball claimed that he lost millions of dollars in 2013 and 2014, although he actually had gross income of $213,231 in 2014 and $158,679 in 2013.

From 2015 to 2018, Kimball arranged that $479,585 in payday company income and/or profits from Red Stag Holdings be paid into his wife’s personal bank account to conceal the payments from creditors and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee. Kimball arranged that $45,300 in payday company income and/or profits from S. Bean Finance and $16,300 from Agile Fish be paid into his wife’s personal bank account to conceal money from creditors and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.

Kimball initially or totally omitted to schedule the transfer and sale of his interest in Red River Exploration for $116,280, as well as his ownership or interest in a number of companies.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms that were linked to several shootings.

Marck E. Fristoe, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

On Sept. 9, 2020, Fristoe pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Kansas City police officers attempted to arrest Fristoe on an outstanding warrant on April 5, 2019. Fristoe, while under surveillance, left the Falcon Point Apartment Complex and got into the passenger seat of a Ford Fusion. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the Fusion fled, leading officers in a pursuit at speeds over 100 miles per hour. The Fusion swerved in and out of traffic, and forced other drivers off the road.

When the Fusion pulled over near I-29 and Northeast Davidson Road, the driver and Fristoe were placed in custody. Officers found a backpack on the floorboard of the rear passenger seat that contained a loaded Micro Draco 7.62x39mm pistol with a full 30-round extended magazine, 85 live rounds of ammunition, 10 individually-wrapped baggies that contained a total of at least 5.6 grams of crack cocaine, two digital scales, and a pipe.

Investigators with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center and the KCPD Crime Lab determined that the Micro Draco pistol had been preliminarily linked in two earlier shootings in March 2019. On March 27, 2019, several bullets were fired into an occupied house in Kansas City, Mo., and nine shell casings were recovered. On March 30, 2019, officers responded to a shooting report between cars in a roadway near 13th Street and Quindaro Blvd. in Kansas City, Kansas. Officers recovered 12 shell casings from the scene.

Fristoe also admitted that he was in possession of a different firearm three days after it was preliminarily linked to shell casings recovered at a scene where a house occupied by several people, including four children, was shot into on Aug. 15, 2018. Police officers recovered four 9mm shell casings from the roadway in front of the house. A witness told officers that Fristoe had been in possession of a black handgun with an extended magazine when he threatened her and assaulted her two days earlier. According to court documents, the witness said Fristoe opened her car door, hit her in the face, and choked her into unconsciousness. Officers located Fristoe on Aug. 18, 2018. He was carrying a backpack that contained a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol with an extended magazine. Investigators determined that the spent shell casings from the house were fired from the pistol in Fristoe’s backpack.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Fristoe has a prior felony conviction for aggravated battery after shooting into an occupied car.

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

Project Safe Neighborhoods

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.

Kenneth E. Barbee Jr., 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

On Sept. 23, 2020, Barbee was found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession a firearm.

Detectives with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department were conducting surveillance on Barbee on March 18, 2020, when he left his residence in a vehicle driven by his girlfriend. After officers stopped the vehicle, the driver attempted to pull away from officers but was forced to stop when officers used their vehicles to block their escape.

When Barbee and the driver were ordered out of the vehicle, officers saw a loaded Palmetto State Armory AR pistol and a loaded CZ 9mm handgun on the front passenger floorboard. The driver of the vehicle had an SCCY 9mm handgun in her waistband.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Barbee has a prior felony conviction for assault, a prior felony conviction for domestic assault, two prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property, and a prior felony conviction for robbery. The robbery involved a violent attack, according to court documents, in which Barbee struck the victim in the face and on the head with a gun after she tried to resist his co-defendant’s efforts to rob her. After beating the victim with his gun, Barbee stole her money, dragged her out of the vehicle, then fled from the scene. Barbee was on absconder status in connection with the robbery when he committed this federal offense.

According to court documents, Barbee also was disciplined while incarcerated at Core Civic Leavenworth for his possession of two homemade metal weapons recovered from under his mattress.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Kate Butterfield, Patrick Edwards, and Gregg Coonrod. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.