Western District of Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Liberty, Mo., attorney was sentenced in federal court today for obstruction of justice after stealing funds earmarked for victim restitution. 

Robert J. Young II, 48, of Liberty, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to three years and one month in federal prison without parole.

On Nov. 6, 2017, Young was found guilty of one count of obstruction of justice at the conclusion of a one-day bench trial.

Young represented defendant Rodney J. Tatum, who was indicted by a federal grand jury and convicted of mail fraud in connection with the embezzlement of funds from his employer. Young obstructed justice by embezzling money that was given to him by Tatum’s family for the purpose of paying restitution to the victim in the criminal case. Young instead made numerous transfers of restitution funds into his personal bank account. Young then spent restitution funds to purchase a motorcycle for himself, to make numerous cash withdrawals, to make rent payments and to make retail purchases.

Young utilized an Interest on Lawyers Trust Account to accept four separate deposits from Tatum’s wife for the purpose of making restitution. Tatum’s wife also made one deposit into Young’s business account for restitution purposes. These checks totaled $42,412. In addition, Young advised Tatum’s wife to draft a check, made payable to Young, as the FBI was pursuing money laundering charges against Tatum and the Tatums’ joint checking account would be frozen. Young stated he would be able to protect the funds in his business account. Tatum’s wife gave Young a check for $20,000. Young had been expected to provide this total $62,412 as partial victim restitution at Tatum’s sentencing hearing on Jan. 21, 2016.

Young was not able to provide the restitution at Tatum’s sentencing hearing and falsely informed the court that the proceeds of assets sold on behalf of Tatum were in his Missouri Lawyer’s Trust Fund. The $62,412 in restitution eventually was paid after Young was relieved from the case and a federal public defender was appointed to represent Tatum. The sentencing hearing was continued to March 3, 2016, at which time the court ordered Tatum to pay a total of $442,810 in restitution. Tatum was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. 

Today’s sentence also reflected Young’s conduct during the trial in which he perjured himself by lying under oath when he claimed that the money he took was legitimate fees for his services. According to court documents, Tatum had already paid Young $11,500 in legal fees and Young had agreed that the additional funds would be used for restitution.

According to court documents, Young had 11 pending complaints (including the Tatums’ complaint) with the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel at the time of his indictment. Those complaints included one from an individual who retained Young to represent him in a traffic matter and had given Young money to pay the fine. However, Young never paid the fine and the individual was later arrested on an outstanding warrant. The other nine complaints were allegations that clients had paid Young money for representation and he had not provided any services.

Young’s license to practice law was suspended on Aug. 23, 2016.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Kansas City, Mo., men pleaded guilty in federal court today to their roles in a conspiracy to commit 10 armed robberies at local businesses.

Jerry D. Patterson, 22, and Michael A. Harris, 19, both of Kansas City, pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to the armed robbery conspiracy and to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

By pleading guilty today, Patterson and Harris admitted they were involved in a conspiracy to commit 10 armed robberies at area businesses over a four-week period in September and October 2017.

On Oct. 15, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,500 at gunpoint from Walgreens Pharmacy, 1536 E. 23rd St., Independence, Mo. They drove Patterson’s red 2007 Pontiac G6 sedan; after officers discovered the vehicle, Patterson and Harrison abandoned it and fled on foot. Investigators searched the vehicle and found a Glock .40-caliber handgun, an extended .40-caliber magazine, money taken from the robbery, and a number of items used in several of the armed robberies. Agents also found a Kahr Arms .40-caliber handgun (seen in several surveillance videos) in a nearby wooded area.

On Oct. 20, 2017, Patterson reported his car stolen. On Oct. 31, 2017, both Harris and Patterson were arrested at their respective apartments. Evidence from the numerous robberies was recovered from each of their homes.

By pleading guilty today, Patterson and Harris each admitted that they committed a series of armed robberies during the conspiracy. Patterson brandished a Kahr Arms .40-caliber handgun in all of the robberies. Harris brandished a Glock .40-caliber handgun in all of the robberies. In addition to the Walgreens Pharmacy robbery on Oct. 15, 2017, Patterson and Harris admitted they committed nine more armed robberies:

•    On Oct. 14, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $4,275 at gunpoint from Walgreens Pharmacy, 9300 Gregory Blvd., Raytown, Mo.; •    On Oct. 14, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,000 at gunpoint from CVS Pharmacy, 6244 S. Brookside Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.; •    On Oct. 10, 2017, Patterson and Harris robbed Dollar General, 5105 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, Mo., at gunpoint; •    On Oct. 9, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,705 at gunpoint from Walgreens Pharmacy, 2261 S. Sterling Ave., Independence, Mo.; •    On Oct. 8, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $575 at gunpoint from Domino’s Pizza, 3709 S. Noland Road, Independence, Mo. They also stole $400 from employees.
•    On Oct. 2, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $2,500 from CVS Pharmacy, 5310 Blue Ridge Blvd., Raytown, Mo.; •    On Sept. 26, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $380 from Family Dollar, 12521 E. 40 Hwy., Independence, Mo.; •    On Sept. 26, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $150 and some store items at gunpoint from 7 Eleven, 11107 Grandview Rd., Kansas City, Mo.; •    On Sept. 10, 2017, Patterson and Harris stole $3,500 from Walgreens, 1100 E. 63rd. St., Kansas City, Mo.
 
Under the terms of today’s plea agreements, Patterson and Harris are each subject to a sentence of at least 15 years, up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Arkansas man, formerly of Marshall, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for possessing child pornography.

Kenneth Larrechea, 48, formerly of Marshall, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 13 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Larrechea to a 10-year term of supervised release following incarceration.

Larrechea, who pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2017, to possessing child pornography, was identified as one of 158 individuals who received child pornography through Kik (an instant messaging and chat application) from a New York man, who pleaded guilty in a separate case in the Northern District of New York. An FBI agent executed a search warrant at Larrechea’s Marshall residence on Dec. 8, 2015, and seized several electronic media devices, including computers, hard drives and cell phones.

Investigators discovered several images on an SD card in Larrechea’s cell phone of a child victim, approximately 10 or 11 years old, getting in and out of a shower. The images were screen shots taken from a video file. Larrechea was acquainted with the child victim and investigators believed he produced the images with a hidden camera. The child victim told investigators she was not aware that she was being video recorded or photographed.

More than 400 videos and more than 70 images of child pornography and erotica were also located on Larrechea’s cell phone and SD card.
 
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the FBI and the Marshall, 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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lee’s Summit, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing child pornography over the Internet.

Clark H. Henshaw, 37, of Lee’s Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

On June 9, 2017, Henshaw pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography over the Internet.

The investigation began in July 2013 when federal agents contacted a man in Bangor, Maine, who was trading child pornography on a photo-sharing website. Henshaw was identified as one of his primary trading partners to whom he sent images and videos of his sexual abuse of two 6-to-7-year-old boys. Each of those trading partners, he told federal agents, also claimed to have manufactured the child pornography they were sending to him.

Clark received 34 images of child pornography from his trading partner in Maine, including several images of him sexually molesting two prepubescent boys. Investigators learned that Henshaw sent two e-mail messages to other individuals on Aug. 20, 2013, that contained some of those images of child pornography.

On Feb. 13, 2014, federal agents executed a search warrant at Henshaw’s residence. Henshaw and his mother were home during the execution of the search warrant, however, agents had to force entry because no one would answer the door. They seized Henshaw’s cell phone, which contained 10 child pornography movie file downloads.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the murder of a co-conspirator.

Yovanny Aroldo Mendivil-Balderama, 23, a Mexican national, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 50 years in federal prison without parole.

On Oct. 16, 2017, Mendivil-Balderama pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County, Dallas County, Webster County and Christian County, Mo., from April 28, 2015, to April 26, 2016. He also pleaded guilty to using a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, resulting in the murder of Oscar Adan Martinez-Gaxiola on April 25, 2016, in Webster County.

According to court documents, Mendivil-Balderama and Martinez-Gaxiola obtained large amounts of methamphetamine from either Arizona or Mexico and transported it to Missouri. They supplied methamphetamine to co-defendant Brooke Danielle Beckley, 21, of Nixa, for distribution in the Springfield area. Beckley, who pleaded guilty to the same charges, was sentenced on Feb. 26, 2018, to 40 years in federal prison without parole.

Beckley met Mendivil-Balderama and Martinez-Gaxiola in January 2016, and Beckley and Mendivil-Balderama started a sexual relationship shortly afterwards.

On April 6, 2016, law enforcement officers seized from Beckley’s hotel room approximately 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine, a loaded 20-gauge shotgun with a sawed off barrel and stock, four rounds of additional shotgun ammunition, a .22-caliber pistol, a drug ledger and $3,662.

The loss of the 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine created a $44,000 debt that Beckley owed to both Mendivil-Balderama and Martinez-Gaxiola. According to court documents, text messages between Mendivil-Balderama and Beckley revealed they both wanted to kill Martinez-Gaxiola as a way to reduce, or extend, the debt and to prevent Martinez-Gaxiola from possibly killing Beckley. Mendivil-Balderama suggested in a text to Beckley that he had “an idea of how we can do so you do not have to pay me everything.” Beckley, in a text on April 21, 2016, asked what he needed her to do. Mendivil-Balderama responded, “I just need someone to help me get rid of someone I need gone like now.” Subsequent text messages suggested that the person that needed to be “gone” was Martinez-Gaxiola. 

Beckley then recruited co-defendant Anthony Edward Donovan, 21, of Springfield, Mo., to assist in killing Martinez-Gaxiola, and offered to pay him $6,000. Donovan recruited co-defendant Nathaniel Austin Lee, 20, of Seymour, Mo., to assist in the murder and allow for the use of Lee’s property in rural Webster County, Mo., in exchange for part of the $6,000. Lee then recruited Joshua Applegate (who was a minor under federal law at the time of the offense, and therefore charged as an adult in state court rather than in the federal indictment).

On April 24, 2016, Beckley, Donovan and Lee practiced for the murder of Martinez-Gaxiola by discharging various firearms at the Lee residence. On April 25, 2016, Mendivil-Balderama traveled with Martinez-Gaxiola to the Lee residence on the pretext that Beckley would pay the drug debt. Beckley, Donovan, Lee and Applegate were waiting at the residence; Donovan and Lee were armed with handguns. Upon arrival, Mendivil-Balderama got out of the vehicle first. When Martinez-Gaxiola exited the vehicle, Donovan and Applegate opened fire and Martinez-Gaxiola fell to the ground. Eventually, Donovan went up to where Martinez-Gaxiola lay and shot him once in the head. Martinez-Gaxiola was armed with a handgun but did not discharge it during his murder.

Lee’s neighbors reported the shots fired at the residence (it is estimated that the co-conspirators expended 30 to 60 rounds of ammunition during the murder). Webster County deputies responded to the location. Hearing the emergency sirens, the co-conspirators attempted to conceal Martinez-Gaxiola under a piece of tin siding, and then fled area. When the deputies arrived, they found Martinez-Gaxiola, who was still alive but critically hurt and who died before transportation to the hospital. Law enforcement officers captured all the co-conspirators by the end of the day on April 25, 2016.

Donovan and Lee have pleaded guilty to the same charges and await sentencing. Co-defendant Jourdan Ashley McGinnis, 29, of Nixa, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. McGinnis was sentenced on Dec. 18, 2017, to seven years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

This case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Lawrence County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Seymour, Mo., Police Department, the Rogersville, Mo., Police Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET).
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Liberty, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for an investment fraud scheme.

Henry Thomas Hammond, 61, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., formerly of Liberty, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one year and one day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Hammond to pay $2,266,325 in restitution to his victims.

Hammond, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Jan. 13, 2017, owned, operated or was involved in several businesses, including Longhorn Construction, Inc.; Longhorn Properties, LLC; Longhorn Development Group, Inc.; Longhorn Construction, North American Investment Group, Inc., and others.

Hammond admitted that he participated in a fraudulent investment scheme from June 2009 through July 2010 in which eight victim investors lost a total of $2,266,325. Some of the money invested by victims of the scheme was used by Hammond for his personal benefit.

Co-Conspirator A (who is not identified) promoted himself to Hammond and others as an international financier who could provide financing for substantial building projects. With the housing and economic collapse in 2008, conventional borrowing scaled back, making it difficult for individuals, businesses and developers to obtain financing. Alternative financing programs became more prominent. Some claimed to employ leveraged bank instruments and Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (a mortgage-backed security that contains a pool of mortgages bundled together, broken down into tranches and sold as investments) and European trading platforms. Co-Conspirator A also claimed to have a Strategic Investment Program that was connected with the Maranatha Platform (a trading platform connected to the Maranatha Church that engaged in leveraged investments), one of the major European trading platforms.

This program and others promoted by Co-Conspirator A were nonexistent and Co-Conspirator A operated each of them opaquely and as a fraud scheme.

According to court documents, Hammond was willfully blind to the fact that the investment program was a fraudulent scam. Hammond knew or should have known the material information that he passed on to investors was false and turned a blind eye to warning signs that the investment programs were a fraudulent scam. As a result of these actions, Hammond and his co-conspirators lulled the investors into investing additional money and/or discouraged them from withdrawing from the investment program and seeking a refund of their invested funds.

In July 2010, Hammond told certain investors the Strategic Investment Program would not be paying and offered to roll investor funds into a hotel project; the hotel project was never completed.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Pansing Brown. It was investigated by the FBI.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Colorado man was sentenced in federal court today for the sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old Springfield, Mo., victim. 

Dominic Keith Pearson, 26, of Silverthorne, Colo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 45 years in federal prison without parole.

On Oct. 11, 2017, Pearson pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity, and travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. 

According to court documents, the 13-year-old child victim – identified in court documents as “Jane Doe” – was reported missing from her home in Springfield on Jan. 8, 2017. Investigators found a series of messages between Pearson and Jane Doe on a cell phone, indicating that Pearson was traveling to meet Jane Doe.

On Jan. 10, 2017, Pearson and Jane Doe were located in a truckers lounge at Petro Truck Stop off Interstate 70 near Oak Grove, Mo. Both Pearson and Jane Doe had luggage with them in the lounge. Pearson told investigators that he was taking Jane Doe to Denver, Colo.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Oak Grove, 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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a St. Louis, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a sex trafficking conspiracy.

Calvin Anthony Miller, also known as “Cerius Blacc,” 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to the charges contained in a Nov. 2, 2016, federal indictment. In addition to the conspiracy, Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of transporting an individual across state lines for prostitution.

By pleading guilty today, Miller admitted that he engaged in the conspiracy from approximately March 1, 2015, to Oct. 15, 2016, which victimized two women whom he forced to engage in prostitution.

This case is the result of Operation Cross Country X, an international FBI investigation of sex trafficking in partnership with local law enforcement agencies.

According to court documents, a federal undercover agent assisted the Independence, Mo., Police Department, posing as a customer attempting to hire a prostitute for sex. On Oct. 14, 2016, the undercover agent located an online listing that included provocative and partially nude photos along with a description and some possible acts that she was willing to do. The agent contacted her and she agreed to meet him at a hotel. 

This witness provided law enforcement officers with information on Miller, who she said was a violent pimp, and his cousin, co-defendant Henry Dailey, 37, also of St. Louis. Dailey pleaded guilty on June 26, 2017, to transporting an individual across state lines for prostitution. 

The witness led law enforcement to a hotel in Independence where they encountered Victim 1 and Victim 2. Victim 1 told law enforcement officers that Miller was violent and abusive. She said she met Miller in March 2015 and had never been allowed to go back home. Victim 1, who said Miller broke her hip during one violent encounter, told officers, “If I tell you anything he will kill me” and started crying. She stated that she did not believe the police could provide enough security to protect her from “these guys.”

Victim 2 told the detective that she wanted away from the group and just wanted to go home. 

While at the hotel, agents determined that Miller had rented two rooms on the third floor and a room on the first floor. Agents made contact with Miller on the third floor. Miller was noncompliant with law enforcement requests, was directed to the ground, and cuffed. 

Each of the victims told law enforcement officers that Miller required them to work in a prostitution ring based in St. Louis, threatening them with violence and death if they tried to leave, and took all of their money. They also said that Miller forced them to use drugs to keep them addicted and dependent on them.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. It was investigated by the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Kansas City, Mo., area man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

Coty D. Hollaman, 23, formerly of Kansas City, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty in federal court today to a federal information that charges him with one count of participating in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

By pleading guilty today, Hollaman admitted that the conspiracy, which lasted from May 1 to Sept. 12, 2016, was responsible for transporting at least 120 pounds of marijuana from Colorado for distribution in the Kansas City, Mo., area.

According to today’s plea agreement, conspirators began purchasing marijuana from a source in Colorado. A co-conspirator invested $10,000 into the operation so Hollaman and others could purchase greater quantities of marijuana per trip. They agreed that in return, the investor would receive $1,000 per week as interest and free marijuana until the entire principal investment was repaid in full.

Conspirators, who had started by transporting two or three pounds of marijuana on each trip, began transporting larger amounts. On each of his last two trips, Hollaman transported 20 pounds of marijuana.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Benton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Colorado man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to ship $3 million worth of marijuana through the mail for distribution in the Kansas City, Mo., area.

James Mack, 38, of Westminster, Colorado, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to five years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Mack to forfeit to the government $1.5 million, which represents the proceeds of his illegal drug trafficking.

On Aug. 18, 2017, Mack pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana and to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.

Mack admitted that he sent multiple pounds of high grade marijuana in five-gallon plastic buckets through the mail to co-defendant Justin Polson, 29, of Overland Park, Kan. Mack was sending anywhere from two to six buckets a week from September 2012 through May 2014. The buckets usually contained three pounds of marijuana per bucket. Between June 2014 and May 2015, Mack would send 40 pounds of marijuana per month to Polson.

Over the course of this conspiracy, Polson deposited approximately $3 million into Mack’s bank account as payment, in structured amounts below $10,000 to avoid reporting requirements.

Polson pleaded guilty to the same charges on Sept. 19, 2017, and awaits sentencing. Polson has already forfeited to the government a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette and a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro LT in a related civil case.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Lee’s Summit, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for drug-trafficking and firearms violations.

Terreall McDaniel, 33, of Lee’s Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018, to 51 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. McDaniel was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

On July 26, 2017, McDaniel was found guilty following a bench trial of all six counts contained in a federal indictment. McDaniel was convicted of two counts of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of possessing a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

McDaniel was found in possession of marijuana, 22 individually wrapped bags of cocaine, and a loaded firearm hidden under the driver’s seat of the vehicle he was driving during a vehicle stop by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on Dec. 31, 2014. McDaniel was arrested, but was later released.

McDaniel led a Raytown, Mo., police officer on a high-speed pursuit on June 24, 2015. The officer discontinued the pursuit due to the danger created by the vehicle’s flight. The vehicle was found very shortly after the pursuit ended when it crashed in a wooded area. Officers identified McDaniel as the driver and arrested him. During a subsequent search, officers located a large amount of marijuana, 10 individually wrapped bags of cocaine, 11 individually wrapped bags of pills (which contained methamphetamine), a digital scale, a grinder and a loaded firearm on the driver’s seat of the vehicle. 

McDaniel has three prior felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and prior felony convictions for tampering (in which he led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle), drug trafficking and carrying a concealed weapon. McDaniel was on parole at the time of the federal offenses.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison D. Dunning and Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Raytown, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of his role in a meth-trafficking conspiracy.

Marcell Shavers, 27, of Kansas City, was found guilty of one count of participating in a conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

On Jan. 1, 2014, Kansas City, Mo., police officers responded to a reported shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered the body of Jose Medellin, who had been fatally shot. They also found several shell casings at the scene as well as two plastic bags containing more than 55 grams of methamphetamine in Medellin’s possession.

The person who reported the shooting had gone to Discount Smokes on Independence Avenue to obtain some cigarettes. While at the store, he was approached by James P. Roberts, 26, of Kansas City, Mo., who asked about obtaining methamphetamine. He replied that he knew a source and would set up a meeting.

The witness contacted Medellin, then picked up Roberts at Discount Smokes and they drove to Medellin’s apartment building. He told Medellin that Roberts wanted to buy $1,000 of methamphetamine, and Medellin told him to bring Roberts inside the apartment building. The three men met in the laundry room on the ground floor, but when a car alarm went off, the witness went out to shut it off. He could not re-enter the laundry because it locked automatically and could only be opened from the inside.

Although he could not reenter the building, the witness could see through the windows and saw Roberts with an unknown man, later identified as Shavers. He witnessed Medellin being shot. Medellin tried to run from the shooter but was unable to escape. Medellin was shot in the abdomen, turned to run, was shot in the right buttock, fell to the ground and was shot in the back while on the ground. After Medellin fell, ran to a nearby Quik Trip and called the police.

Shavers later told another person that he and Roberts had met with Medellin to conduct a drug deal.

Roberts admitted that, while he possessed a handgun during the drug transaction, he never fired at Medellin. Roberts pleaded guilty on Feb. 1, 2018, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, which resulted in the killing of Medellin. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Roberts will be sentenced to between 20 and 30 years in federal prison without parole.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately seven hours over two days before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Valenti and Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Columbia, Mo., nurse and business owner pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally obtaining prescription drugs.

Elisabeth Joan Trumbower, 41, of Columbia, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to a federal information that charges her with obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge.

Trumbower, a registered nurse and owner of Pela Cura Anti-Aging and Wellness in Columbia, employed a radiologist identified in court documents as “M.M.” On Nov. 30, 2016, M.M. reported to the Columbia Police Department that Trumbower had forged his name and used his DEA registration number to fraudulently obtain prescriptions. M.M. told investigators that a medical colleague at the Fairview Clinic had called him concerning prescriptions for Adderall that he had allegedly written to Trumbower. M.M. told his colleague that he had never written any Adderall prescriptions.

By pleading guilty today, Trumbower admitted that she used M.M.’s prescription pad, DEA number and a forged signature to obtain prescriptions of Adderall on 25 occasions, at 10 different locations, between July and November 2016. The prescriptions were made out to Trumbower with directions to take one tablet, three times daily for cancer related fatigue.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Blue Springs, Mo., man was charged in federal court today with illegally possessing a firearm he carried into an elementary school building.

Shaunee Burkhart, 33, of Blue Springs, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. Burkhart remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

Today’s federal criminal complaint charges Burkhart with one count of being a drug user in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a firearm in a school zone.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, a secretary at James Walker Elementary School in Blue Springs contacted the Blue Springs School District Department of Public Safety to report a suspicious person on Wednesday morning, Feb. 28, 2018. The secretary reported that Burkhart, a parent of students at the school, entered the school at approximately 10:08 a.m. 

Burkhart used one of the school’s telephones to contact someone to request a ride. While on the phone, the secretary told officers, Burkhart appeared to be recording himself with an electronic tablet. When Burkhart completed the call, he left the school building and sat on a bench outside of the front entrance. The secretary told officers she felt uncomfortable and nervous about Burkhart hanging around the school. Burkhart was acting in a way that the secretary believed was strange and out of the ordinary.

When officers responded to the school, they saw Burkhart walking from the front door. Burkhart appeared to be smoking something, the affidavit says, and an officer smelled the odor of marijuana. As the officers approached, Burkhart sped up the pace of his walk, crossed the street and went behind some trees.

When the officers contacted Burkhart, the affidavit says, he acted nervous and jittery. An officer saw a loaded Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol in Burkhart’s rear waistband. The pistol was removed by the officer. In addition, the affidavit says, a red package of cigarettes in Burkhart’s front left pants pocket contained a marijuana cigarette.

Moments into the officers’ contact with Burkhart, his sister arrived in an SUV and joined Burkhart and the officers. Refusing direction to get back into her vehicle, she began hugging Burkhart. According to the affidavit, the officer saw her take something from Burkhart’s front left breast pocket and attempt to conceal it by putting into her shirt or bra. Officers retrieved the item, a cigarette package that contained Burkhart’s Colorado state identification card and two yellow Ziploc baggies of methamphetamine.

Burkhart unsuccessfully tried to flee as an officer took Burkhart to a patrol vehicle in handcuffs. According to the affidavit, the officer believed that Burkhart was under the influence of some type of drug.

When the Blue Springs Police Department took custody of Burkhart, an officer observed that he seemed disoriented and his speech was slurred. Burkhart had little to no recollection of his contact with the officers. A glass pipe containing methamphetamine residue was located in Burkhart’s backpack.

Burkhart told investigators he has been smoking marijuana two to three times per week for the last five years. Burkhart also said he has used methamphetamine numerous times in the last month, including the night prior to his arrest, and had taken Vicodin earlier that morning, which he purchased from a street dealer.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raskin. It was investigated by the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs School District Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Buffalo, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to using Twitter to transmit threatening communications against several persons, including two FBI employees and two former members of the military and their families, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS. 

Safya Roe Yassin, 40, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to two counts of transmitting threatening communications across state lines, contained in a July 19, 2016, federal indictment.

By pleading guilty today, Yassin admitted that she maintained a series of Twitter accounts under the pseudonym “Muslimah” that she used to post, or tweet, messages in support of ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Yassin also re-posted, or re-tweeted, messages she knew were authored by ISIS operatives residing overseas.

Beginning in May 2015, Yassin communicated over Twitter with a person identified in court documents as “Individual A,” whom she believed was an ISIS operative located outside the United States. They discussed ISIS’s publishing of personally identifying information of U.S. government employees and others, to threaten violence against those persons on behalf of ISIS. From May 2015 through at least October 2015, Yassin and Individual A routinely communicated about promoting new pro-ISIS accounts to like-minded followers before Twitter suspended them.

Yassin knew that Individual A used Twitter accounts, including those that Yassin promoted, to tweet personally identifying information of government employees and others and to threaten those persons on behalf of ISIS. Yassin admitted that, knowing Individual A’s intent to threaten, she re-retweeted the personally identifying information on her Muslimah accounts several times so that the information could be more widely disseminated.

Throughout the month of August 2015, ISIS operatives tweeted additional personally identifying information, which Yassin re-tweeted to her followers, knowing that the intent of the messages was to threaten on behalf of ISIS. Yassin admitted that on Aug. 24, 2015, she re-tweeted one such message that contained the phrase “Wanted to kill,” followed by the first and last name, status as an employee of the FBI, city of residence, zip code, and phone number of Victim 1. In the same communication, she repeated the same “Wanted to kill” phrase, followed by the same personally identifying information for Victim 2. Yassin intended this communication as a threat against Victims 1 and 2.

Yassin also admitted that on Oct. 8, 2015, she re-tweeted a message from Individual A that linked to a publically viewable document containing the name and home address of Victim 3, a U.S. service member, along with photos of Victim 3, his family, and the names of his wife and children. The document further stated, “Once again I leave these details online to cause havoc in his life & for my brothers and Al-Qaeda in the U.S. to eventually hunt him down & kill him.” 

The linked document also contained the name and home address of Victim 4, a former U.S. service member who had been the previous target of threats on Twitter by ISIS. Yassin knew that Individual A had previously threatened Victim 4 with violence and called him ISIS’s “number one target.” Yassin admitted that she intended to aid and assist Individual A in threatening Victims 3 and 4.

Under federal statutes, Yassin 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. Attorneys Brian Casey and Abram McGull II. It was investigated by the FBI.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Topeka, Kan., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the Joplin, Mo., area.

Jacob A. Beckham, 33, of Topeka, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years in federal prison without parole.

On July 26, 2017, Beckham pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

According to court documents, a detective with the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department saw Beckham, driving a black Ford Fusion, swerve over the yellow line several times on I-49 near Highway V on May 5, 2015. A deputy followed the vehicle to the parking lot of Shoal Creek Plaza and activated his vehicle’s emergency lights and siren. Beckham’s vehicle sped off and the deputy pursued him in a high-speed chase. During the chase, the deputy saw Beckham throw several items out of the vehicle, including a black and silver case.

When the vehicle came to a stop at a dead end near 6580 Hereford Road, Beckham attempted to flee on foot. The deputy caught Beckham after a short pursuit. When Beckham and the passengers in his vehicle were secured, law enforcement officers recovered the contents that were thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit. Those items included the black and silver case, nine clear baggies that contained a total of 167 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 22 bags with methamphetamine residue, two marijuana joints, seven cell phones and drug paraphernalia. Three passengers in the vehicle confirmed that Beckham threw the case that contained methamphetamine out of the car as he was being pursued by law enforcement.

Beckham admitted that prior to his encounter with law enforcement on May 5, 2015, he had been selling approximately two pounds or more of methamphetamine per month within the past year. Beckham is conservatively responsible for distributing approximately 24 pounds of methamphetamine.

Beckham has five previous convictions for possession of methamphetamine.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Conrad Starks, 33, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 13 years in federal prison without parole.

On July 6, 2017, Starks pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Starks’s residence on Jan. 2, 2016. A detective found three blue latex gloves under a loose wooden step in the front porch. Each glove contained methamphetamine, weighing a total of 393.3 grams. Investigators also found drug paraphernalia in the residence.

According to court documents, Starks continued dealing methamphetamine after the search of his residence until he was arrested on the federal indictment.

Starks has six prior convictions that involve the possession of controlled substances, three of which are for possession with the intent to distribute. Starks committed this crime while on probation with a 15-year suspended sentence from his 2013 conviction for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody M. Larison. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Nixa, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in the murder of a Mexican national who was executed to help her avoid paying a debt owed in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Brooke Danielle Beckley, 21, of Nixa, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 40 years in federal prison without parole.

On June 20, 2017, Beckley pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County, Dallas County, Webster County and Christian County, Mo., from April 28, 2015, to April 26, 2016. She also pleaded guilty to using a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, resulting in the murder of Oscar Adan Martinez-Gaxiola on April 25, 2016, in Webster County.

According to court documents, Beckley was involved in the large-scale distribution of methamphetamine in the Springfield area. Beckley met co-defendant Yovanny Aroldo Mendivil-Balderama, 23, a Mexican national, and Martinez-Gaxiola in January 2016 and began to sell methamphetamine for them. Beckley and Mendivil-Balderama started a sexual relationship shortly afterwards.

On April 6, 2016, law enforcement officers seized from Beckley’s hotel room approximately 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine, a loaded 20-gauge shotgun with a sawed off barrel and stock, four rounds of additional shotgun ammunition, a .22-caliber pistol, a drug ledger and $3,662.

The loss of the 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine created a $44,000 debt that Beckley owed to both Mendivil-Balderama and Martinez-Gaxiola. According to court documents, Beckley discussed with her lover Mendivil-Balderama ways to resolve the debt. Some of these discussions involved text messages between Beckley and Mendivil-Balderama. The text messages revealed they both wanted to kill Martinez-Gaxiola as a way to cancel, or extend, the debt and to prevent Martinez-Gaxiola from possibly killing Beckley.

Beckley recruited co-defendant Anthony Edward Donovan, 21, of Springfield, Mo., to assist in killing Martinez-Gaxiola, and offered to pay him $6,000. Donovan recruited co-defendant Nathaniel Austin Lee, 20, of Seymour, Mo., to assist in the murder and allow for the use of Lee’s property in rural Webster County, Mo., in exchange for part of the $6,000. Lee then recruited Joshua Applegate (who was a minor under federal law at the time of the offense, and therefore charged as an adult in state court rather than in the federal indictment).

On April 24, 2016, Beckley, Donovan and Lee practiced for the murder of Martinez-Gaxiola by discharging various firearms at the Lee residence. On April 25, 2016, Mendivil-Balderama traveled with Martinez-Gaxiola to the Lee residence on the pretext that Beckley would pay the drug debt. Beckley, Donovan, Lee and Applegate were waiting at the residence; Donovan and Lee were armed with handguns. Upon arrival, Mendivil-Balderama got out of the vehicle first. When Martinez-Gaxiola exited the vehicle, Donovan and Applegate opened fire and Martinez-Gaxiola fell to the ground. Eventually, Donovan went up to where Martinez-Gaxiola lay and shot him once in the head. Martinez-Gaxiola was armed with a handgun but did not discharge it during his murder.

Lee’s neighbors reported the shots fired at the residence (it is estimated that the co-conspirators expended 30 to 60 rounds of ammunition during the murder). Webster County deputies responded to the location. Hearing the emergency sirens, the co-conspirators attempted to conceal Martinez-Gaxiola under a piece of tin siding, and then fled area. When the deputies arrived, they found Martinez-Gaxiola, who was still alive but critically hurt and who died before transportation to the hospital. Law enforcement officers captured all the co-conspirators by the end of the day on April 25, 2016.

Mendivil-Balderrama, Donovan and Lee have pleaded guilty to the same charges and await sentencing. Mendivil-Balderrama is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8, 2018.

Co-defendant Jourdan Ashley McGinnis, 29, of Nixa, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. McGinnis was sentenced on Dec. 18, 2017, to seven years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

This case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Lawrence County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Seymour, Mo., Police Department, the Rogersville, Mo., Police Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET).
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a registered sex offender in Republic, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Christopher Paul Chmela, 52, of Republic, was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Chmela’s arrest last night and initial court appearance this morning.

Chmela, a registered sex offender, has prior convictions for the attempted use of a child in a sexual performance.

The federal indictment alleges that Chmela used a minor to produce child pornography from Aug. 8 to Oct. 25, 2017, in Greene County, Mo. The indictment also charges Chmela with using a cell phone to entice the child victim to engage in illegal sexual activity.

Chmela is also charged with receiving and distributing child pornography from May 26 to Nov. 16, 2017.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Republic, Mo., Police Department 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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Joplin, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for attempting to produce child pornography.

James Loyd Wainright, 36, of Joplin, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018.

The federal indictment charges Wainright with two counts of attempting to use two minors, on separate occasions from June 25 to Aug. 6, 2017, to produce child pornography. According to the indictment, the first child victim was born in 2002 and the second child victim was born in 2003.

Wainright is also charged with one count of receiving and distributing child pornography.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Webb 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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that seven defendants have been indicted on charges related to two murders.

Shawn Burkhalter, also known as “Deuce,” 29, Sharika Hooker, 29, and Autry Hines, also known as “Bud,” 26, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Joslyn Lee, also known as “Bless,” 26, and Nickayla Jones, 22, both of Blue Springs, Mo.; Rachel Ryce, 30, of Raytown, Mo.; and Joshua Nesbitt, also known as “T,” 23, of Crowder, Miss., were charged in a 14-count indictment returned under seal on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. The indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests of Lee and Hooker. The remaining defendants are already in state custody on related charges.

The federal indictment contains four capital counts related to the murders of two individuals.

Murder of Danny Lamont Dean

The indictment alleges that Burkhalter and Nesbitt shot and killed Danny Lamont Dean on Sept. 10, 2015, while robbing him of cocaine. Burkhalter and Nesbitt are charged together in one count of using a firearm to commit murder in relation to a drug-trafficking crime. They allegedly used a Rock River Arms AR-15 5.56-caliber semi-automatic rifle. 

Lee is charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact. She allegedly assisted Burkhalter and Nesbitt after the murder in order to hinder and prevent their apprehension, trial and punishment.

Murder of Anthony Dwayne Johnson

The indictment alleges that Nesbitt shot and killed Anthony Dwayne Johnson on Oct. 4, 2015. Burkhalter and Nesbitt are charged together in a second count of using a firearm to commit murder in relation to a drug-trafficking crime; the indictment alleges that the murder occurred while they were robbing marijuana from an apartment. Burkhalter and Nesbitt are also charged in one count of murdering a potential witness; the indictment alleges that the murder occurred in order to prevent the victim’s testimony and to prevent him from communicating with law enforcement. They allegedly used the same AR-15 rifle.

Burkhalter, Nesbitt, Lee, Jones, Hines and Ryce are charged together with participating in a witness and evidence-tampering conspiracy. Their objectives were to kill or at least intimidate and threaten Johnson, the indictment says. Nesbitt, Lee, Jones, Hines and Ryce allegedly stashed the AR-15 rifle at a residence.

Lee, Jones, Hines, Ryce and Hooker are charged together with being accessories after the fact. The indictment alleges that they assisted Burkhalter and Nesbitt by, anmong other things, taking steps to hide or destroy evidence pertaining to the murder. Hooker allegedly assisted Burkhalter and Nesbitt by providing Nesbitt with sanctuary and money after the murder.

Drug-Trafficking Conspiracy

    Six of the seven defendants – Burkhalter, Nesbitt, Lee, Jones, Hines and Ryce – are charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana from 2008 to Feb. 20, 2018.

In addition to the conspiracy, Burkhalter and Nesbitt are charged together with one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute on Sept. 10, 2015.

Burkhalter and Nesbitt are charged together with one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, related to the discharge of the AR-15 rifle in furtherance of the drug-traffficking conspiracy and the possession of cocaine to distribute.

Burkhalter, Nesbitt, Lee, Jones, Hines and Ryce are charged together with possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute on Oct. 4, 2015. The indictment alleges that they intended to sell a quantity of the marijuana they robbed on that date. They are also charged together in one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Armed Robbery

    Burkhalter and Nesbitt are charged together in one count with robbing a Kansas City, Mo., business on Sept. 8, 2015, and in one count with brandishing a firearm (the same AR-15 rifle) in furtherance of a crime of violence. Burkhalter and Nesbitt are also charged together in one count of being felons in possession of a firearm.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Raskin and Adam Caine. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., woman who forged a court order to get another inmate released from prison, was sentenced in federal court today for obstruction of justice.

Margie P. Shephard, 53, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to three years and five months in federal prison without parole.

Shephard was incarcerated as an inmate at Federal Prison Camp-Bryan in Bryan, Texas, after being sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and identity theft, aggravated identity theft and obstruction of justice.

Shephard, who pleaded guilty on Aug. 3, 2017, admitted that, while incarcerated, she fabricated a document purporting to be an Amended Judgment in a Criminal Case for fellow inmate Leann Raejeana Turner of Blue Springs, Mo. Turner was also incarcerated at Federal Prison Camp-Bryan after being sentenced to three years in prison for her role in an $11 million mortgage fraud scheme. The fake court order, with a reduced sentence of 120 days of imprisonment for Turner (which would have resulted in her immediate release), included the forged signature of U.S. District Judge Greg Kays.

Shephard mailed the fake court order to her sister, who then faxed it to prison officials from a Sunfresh grocery store in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 9, 2014, and again on Nov. 28, 2014. The forged document raised suspicions because of the reduction of Turner’s sentence and typographical errors. Upon receiving the document, prison officials determined it was a forgery.

Shephard’s extensive criminal history includes 29 prior felony convictions (this offense is her 30th felony conviction) and 11 misdemeanor convictions, most of which involved fraudulent conduct. Twice while being held in lawful custody for a felony conviction, she escaped. Both times she was convicted of aggravated escape from custody.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes, IV. It was investigated by the FBI.
 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that six Fulton, Mo., residents were among 10 co-defendants sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than $6.6 million of synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2, at Callaway County, Mo., businesses.

Jason Lee Houston, 38, of Fulton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, to seven years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Raja Amer Nawaz, also known as “Rex,” 43, of Roseville, Calif., was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole.

Both Houston and Nawaz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, which was related to the distribution of synthetic cannabinoids. Houston also pleaded guilty to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.

Nawaz and other conspirators in California sold synthetic cannabinoids to several Calloway County businesses. Houston, one of the owners of those businesses, admitted that he and other co-conspirators received at least 251 shipments of synthetic cannabinoids, primarily from Nawaz but also from other co-conspirators. According to court documents, the conspiracy generated $6,656,843 in gross proceeds.

The packages of synthetic cannabinoids bore misbranded labels that misidentified the contents as “incense,” “aroma therapy” or “potpourri” that were “not for human consumption.” In fact, these products were drugs intended for human consumption as a drug. Conspirators mislabeled packages of synthetic cannabinoids for the purpose of avoiding government regulation over these drugs, and to protect the continued sale of these drugs.

Houston and Nawaz were among 10 defendants who were sentenced in separate hearings on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. All 13 defendants in this case have pleaded guilty.

Curtis Whayne Gonzales, 57, and Michael James Butler, 41, both of Sacramento, California, were each sentenced to six months in prison. Shawn Michael Browning, 27, Timothy Christopher Sandfort, 31, Joshua Adam Sheets, 32, and Brandon Derek Rader, 33, all of Fulton, were each sentenced to three months in prison. Dara Leanne Shirley, 31, of Fulton, was sentenced to five years of probation. Nawaz’s wife, Sheila Marie Nawaz, 41, of Roseville, was sentenced to one year of probation.

Casey Dewayne Miller, 33, of Columbia, Mo., was sentenced on Nov. 30, 2017, to nine months in prison. Billie L. Bruce, 37, of Jefferson City, Mo., was sentenced on Feb. 9, 2017, to time served. Aleksandr Polyanskiy, 35, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

Houston, Sandfort, Rader, Shirley, Miller and others operated First Stop Last Stop Pawn & Aromatherapy, Inscentives Resale and Inscentives Auto. First Stop Last Stop Pawn & Aromatherapy represented itself as a “pawn shop” and “potpourri store.” Inscentives Resale was represented to be a “buy, sell, and trade business.” Inscentives Auto held a Missouri motor vehicle dealer’s license. Browning, Sheets, Bruce and others operated Esscentials Resale and S&J Tobacco.

Inscentives Resale sold synthetic cannabinoids from locations in Auxvasse, Mo., and Fulton. Esscentials Resale and S&J Tobacco sold synthetic cannabinoids from locations in Holts Summit, Mo.
 
Between Jan. 16, 2013, and April 18, 2015, Nawaz received at least $1,986,442 as payment for synthetic cannabinoids from Houston, Sandfort, and Rader, through First Stop Last Stop Pawn & Aromatherapy, Inscentives Resale and Inscentives Auto.

Between Jan. 16, 2013, and April 18, 2015, Nawaz received at least $932,965 as payment for synthetic cannabinoids from Browning and Sheets through Esscentials and S&J Tobacco.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the DEA Task Force – Jefferson City, DEA Sacramento, Calif., DEA Reno, Nev., IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Fulton, Mo., Police Department and the Holts Summit, Mo., Police Department.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that two Nixa, Mo., residents have pleaded guilty and a Florida resident has been indicted in a scheme to market an all-natural male enhancement supplement that actually contained the same active ingredient found in Viagra.

John G. Schindele, 41, and Jennifer S. Travis, 45, both of Nixa, waived their right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty in separate appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018.

Michael S. Schindele, 43, of Jacksonville, Florida, was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Schindele’s arrest and initial court appearance.

Michael Schindele, the owner and operator of Executive Image International, operated a website that sold dietary supplements and drugs to the general public. The federal indictment alleges that he worked through businesses owned and operated by John Schindele (his brother) and Travis to sell dietary supplements, which claimed to contain only all-natural ingredients. 

Michael Schindele marketed Silver Bullet as an “all-natural male performance enhancer,” an “Extreme Male Stimulant,” and a “dietary supplement.” In reality, the indictment says, Silver Bullet contained materially different ingredients than what was listed, including sildenafil, a synthetic pharmaceutical ingredient that was not disclosed to consumers purchasing the product. 

Sildenafil is the active pharmaceutical that is commonly used in the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. The labeling for Silver Bullet failed to provide adequate warnings about the use of a sildenafil-containing product, which is only legally available with a prescription from a doctor.

According to the indictment, Silver Bullet was purchased and shipped from a supplier in the People’s Republic of China, then resold by Michael Schindele and others to consumers throughout the United States.

The indictment charges Michael Schindele with one count of wire fraud and one count of delivering adulterated or misbranded food. It also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Michael Schindele to forfeit to the government all property derived from the proceeds of the offense, including a money judgment of $47,930.

John Schindele, who pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of delivering adulterated or misbranded food, is the owner of Schindele Enterprises, L.L.C., and Midwest Wholesale. Travis, who also pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of delivering adulterated or misbranded food, partially owned and managed a business known as Kinevative. Both businesses sold food and drug products advertised as “dietary supplements” to customers throughout the United States and worldwide. The base of operation for both of these businesses was in Nixa.

By pleading guilty, John Schindele admitted that he marketed Silver Bullet as an “all-natural male performance enhancer,” and a “dietary supplement” and failed to disclose that sildenafil was an ingredient. John Schindele was not authorized or licensed to sell this pharmaceutical. 

According to his plea agreement, John Schindele fraudulently received $210,000 for the misrepresented and mislabeled dietary supplements from April 16, 2012, to July 8, 2015.

Travis marketed products known as Boost Ultra and Magic for Men as an “Ultra Sexual Enhancement Formula.” The products were advertised as dietary supplements, and the label listed the contents as “all natural.” Travis admitted that she failed to disclose that Boost Ultra and Magic for Men also contained sildenafil. Travis was not authorized or licensed to sell sildenafil.

Federal agents, acting in an undercover capacity, purchased products, including Boost Ultra and Magic for Men, that were advertised as containing all-natural ingredients. The supplements were purchased from websites that were traced back to Travis. The purchased dietary supplements were then tested by the FDA and found to contain undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients, including sildenafil.

According to her plea agreement, Travis fraudulently received $152,862 for the misrepresented and mislabeled dietary supplements from June 2, 2014, through Jan. 31, 2017.

Under federal statutes, John Schindele and Travis are each subject to a sentence of up to 21 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 after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

Garrison cautioned that the charges contained in the 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. 

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Carney and Nhan D. Nguyen. They were investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that additional charges have been filed against a St. Joseph, Mo., in-home health care nursing assistant for stealing bank account information from one of her clients to illegally transfer more than $207,000 out of her account.

Ashley N. Garr, 33, of St. Joseph, was charged in a 14-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces the original indictment returned on Dec. 5, 2017.

Garr is charged with eight counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and three counts of filing false tax returns.

Today’s indictment alleges that Garr, through her work as a home health care aid, became friendly with a woman identified as “PLR.” Garr visited the home of PLR in the fall of 2016, the indictment says, and stole checks and checking account information from her. Garr allegedly used the stolen checking account information to pay her personal expenses directly from PLR’s checking account.

Among the various payments, Garr allegedly directed payments on her behalf to the IRS and two student loan accounts. Additionally, Garr allegedly used the checking account information to open and pay credit card accounts. According to the indictment, Garr fraudulently transferred at least $207,638 from the checking account of PLR.

Two of the wire fraud counts relate to a scheme in which Garr allegedly stole personal information from persons she was assisting as a home health care aide. Garr used the stolen information to prepare two false and fraudulent tax returns in 2016, the indictment says, claiming refunds totaling $20,831.

The false tax returns allegedly involved Garr’s personal income tax returns filed in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The indictment alleges that Garr inflated her income in returns filed in 2015 and 2016. Garr claimed $61,725 in wages during 2014, the indictment says, and federal withholding of $30,851. Garr claimed $89,206 in wages in 2015, the indictment says, and federal withholding of $44,593. Garr allegedly failed to report her gross income of approximately $212,892 and reported a gross income of only $26,208 for 2016.

Today’s indictment also contains a forfeiture allegations, which would require Garr to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including $207,638.
 
Garrison cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man who worked as a private tutor pleaded guilty in federal court today to the sexual exploitation of a child who was a former student.

John Paul Sparapani, 29, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to using a minor to produce child pornography.

On Aug. 16, 2017, Sparapani pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet. However, a 12-year-old student who was tutored by Sparapani came forward on Aug. 25, 2017, and disclosed that he sexually assaulted her. When the victim’s mother told her about Sparapani’s child pornography conviction, the child victim disclosed that Sparapani had sexually assaulted her during tutoring sessions since the age of 10. 

On Jan. 23, 2018, the court granted Sparapani’s motion to withdraw that guilty plea; the original indictment will be dismissed in lieu of the charge filed today.

An officer with the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force identified Sparapani’s computer as sharing child pornography on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network on May 25, 2015. Officers executed a search warrant at Sparapani’s residence on Dec. 21, 2015, and seized two laptop computers, three hard drives and a cell phone, which contained multiple images and videos of child pornography.

Soon after Sparapani pleaded guilty to the federal indictment stemming from that investigation, a former student disclosed to her mother that Sparapani had sexually assaulted her. According to today’s plea agreement, Sparapani used a private room at a public library for the tutoring sessions. The child victim told investigators that Sparapani took photographs of her with his cell phone. She also said he gave her candy and Pokemon cards as rewards.

Under federal statutes, Sparapani 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 Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a scheme to file fraudulent tax returns in order to obtain more than $100,000 in illegal tax refunds.

Tanisha Williams, 40, of Kansas City, was charged in a 21-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

Today’s indictment alleges that Williams prepared and filed false income tax returns on behalf of others that claimed refunds to which she knew they were not entitled. Williams allegedly caused 20 false returns to be filed for tax years 2012 through 2014, claiming approximately $102,172 in refunds.

At times, Williams recruited individuals to file federal income tax returns under their own names and Social Security numbers. At other times, the indictment says, Williams used stolen identity information to file federal income tax returns. Williams allegedly used false Form W-2 information to inflate the income on the federal individual income returns filed for some of the taxpayers. At other times, Williams fraudulently caused dependents to be listed on tax returns for individuals knowing the dependents were not associated with the taxpayer listed on the return.

Williams requested the refunds be deposited onto pre-paid debit cards. Once the funds were deposited to the debit cards, she would withdraw cash from them or utilize the funds for her personal expenses.

Williams is charged with 13 counts of making false claims, four counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former executive of a Springfield charity, who was also an Arkansas lobbyist has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in a nearly $1 million bribery conspiracy involving a Springfield, Mo., health care organization.

Milton Russell Cranford, also known as “Rusty,” 56, of Rogers, Arkansas, was charged in a nine-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Cranford’s arrest. An initial court appearance is scheduled tomorrow in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Cranford was both a lobbyist and an employee of Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc. (formerly known as Alternative Opportunities, Inc.), a nonprofit corporation headquartered in Springfield. Cranford served as an executive for the charity’s operations in the state of Arkansas. Cranford also operated two lobbying firms, The Cranford Coalition and The Capital Hill Coalition.

The indictment alleges that Cranford and co-conspirator Eddie Wayne Cooper, 51, of Melbourne, Arkansas, received $264,000 in secret kickback payments from co-conspirator Donald Andrew Jones, also known as “D.A.” Jones, of Willingboro, New Jersey, who was paid nearly $1 million by the charity in a bribery scheme that lasted almost six years, from February 2011 until January 2017.

Cooper, a former state representative in Arkansas from 2006 through January 2011, worked for The Cranford Coalition as a lobbyist and held a full-time position as regional director for Preferred Family Healthcare. Jones was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based political operative who owned and operated the firm, D.A. Jones & Associates, which purported to provide political and advocacy services, including consulting, analysis, and public relations. Neither Cooper nor Jones are charged in the indictment with Cranford; they each have pleaded guilty in separate cases.

Cranford allegedly recommended to the charity’s chief financial officer, chief operating officer and chief executive officer to enter into a contractual arrangement with Jones for lobbying and advocacy services. Cranford influenced the charity in its award of the contract, the indictment says, then demanded payments to himself and Cooper of a portion of the funds Jones obtained from the charity in exchange for Cranford’s influence on Jones’s behalf.

According to the indictment, the charity paid Jones a total of $973,807 to provide advocacy services for the charity, including direct contact with legislators, legislators’ offices, and government officials, in order to influence elected and appointed public officials to the financial benefit of the charity, including attempting to steer grants and other sources of funding to the charity. Jones allegedly paid a total of $264,000 to Cranford and Cooper. Most of the funds were paid to Cranford or one of his firms, the indictment says.

In addition to the conspiracy, the indictment charges Cranford with eight counts of receiving a bribe by an agent of an organization that receives federal funds.

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Cranford to forfeit to the government all property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the FBI and the Offices of the Inspectors General from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and the FDIC. This is a combined investigation with the Western District of Arkansas, the Eastern District of Arkansas, and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Fulton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography after his lost cell phone, which contained images of child pornography, was turned in to law enforcement.

Anthony Quin Hodges, 51, of Fulton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to seven years and three months in federal prison without parole.

Hodges, who pleaded guilty on May 9, 2017, admitted that he had been viewing child pornography from a variety of websites for approximately two to three years and storing the images on his Google Photos account. Hodges used his cell phone for searching, maintaining and distributing images of child pornography.

Two Fulton residents turned in the phone, which Hodges said had been lost or stolen, to the Fulton Police Department on Jan. 17, 2017, after they found it abandoned in their driveway. Prior to reporting the incident to law enforcement, the residents powered on the phone to try to identify the owner. Upon trying to locate the owner of the phone, they discovered images child pornography. One of the residents also opened the Facebook icon and observed a Facebook page for Hodges. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the phone and discovered pornographic images of prepubescent children as well as links to apparent child pornography websites.

Hodges also admitted sending unsolicited images of child pornography to an individual. Investigators interviewed the individual who received the text message from Hodges, which contained child pornography. The individual reported he received pornographic images of prepubescent females from Hodges on several occasions. He did not solicit these images, and repeatedly told Hodges to stop sending him child pornography. The individual repeatedly warned Hodges it was illegal to possess child pornography.

Hodges was already under investigation at the time his cell phone was turned in to law enforcement. On Oct. 24, 2016, a Boone County Cyber Crimes Taskforce detective received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Google had filed a complaint about an account holder, later identified as Hodges, who uploaded images of child pornography to Google Photos. Shortly after Hodges was identified by law enforcement, his cell phone was turned in to the police department.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the FBI, the Boone County Cyber Crimes Taskforce and the Fulton, 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."
 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Columbia, Mo., father and son were charged in federal court today with possessing marijuana to distribute.

Osama Nadir Yanis, 48, and his son, Nader Robert Osama Yanis, 23, both of Columbia, were charged in two separate but related criminal complaints filed in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo.

Today’s criminal complaints charge both Osama and Nader Yanis with possessing 50 kilograms or more of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Osama Yanis is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Osama Yanis’s residence on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018, after witnessing the delivery of a crate that contained 72 pounds of high-grade marijuana. Nader Yanis, who arrived at the residence shortly after the delivery, was arrested during a vehicle stop when he left the residence. Osama Yanis was detained during the execution of the search warrant.

According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s criminal complaints, law enforcement officers had been notified a few days earlier about two suspicious shipments addressed to another person at Osama Yanis’s address. One crate contained approximately 50 pounds of marijuana and the second crate contained approximately 72 pounds of high-grade marijuana.

On Monday, Feb. 19, 2018, the second crate was delivered to Osama Yanis’s residence in Columbia. Osama Yanis was observed accepting the delivery and conversing with the delivery personnel. A short time later, Nader Yanis arrived at the residence. Approximately 10 to 15 minutes later, Nader Yanis left the residence carrying a bag and left the area in his black Cadillac Escalade. Columbia police officers executed a vehicle stop away from the residence. After making contact with Nader Yanis, police officers found that he was in possession of marijuana and a small amount of a white substance believed to cocaine.

Officers searched the residence and found weapons, drugs and a large sum of cash. In addition to the 72 pounds of marijuana delivered in the crate, the affidavit says, approximately 33 additional pounds of marijuana was found in a bedroom closet and hidden in an HVAC closet. Osama Yanis told investigators that the weapons found in his residence belonged to him, including a revolver pistol located on his desk next to a large gun safe. Osama Yanis explained that his gun safe contained his .223-caliber rifle, shotgun and semi-automatic pistol.

Following his arrest, Osama Yanis turned over to law enforcement approximately $19,000 that he had in his possession.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the FBI, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
 

v

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Kansas City, Mo., men were convicted by a federal trial jury today of charges related to the kidnapping and murder of another man.

 

Raynal King, 26, and Howard R. Ross, III, also known as “Lil’ Howard” and “Shooter,” 23, both of Kansas City, were found guilty of multiple counts related to the carjacking, kidnapping and murder of Jaime Patton on Sept. 6, 2016.

 

King and Ross were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of aiding and abetting a kidnapping resulting in death, one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a kidnapping that resulted in a first degree felony murder, one count of robbery of a motor vehicle (carjacking) resulting in death, one count of using a firearm in furtherance of carjacking that resulted in a first degree felony murder, and one count of aiding and abetting each other as felons in the possession of a firearm.

 

Patton was returning home from the hospital, where he had been caring for a family member, sometime after 5 a.m. that day when King and Ross kidnapped him and stole his 2014 Jeep Patriot. They held Patton at gunpoint and drove him around in his Jeep to ATM machines, attempting to force him to provide his PIN number for his debit card so they could withdraw cash from his bank account.

 

Patton was unable to provide a working PIN number to withdraw cash. While held at gunpoint by King and Ross in the Mazuma Credit Union parking lot, he called his wife to obtain the working PIN number, but he was unable to do so. King and Ross became upset with the lack of cooperation from Patton and shot him in his upper thigh to make sure he knew they were not playing around.

 

King and Ross then drove Patton in his Jeep south on Holmes Road while they discussed what to do with him. At approximately 6:30 a.m., shortly after traveling south on Holmes Road through the intersection with 135th Street and further out of the city, Patton jumped out of his Jeep while it was moving. Patton was shot multiple times while attempting to jump and he fell to the roadway. King and Ross then fled from the area in Patton’s Jeep, leaving him to die on the side of the road.

 

According to evidence introduced during the trial, King and Ross began planning to commit a robbery a couple of days earlier. King had recently purchased a silver Pontiac Grand Prix but was unable to make his car payments or pay the sales tax fees. Text messages between King and Ross (recovered from their phones) shows that only days before the kidnapping King communicated with Ross about his problems and about a potential robbery.

 

Ross, who was on state probation for robbery at the time of the crime, was held in the Jackson County Jail after his arrest. While in the Jackson County Jail, Ross made multiple recorded phone calls to others regarding disposing of various items of evidence. Ross discussed with friends and family the location of his iPhone, which led to search warrants and the recovery of Ross’s iPhone and further evidence on his iPhone.

 

Investigators recovered evidence from Ross’s iPhone that showed weeks before the kidnapping Ross had a Springfield Armory .45-caliber pistol. Patton was murdered with a .45-caliber bullet. Ross took photos of himself carrying the pistol; he messaged those photos to others and posted photos on social media sites. Shortly after the murder, Ross attempted to sell the pistol to an acquaintance.

 

When forensic examiners were able to search King’s Android phone, several messages, photographs, and relevant Internet searches were recovered as evidence. King took photos of the stolen Jeep and messaged with others in an attempt to sell the Jeep to obtain sufficient money to make his own car payment on his Silver Pontiac Grand Prix before it would be repossessed.

 

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for just under three hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, Feb. 12, 2018.

 

Under federal statutes, King and Ross each face mandatory life imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jess E. Michaelsen and Patrick C. Edwards. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted by a federal trial jury today of a nearly $500,000 investment fraud scheme.

 

Ryan Scott Luscombe, 45, of Kansas City, was found guilty of all six counts contained in a June 6, 2017, federal indictment. Luscombe was convicted of three counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering.

 

Luscombe solicited investments for his business, Five Star Trading Group, Inc., claiming to investors that he would utilize his expertise in stock trading to produce exorbitant returns. Instead, evidence introduced during the trial indicated that the entirety of investor funds, which totaled $483,482, was used by Luscombe on personal expenditures in 2013, 2014 and 2015, including the purchase of a 2010 BMW 750I and a trip to Bermuda.

 

To date, none of Luscombe’s investors have received funds from returns or their original investment.

 

During the course of the scheme to defraud victims of their investment money, Luscombe represented himself as a wealthy individual and a successful day trader capable of producing tremendous returns on investments.

 

Luscombe told investors he was creating a new business to manage over $50 million from three investors in Arizona. Luscombe claimed he would be the primary investment trader, but because the dollar amount to be invested would be too large for one person to handle, he recruited two people to assist in his trading endeavor. In exchange for a fee or investment in the business, Luscombe offered to train the additional individuals in his trading strategy. Eventually, Luscombe told investors he would allow a small number of friends and family to take advantage or “piggyback” off the investment strategy of the larger investors.

 

Luscombe’s stated investment strategy was to trade securities in the stock market based on the identification of trends in the upward or downward direction of the stock price. Luscombe told investors the risk was very low and minimal because he constantly monitored the stock price. Luscombe told investors he had been in the trading business for many years and had previously made millions of dollars.

 

Luscombe regularly provided positive projected investment return updates to the victims regarding their investments, and claimed investor money would be utilized for trading and generating profits for investors. As a direct result of these conversations, investors entrusted their money to him.

 

Investors never authorized Luscombe to spend investment money on personal expenditures. Luscombe never told investors their investment money would be spent on his personal expenditures. A salary for Luscombe was not authorized by investors. At the time of investment, Luscombe never informed investors that investment funds would be utilized to pay his salary. An analysis of financial activity revealed Luscombe’s spending of investor funds included the following:

(a) $83,088 in cash and cash equivalents;

(b) $78,542 in retail expenses;

(c) $67,990 in restaurants and entertainment;

(d) $52,925 in vehicle expenses;

(e) $45,940 in travel expenses;

(f) $41,058 in rent and utilities;

(g) $39,673 in investment firm losses, fees, and interest; and

(h) $21,144 in nutrition, fitness and beauty expenses.

 

Luscombe was not registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority as a broker dealer or as an investment advisor representative. Luscombe and Five Star Trading Group were not registered with the Missouri Secretary of State – Securities Division.

 

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for a little over two hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Feb. 12, 2018.

 

Under federal statutes, Luscombe is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the fraud counts, and sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for money laundering. 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. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney R. Pratten. It was investigated by the FBI.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former Arkansas state representative pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to embezzle more than $4 million from a Springfield, Mo.-based health care charity.

Eddie Wayne Cooper, 51, of Melbourne, Ark., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from the nonprofit organization.

By pleading guilty today, Cooper admitted that he conspired with several executives of Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc., a non-profit charity headquartered in Springfield, to use the charity’s funds for unlawful political contributions, for excessive, unreported lobbying and to financially benefit themselves. Cooper received a total of at least $387,501 from a lobbying firm and at least $63,000 in kickbacks as a result of his participation in the conspiracy. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Cooper must forfeit his gain from the conspiracy to the government.

Cooper was an Arkansas State Representative from 2006 through January 2011, and a lobbyist registered with the Arkansas Secretary of State beginning Jan. 20, 2011. On April 20, 2009, Cooper was hired to the full-time position of regional director for Preferred Family Healthcare. Cooper’s employment with the charity ended on April 26, 2017. Cooper was a member of the charity’s board of directors from October 2009 through April 2015; he also worked as a lobbyist.

Court documents cite, but do not identify by name, five additional co-conspirators who are not charged in the fraud scheme. Person #1, Person #2 and Person #3 – all residents of Springfield – were executives at the charity. They include the founder and chief financial officer of the charity, the charity’s chief operating officer and the charity’s chief executive officer. Person #4, a resident of Rogers, Ark., served as an executive for company operations in the state of Arkansas. Person #4 also operated two lobbying firms.

According to today’s plea agreement, conspirators engaged in multiple schemes to unlawfully use the charity’s funds to make political contributions, for excessive and unreported lobbying and political advocacy, and to unjustly enrich themselves. For example, conspirators caused personal contributions to elected officials and their political campaigns to be reimbursed by the charity. Such indirect contributions are prohibited by law just as if the payments had been made by the charity directly.

In order to provide a veneer of legitimacy for the kickbacks paid to themselves and others, and to disguise the nature and source of the payments, conspirators caused the payments to be described in the records as business expenses, such as “consulting” and “training” services, and executed sham “consulting agreements.” 

Part of the scheme involved $3 million in payments and kickbacks with a company identified in court documents as Lobbying Firm A, an Arkansas firm owned and operated by Person #4 that also employed Cooper as a lobbyist.

Preferred Family Healthcare paid Lobbying Firm A to provide lobbying and advocacy services. Cooper and others solicited the assistance of elected and appointed officials regarding legislative issues that impacted the charity, in particular matters involving the charity, and in steering grants and other sources of funding to the charity from 2010 through 2017. These funding sources included proceeds from the Arkansas General Improvement Fund.

Preferred Family Healthcare paid Lobbying Firm A more than $3 million from 2010 to 2017. These checks were falsely classified as a consulting expense in the books and records of the charity, when in fact the checks were payments for lobbying services, including direct contact with elected and appointed public officials, and for kickbacks paid to Person #1. From 2010 through 2015, the plea agreement says, Person #4 paid $640,500 in kickbacks to Person #1 by way of checks, and on numerous additional occasions, paid kickbacks in cash.

Part of the scheme also involved nearly $1 million in payments and kickbacks with a Philadelphia, Penn.-based lobbying firm. Donald Andrew Jones, also known as “D.A.” Jones, 62, of Willingboro, N.J., pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2017, to his role in the conspiracy.

Jones’s firm, D.A. Jones & Associates, based in Philadelphia, provides political and advocacy services, including consulting, analysis, and public relations. Jones admitted that he was paid approximately $973,807 by Preferred Family Healthcare for illegal lobbying and political activity on behalf of the charity. Two co-conspirators received a total of $264,000 in kickbacks from Jones.

According to court documents, Jones occasionally suggested that charity executives make political contributions to legislators they wanted to influence and/or thank for assistance. From time to time, Jones delivered their contribution checks directly to the legislators in Washington D.C., to increase the impact of the donations.

Between Jan. 12, 2012, and Jan. 17, 2017, Jones paid Person #4 a total of $219,000 in kickbacks. Additionally, at the direction of Person #4, Jones paid Cooper kickbacks of $25,000 on Jan. 8, 2013, and $20,000 on Dec. 26, 2013. On Jan. 18, 2012, Person #4 caused Lobbying Firm A to issue an $18,000 check Cooper, constituting Cooper’s share of Jones’s Jan. 2, 2012, kickback payment.

Under federal statutes, Cooper is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants 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.

Preferred Family Healthcare & Dayspring Behavioral Health Services

Preferred Family Healthcare and its subsidiaries provide a variety of services to individuals, including mental and behavioral health treatment and counseling, substance abuse treatment and counseling, employment assistance, aid to individuals with developmental disabilities, and medical services. The charity, which reported more than $180 million in total revenue in 2016, received Medicaid reimbursements from the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. The federal portion of those payments totaled more than $255 million from 2011 to 2016. The charity also received more than $53 million from the federal government (the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Justice) under programs involving grants, contracts, loans, guarantees, insurance and other forms of federal assistance from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2016.

Originally, and for most of its existence, Preferred Family Healthcare was known as Alternative Opportunities, Inc., which was incorporated in 1991. Alternative Opportunities merged with Preferred Family Healthcare of Kirksville, Mo., on May 1, 2015.

Dayspring Behavioral Health Services was an Arkansas company providing behavioral health services, which was acquired by Alternative Opportunities in 2007 and thereafter continued as a business alias of the charity. Doing business as Dayspring, the charity operated dozens of clinics throughout the state of Arkansas, offering a variety of behavioral health services to individuals, families, and groups.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the FBI and the Offices of the Inspectors General from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and the FDIC. This is a combined investigation with the Western District of Arkansas, the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Liberty, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet.

Mark Anthony Barrett, 60, of Liberty, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to eight years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Barrett to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration, and ordered Barrett to pay $5,000 in restitution to one of the victims portrayed in his collection of child pornography (or $3,000 in restitution if paid within 30 days).

On Oct. 6, 2017, Barrett pleaded guilty to attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet. Barrett admitted that he used peer-to-peer file-sharing software to download child pornography from the Internet, which was also then made available to others on the sharing network. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence and seized a desktop computer, a laptop computer and five hard drives.

Barrett admitted to viewing child pornography for more than two years. Investigators found 272 images and 76 video files of child pornography (one of which was particularly violent and involved a female toddler) on a hard drive that had been removed from Barrett’s desktop computer. The majority of the images appeared to be of prepubescent females being sexually abused; the age of the victims ranged from toddler to prepubescent.
 
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Belton, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally trafficking in thousands of illegal fireworks and explosives following an explosion that destroyed a Grandview, Mo., business last year.

Thomas McKeehan, 67, of Belton, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Sarah W. Hays to engaging in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license.

Co-defendant James Witt, 76, of Grandview, pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2017, to participating in a conspiracy to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials without a license.

Witt was the owner of JW’s Lawn and Garden Equipment, 12010 S. 71 Hwy., Grandview, which was destroyed in an explosion on Jan. 3, 2017.

Witt admitted that he and McKeehan entered into a partnership to manufacture illegal explosive devices at Witt’s business, and to sell both the illegal explosive devices and commercial fireworks without a license to do so, from January 2015 to January 2017. McKeehan admitted that their unlicensed trafficking included approximately 1,080 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells, approximately 13,968 (M-Series) improvised explosive devices, approximately 3,200 (larger M-Series) improvised explosive devices and approximately 1,633 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells.

Witt and McKeehan purchased bulk supplies of raw chemicals, including aluminum powder, potassium perchlorate and Sulphur, to create an explosive mixture. They packed the explosive powder in cardboard tubes obtained by McKeehan. They also purchased and sold commercial fireworks, including 1.3g fireworks, without a license to do so.

Following the Jan. 3, 2017, explosion at JW’s Lawn and Garden Equipment, Witt and McKeehan traveled to McKeehan’s storage unit in Belton and removed the fireworks stored at that location. On Jan. 17, 2017, Witt and McKeehan moved a white van to a location in Lone Jack, Mo., and loaded the van with commercial fireworks and illegal explosive devices in order to transport the explosives to a person in Wisconsin with whom McKeehan had negotiated the sale. The explosives in the van included approximately 1,080 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells, approximately 13,968 (M-Series) improvised explosive devices, approximately 3,200 (larger M-Series) improvised explosive devices and approximately 1,633 commercially packaged 1.3g, 3-inch aerial display shells.

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

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two more defendants were sentenced today for their roles in a $4.3 million conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin throughout Jackson, Clay, Ray, Clinton and Buchanan counties.

Elgin Eugene Dothage, also known as “Butch,” 41, of Kearney, Mo., and Jason Lee Kirtley, 45, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays. Dothage was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court ordered today’s sentence to be served consecutively to a nine-year sentence for his conviction in an unrelated state case. Kirtley was sentenced to 12 years and 11 months in federal prison without parole and ordered to forfeit to the government $28,800, which represents the proceeds of drug trafficking.

On June 9, 2017, Dothage pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and maintaining a drug premises. Kirtley pleaded guilty on June 14, 2017, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

In 2010, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and the DEA initiated an investigation into a drug-trafficking organization distributing methamphetamine in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. Jose Luis Ruiz-Salazar, 39, his brother, Gabriel Ruiz-Salazar, 35, and Gregory Bullock, 48, all of Kansas City, Mo., have pleaded guilty to being the primary sources that supplied co-conspirators with large amounts of methamphetamine during the conspiracy. Co-conspirators then distributed the methamphetamine throughout Jackson, Clay, Ray, Clinton and Buchanan counties in Missouri.

Gabriel Ruiz-Salazar was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Jose Ruiz-Salazar and Bullock await sentencing.

According to court documents, conspirators sold $4,359,600 worth of methamphetamine and heroin from 2010 to 2015. That estimate is based on a conservative street price of $1,200 for an ounce of 50 percent pure methamphetamine and the total conspiracy distribution of at least 100 kilograms of methamphetamine, and a conservative street price of $2,500 per ounce of heroin and an overall conspiracy distribution of approximately three pounds.

Dothage is responsible for the distribution of more than five kilograms of methamphetamine. Dothage admitted that he carried firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, including a 9mm Hi Point pistol and a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber pistol. Dothage also admitted that he used his residence for storing, distributing or using methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Kirtley is responsible for the distribution of 680.4 grams of methamphetamine.

Dothage and Kirtley are among 18 co-defendants who have been sentenced after pleading guilty to their roles in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. 

Jason Daniel Davis, 44, of Liberty, Mo., was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Jackie R. Love, 60, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison without parole. Anthony Ray Stevenson, 46, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to 22 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Taylor Lee Syas, 25, of Polo, Mo., was sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison without parole. Paula Rae Scott, 48, of Excelsior Springs, four years and 11 months in federal prison without parole. Bryan D. Carroll, 29, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. Ryan A. Battagler, 39, of Kearney, Mo., was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Franklin Charles Carter, also known as “Frankie,” 28, of Grandview, Mo., was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole. Marion Eugene Brammer, 53, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison without parole.

Brian Michael Bowers, 35, of Richmond, Mo., was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Gary Dewayne Brown, 37, of Cowgill, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. Ronald Louis Roberts, 54, of Lathrop, Mo., was sentenced to 10 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Brittney James Brehm, 39, of Bland, Mo., was sentenced to six years and 11 months in federal prison without parole. Rodney Earl King, 52, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to five years and two months in federal prison without parole. Darin Gene Berry, 52, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to four years and five months in federal prison without parole.

Eight co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. In addition to Jose Ruiz-Salazar and Bullock, co-defendants Steven Lee Schreier, Jr., 33, and William Dean Campbell, 37, both of Excelsior Springs; Joshua Keith Bowers, 34, of Polo; Sabrena Lynn Morgan, 40, of Kearney; and Caleb Dean Hayes, 36, of Kansas City, Mo., are among 26 defendants indicted in this case who have pleaded guilty.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades, Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Matt Moeder. It was investigated by the Clay County Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Caldwell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and the DEA.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the armed robbery of a Jimmy John’s restaurant and a carjacking.

Terry K. Rayford, 54, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of armed robbery, one count of carjacking and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The charges stem from two incidents that occurred on April 26, 2017. Rayford brandished a Witness-P .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun when he robbed the Jimmy John’s restaurant, located at 3900 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. Rayford was armed with a Witness-P .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a Jimenez 9mm semi-automatic handgun when he carjacked a 1998 Ford Econoline E350 van earlier the same day.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Rayford has 13 felony convictions for robbery and he was on parole at the time of the thefts.

Both of the firearms were found in Rayford’s vehicle after he was stopped by Independence, Mo., police officers on April 27, 2017. Officers received information about a person matching the description of the suspect in the Jimmy John’s restaurant the day before. A retired major with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department had seen video of the robbery broadcast on the news and saw Rayford – who appeared to be the robbery suspect – driving in the area of 40 Highway and Crysler in Independence.

Independence police officers responded to the area and stopped Rayford’s vehicle. When they ordered him to get out of his vehicle, officers found the Witness-P .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun lying on the driver’s side floorboard. Rayford was arrested and his vehicle towed. During an inventory of the vehicle, the Jimenez 9mm semi-automatic handgun was found in the back pouch of the front passenger seat.

Rayford told investigators he had stolen both of the handguns from his source for crack cocaine, to whom he owed money. Rayford told investigators he violated the conditions of his parole so he could go back to prison and do the remaining time of his sentence because his parole conditions were hard to follow.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Rayford will be sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in federal prison without parole, up to a maximum of 30 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing a large quantity of methamphetamine that was discovered by probation officers while conducting a residence check.

Michelle L. Stevens, 47, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District judge Brian C. Wimes to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Stevens was a federal felon on supervised release for a 2010 conviction for distributing methamphetamine when numerous U.S. Probation officers conducted a residence check on March 14, 2017. As officers conducted a security sweep of her apartment, they noticed a door adjacent to the entry door to Stevens’s apartment. She claimed that the room was used for storage. When officers opened the door, however, they learned the “storage space” was in fact another apartment, where they discovered a large amount of contraband.

According to today’s plea agreement, officers seized 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine (stored in various places, the bulk of it in a laundry bag in the corner of the living room, which also contained a plastic bag with about 55 grams of marijuana), a loaded Browning .25-caliber handgun, $8,866 and several items of drug paraphernalia. Stevens was placed under arrest.
 
Under federal statutes, Stevens 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 defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an employee of the Jasper R-5 School District pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling more than $145,000 from the district.

Karla Justice, also known as Karla Jessee, 55, of Columbus, Kan., waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges her with one count of wire fraud and one count of credit card fraud.

Justice was employed as the head bookkeeper, payroll secretary, superintendent secretary, and board secretary for the Jasper R-5 School District from 2009 until her resignation on Sept. 22, 2016. Justice’s positions with the school district gave her unrestricted access to the account and payroll systems for the school district, as well as the district’s petty cash checkbook and signatory authority for this account. Justice essentially had unlimited access to every aspect of the account and human resources functions for the district.

By pleading guilty today, Justice admitted that she embezzled a total of $145,726 from the school district from September 2013 to September 2016.

Justice admitted that she paid herself $80,858 in additional payroll above and beyond the amount allowed under her employment contract. As a result of the fraudulently received payroll, Justice also received an additional $6,731 in employer retirement contributions and $6,530 in Social Security and Medicare contributions that she would not have received otherwise.

The investigation also discovered numerous transactions involving the petty cash account, including checks and E-checks that totaled $13,929 in transactions that were conducted by Justice to pay for personal expenses that were unrelated to the activities of the district, and were not authorized by the district.

Justice also opened and used a Home Depot credit card in the name of the district, without authority or the approval of any district official. Justice used the fraudulently opened Home Depot credit card to conduct several personal purchases between Jan. 6 and Sept. 1, 2016, totaling $2,133.

The investigation revealed numerous checks that had been written on the operating account for the district. Justice did not have authority to write checks to this account but she did have access to the signature stamps for school officials, who did have signatory authority over this account. Several district employees informed investigators that Justice repeatedly asked them to cash checks for her. School officials told investigators that each of the checks discovered during the investigation were fraudulently created and Justice’s request that other employees cash these checks and give her the money was done to bypass safety measures created to prevent employees from directly cashing checks made out to themselves.

According to today’s plea agreement, school officials began analyzing the district’s budget when the district experienced financial difficulties. During this analysis, officials noted irregularities in payroll payments, unexplained credit card payments, and missing monies from the petty cash account. When asked to reconcile the irregularities, Justice immediately wrote out a letter of resignation.
 
Under federal statutes, Justice is subject to a sentence of up to 35 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 after the completion of presentence investigations 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. Secret Service and the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two more defendants were sentenced today for their roles in a $4.3 million conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin throughout Jackson, Clay, Ray, Clinton and Buchanan counties.

 

Jason Daniel Davis, 44, of Liberty, Mo., and Jackie R. Love, 60, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays. Davis was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Love was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison without parole.

 

Both Davis and Love pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Davis and Love each admitted that he was  responsible for the distribution of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

 

In 2010, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and the DEA initiated an investigation into a drug-trafficking organization distributing methamphetamine in northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. Jose Luis Ruiz-Salazar, 39, his brother, Gabriel Ruiz-Salazar, 35, and Gregory Bullock, 48, all of Kansas City, Mo., have pleaded guilty to being the primary sources that supplied co-conspirators with large amounts of methamphetamine during the conspiracy. Co-conspirators then distributed the methamphetamine throughout Jackson, Clay, Ray, Clinton and Buchanan counties in Missouri.

 

Gabriel Ruiz-Salazar was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Jose Ruiz-Salazar and Bullock await sentencing.

 

According to court documents, conspirators sold $4,359,600 worth of methamphetamine and heroin from 2010 to 2015. That estimate is based on a conservative street price of $1,200 for an ounce of 50 percent pure methamphetamine and the total conspiracy distribution of at least 100 kilograms of methamphetamine, and a conservative street price of $2,500 per ounce of heroin and an overall conspiracy distribution of approximately three pounds.

 

Davis and Love are among 16 co-defendants who have been sentenced after pleading guilty to their roles in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

 

Anthony Ray Stevenson, 46, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to 22 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Taylor Lee Syas, 25, of Polo, Mo., was sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison without parole. Paula Rae Scott, 48, of Excelsior Springs, four years and 11 months in federal prison without parole. Bryan D. Carroll, 29, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. Ryan A. Battagler, 39, of Kearney, Mo., was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole. Franklin Charles Carter, also known as “Frankie,” 28, of Grandview, Mo., was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole. Marion Eugene Brammer, 53, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison without parole.

 

Brian Michael Bowers, 35, of Richmond, Mo., was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Gary Dewayne Brown, 37, of Cowgill, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. Ronald Louis Roberts, 54, of Lathrop, Mo., was sentenced to 10 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Brittney James Brehm, 39, of Bland, Mo., was sentenced to six years and 11 months in federal prison without parole. Rodney Earl King, 52, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to five years and two months in federal prison without parole. Darin Gene Berry, 52, of Excelsior Springs, was sentenced to four years and five months in federal prison without parole.

 

Ten co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. In addition to Jose Ruiz-Salazar and Bullock, co-defendants Steven Lee Schreier, Jr., 33, Jason Lee Kirtley, 45, and William Dean Campbell, 37, all of Excelsior Springs; Joshua Keith Bowers, 34, of Polo; Sabrena Lynn Morgan, 40, and Elgin Eugene Dothage, also known as “Butch,” 41, both of Kearney; and Caleb Dean Hayes, 36, of Kansas City, Mo., are among 26 defendants indicted in this case who have pleaded guilty.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades, Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Matt Moeder. It was investigated by the Clay County Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Caldwell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and the DEA.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine to distribute during a law enforcement operation in which another individual was fatally shot.

 

Michael J. Wilkins, 27, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

 

By pleading guilty today, Wilkins admitted that he was a leader of a major methamphetamine distribution operation. Wilkins, under surveillance by law enforcement, was seen entering a known methamphetamine stash house in the 3000 block of S. Bellefontaine Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., on June 8, 2016. When Wilkins left the house, he was carrying a box and a backpack, which he placed in his vehicle.

 

Law enforcement officers approached Wilkins while he was getting into his vehicle and attempted to detain him. Wilkins fled on foot and was subsequently taken into custody. In his path of flight, which was captured by the National Guard counterdrug helicopter surveillance, officers recovered one of his shoes, his cell phone and a handgun.

 

Officers executed a search warrant on Wilkins’s vehicle and found 4,764 grams of methamphetamine and $12,363 in the box and backpack he had carried from the stash house.

 

During the foot chase of Wilkins, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Bellefontaine residence. That operation led to an hours-long standoff when persons inside the house fired shots at law enforcement officers. Luis Carlos Garcia-Aguilar, also known as “Moe,” fired several shots at officers then ran from the house with his rifle aimed at the officers; he was fatally shot.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Wilkins is subject to a sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Jefferson City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy that distributed multiple pounds of methamphetamine in Cole County, Mo.

 

Jasper Jarrard Richmond, 25, of Jefferson City, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Cole County from July 22, 2015, to Oct. 6, 2016.

 

Richmond was arrested on Oct. 6, 2016, while driving back from Oklahoma City, where he had picked up a pound of methamphetamine to distribute locally. Richmond admitted that he wanted to help co-defendant Jameson Trevor Smith, 28, of Lake Ozark, Mo., pay a drug debt. Smith had been arrested with two pounds of methamphetamine in his possession; as a result, they owed their suppliers approximately $70,000.

 

Richmond admitted that he started to transport methamphetamine from St. Louis, Mo., for an organization after his release from prison in the summer of 2015. In 2015, Richmond estimated that he had transported approximately four pounds of methamphetamine during that time. Of that amount, he received approximately one pound to distribute himself. Richmond asked Smith, whom he had met in prison, to assist him with the distribution of methamphetamine. In the summer of 2016, Richmond made another trip to St. Louis and obtained approximately five pounds of methamphetamine, of which he and Smith distributed approximately two pounds.

 

Smith pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on June 29, 2017, to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

 

Under federal statutes, Richmond 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 defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group (MUSTANG), the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the owner of two Independence, Mo., stores pleaded guilty in federal court today to distributing controlled substance analogues, synthetic cannabinoids also known as K2, and for accepting food stamps as payment for K2.

 

Haq Nawaz Choudhry, 53, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to participating in a conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and controlled substance analogue, and to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy. Choudhry is the president of H Habib Enterprises, Inc., which owned the Short Stop convenience store and Kerns Liquor, located next door to each other at 9013 E. U.S. 40 Highway in Independence and operated by Choudhry.

 

According to today’s plea agreement, an undercover Jackson County Drug Task Force detective and three people conducting undercover transactions on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture made a series of purchases from both Short Stop and Kerns from Feb. 14 to Oct. 22, 2013. The undercover purchases used cash on some occasions, and EBT cards (used to redeem Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP – benefits, also known as food stamps) on other occasions, to purchase synthetic cannabinoids.

 

During the course of the investigation Choudhry concealed the sale of synthetic cannabinoids by conducting financial transactions through the point-of-sale terminal, using EBT cards. The purchases would routinely be processed as “food purchases” with funds electronically deposited into the company’s bank account, thus concealing the proceeds of the controlled substance analogue sales. Choudhry specifically admitted, for example, that he fraudulently processed a $46.50 purchase of synthetic cannabinoids using SNAP benefits on May 30, 2013.

 

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kern’s and Short Stop on Oct. 22, 2013. Officers recovered synthetic cannabinoids and drug paraphernalia from both businesses. Officers also seized $21,135 from Short Stop and $308 from Kerns. Choudhry was not present during the execution of the warrant. On Feb. 11, 2014, officers returned to Kerns and Short Stop based on a complaint that the business was selling K2 again. Choudhry was contacted and denied that any such sales were occurring, and gave written permission for the detectives and officers on scene to search both of his stores for illegal items. Officers recovered additional synthetic cannabinoids and drug paraphernalia from Kerns. Officers also seized $6,000 from Kerns.

 

The court will determine the final amount of a money judgment against Choudhry for his financial gain from these illegal activities. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the $27,443 seized by law enforcement officers will be credited toward the final judgment amount.

 

Under federal statutes, Choudhry 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 defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Caine. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former Camden County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy has been indicted by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges.

 

Leonard Jerome Wilson, 39, formerly of Camdenton, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Dec. 21, 2017. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Wilson’s arrest and initial court appearance in South Carolina. Wilson remains in federal custody and will be transported to the Western District of Missouri to face charges.

 

Wilson was employed as a Camden County sheriff’s deputy at the time of the alleged offenses.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Wilson received child pornography between April 26, 2015, and July 17, 2017. Wilson is also charged with possessing child pornography on July 17, 2017.

 

Garrison cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

 

 

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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that an Independence, Mo., man was among four area residents sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

 

William D. Whitehurst, 54, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

 

Co-defendants John D. Grandon, 47, of Independence, his sister, Regina R. Williamson, 54, of Kansas City, Mo., and James P. Earl, 48, of Blue Springs, Mo., were also sentenced yesterday. Grandon was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Williamson was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison without parole. Earl was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison without parole.

 

Whitehurst, Grandon, Williamson and Earl each pleaded guilty to their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that ran from Nov. 1, 2013, to Sept. 24, 2014. Grandon also pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

 

Whitehurst and Earl each admitted that he purchased methamphetamine from co-defendant Melanie C. Hamilton, 45, of Independence. They then redistributed that methamphetamine to Grandon, Williamson and others.

 

Grandon admitted that he is individually responsible for the purchase and redistribution of at least 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine. A confidential informant told investigators that he had seen Grandon at his residence with half a pound of methamphetamine and a gun. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Grandon’s residence on July 1, 2014, and found approximately 160 grams of methamphetamine, a Smith and Wesson .380-caliber revolver, $2,944 and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Grandon told investigators that he had purchased approximately half a pound of methamphetamine each week from Whitehurst over the past three months (approximately 2.7 kilograms).

 

Williamson admitted to selling approximately three to four ounces of methamphetamine per week at $1,000 per ounce for approximately two months (approximately 792 grams of methamphetamine). Williamson sold methamphetamine to her brother Grandon’s customers while he was incarcerated.

 

Hamilton pleaded guilty to being the source of supply for the drug-trafficking conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2018. Hamilton admitted that she obtained large quantities of methamphetamine, which she broke down into smaller quantities for redistribution. A confidential informant made three separate controlled purchases from Hamilton; on each occasion she weighed out approximately 8.3 grams of methamphetamine from a large zip-lock freezer bag that contained multiple pounds of methamphetamine.

 

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hamilton’s residence on Sept. 24, 2014, and seized more than a kilogram of methamphetamine, a DVR containing video surveillance of individuals coming and going from her residence, and drug paraphernalia. Hamilton told investigators that she had received one to two pounds of methamphetamine from her source every other week over the past three months (1.5 pounds per two weeks, or three pounds per month, totals nine pounds, or 4,086 grams). The totality of the investigation indicates that Hamilton was involved in the distribution of at least five kilograms of methamphetamine.

 

Five additional co-defendants have also pleaded guilty and been sentenced.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Edwards. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a registered sex offender in Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to receiving and distributing thousands of images of child pornography over the Internet.

 

Anthony Richard Salois, 51, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charge contained in a July 22, 2014, federal indictment. Salois, who has a prior state conviction for sexual abuse involving a minor, has remained in federal custody since his arrest in July 2014.

 

By pleading guilty today, Salois admitted that he received and distributed child pornography over the Internet between Sept. 16 and 20, 2013. Salois utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing network to download child pornography.

 

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Salois’s residence on Oct. 13, 2013, and seized two desktop computers. Investigators found 3,973 images of child pornography, 50 multimedia files of child pornography, 641 images of child erotica and 39 multimedia files of child erotica on those computers.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the FBI and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime 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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a convicted sex offender in Reeds Spring, Mo., who pretended to be a woman online in order to solicit sexually explicit photos from a teenage boy, pleaded guilty in federal court today to the sexual exploitation of a minor.

 

Jeffrey Raymond Everett, Jr., 22, of Reeds Spring, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to the charge contained in a Sept. 20, 2017, federal indictment. Everett has a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography.

 

According to today’s plea agreement, another student turned in the 16-year-old child victim’s cell phone at school because he found nude photos of the victim on the phone. Investigators found Facebook Messenger conversations between the victim and “Alecia Valentine,” who was later determined to be Everett.

 

In those messages, Everett – pretending to be Alecia Valentine – asks for sexually explicit images and videos of the victim, who sent numerous sexually explicit images and videos to Everett. The victim told law enforcement officers that he had engaged in several chat sessions with Alecia Valentine. Everett sent him pictures of a nude female, purportedly of Alecia Valentine, and requested that he send sexual pictures and videos of himself in return, which he did.

 

Under federal statutes, Everett is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, up to 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 after 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Monett, 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. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that three Kansas City, Mo., men have been indicted for the kidnapping and murder of a victim they were attempting to rob.

 

Jonathan M. Bravo-Lopez (also known as “Jonathan Vravo,” and “Shadow”), 23, and Juan D. Osorio (also known as “Spexx”), 24, both of whom are citizens of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., and Marco A. Sosa-Perea, 23, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018.

 

Bravo-Lopez, Osorio and Sosa-Perea are charged together with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of using a firearm to commit murder. The federal indictment alleges that they conspired to kidnap and attempted to rob a victim identified as “C.E.”, transporting him across state lines from Missouri to Kansas, on April 3, 2017.

 

According to the indictment, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio arranged to purchase $300 of marijuana from the victim; they traveled with Sosa-Perea to the victim’s residence on April 3, 2017. Bravo-Lopez and Osorio, armed with firearms, allegedly forced the victim into their vehicle and drove to Kansas. When they reached the 200 block of Donovan Road in Kansas City, Kan., the indictment says, the victim was forced out of the car, shot, and left to die on the side of the road.

 

Additionally, Osorio is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Osorio allegedly was in possession of an Action Arms .45-caliber handgun on April 7, 2017.

 

Bravo-Lopez is also charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been deported.

 

Garrison cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Edwards. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that former owners of a local construction company, Patriot Company, Inc., have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a “rent-a-vet” scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $13.8 million in federal contracts.

 

Jeffrey K. Wilson, 53, of the Village of Loch Lloyd in Belton, Mo., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of government program fraud. Paul R. Salavitch, 57, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, to a misdemeanor charge of making a false writing.

 

Wilson, who is not a veteran, managed the day-to-day operations and the long-term decision making of Patriot Company from May 2005 to January 2014. Salavitch is a service-disabled veteran who falsely certified that he was involved in the day-to-day operations of Patriot Company. Salavitch’s purported active management qualified Patriot Company to obtain set-aside contracts to which it was not entitled.

 

Wilson admitted he used Salavitch’s veteran and service-disabled veteran status in a “rent-a-vet” scheme to obtain 20 government contracts for which Patriot Company received more than $13.8 million. As a result of the fraud scheme, legitimate veteran-owned-and-run businesses were not awarded these contracts.

 

Wilson’s plea agreement cites 20 contracts with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Army, totaling $13,819,522, which were fraudulently obtained by Wilson, Salavitch and Patriot Company. The contracts, which ranged as high as $4.3 million, included construction projects in Missouri, South Dakota, Texas, Nebraska Oklahoma, Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee, Iowa, Illinois and North Dakota.

 

In September 2013, the Veterans Administration conducted an unannounced site visit of Patriot Company. The site inspector discovered that Salavitch was working 40 miles away at his full-time job as a federal employee with the Department of Defense in Leavenworth, Kan. In November 2013, Salavitch falsely certified to the Missouri Division of Purchasing and Materials Management that Patriot Company was a legitimate service-disabled veteran-owned small business when he knew it was not because he did not actively run the company. In December 2013, the Veterans Administration de-certified Patriot Company.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Wilson is subject to a sentence of up to 18 months in federal prison without parole. Salavitch is subject to a sentence of up to one year in federal prison without parole. Wilson and Salavitch must also consent to the federal civil forfeiture of approximately $2.1 million. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jane Pansing Brown, Stacey Perkins Rock and Curt Bohling. It was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigation Division and the General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a St. Joseph, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a $1.5 million tax fraud scheme as well as for individual tax fraud.

 

Dawn Langlais (formerly Ankrom-Brown), 60, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 18 months in federal prison without parole.

 

On July 7, 2017, Langlais pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employee payroll taxes to the IRS. Her daughter, her sister, and her sister’s husband have also pleaded guilty.

 

Langlais helped her sister and co-defendant Dinorah Lynn Stoll-Weaver, 50, of St. Joseph, operate Homeward Bound Health Services, Inc., a home health provider located in St. Joseph, from 2001 through early 2010. Stoll-Weaver was the owner of Homeward Bound. In 2010, Homeward Bound’s name was changed to Silver Linings, Inc., and nominee owners were put in place who signed the checks but made no business decisions. Stoll-Weaver and Langlais continued to operate Silver Linings until it closed in 2013.

 

Homeward Bound and Silver Linings withheld and collected federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes from employees and then kept those withheld taxes instead of paying them over to the IRS. The total criminal tax loss attributed to Homeward Bound and Silver Linings for failure to pay employment taxes due and owing from 2001 to 2012 is $1,459,727.

 

Homeward Bound and Silver Linings also withheld from employee paychecks and kept child support payments, employee IRA contributions, and medical and dental insurance payments. The theft of these payments had negative collateral consequences for their employees.

 

Langlais and Stoll-Weaver admitted they received income from Homeward Bound and Silver Linings, which they failed to report on their individual federal income tax forms, and as a result, underpaid their federal income taxes. Langlais willfully failed to make an income tax return or pay personal income taxes from 2010 to 2012, for a total personal tax loss of $56,860.

 

Stoll-Weaver employed her husband, co-defendant Thad Weaver, 46, of St. Joseph, and Langlais employed her daughter, co-defendant Jennifer Sturgis, 39, of St. Joseph, at Homeward Bound and Silver Linings. They also employed other relatives at the business.

 

Stoll-Weaver also pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employee payroll taxes to the IRS. Weaver and Sturgis each pleaded guilty to making false statements on a tax return. Weaver and Sturgis admitted they received income from Homeward Bound and Silver Linings, which they failed to report on their individual federal income tax forms, and as a result, underpaid their federal income taxes.

 

Weaver and Stoll-Weaver were married and filed individual income tax returns for 2010 through 2012; Stoll-Weaver filed a separate return in 2009. Their combined unreported income was at least $257,827. Weaver’s total personal tax loss was at least $27,488. Stoll-Weaver’s personal tax loss was $34,264.

 

Sturgis willfully failed to make an income tax return or pay personal income taxes from 2007 to 2012, for a total personal tax loss of $148,347, including relevant conduct.

 

Additionally, from 2009 to 2012, Stoll-Weaver, Weaver and Sturgis each claimed personal federal income tax refunds, knowing that Homeward Bound and Silver Linings had not paid any income taxes to the IRS.

 

Weaver and Sturgis were each sentenced to five years of probation; Stoll-Weaver awaits sentencing.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation.