Western District of Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a St. Joseph, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

 

Michael Robinson, 35, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to nine years in federal prison without parole.

 

On May 22, 2014, Robinson pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime. Robinson is among 20 co-defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case and the 16th co-defendant to be sentenced.

 

Robinson was arrested by St. Joseph, Mo., police detectives on May 8, 2013, in reference to a shooting investigation. Robinson was in possession of approximately eight grams of methamphetamine, which was recovered from his vehicle. Detectives also found images of what appeared to be large chunks of methamphetamine on Robinson’s cell phone.

 

According to court documents, detectives interviewed several confidential sources, who stated they had accompanied Robinson to the Argosy Casino in Riverside, Mo., the Legends shopping center and residences in the Kansas City area to pick up multiple-ounce or pound quantities of methamphetamine, which he brought back to St. Joseph for distribution. Some of the sources stated those trips were made on a daily basis.

 

One confidential source told investigators that Robinson would meet co-defendant Charles Blazer, 46, of St. Joseph, on a daily basis during the summer of 2013; Robinson collected $1,900 for the ounce of methamphetamine previously sold “on front” and provided Blazer with an additional ounce for sale. Blazer was sentenced to six years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy.

 

Also among those to whom Robinson provided methamphetamine for distribution was his brother, Roy Owens, 45, of St. Joseph. Owens was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy.

 

One confidential source told investigators that Robinson had been in a fight with a man over money. The source saw Robinson with a handgun and knew that the man Robinson had been fighting with had been shot.

 

On July 29, 2013, investigators executed a search warrant at Robinson’s residence and seized digital scales covered in a residue of methamphetamine, multiple plastic bags that contained the same residue, two handguns and ammunition and surveillance cameras that had been installed on the house.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce A. Rhoades. It was investigated by the Buchanan County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Columbia, Mo., tax preparer has pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding his clients and failing to pay his personal income taxes, which totaled nearly $300,000.

 

David Lee Keithley, 63, of Columbia, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, to an information that charges him with one count of assisting in the filing of a false income tax return and one count of failing to file an income tax return.

 

Keithley owned and operated Keithley and Associates, offering tax preparation and payroll tax services in Columbia. Keithley was hired by his clients to prepare the proper tax returns as well as make the tax deposits to the government.  After accepting funds from his clients, however, Keithley failed to make the clients’ tax deposits to the government. Instead, Keithley admitted today, he used the money for his own personal benefit. When clients contacted Keithley after receiving letters from the IRS indicating these returns had not been filed or taxes had not been paid, he told his clients he would contact the IRS to correct it. The total amount of these misappropriated funds is $120,354.

 

Keithley also admitted that he willfully failed to file federal income tax returns for tax years 2009 through 2013. The total amount of tax owed by Keithley to the IRS for those years is $148,423. In addition, Keithley owes the state of Missouri $22,264 for state income taxes due for the years 2009-2013.

 

The total loss caused by Keithley’s criminal conduct is $291,041.

 

Under federal statutes, Keithley 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 Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lee’s Summit, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling nearly $5.3 million from her employer.

 

Jane Barnes, 53, of Lee’s Summit, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to a federal information that charges her with wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

 

Barnes began working for ACI Boland Architects, a prominent architecture company in Kansas City, Mo., in 1998 and worked as the office manager from 2008 until her resignation in March 2016. By pleading guilty today, Barnes admitted that she conducted two schemes to defraud and embezzle a total of at least $5,293,300 from ACI Boland.

 

In Barnes’ first fraud scheme, she used the payroll system to pay herself unauthorized amounts in excess of her approved salary/bonus. Barnes inflated her bi-weekly salary without the authorization of ACI Boland. Barnes admitted that she embezzled at least $1,622,078 in her first scheme, which lasted from at least 2006 until 2011.

 

In her second fraud scheme, Barnes created unauthorized payroll checks to herself, which did not reflect on her W-2 forms; thus federal income and other taxes were not deducted from her checks through this scheme. Barnes issued 359 unauthorized checks to herself directly from ACI Boland’s payroll account. Barnes signed the checks with the forged signature of one of the principals of ACI Boland and deposited them into her personal bank accounts. Barnes admitted that she embezzled a total of $3,671,222 from ACI Boland in her second scheme, which began in 2010 and lasted until her resignation in March 2016.

 

The investigation to date revealed Barnes’ spending of the embezzled funds, included, but were not limited, to:

• $1,969,210 in various credit card payments;

• $770,393 in transfers to relatives;

• $425,493 in entertainment, retail and travel;

• $424,945 in vehicle expenses, including car loan payments;

• $302,636 in cash and cash equivalents;

• $253,856 in home expenses, excluding mortgage payments;

• $124,412 in taxes

• $119,375 in insurance and medical expenses; and

• $107,683 in restaurant and food expenses.

   

  By pleading guilty today, Barnes also agreed to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of her fraud, including $5,293,300, a 2014 Ford F150 Crew Cab Raptor 4WD, a 2014 Ford Explorer Utility 4D Sport 4WD and a 2013 Lincoln MKS.

   

  Under federal statutes, Barnes is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for wire fraud and up to 30 years in federal prison without parole for bank fraud, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison without parole for aggravated identity theft. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

   

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the owner of Danny’s Big Easy Cajun restaurant pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

 

Paul Danny Gosserand, 57, of Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Gosserand is the owner of Danny’s Big Easy Cajun at E. 18th and Vine in Kansas City, Mo.

 

On May 17, 2011, a confidential informant entered the restaurant at 2:30 p.m. and discussed purchasing cocaine with Jean Stephens, 63, Gosserand’s ex-wife and an employee of the restaurant. Stephens told the confidential informant the cocaine would cost $32,000 per kilogram and said the cocaine was inside her vehicle because it was too heavy for her to carry inside the restaurant. Stephens met the informant in the parking lot by her vehicle and gave him two kilograms of powder cocaine. Afterward, the informant turned over the cocaine to the agents.

 

At 3:54 p.m. the same day, the confidential informant returned to the restaurant and met with Gosserand to discuss the price of the two kilograms of cocaine. Gosserand said he needed the informant to pay for the cocaine, which had been fronted by Stephens, that night. Gosserand said he would be killed if payment was not made and the informant agreed to pay for the cocaine the next day.

 

On May 18, 2011, agents contacted Stephens at her residence at approximately 7:50 a.m. Agents searched the residence and found a briefcase with approximately two and a half kilograms of cocaine. They also found $20,480 inside a white trash bag within the briefcase. They recovered a CD case with a digital scale and $600 inside a red cloth coin bag. Agents also recovered five vacuum-wrapped bricks containing 2,465 grams of powder cocaine from inside a backpack found in Stephens’ closet. Agents recovered 10 one-ounce Vienna Philharmonic gold coins (appraised at $15,240.00), which were located on top of red cloth coin bag inside dresser.

 

Stephens said the cocaine belonged to Gosserand and the cash was from cocaine sales that also belonged to Gosserand. Stephens also admitted the gold coins found in her bedroom were purchased with drug proceeds as she and Gosserand believed it would be a good investment with their money. Stephens told agents that Gosserand was paranoid about keeping large sums of cash and cocaine at his residence so he often gave it to her to keep at her house and to sometimes distribute the cocaine and obtain the proceeds for him. Stephens said she believed Gosserand made more money selling cocaine than from his restaurant.

 

Stephens told agents that Gosserand has distributed kilogram-quantities of cocaine for the past four years. Prior to that, she said, he distributed ounce-quantities of cocaine.

 

Stephens pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2015, to her role in the conspiracy to distribute cocaine and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 8, 2016.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Gosserand jointly recommend a sentence within the range of seven to eight 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 Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to impeding a U.S. Postal Service employee by physically attacking her while she was delivering the mail.

 

Willie A. Rimpson, 22, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to one count of impeding a U.S. Postal Service employee.

 

By pleading guilty today, Rimpson admitted that he physically confronted a letter carrier twice, once putting her in a choke hold and a short time later wrestling her away from her vehicle.

 

On Feb. 10, 2016, the letter carrier was delivering mail in the 3800 block of Myrtle Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., at approximately 12:15 p.m. She parked her marked postal vehicle and was organizing the mail for that block when Rimpson, whom she recognized, approached her. She handed Rimpson the mail and he asked “Where’s my check?” She replied, “I don’t have a check for you today.” When Rimpson walked back toward his house, the letter carrier began walking to her next delivery.

 

According to today’s plea agreement, Rimpson came up from behind her and put her in a choke hold with his arm around her neck. She yelled, “Let me go!” and Rimpson replied, “Not until I get my check.” The carrier kept swinging her arms back and forth until she was able to get away from him. She continued to deliver the rest of the mail for that block.

 

When she began walking back to her vehicle, she saw Rimpson come out of his house. She tried to walk fast to get to her vehicle before Rimpson could stop her, but he blocked her from opening the door of her vehicle. Rimpson put his hands up in a boxing stance and said, “Come on!” He physically kept her from entering her vehicle by wrestling her away from the vehicle. She struggled to get away from Rimpson; she was able to push him away, enter her vehicle and drive away.

 

Under federal statutes, Rimpson is subject to a sentence of up to eight 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 Stefan C. Hughes. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Columbia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in the distribution of synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as K2.

 

Matthew Ashby Hawkins, 41, of Columbia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to participating in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud between March 1, 2011, and Oct. 2, 2013.

 

Hawkins was a partner in two companies, Dynamic Scents and its successor, Order-Refill, LLC. Three of his partners in those companies – Alexander Vladimir McMillin, also known as “Shasha,” 32, Patrick Ross Hawkins, 34, and Molly Jane Charmichael, 38, all of Columbia – have also pleaded guilty to the mail fraud conspiracy. They are among 15 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case.

 

By pleading guilty today, Hawkins admitted that he sold wholesale orders of packaged synthetic drugs to customers throughout the state of Missouri. These packages of synthetic marijuana bore misleading labeling regarding the contents and nature of the product in order to avoid detection by law enforcement officers.

 

Hawkins and his business partners falsely and misleadingly referred to these synthetic drug products as “incense,” “herbal incense,” “potpourri,” “therapeutic potpourri,” that were labeled as “not intended for human consumption,” when, in fact, these products were synthetic drugs intended for consumption in order to obtain a physiological “high.” When sold at retail stores, these products were often located next to products and paraphernalia used for smoking the substances.

 

Law enforcement officers seized $177,398 from the bank account of Order-Refill, which must be forfeited to the government.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Hawkins agree that a sentence of 63 to 78 months is appropriate. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the MUSTANG Task Force, the LANEG Drug Task Force, the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Morgan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Camdenton, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kirksville, Mo., Police Department, the North Missouri Drug Task Force, the Schuyler County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Edina, Mo., Police Department, the Linn County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the  Brookfield, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former owner of two daycare businesses in Parkville, Mo., and Platte City, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for failing to pay $891,572 in payroll and other taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

Lynn Jordan, 47, of Parkville, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Jordan to pay $891,572 in restitution.

 

On Feb. 22, 2016, Jordan pleaded guilty to failing to pay over taxes to the IRS. Jordan operated daycare businesses at two locations. The first daycare business, Growing Places, Inc., in Parkville, opened in 1999 and closed in 2011, after which Jordan opened South Platte Early Educational Center, LLC, using the same business location, clients, assets, employees, etc. Jordan closed this business in 2012. The second daycare business, Growing Places Platte City, Inc., in Platte City, opened in 2006 and closed in 2009, after which Jordan opened GPPC, Inc., using the same business location, clients, assets and employees, but with a different employer identification number. She did this because she was having problems paying business expenses, owed a lot of money to the IRS and needed a fresh start. Jordan closed this business in 2010.

 

Jordan failed to pay over to the IRS approximately $891,572 in employment taxes withheld from her employees paychecks from 2009-2012. Instead, she used the money to pay for her own personal expenses and expenses of her family.

 

From 2009 to 2012, Jordan withheld employment taxes from her employees’ paychecks totaling $211,704. But Jordan failed to pay over the trust fund taxes she collected from her employees to the IRS. Jordan also failed to pay over the employer’s portion of Social Security tax and Medicare tax from 2009 to 2012, totaling $123,906. Additionally, Jordan failed to pay over employment taxes from 2004 to 2008 totaling $506,588. She also failed to pay over federal unemployment taxes from 2004 to 2012 totaling $22,294. In addition to the payroll taxes, Jordan failed to file tax returns for three years from 2009 to 2012. The balance due on those tax returns totals $27,079.

 

During this time, Jordan spent a total of $320,738 on a large number of personal expenses from the business bank accounts. Jordan withdrew more than $150,000 in cash and paid more than $50,000 on the mortgage of her personal residence from the business bank accounts. She made large ATM withdrawals and personal charges, including for lunches, salons, manicures, pedicures, travel, credit card and loan payments, checks and transfers to her personal bank accounts (in addition to her paychecks), retail stores, vehicle expenses, gas station purchases, clothing stores, medical and health expenses, restaurants, travel, expenses related to her children and credit score companies.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Pansing Brown. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

A former St. Louis Metropolitan Police officer was sentenced to 52 months in prison late yesterday for depriving an arrestee, identified in court documents as M.W., of his civil rights by assaulting him and forcing a gun into his mouth while the victim was handcuffed, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson of the Western District of Missouri.

Thomas Carroll, 52, of St. Louis, admitted during his plea hearing that he punched M.W. in the torso while the victim was handcuffed.  Based on evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey of the Eastern District of Missouri found that Carroll forced his gun into M.W.’s mouth, and that M.W. sustained painful and obvious injury, which the defendant previously contested.

“When law enforcement officers abuse their authority, they not only violate the law but they also threaten the ability of responsible officers to earn the public trust and do their jobs effectively,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta.  “The Civil Rights Division will continue to hold accountable law enforcement officers who abuse their power and break the law.”

“It’s a sad day when a uniformed police officer is sent to prison for violating the constitutional rights of a citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Dickinson.  “No one is above the law, and no one has the right to take the law into their own hands.  Now this disgraced officer will face the consequences of his violent crime.  Our system of justice will hold him accountable for his betrayal of the community he swore to protect and serve.”

According to evidence presented at the plea and sentencing hearings, on July 22, 2014, M.W. was arrested at Ballpark Village near Busch Stadium in St. Louis because he was unlawfully in possession of a credit card that belonged to Carroll’s daughter.  Carroll, who was on duty that night, responded to Ballpark Village and confronted M.W., who was already under arrest, handcuffed and seated in the backseat of another officer’s patrol car.  Carroll yelled at M.W., telling him that he made a “huge mistake” and that he “broke into the wrong girl’s car.”  Two other officers then drove M.W. to the central patrol police station and Carroll followed behind in his own patrol car.

Carroll admitted that despite orders from a superior officer to stay away from M.W., he entered the interview room where M.W. was handcuffed and being held.  Carroll began yelling at M.W., questioning him about who broke into his daughter’s car and threatening him.  Carroll then picked M.W. up and threw him into a wall.  While M.W. was on the ground and still handcuffed, Carroll punched M.W. in the torso.  Carroll then forced his department-issued service weapon into M.W.’s mouth and threatened to shoot him.  The gun chipped M.W.’s teeth and bloodied his lip.  M.W. also suffered significant pain and bruising to his torso and ribs.

In a separate but related case, Bliss Worrell, 28, of Clayton, Missouri, a former prosecutor for the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office, was sentenced today to 18 months’ probation for concealing her knowledge of Carroll’s assault.  Worrell pleaded guilty on Oct. 26, 2015, to misprision of a felony.

Worrell testified at Carroll’s sentencing hearing that while she was working as a prosecutor in the Misdemeanor Division, Carroll, with whom she had become close friends, bragged about assaulting M.W. and forcing his gun into M.W.’s mouth.  Worrell admitted that she filed charges against M.W. without disclosing knowledge of the assault to her colleagues, supervisors or the judge assigned to setting a bond.  She admitted during her guilty plea that she allowed the charges to stand despite later learning that the facts supporting the attempted escape charge were fabricated to cover for injuries that M.W. sustained during the assault.

These cases were investigated by the FBI’s St. Louis Division, in cooperation with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, which immediately alerted federal authorities upon learning of their employees’ misconduct.  These cases were prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark of the Western District of Missouri, who has been appointed as Special Attorney to the U.S. Attorney General, and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Missouri is prosecuting these cases with the Civil Rights Division due to the recusal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Missouri. 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the owner of Bocomo Bay, a Columbia, Mo., retail business, pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than $2 million of synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as K2.

 

Kevin E. Bay, 47, of Columbia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to participating in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.

 

Bay, the owner of Bocomo Bay, admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substance analogues, also known as synthetic marijuana or K2, from March 1, 2011, to Oct. 2, 2013. K2 is a mixture of plant material that has been sprayed or mixed with a synthetic chemical compound similar to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. K2 products are often labeled as “incense,” but in reality are intended for human consumption as a drug.

 

Bay admitted that he purchased synthetic marijuana from various wholesalers, repackaged and relabeled the substances under his own “Bocomo Spice” label and sold them through his Bocomo Bay outlets. This conspiracy was responsible for the distribution of between 214 kilograms and 482 kilograms of synthetic marijuana.

 

Bay also admitted that he conspired with others to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of the illegal distribution of synthetic marijuana with the intent to promote the carrying on that activity. Bay transferred a total of $49,482 from the drug-trafficking proceeds in a series of transactions between bank accounts.

 

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

 

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

 

Synthetic Designer Drugs

 

Over the past several years, smokable herbal blends marketed as being “legal” and providing a marijuana-like high have become increasingly popular, particularly among teens and young adults, because they are easily available and, in many cases, they are more potent and dangerous than marijuana. These products consist of plant material that has been coated with dangerous psychoactive compounds that mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. These synthetic cannabinoids are sold at a variety of retail outlets, in head shops and over the Internet. Brands such as K2, Spice, Blaze, and Red X Dawn are labeled as incense to mask their intended purpose. However, they have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human consumption or for medical use, and there is no oversight of the manufacturing process.

 

 While many of the designer drugs being marketed today are not specifically prohibited in the Controlled Substances Act, the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act allows these drugs to be treated as controlled substances if they are proven to be chemically and/or pharmacologically similar to a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substance.  This analogue provision specifically exists to combat these new and emerging designer drugs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Kan., man has been sentenced in federal court for conveying false information as part of a bomb hoax at Kansas City International Airport in August 2014.

 

David James Cain, 35, of Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 18 months in federal prison without parole.

 

On Jan. 21, 2016, Cain pleaded guilty to one count of conveying false information.

 

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2014, Cain parked the truck he was driving in front of Terminal B at Kansas City International Airport. The truck remained parked along the curb in front of the terminal for approximately one hour. A KCI traffic control officer had the truck ticketed, and announcements were made over the loud speaker inside the terminal that the owner of truck needed to report or the truck would be towed.

 

After approximately one hour, Cain approached the Southwest Airlines ticket counter and told a ticket agent that there was a bomb in the truck. Cain repeated that there was a bomb in the truck, and then twice told the ticket agent’s supervisor the same thing. The customer service supervisor contacted law enforcement. The KCPD Bomb Squad and an FBI bomb technician searched the truck, and no bomb or explosive material was located.

 

As a result of Cain’s false statements, KCI evacuated and closed Terminal B for approximately two hours. Shutting down the terminal caused significant flight delays throughout the rest of the day.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Casey. It was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former vice president of a Pulaski County, Mo., bank was sentenced in federal court today for leading a $4.1 million conspiracy to defraud the Small Business Administration, as well as participating in a separate and unrelated $18.2 million scheme to defraud the federal government while he was awaiting sentencing for the earlier fraud scheme.

 

Richard Newman Delong, 51, of Newburg, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to three years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Delong to pay $4,222,916 in restitution: $1,193,893 to the Small Business Administration (SBA); $1,257,327 to Mid-America Bank and Trust Company; $1,674,696 to Chubb Insurance and $98,000 to Brookshire Concrete.

 

On Jan. 24, 2014, Delong pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to defraud the SBA. While on bond for that offense, Delong pleaded guilty in a separate and unrelated case on Dec. 4, 2015, to possessing and uttering a forged security as part of another scheme to defraud the government. Delong has remained in federal custody since his bond was revoked in November 2014. Today’s sentencing includes a sentence of three years in federal prison for the SBA fraud and two years in federal prison for the FHA fraud, to be served concurrently.

 

SBA Fraud Scheme

 

Delong was employed by Mid-America Bank in Dixon, Mo., as an executive vice-president and chief lending officer. Delong led a conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2005, to Feb. 5, 2010, to defraud the SBA by obtaining loans from Mid-America Bank that were guaranteed by the SBA under federal loan programs designed to provide financial assistance to qualified small businesses.

 

A number of loans were fraudulently obtained by businesses that were ineligible to receive them by concealing past due loan payments of distressed borrowers; making loans to nominee borrowers; making false entries in bank records; structuring loans so as to avoid the scrutiny of the bank’s board of directors; concealing unbooked letters of credit; funneling SBA guaranteed loan proceeds to themselves and others; misapplying loan proceeds; preparing fraudulent SBA borrower applications; and paying and accepting bribe money to secure loans.

 

Delong approved a number of fraudulent loans and prepared the false paperwork that secured SBA guaranties for loans for several co-defendants who have all pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Participants in this scheme include two business consultants (George G. Spencer and Dennis K. Depriest); the former branch manager of the SBA office in Springfield, Mo. (Larry Steven Aduddle); several business owners (Gerald E. Harris, Michael Edward Clegg, Perris D. Rask, Keith David Miller, and Lindell L. Vawter); and nominee loan borrowers (Andrea M. Clegg, Daniel J. Metz, James David Boothe, Catherine S. Debar, Randall S. Rogers, James Stewart Dunlop, Jr., and Scott E. Alexander).

 

As a result of Delong’s fraud, at least seven fraudulently obtained SBA-guaranty loans defaulted. (Additional loans that received SBA guarantees have defaulted, but no claim to pay the guarantee has been made to date.) Losses attributable to the portions of the loans that were not guaranteed by the SBA were borne by Mid-America Bank. As a result of the scheme, Mid-America Bank charged off $2,939,161 related to the default of the fraudulent loans involved in the scheme. Chubb Insurance paid Mid-America Bank $1,675,000 upon a claim on a policy it maintained.

 

HUD / FHA Fraud Scheme

 

Delong and co-defendant James J. Laughlin, 74, of Waynesville, Mo., each pleaded guilty to their roles in an $18.2 million fraud scheme.

 

Laughlin, one of the operators of 4-J Apartments in Pulaski County, Mo., admitted that he provided false information to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in order to obtain an $18,219,400  loan in 2012 for the operation and maintenance of 232 apartments and complexes in Pulaski County.

 

Laughlin involved DeLong, an employee of Brookshire Concrete while on bond awaiting his sentencing in the SBA fraud conspiracy, in the fraud scheme. Delong, who was fired by the company for his role in the scheme, worked with Laughlin to make it appear that Brookshire Concrete was renting apartments from 4-J. This would allow 4-J to artificially inflate its occupancy levels in order to qualify for the FHA loan. Delong issued numerous checks that were made payable to 4J Apartments to give the appearance that rent was being paid by Brookshire Concrete; however, none of Brookshire’s employees ever lived in any of 4-J’s apartments. These checks contained the forged signature of the company’s owner.

 

These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. They were investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the FBI and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for renting the motel room where a 16-year-old female died of a heroin overdose.

 

Jon Patrick Washington, also known as “Doom,” 30, of Columbia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to five years in federal prison without parole. Washington has been in federal custody since his arrest in 2014.

 

On Jan. 28, 2016, Washington pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premise. Washington admitted that he rented a room at the Providence Inn and Suites Motel, 1718 Providence Road in Columbia (now closed), for the purpose of using heroin from April 1 to April 3, 2014.

 

Columbia police officers responded to a suspected heroin overdose death at Washington’s motel room on April 3, 2014. The victim was a 16-year-old female. Based on information from a confidential informant, Washington was located later the same day and brought in for questioning by law enforcement. He admitted that he had injected the juvenile victim with heroin at about 8:30 p.m.

 

Washington told law enforcement officers that the juvenile was nodding off from a prior heroin injection, and that the juvenile and another individual (who Washington claimed supplied the heroin to the juvenile) kept asking him to help shoot the juvenile up again. Washington said the needle was already filled with heroin prior to him injecting the juvenile. Washington told officers that he found a vein on the juvenile on his second attempt.

 

Washington admitted that another individual and the juvenile victim gave him the money to rent the motel room. Washington had previously been renting another room at the motel, but moved into the new room on April 1. Washington admitted that he knew the room was being used by the juvenile to use heroin.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Raytown, Mo., man and a Kansas City, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for engaging in a bankruptcy fraud scheme in order to prevent dozens of rental properties from being sold by the county for failure to pay property taxes.

 

Kenneth Mabrie, 66, of Raytown, and Curtis Jones, 53, of Kansas City, were charged in a five-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of Mabrie and Jones.

 

According to the indictment, Mabrie and Jones failed to pay Jackson County property taxes on approximately 37 rental properties they owned in Kansas City, Mo. They filed for bankruptcy protection on the day of, or a few days before the properties were scheduled to be sold by the county at auction, the indictment says, which prevented the sale. Their bankruptcy petitions were dismissed shortly thereafter. The total delinquent county property tax due and owing by Mabrie and Jones on the properties listed in the bankruptcy petitions was $173,640.

 

The indictment charges Mabrie with one count of bankruptcy fraud and charges Mabrie and Jones together in five additional counts of bankruptcy fraud.

 

Mabrie failed to pay Jackson County property taxes on at least 23 rental properties he owned in Kansas City from 2006 through 2013, the indictment says. The properties would go into foreclosure and be scheduled to be sold by the county via auction, a process that takes four years.

 

Mabrie filed a bankruptcy petition in 2011 listing eight tax delinquent properties, five days prior to the auction sale. The bankruptcy petition prevented the sale of the properties by Jackson County. Shortly thereafter, the indictment says, the bankruptcy petition was dismissed for failure to file necessary information.

 

Jones filed a bankruptcy petition in 2012 listing 31 tax delinquent properties, five days prior to the auction sale. Seventeen of the properties were deeded from Mabrie one day prior to the bankruptcy filing. Seven of the properties were included in the petition filed by Mabrie in 2011. Two other properties were actually owned by Holman Investments, LLC, a Mabrie business, at the time of the filing. The bankruptcy petition prevented the sale of the properties by Jackson County. Shortly thereafter, the bankruptcy petition was dismissed for failure to file necessary information.

 

Jones filed a bankruptcy petition in 2013 listing 29 tax delinquent properties, on the same day as the auction sale. Two of the properties were deeded from Mabrie on the same day as the bankruptcy filing. Twenty-six of the properties had been included in the 2012 petition. The bankruptcy petition prevented the sale of the properties by Jackson County. Shortly thereafter, the bankruptcy petition was dismissed for failure to file necessary information.

 

Following the filing of the bankruptcy petitions, Mabrie continued to collect rent on the rental properties. Mabrie also continued to receive Housing Assistance Payments totaling $18,722 through the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), commonly referred to as “Section 8” tenants. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Housing Authority of Kansas City, Mo.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to produce child pornography.

 

Michael Dye, 48, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

 

Dye, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2016, admitted that he used a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 (identified as “Child Victim #2”) to produce child pornography between June 15, 2005, and Aug. 18, 2008.

 

Dye also admitted that he distributed those images of child pornography over the Internet to others, including co-defendant Thomas O’Brien, 56, of Rhode Island. O’Brien was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to the attempted sex trafficking of a child, to be served consecutively to his sentence of six years, followed by supervised release for the rest of his life, in the District of Rhode Island.

 

Dye admitted that this conduct constituted a pattern, in that there were multiple, separate instances involving prohibited sexual conduct involving Child Victim #2 and others during this time.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the FBI, the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Newport, R.I., Police Department, the Rhode Island State Police, the Winnipeg, Manitoba Police Service in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Crown’s Attorney’s Office in Canada and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in the United Kingdom.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former owner of a solar energy installation company in St. Joseph, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a fraud scheme that totaled nearly $1.4 million in rebates through state and federal programs.

 

Trevor Dryden, 36, of Texas but formerly of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Dryden to pay $1,396,956 in restitution to the victims of his fraud scheme, consisting of $464,080 payable to KCP&L for the state rebate fraud and $932,876 payable to the government for the federal rebate fraud (with the amount owed to the government jointly and severally with Richard Shonemann).

 

On Feb. 2, 2016, Dryden pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain state and federal solar rebates and to four counts of making false statements related to state and federal solar rebate programs.

 

Dryden was an owner of US Solar in St. Joseph, which sold and installed solar-powered panel systems to businesses and home owners in northwest Missouri. In a separate but related case, US Solar co-owner Richard Schonemann, 39, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2015, to his role in the conspiracy and to one count of making false statements. Schonemann’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 8, 2016.

 

Dryden admitted that he was involved in three separate fraud schemes: first, a fraud related to KCP&L state rebates; second, a fraud related to the federal rebate program; and third, a fraud related to annual updates for the federal program. The total loss from the fraudulent schemes is $1,396,956.

 

 

KCP&L State Rebate Program

 

From July 23, 2011, to Dec. 31, 2013, US Solar obtained fraudulent rebates from KCP&L by overstating the number of solar panels installed at approximately 27 homes or businesses so that a larger rebate would be paid to KCP&L customers, who signed the rebates over to US Solar.

 

KCP&L administered the state’s Solar Photovoltaic Rebate Program, which was created in 2008 by the state of Missouri and funded by a tax on power customers. The rebate allowed for a payment of $2 per watt, not to exceed $50,000, to customers that installed solar powered panel systems on their homes or businesses. US Solar was one of the larger solar powered panel system installation companies that utilized this rebate program through KCP&L. To utilize the state rebate program, US Solar submitted applications and schematic drawings on behalf of their customers via email to KCP&L. Once the application process was completed, funds were disbursed to US Solar by checks mailed from KCP&L.

 

One of the fraudulent rebate payments related to the St. Joseph residence of Dryden’s father.  Fraudulent paperwork was submitted requesting payment for 75 extra panels not installed, resulting in a rebate overpayment of $35,250. Another fraudulent rebate payment under this program was related to Dryden’s personal home. Fraudulent paperwork was submitted to KCP&L requesting payment for 54 extra panels not installed, resulting in a rebate overpayment of $25,380.

 

As a result of this fraud scheme, US Solar was paid a total of $464,080 more in rebates than the company was entitled to receive.

 

During the investigation of the state rebate scheme, the FBI uncovered unexplained payments from the federal government to US Solar that led to the discovery of a second fraudulent scheme that was part of the conspiracy.

 

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

 

US Solar also obtained fraudulent federal rebates authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Under the federal program, the government reimbursed 30 percent of the cost of the installation of a solar-powered panel system leased to the property owner. US Solar received federal funds under this program from August 2011 to September 2013, because Dryden and US Solar certified they installed systems and leased those systems to the property owners. The certification was false because the systems were owned by customers rather than leased.

 

US Solar submitted forged lease contracts in order to receive the federal rebates. Dryden created false paperwork and computer entries using US Solar customer information.  The conspiracy involved the use of false paperwork and computer entries, including lease agreements, certification that US Solar retained ownership of the solar powered panel systems, detailed cost breakdowns on each system and usage reports. 

 

US Solar received 34 payments from the federal government, totaling $932,876. US Solar was not eligible to receive any of the $932,876 paid under the federal program.

 

Annual Updates

 

In order to participate in the federal rebate program, US Solar was required to certify that the installed systems were still running and report the systems’ output each year after installation. Dryden provided updates showing kilowatt usage on each property to the federal government in 2012 and 2013.

 

During the course of the conspiracy, Dryden and Schonemann, received payments from US Solar that were described as profit distributions.  A significant source for those profit distributions were funds received by US Solar from the federal rebate program.

 

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

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. B Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the Islamic American Relief Agency (IARA), formerly headquartered in Columbia, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to transferring nearly $1.4 million to Iraq in violation of federal sanctions.

 

IARA, through a representative of the board of directors, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of obstructing the administration of internal revenue laws, which were contained in an Oct. 21, 2008, federal indictment.

 

IARA served as the U.S. office of the Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA), an international organization headquartered in Khartoum, Sudan. IARA took in between $1 million and $3 million in contributions annually from 1991 to 2003. It also received funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). IARA employed approximately six full-time employees and 10-12 part-time employees.

 

IARA was closed in October 2004 after being identified by the U.S. Treasury Department as a specially designated global terrorist organization. IARA was reconstituted in order to resolve this criminal matter. When this case is resolved, IARA will dissolve itself as a corporation for all time. IARA and its board of directors agree that it will not form a new corporation to conduct the activities that IARA formerly conducted.

 

By pleading guilty today, IARA admitted that it secretly funneled $1,375,000 to Iraq in violation of United States economic sanctions. President George H.W. Bush declared a national emergency with respect to Iraq in August 1990, which resulted in sanctions against sending or transferring money, funds or goods directly or indirectly to any person in Iraq or to the government of Iraq. In violation of the Iraqi sanctions, IARA collected funds that were illegally transferred to Iraq with the assistance of a Jordanian national. According to today’s plea agreement, this individual either took the cash into Iraq or purchased items in Jordan and transported them into Iraq.

 

IARA corruptly endeavored to impair and impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws by using its tax-exempt status to solicit funds, representing that they were legitimate charitable contributions, and to misuse part of those funds by transferring those funds to Iraq, a purpose prohibited by law. During the entire period in which the Iraq sanctions were in effect, IARA solicited donations through various means, including pamphlets, flyers, newsletters and personal correspondence, requesting contributions to pay for projects in Iraq. IARA did not disclose the fact that the organization had provided funds for projects and persons in Iraq in its annual filings with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

Several officials and employees of IARA have previously pleaded guilty and been sentenced.

 

IARA Executive Director Mubarak Hamed, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sudan, was sentenced to four years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. Hamed pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally transfer more than $1 million to Iraq in violation of federal sanctions. Hamed also pleaded guilty to obstructing the administration of the laws governing tax‑exempt charities by misusing IARA=s tax‑exempt status, providing false information to the IRS, and lying to federal agents.

 

IARA fundraiser Abdel Azim El-Siddig was sentenced to two years of probation. El-Siddig pleaded guilty to conspiring to lobby for IARA=s removal from a Senate Finance Committee list of charities suspected of having terrorist ties, while concealing this advocacy and not registering with the proper authorities.

 

IARA board member Ali Mohamed Bagegni, a native of Libya who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and IARA fundraiser Ahmad Mustafa, a citizen of Iraq and a lawful permanent resident alien, were each sentenced to six months of probation. Federal prosecutors asked the court to give Bagegni and Mustafa credit for their substantial assistance to the government in the investigation and prosecution of the case. Bagegni pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to illegally transfer funds to Iraq in violation of federal sanctions. Mustafa was a fundraiser for IARA from 1996 until it was closed in 2004, but at the time he worked for the organization he was unaware it had no permission to send funds to Iraq. Mustafa pleaded guilty to illegally transferring funds to a family member in Iraq in violation of federal sanctions.

 

Hamed and El‑Siddig hired Mark Deli Siljander  in 2004 to lobby for IARA=s removal from a U.S. Senate Finance Committee list of charities suspected of funding international terrorism, and its reinstatement as an approved government contractor. IARA lost its status as an approved government contractor in 1999, when the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) terminated grants for two relief projects in Mali, Africa.

 

Siljander, who operated a Washington, D.C. consulting business called Global Strategies, Inc., had been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan and was a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations General Assembly. Earlier in 2004, Siljander had assisted IARA in hiring another former congressman and lobbyist (identified as “R.P.H.”), who was paid $15,000 to advocate for IARA’s removal from the list and reinstatement as an approved government contractor.

 

Siljander, Hamed and El‑Siddig agreed with each other to conceal Siljander=s efforts on IARA=s behalf.  In order to do so, Siljander instructed Hamed and El‑Siddig to transfer $75,000 of IARA=s funds to him by funneling them through nonprofit entities.  El-Siddig carried at least three checks issued to Siljander=s charities from Chicago to Washington, D.C., and gave them to Siljander.

 

In exchange for the payments, during the summer of 2004, Siljander acted as an agent for IARA by contacting persons at the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, USAID, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Army, in an effort to have IARA removed from the USAID list of debarred entities, and to remove IARA from the Senate Finance Committee=s list of charities suspected of funding terrorism. Federal law requires anyone who serves as an agent of a foreign entity, including an organization, to register with the U.S. Attorney General.

 

Siljander admitted that in two separate interviews he repeatedly lied to FBI agents and prosecutors acting on behalf of a federal grand jury. Siljander obstructed justice by falsely denying that he was hired to advocate for IARA, and by falsely claiming that the payments from IARA were charitable donations intended to assist him in writing a book about bridging the gap between Islam and Christianity.

 

Siljander was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

 

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government will recommend that no fines be assessed as the organization will voluntarily be terminated and divest itself of all its funds and property. The plea agreement acknowledges that, due to its designation as a specially designated global terrorist and the subsequent blocking of all its property, IARA has no funds readily available to it to pay any fine.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony P. Gonzalez, Steven M. Mohlhenrich, and Brian Casey from the U.S. Attorney=s Office for the Western District of Missouri, and Trial Attorney Paul G. Casey from the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.  The case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of the Inspector General.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that four St. Joseph, Mo., residents were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a $1.5 million tax fraud scheme as well as individual tax fraud.

 

Dinorah Stoll-Weaver, 48, her sister, Dawn Langlais (formerly Ankrom-Brown), 58, her husband, Thad Weaver, 45, and Langlais’s daughter, Jennifer Sturgis, 37, all of St. Joseph, were charged in a 23-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

 

From 2001 through early 2010, Stoll-Weaver owned, and with the assistance of Langlais, operated Homeward Bound Health Services, Inc., a home health provider located in St. Joseph. In 2010, Stoll-Weaver changed Homeward Bound’s name to Silver Linings, Inc., and put in place nominee owners. According to the indictment, these nominee owners signed the checks but made no business decisions; Stoll-Weaver and Langlais maintained control and continued to operate Silver Linings, which closed in 2013.

 

Stoll-Weaver and Langlais employed other relatives at Homeward Bound and Silver Linings, including Weaver and Sturgis.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Stoll-Weaver and Langlais participated in a conspiracy to willfully fail to pay over employment taxes to the IRS and to steal from a health care benefit program from Oct. 1, 2009, to Jan. 31, 2013. Stoll-Weaver and Langlais withheld $508,088 in employment taxes from the paychecks of their employees, the indictment says, but instead of forwarding those taxes to the government, took them as additional income for themselves and for relatives.

 

According to the indictment, between 2009 - 2012, when the employment taxes were withheld but not paid to the IRS, Stoll-Weaver and Langlais personally spent approximately $868,565 from business accounts by transferring funds to their own account for personal expenses. They also wrote checks to cash and made cash withdrawals.

 

Homeward Bound and Silver Linings allegedly withheld and collected $341,996 in federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes from employees from 2010 to 2012 and then kept those withheld taxes instead of paying them.

 

Additionally, Homeward Bound allegedly failed to pay the employer portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes from 2010 to 2012 totaling $166,091. Homeward Bound allegedly failed to pay federal income tax withholdings, and both the employee and employer portions of Social Security tax and Medicare tax, for years prior to 2010. Total employment taxes due and owing for Homeward Bound and Silver Linings from 2005 to 2010 are $765,748. 

 

Homeward Bound and Silver Linings allegedly failed to pay federal unemployment taxes for 2002 to 2009 totaling $24,049. Homeward Bound and Silver Linings allegedly withheld and failed to pay over Missouri state income taxes from 2007 to 2010 totaling $291,204. In like manner, Homeward Bound and Silver Linings withheld from employee paychecks and kept child support payments, employee IRA contributions and medical and dental insurance payments.  The theft of these payments from employees had negative collateral consequences for their employees.

 

The total criminal tax loss for failure to pay employment taxes due and owing from 2001 to 2012 is $1,502,760.

 

All of the defendants allegedly failed to declare and properly report their income on their personal federal income tax returns.

 

From at least 2009 to 2012, Stoll-Weaver, Langlais, Weaver and Sturgis all received income from Homeward Bound and Silver Linings, the indictment says, which they failed to report on their individual federal income tax forms, and as a result, underpaid their federal income taxes. According to the indictment, Langlais has not filed an income tax return since 2008. Additionally, from 2009 to 2012, Stoll-Weaver, Weaver, and Sturgis each allegedly claimed personal federal income tax refunds, knowing that Homeward Bound and Silver Linings had not paid any income taxes to the IRS.

 

In addition to the conspiracy, Stoll-Weaver and Langlais are charged together in one count of theft from a health care benefit program and 11 counts of willful failure to pay over taxes totaling $282,056.

 

Stoll-Weaver and Weaver are also charged together in four counts of making false statements on tax returns by failing to report a total of $257,826 of unreported income. Sturgis is charged with three counts of making false statements on tax returns by failing to report a total of $150,192 of unreported income. Langlais is also charged with three counts of failing to file tax returns for tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012.

 

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

 

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that three Nixa, Mo., residents, a Springfield, Mo., resident and a Mexican national were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, which resulted in the murder of a Mexican national, Oscar Adan Martinez-Gaxiola.

 

Brooke Danielle Beckley, 19, Nathaniel Austin Lee, 18, and Jourdan Ashley McGinnis, 27, all of Nixa,  Anthony Edward Donovan, 19, of Springfield, and Yovanny Aroldo Mendivil-Balderrama, 22, a citizen of Mexico, were charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. These defendants were originally charged by Webster County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Berkstresser; those state charges will be dismissed in lieu of federal prosecution.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Beckley, Donovan, Lee, McGinnis and Mendivil-Balderrama participated 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.

 

In addition to the conspiracy, Beckley, Donovan, Lee and Mendivil-Balderrama are charged together with using firearms in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, resulting in the murder of Martinez-Gaxiola on April 25, 2016 in Webster County. A Stoeger .40-caliber pistol, a Glock .40-caliber handgun and a Taurus 9mm handgun allegedly were used during the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

 

Beckley and McGinnis are also charged together in one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Beckley is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Beckley allegedly was in possession of a Sears Roebuck & Company 20-gauge bolt-action shotgun with a sawed-off barrel and stock and a Phoenix Arms .22-caliber pistol on April 8, 2016, in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison. It was investigated by the 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. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that additional charges have been filed against a Buffalo, Mo., woman for conspiring to solicit violence against federal agents and military service members by utilizing various Twitter accounts.

 

Safya Roe Yassin, 38, of Buffalo, was charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, July 19, 2016. The superseding indictment replaces an indictment returned on Feb. 23, 2016, and includes an additional count of transmitting a threatening communication and a new conspiracy count.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Yassin conspired with others from May 2015 to Feb. 18, 2016, and utilized Twitter to disseminate information that they believed to be from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). That information allegedly included threats and solicitations of violence against two current employees of the FBI and two former U.S. service members.

 

When Twitter suspended an account for violations of its terms of service, the indictment says, Yassin and her co-conspirators created new accounts in a manner that could be readily identified, so that followers of their prior accounts could find the new accounts. When new accounts were established, Yassin and her co-conspirators promoted the newly created Twitter accounts of other co-conspirators in order to maintain a constant presence of Twitter accounts providing information that they believed to be from ISIL.

 

In addition to the conspiracy, Yassin is charged with two counts of transmitting a threatening communication over the Internet.

 

According to the indictment, on Aug. 24, 2015, Yassin posted on Twitter a message previously posted by another user with the explicit 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, Yassin allegedly repeated the same explicit “Wanted to kill” phrase followed by the first and last name, status as an employee of the FBI, city of residence, zip code and phone number of Victim 2. This charge was contained in the original indictment.

 

According to the indictment, on Oct. 8, 2015, Yassin posted on Twitter a message previously posted by another user that contained a link to a document with the name and home address for a former U.S. service member identified as Victim 3, photos of Victim 3 with his family, and the names of Victim 3’s spouse and children along with the explicit phrase “to eventually hunt him down & kill him.” The document also contained the name and home address of Victim 4, a former U.S. service member who had been the previous target of solicitations to commit a crime of violence and threats on social media.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Casey and Abram McGull II. It was investigated by the FBI.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for passing counterfeit $100 bills in Mountain View, West Plains and Springfield, Mo.

 

Stuart E. Thurber, 55, who has been living in a travel trailer with no permanent residence, was charged in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Thurber forged at least 93 counterfeit $100 bills between January 2014 and April 2016.

 

Thurber allegedly passed eight counterfeit $100 bills at a Dollar General Store located at 502 Highway 60, Mountain View, on March 22, 2016. Thurber allegedly passed four counterfeit $100 bills at a Wal-Mart Store located at 101 Highway 60, Mountain View, on March 23, 2016. Thurber allegedly passed eight counterfeit $100 bills at Southern Supply, located at 3216 E. Division St., Springfield, on March 31, 2016. Thurber allegedly passed four counterfeit $100 bills at a Dollar General Store located at 1397 Bill Virdon Blvd., West Plains, on April 2, 2016.

 

The indictment also charges Thurber with one count of possessing digital and electronic images of $100 bills with the intent to defraud.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Mountain View, Mo., Police Department, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department and the West Plains, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Jefferson City, Mo., man has been convicted by a federal jury of illegally possessing a firearm.

 

Charles Allen Roark, 37, of Jefferson City, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm by a federal jury in Jefferson City on Monday, July 18, 2016.

 

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Roark was in possession of a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol on July 18, 2015.

 

On that date, Jefferson City police officers activated their emergency lights to pull over Roark for having expired license plates. Roark, however, refused to stop and continued driving to the 300 block of Washington Street, where he pulled into a parking lot, got out of his vehicle and fled on foot. Officers pursued Roark on foot. During the pursuit, Roark pulled a pistol from his waistband and threw it on the ground. Roark scaled a fence and continued to flee. 

 

An officer was able to grab Roark and take him to the ground. Roark continued to resist, but officers were able to gain control. During the pursuit, one of the officers broke his ankle. Officers found the loaded pistol lying on the ground during a search of the area. Roark was in possession of $20,131, of which $8,151 was recovered from underneath the soles of his shoes.

 

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Roark has prior federal felony convictions for distributing controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Roark also has two prior state felony convictions for possession of controlled substances, two prior state felony convictions for assault, and prior state felony convictions for driving while intoxicated and unlawful use of a weapon.

 

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for two hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began the same day.

 

 

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

 

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Joplin, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today during the second day of his trial for the sexual exploitation of two child victims.

 

James Hajny, 51, of Joplin, entered a plea of no contest before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to two counts of using minors to produce child pornography, one count of receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet and one count of possessing child pornography.

 

His wife, Gina Hajny, 41, of Joplin, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and was sentenced on March 1, 2016, to five years in federal prison without parole. Gina Hajny admitted that she occasionally used her husband’s laptop and saw images of child pornography. Gina Hajny admitted that even though she knew the laptop contained images of child pornography, she did not report the matter to law enforcement.

 

On Jan. 17, 2014, federal law enforcement agents received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an e-mail that contained child pornography. The e-mail included a pornographic image of a 7-year-old victim, identified in the indictment as Jane Doe #2.

 

On May 14, 2014, federal law enforcement agents received a referral from the Queensland, Australia, Police Service regarding a user – later identified as James Hajny – uploading child pornography to a Russian-hosted Web site that allows users to store and share images. Among the images of child pornography were seven photos of a 9-year-old victim, identified in the indictment as Jane Doe #1. Hajny’s user information for the Web site stated, “I am into younger girls and boys ages 8-13 also into taboo.”

 

Agents executed a search warrant at Hajny’s residence on May 16, 2014. Gina and James Hajny refused to allow officers to enter, attempting to slam the door shut. Officers were able to push the door open and enter the home. James Hajny was patted down for officer safety and a marijuana pipe was located in his front left pocket. James Hajny was placed under arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia.

 

Investigators examined a laptop computer seized from the residence and located 124 video files containing child pornography and 2,110 images of child pornography. Investigators also discovered numerous images of child pornography on James Hajny’s cell phone, as well as messages regarding the sexual abuse of children. Investigators also located numerous images containing child pornography of Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2, and John Doe (an 11-year-old male victim) on James Hajny’s laptop and cell phone.

 

Under federal statutes, Hajny is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in prison, on each of the two child exploitation counts; a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to 20 years in federal prison, for receiving and distributing child pornography; and a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for possessing child pornography. 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 Ami Harshad Miller and James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Columbia, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as K2.

 

Alexander Vladimir McMillin, also known as “Shasha,” 32, of Columbia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to participating in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud between March 1, 2011, and Oct. 2, 2013.

 

McMillin was a partner in two companies, Dynamic Scents and its successor, Order-Refill, LLC. Two of his partners in those companies – Patrick Ross Hawkins, 34, and Molly Jane Charmichael, 38, both of Columbia – have also pleaded guilty. They are among 14 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case.

 

By pleading guilty today, McMillin admitted that he sold wholesale orders of packaged synthetic drugs to customers throughout the state of Missouri. These packages of synthetic marijuana bore misleading labeling regarding the contents and nature of the product in order to avoid detection by law enforcement officers.

 

McMillin falsely and misleadingly referred to these synthetic drug products as “incense,” “herbal incense,” “potpourri,” “therapeutic potpourri,” that were labeled as “not intended for human consumption,” when, in fact, these products were synthetic drugs intended for consumption in order to obtain a physiological “high.” When sold at retail stores, these products were often located next to products and paraphernalia used for smoking the substances.

 

Law enforcement officers seized $82,149 from McMillin and seized $177,398 from the bank account of Order-Refill, all which must be forfeited to the government.

 

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and McMillin agree that a sentence of 63 to 78 months is appropriate. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the MUSTANG Task Force, the LANEG Drug Task Force, the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Morgan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Camdenton, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kirksville, Mo., Police Department, the North Missouri Drug Task Force, the Schuyler County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Edina, Mo., Police Department, the Linn County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the  Brookfield, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies against victims who were contacted via craigslist, which culminated in the shooting of two victims.

 

Thomas Thorpe, 26, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Thursday, July 14, 2015, to one count of conspiracy, six counts of aiding and abetting a robbery and one count of aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

 

By pleading guilty, Thorpe admitted that he participated in a conspiracy between May 1 and Sept. 19, 2014, to rob several individuals at gunpoint. Thorpe participated in six armed robberies that occurred after conspirators posted false advertisements to buy or sell items on craigslist.org in order to entice their victims to meet so that conspirators could steal money and electronics. Thorpe also admitted that he was involved in the shooting of two of their victims during their final armed robbery on July 16, 2013.

 

Co-defendants Troy Wright, 23, of Grandview, Mo., and Debvon Buckner, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., have also pleaded guilty. In addition to the conspiracy and firearm charges, Wright pleaded guilty to six counts of aiding and abetting a robbery and Buckner pleaded guilty to five counts of aiding and abetting a robbery.

 

July 16, 2014, Armed Robbery and Shooting

 

On the evening of July 16, 2014, Thorpe and his co-defendants robbed and shot two victims (identified as M.N. and M.K.N.)  near 5500 E. 84th Terrace, Kansas City, Mo. The two victims, along with their minor son, identified as D.N., had agreed to look at a Hyundai Sonata that was listed for sale in a craigslist advertisement. M.N. and D.N. took a test drive in the vehicle with Buckner and M.N. made a purchase offer. Buckner stated that he needed to call his wife about the purchase and walked away. As he walked away, Thorpe and Wright appeared and each pointed a firearm at the victims and demanded money.

 

The victims tried to return to their car, but Thorpe and Wright began shooting M.N. and M.K.N. multiple times. Conspirators took money and personal property (including a purse that contained $500) from the victims then shot one of the victims again, striking him an additional time. One of the victims was transported to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries from multiple gunshot wounds.

 

July 16, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

Earlier on the same day, on the afternoon of July 16, 2014, Thorpe and his co-conspirators robbed a victim who had listed an XBOX One for sale on craigslist. The victim arranged to meet Buckner at Ridge Pointe Apartments in Kansas City, Mo. When he arrived, Buckner approached him and asked to see the XBOX. When the victim handed him the XBOX, Thorpe and Wright appeared and each pointed a firearm at the victim and demanded the XBOX One, XBOX games, and the accessories. They took those items then fled to their vehicle.

 

July 3, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

On July 3, 2014, another victim was robbed while trying to buy an XBOX from a craigslist advertisement. The victim met Buckner at Ridge Pointe Apartments after he had agreed to give him $160 and a Samsung Galaxy watch to buy the XBOX. Buckner refused to make the trade after examining the watch. When the victim began walking back to his car, Wright approached, pointed a gun at him and demanded the cash and watch. After taking the cash and watch from the victim, Wright and Buckner fled frmothe aera and met up with Thorpe.

 

June 30, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

Wright and co-conspirators posted an advertisement for a phone for sale and made arrangements to meet the victim, identified as “D.B.,” after she responded to the advertisement. When the victim met with Buckner, she decided not to purchase the phone and began to walk away. Thorpe and Wright approached her, pointed guns at her and demanded money. After she gave the men $100 they demanded her car keys, cellphone and purse. She pressed the panic button on her car keys and when alarm sounded all three of the conspirators ran away.

 

June 30, 2014, Armed Robbery #2

 

Another victim met Buckner later that night on the same date. She had been contacted about purchasing an XBOX One that she posted for sale on Craigslist. When she arrived (with two minor children in her vehicle) at Ridge Pointe Apartments in Kansas City, Mo., Buckner told her that he wanted to see the XBOX. She got out of the vehicle, opened the trunk, and put the XBOX on the vehicle. Buckner grabbed the XBOX One and fled on foot. Thorpe and Wright, armed with handguns, approached and pointed the guns at the victims in the vehicle. They demanded all of their money, purses, and XBOX games and controllers. One of the victims asked for her purse back and one of the conspirators said, “Get back in the car or I’ll shoot you” and racked the slide on his gun.

 

June 26, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

Wright posted a Samsung plasma TV for sale on craigslist and, the same day, conspirators communicated with a victim for its purchase. The victims, including their infant child, were led to an apartment on E. 42nd Street, Kansas City, Mo. When they pulled out $170 to pay for the television, Thorpe came out from the bedroom armed with two handguns, pointed the guns in their face and demanded all their money. The victims gave them all their money and fled from the apartment.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Thorpe is subject to a sentence of at least 20 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 27 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., man was charged in federal court today with illegally possessing a firearm after a witness called the police to report him burglarizing a neighbor’s home using a stolen car.

 

Randy R. Smith, 33, of Independence, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in a federal criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.

 

According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s criminal complaint, an Independence resident called police at approximately 12:16 p.m. Thursday, July 14, 2016, to report a burglary in progress in the 1100 block of South Claremont. The witness reported that two men arrived at a neighbor’s residence in a red Honda Fit, which had been previously reported as stolen by a subject armed with a firearm. The witness reported that the two men moved from the vehicle to the read of the neighbor’s residence, then returned to the vehicle, carrying items from the residence to the vehicle.

 

The suspects left before officers arrived at the residence, but within a few minutes, an officer located the Honda Fit in the parking lot of Sunfresh Grocery, 18001 E. US 24 Hwy., Independence. Smith, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested. According to the affidavit, Smith was in possession of a loaded Omega .32-caliber revolver, which he was carrying in a shoulder holster. The trigger guard of the firearm was missing and appeared to have been cut off or removed by unknown means. The firearm had been painted purple and yellow, the affidavit says, in such a manner as if to disguise the weapon as a toy. Officers also found a variety of ammunition in the vehicle.

 

A passenger in the vehicle was also arrested but was not charged in federal court.

 

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Smith has prior felony convictions for burglary, receiving stolen property, forgery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

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

 

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing Bank of America and kidnapping the bank manager by forcing him to leave the bank with him.

 

Timothy Polodna, 53, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to bank robbery and kidnapping.

 

By pleading guilty today, Polodna admitted that he stole $26,536 from Bank of America, 633 W. Kearney St., Springfield, on July 9, 2014. Polodna entered the bank at approximately 10:30 a.m., wearing a ball cap, sunglasses and a large piece of white gauze over his chin. Polodna told a bank employee he needed to talk to someone about getting a loan and was directed to the bank manager’s office. The bank manager, who was already on alert due to Polodna’s apparent disguise, asked him to remove his hat and sunglasses. Polodna then told the bank manager, “You know why I’m here.” He then said that he had an “explosive device with a remote.” Polodna ordered the bank manager to stand up, turn around and lift his pant legs to check him for weapons. Polodna then ordered the bank manager to take him to the vault.

 

The bank manager, who had already activated the alarm, attempted to stall Polodna and suggested that Polodna wait in the office while he went to the vault alone. Polodna refused and demanded that he be taken to the vault. He took Polodna behind the teller counter to the drive up window where he told a teller to give Polodna cash from her teller drawer. She placed the money in a bag Polodna was carrying and he told her in a low voice, “Don’t push the alarm. I have an explosive device. I’ll set it off.”

 

After receiving the money, Polodna ordered the bank manager to open the doors for his exit from the bank. The bank manager opened the doors as instructed, exiting each of the two doors while holding them open for Polodna, who was behind him, to walk through the doors. Once outside, the bank manager then walked in front of Polodna, across the bank parking lot, toward the Rice House restaurant. Polodna’s gestures, actions and instruction to open the doors, coupled with the representation that he had a bomb, reasonably caused the bank manager to believe he was being ordered to leave the bank with Polodna. After crossing the street, Polodna told the bank manager to continue to walk three blocks north before calling the police. The bank manager initially complied and began to walk away, but after observing that Polodna had gone around the corner of the Rice House, the bank manager returned to the bank.

 

On July 14, 2014, the FBI received an anonymous tip that the vehicle in surveillance photos looked very similar to a vehicle owned by Polodna’s father. FBI agents were told that the rear window of the vehicle had been broken out a few days earlier, shortly after police reports highlighting distinctive stickers were noted in a news report about the bank robbery. The anonymous source also said the Polodna closely resembled the individual in the surveillance photos.

 

Agents contacted Polodna’s father, who confirmed that the rear window of his truck had been broken. Polodna’s father told agents that he believed his truck window was damaged because his son had used his truck when he committed the bank robbery and wanted to remove the incriminating stickers observed in pictures and by witnesses noted in press reports.

 

Agents searched the basement of Polodna’s parents’ home, where he was living, on July 16, 2014. They found a portion of the money taken during the bank robbery hidden in the area above the drop ceiling of the basement and Polodna was arrested.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the Nigerian owner of a day care center in Kansas City, Mo., was arrested today as part of a nationwide sweep that targeted childcare center fraud schemes.

 

Today’s arrest was part of a national law enforcement operation that included arrests and search warrants executed in Missouri and six other states. The operation was the result of separate, but related, federal investigations into Nigerian and Somalian childcare center fraud that resulted in a loss of more than $1 million to the government.

 

Hauwa Al-Hassan, 47, of Raymore, Mo., was charged with the theft of government property in an indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 29, 2016. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Al-Hassan’s arrest and initial court appearance.

 

Al-Hassan, a Nigerian immigrant, is the owner and CEO of Guidance Child Care Center, LLC, a child day care center at 8101 E. Bannister Rd., Kansas City, Mo. Al-Hassan is also the vice president of Guidance Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

 

The federal indictment alleges that, from June 2011 to June 2016, Al-Hassan engaged in a pattern of fraudulent billing in order to receive funding to which she was not entitled under the federal Child Care and Development Fund grant program. Al-Hassan allegedly filed claims that reported more hours and children than actually attended her daycare center.

 

The Child Care and Development Fund provides daycare subsidies for low-income families where the parents are employed or engaged in job training. Providers, such as Guidance, contract with the Children’s Division of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and submit claims electronically.

 

Based on a review of childcare claims between 2011 and 2016, the indictment says, at least $100,000 has been fraudulently billed by Guidance in connection with this scheme.

 

The indictment also alleges that Al-Hassan is involved in a fraud scheme with international implications. Al-Hassan allegedly has traveled to Nigeria to teach others who plan to return to the United States how to run similar daycare fraud schemes.

 

Once a fraud scheme is successfully executed in the United States, the indictment says, the money is either wired by traditional means, or hawala (an Islamic informal system used to transfer currency from one individual to another individual who lives overseas), or hand carried from the United States back to the country where the immigrant was born. For example, the indictment says that on Dec. 20, 2015, $23,000 in cash was hand-carried out of the United States to Nigeria by an unnamed individual on a visa using Al-Hassan’s residential address, which is also the Guidance Childcare Center’s main office address.

 

According to the indictment, Al-Hassan signed a contract with the Missouri Department of Social Services on May 3, 2010, to operate Guidance Child Care Center as a licensed childcare center providing childcare services to low-income families. Since 2013, Guidance has been audited by the state on four occasions.  Each audit, the indictment says, found many hours fraudulently billed for childcare services.

 

Auditors found, for example, that Guidance Child Care and another provider allegedly billed the state for the childcare of the same child, at overlapping times. Auditors also found a large discrepancy between the timesheets (attendance records initialed by the parents) submitted and the billings made to the state. Other billing discrepancies, such as billing the state for children who were not receiving childcare services, allegedly also occurred. On May 1, 2015, the Department of Social Services mailed Guidance Child Care Center a letter of non-compliance.

 

Investigators installed two pole cameras near Guidance from Feb. 11 to March 20, 2016. One camera focused on the front doors of Guidance; the second camera showed the parking lot and rear doors.  All doors in and out were covered by a pole camera. Timesheets submitted with the billing were compared with children seen on the pole cameras being dropped off and picked up from Guidance during that time. There were significant discrepancies between the timesheets submitted and the pole camera footage.

 

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Al-Hassan to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged fraud scheme, including approximately $100,000 received in connection with the scheme.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Pansing Brown. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, the FBI, the Missouri Department of Social Services – Division of Legal Services Investigations, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Raymore, Mo., Police Department.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Jefferson City, Mo., man has been convicted at trial of possessing and receiving child pornography over the Internet.

 

Ryan Michael Moberg, 37, of Jefferson City, was found guilty on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, of the charges contained in a June 15, 2015, federal indictment.

 

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Moberg utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to access child pornography over the Internet. In November 2012, a Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department detective identified Moberg’s computer as sharing files online. One of the video files on Moberg’s computer depicted a young girl engaged in sexual activity with a dog.

 

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Moberg’s residence in April 2013 and seized an Acer tower computer. Moberg was not home at the time the warrant was executed; investigators went to his workplace and interviewed him. Moberg admitted to investigators that he searched for child pornography online and downloaded it to his computer.

 

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for about two and a half hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, July 11, 2016.

 

Under federal statutes, Moberg is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five 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 Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department.

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former Springfield, Mo., man has pleaded guilty and been sentenced in federal court for defacing The Islamic Center of Springfield with graffiti.

 

Joshua Daniel Lobsien, 24, of Orland, Calif., formerly of Springfield, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, to a federal information that charges him with defacing religious property.

 

The court sentenced Lobsien to five years of probation, including 20 hours of community service, and ordered him to pay $5,220 in restitution. If the Islamic Center of Springfield, or an Islamic Center located near Lobsien’s residence, is willing to have him perform his community service on its premises, then that is the location where Lobsien should perform his community service. Lobsien has personally apologized to the leadership of the Islamic Center of Springfield for his crime.

 

By pleading guilty, Lobsien admitted that he and Adam David Smock, 24, of Edgewater, Calif., formerly of Springfield, and a minor who was 14 years of age, spray painted graffiti on the exterior walls of the Islamic Center of Springfield on Jan. 7, 2011. The graffiti included explicit and offensive language in addition to such statements as “Queer insurrection,” “It’s okay to be gay!” “Bash Back,” “Now is our time!” and “You bash us in Pakistan we bash here.” Both Lobsien and Smock were 18 years old at the time of the offense.

 

The Islamic Center of Springfield, 2151 E. Division St., provides services common to most religious establishments, including regular prayer service, a venue for individuals to pray on their own, community activities and a forum for charitable fund-raising.

 

Lobsien also admitted that on April 10, 2011, they partially burned two copies of the Qur’an (the Muslim holy book) and transported the Qur’ans to the Islamic Center of Springfield. Smock left the burned Qur’ans directly in front of the main doors to the Islamic Center, approximately 30 feet away from the building. Lobsien left a computer-printed note on the mat in front of the main doors. The note contained the image of a goat’s or ram’s head, and the following text:

 

“To: Sincere Followers of Allah,

“Today, we show the Muslim Nation that its oppressive religion won't go without a fight, not from soldiers, but from average citizens willing to fight for America – for there are three (sic) burned Qur'ans that lay spread in the driveway. For we grow tired of Anti-Zionism. The Islamification of Europe. Terroristic regimes. And worst of all, the membership of 1.5 billion Muslims that stain the earth. And we vow one thing: Islam will not survive.

“Death to Islam!”

 

Smock pleaded guilty on Dec. 29, 2015, to participating in a conspiracy to oppress, threaten, and intimidate worshippers at the Islamic Center of Springfield in the free exercise and enjoyment of their Constitutional right to the free exercise of their religious beliefs. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Aug. 18, 2016.

 

Smock admitted that it was his idea to commit the acts and that he persuaded his co-conspirators to participate. Smock admitted that he selected the Islamic Center of Springfield for vandalism because of the religious nature of the property, in order to threaten and intimidate worshippers, so as to hinder and interfere with the worshippers’ enjoyment of their Constitutional right to the free exercise of religion.

 

The total cost of restoration and repair of the damage to the Islamic Center of Springfield, including sandblasting and applying anti-graffiti paint, is $15,662

 

Under the terms of Smock’s plea agreement, a joint recommendation will be made to the court that Smock be incarcerated for 14 days, followed by a five-year term of supervised release; that Smock must pay $10,440 in restitution; and that Smock must perform 40 hours of community service. If the Islamic Center of Springfield, or an Islamic Center located near Smock’s residence, is willing to have him perform his community service on its premises, then that is the location where Smock should perform his community service. Smock must meet with and personally apologize to the leadership of the Islamic Center of Springfield for his crime.

 

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. They were investigated by the FBI and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to attempting to distribute child pornography over the Internet.

 

Richard A. Villanueva, 37, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to the charge contained in a March 26, 2015, federal indictment.

 

According to today’s plea agreement, an FBI task force officer identified Villanueva’s computer as sharing images of child pornography over the Internet through a peer-to-peer file-sharing program. On Oct. 1, 2013, the officer downloaded 10 video files that contained child pornography from Villanueva’s computer. Among the downloaded files was a video of a 3-to-4-year-old victim being repeatedly raped by an adult male.

 

Villanueva must pay $5,000 in restitution to each of four victims who are depicted in the images of child pornography, or $3,000 to each victim if he pays the restitution within 30 days of his sentencing date. Villanueva must forfeit to the government a laptop computer and three hard drives that were used to commit the offense.

 

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

 

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

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mo., and to engage in money laundering.

 

Travis Ybarra, also known as “HoodNutt,” 27, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, to 30 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Aug. 28, 2015, Ybarra was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 11, 2012. Ybarra was also found guilty of participating in a money-laundering conspiracy that involved proceeds of drug trafficking.

 

Ybarra was found responsible for the distribution of more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine. During the conspiracy, he made concerted efforts to threaten and locate for retribution individuals he believed owed him money and had cheated one of his drug dealers. He was recorded on telephone intercepts making threats.

 

Ybarra fled from law enforcement and discarded a firearm and methamphetamine. At the time of his arrest Ybarra was in possession of a firearm, ammunition and a Taser (along with drugs and drug trafficking items such as a money counter). His pre-trial release was revoked for fleeing from the police at such a high rate of speed that his car went airborne, and for being in possession of a semi-automatic assault-style rifle with four magazines and 119 rounds of ammunition and a 9mm handgun with 14 rounds.

 

In July 2011, the Jackson County Drug Task Force began an investigation into a drug-trafficking organization distributing methamphetamine in the Kansas City, Mo., area. Ybarra and co-defendant John Martinez, also known as “Whisper,” of Kansas City, Mo., were partners who supplied methamphetamine to mid-level distributers, who then sold the methamphetamine to others.

 

Martinez was sentenced on Feb. 10, 2015, to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole, after pleading guilty to the same charges.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Adam Caine. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to distributing child pornography following an undercover operation in which he attempted to meet two minor girls for sex.

 

Daniel C. Irwin, 38, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to the charge contained in an Aug. 27, 2014, federal indictment.

 

By pleading guilty today, Irwin admitted that he distributed a video of child pornography over the Internet on July 21, 2014. Irwin was an assistant vice president of accounting at State Street in Kansas City at the time of the offense.  

 

Irwin admitted that he sent the child pornography video to an undercover detective with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Irwin met with the undercover detective and attempted to exchange incest pornography for the opportunity to have sex with the undercover detective’s two minor daughters (ages 12 and 16). Irwin sent additional videos of child pornography to the undercover detective on Aug. 4, 2014.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. 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. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Maryville, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to child pornography.

 

Edward Grimes, 58, of Maryville, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to the charges contained in a Sept. 19, 2014, federal indictment. Grimes, a registered sex offender, has prior felony convictions for sexual abuse and a criminal sexual act in New York.

 

By pleading guilty today, Grimes admitted that he attempted to distribute child pornography over the Internet on March 29, 2013; that he attempted to receive child pornography over the Internet on Dec. 31, 2013; and that he possessed child pornography on Feb. 12, 2014. Grimes must forfeit to the government two desktop computers, a laptop computer, four hard drives and a thumb drive that were used to commit the offenses.

 

The government also filed notice today of intent to rely on Grimes’s prior felony sex offenses for purposes of sentencing, which would subject Grimes to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole for each of the counts of attempting to distribute and to receive child pornography over the Internet, and to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole for possessing child pornography. 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 Catherine A. Connelly. 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."

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Loose Creek, Mo., sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for possessing child pornography.

 

Richard Dale Hays, 50, of Loose Creek, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to seven years and three months in federal prison without parole, which is the toughest penalty recommended under the federal sentencing guidelines.

 

On Feb. 1, 2016, Hays pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

 

According to court documents, Google notified law enforcement on Oct. 21, 2014, that an image of child pornography had been uploaded to Hays’s e-mail account. Officers executed a search warrant at his residence. The image which was uploaded was not located on any of the phones searched, and the only computer found in the home had its hard drive removed. Hays reported that he had removed and thrown away the hard drive.

 

According to court documents, Hays committed this offense after a long history of failed supervision by probation and parole officers. Throughout supervision, Hays has refused sexual offender counseling and treatment.

 

Hays was convicted of rape and attempted rape in Boone County, Mo., in 1985 and sentenced to 25 years in state prison. In both offenses, Hays broke into a home, and with the use of a knife either forced a female victim to have sexual intercourse with him, or attempted to force the victim to have sexual intercourse with him.

 

After being released on parole on April 15, 2003, Hays was returned to confinement less than six months later for violations including failure to participate in sex offender counseling, consumption of alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia. His girlfriend reported that Hays raped her, but no charges were filed. On May 15, 2007, Hays was again released on parole.

 

Hays’ second parole release in 2007 lasted less than five months, and the violations noted during this time frame included the possession of drug paraphernalia, use of cocaine, accessing pornography and the unsuccessful completion of sex offender counseling. As a result, Hays was temporarily placed in an inpatient treatment program, but was discharged after making inappropriate comments to a female staff member.

 

While on parole in 2009, Hays failed to register as a sex offender. On April 12, 2010, Hays pleaded guilty to the felony of failing to register as a sex offender, and was placed on probation for five years. Less than six months later, Hays’s probation was revoked for violations including testing positive for cocaine and failing to complete substance abuse counseling. He was ordered to inpatient treatment, and while there wrote sexually explicit letters to other female patients, which led to his being discharged from the program. Hays again declined to participate in sex offender counseling, and absconded after his sexually explicit letters were discovered.

 

On September 3, 2012, Hays was again released, but less than two months later he was again revoked for violations including having contact with his brother’s four-year-old child without the prior consent from his supervision team and masturbating to pornographic images on television. Hays again absconded, was revoked on July 2, 2013, and returned to confinement. He was discharged on October 17, 2013. A year later, Google notified law enforcement of the child pornography that had been uploaded to his e-mail account.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Gonzalez. It was investigated by the St. Charles, 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. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man who was tackled by a security guard while making his escape pleaded guilty in federal court today to armed bank robbery.

 

Sidney A. Williams, 62, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to the charge contained in a Nov. 17, 2015, federal indictment.

 

By pleading guilty today, Williams admitted that he stole $6,493 at gunpoint from Bank Midwest, 7904 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 10, 2015.

 

According to court documents, Williams was wearing a black ski mask and black gloves when he entered the bank and ordered everyone in the lobby to the ground. Williams entered the security guard’s office, grabbed his shirt and forced him to the ground. Williams pointed a .38-caliber revolver at bank employees, including the security guard and the assistant branch manager. Two bank employees placed money into a blue canvas grocery bag that Williams was carrying.

 

When Williams ran out the door of the bank after the robbery, the security guard chased after him. The security guard tackled Williams across the street from the bank and a struggle ensued. Williams pointed the revolver at the security guard before he was able to disarm him. The security guard received assistance from a passerby in subduing Williams. Law enforcement officers recovered a blue canvas bag of cash, the handgun and a black ski mask from the area where Williams was taken into custody.

 

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

 

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Springfield, Mo., man – the eighth and final co-defendant – has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Springfield area.

 

Michael P. Ayala, 37, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Tuesday, July 5, 2016, to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.

 

Co-defendant Ronda L. Easton, 53, of Springfield, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, June 29, 2016, to the same charges. Ayala and Easton are among eight co-defendants who have pleaded guilty, including Steven A. Easton, 49, James M. Parker, 46, Robert M. Cardenas, Jr., 28, Cody D. Keller, 33, and David M. Climer, 37, all of Springfield, and Michael D. Thompson, 58, of Goodyear, Ariz.

 

Ayala admitted that he supplied methamphetamine to Steven Easton for distribution in the Springfield area until his wife, Ronda Easton, was released from state prison and took over the methamphetamine distribution operation in Springfield. The methamphetamine arrived by mail and was transported by vehicles from Arizona. Ronda Easton sold pound quantities to Parker, Keller, and Climer. Thompson and Cardenas delivered the methamphetamine by vehicle from Arizona to Missouri.

 

Ronda Easton admitted that she had been distributing large amounts of methamphetamine that she purchased from Ayala. She paid Ayala $9,000 per pound of methamphetamine and sold it for $12,000 per pound. She stated that she received methamphetamine from Ayala every seven to 10 days and referred to one recent shipment of 10 pounds of methamphetamine.

 

On April 15, 2015, law enforcement officers in New Mexico stopped a Jeep Commander driven by Cardenas, with Thompson as a passenger, and seized approximately 14.5 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a compartment near the back of the vehicle. They also seized a bundle that contained 2,228 grams of methamphetamine inside a luggage bag. Cardenas told investigators that Ayala had paid him $1,700 to drive the vehicle from Arizona to Springfield.

 

The next day, a controlled delivery of methamphetamine was made to Ayala in Springfield. Ayala was arrested in a traffic stop and officers found a Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the vehicle, as well as ammunition, syringes, and $19,231. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Ayala must forfeit the Jeep Commander, the firearm and ammunition, and the cash to the government.

 

On Jan. 5, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence shared by Ayala and Ronda Easton. They seized four large Tupperware containers containing a total of approximately 1.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, a black brief case containing baggies of methamphetamine and $1,520, a Taurus .410-caliber shotgun, a Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a loaded Quality Firearms .38-caliber revolver, a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm pistol, a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol, and $14,779 in a purse.

 

Ayala and Ronda Easton admitted that they used the proceeds from distributing methamphetamine to buy assets, which also concealed the source of their proceeds, including a residential property and a 2012 Ford Mustang that must be forfeited to the government.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Yavapai County, Ariz., Sheriff’s Department, the Bernalillo County, N.M., Sheriff’s Department, and the Franklin County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that the father-and-son operators of two Independence, Mo., stores have been indicted by a federal grand jury for distributing synthetic marijuana, also known as K2, and for accepting food stamps as payment for K2.

 

Haris Nawaz, 23, and his father, Haq Nawaz Choudhry, 51, both of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in an eight-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, June 30, 2016. That indictment was unsealed and made public following their arrests and initial court appearances on Friday, July 1, 2016. Both Nawaz and Choudhry remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Wednesday, July 6, 2016.

 

Choudhry is the president of H Habib Enterprises, Inc., which owns 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 Nawaz and Choudhry.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Nawaz and Choudhry participated in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Agriculture by accepting EBT cards (used to redeem Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP – benefits, also known as food stamps) in exchange for synthetic marijuana. According to the indictment, Nawaz and Choudhry also allowed customers to use multiple EBT cards belonging to other individuals to buy synthetic marijuana using SNAP benefits.

 

Among the examples cited in the indictment, Nawaz allegedly sold packages of synthetic marijuana on two separate occasions to a customer who used three separate EBT cards each time. Those transactions were fraudulently processed as food sales, totaling $987 for the first transaction and $1,243 for the second transaction.

 

Nawaz and Choudhry are also charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute synthetic marijuana and a money-laundering conspiracy.

 

In addition to the conspiracy counts, Nawaz is charged with four counts of aiding and abetting Choudhry to commit wire fraud related to the transfer of SNAP benefits. Choudhry is also charged with one count of aiding and abetting Nawaz to commit wire fraud.

 

The federal indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Nawaz and Choudhry to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offenses, including $52,460.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney 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. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Bourbon, Mo., man who was a federal fugitive for more than a year, was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

 

Lucas John Haslag, 31, of Bourbon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Jan. 21, 2016, Haslag pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between June 19, 2014, and Nov. 21, 2015. Haslag admitted that he is responsible for the distribution of approximately five pounds (2.265 kilograms) of methamphetamine.

 

Haslag was indicted by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City in June 2014 after law enforcement officers conducted a car stop and found a pound of methamphetamine, a Derringer pistol and a drug ledger in the vehicle he was driving in Freeburg, Mo.

 

He was a fugitive from justice, but in October 2015 federal agents obtained information about Haslag’s actions and whereabouts. This investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at the Bourbon residence shared by Haslag on Nov. 9, 2015. Law enforcement officers discovered two pounds of methamphetamine, six rifles, a shotgun, three handguns and $22,661 in a safe in Haslag’s residence. Haslag was arrested on Nov. 23, 2015.

 

This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, MUSTANG  (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team And Narcotics Group), the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group (LANEG) and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for possessing stolen mail and for credit card fraud.

 

Eric David Vancil, 47, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Thursday, June 30, 2016, to three years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Vancil to pay $477 in restitution.

 

Vancil, who pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2015, admitted that he stole mail from at least 55 individuals in Greene County, Mo., and elsewhere between Oct. 23, 2013, and April 28, 2015. Law enforcement investigators determined that the mail matter included checks, credit cards, and other personal identification cards and information that belonged to other individuals. Vancil used the stolen mail and information to create or activate credit card accounts that contained personal identification numbers issued to others. Vancil then conducted fraudulent financial transactions using the stolen credit, debit and identification cards to make purchases.

 

The investigation began when federal agents were notified of numerous break-ins into mail boxes and mail collection receptacles and the theft of mail throughout the Springfield and Joplin, Mo., areas, including several neighborhood delivery collection box units where mail was stolen by prying the rear, locked doors. On Oct. 25, 2013, Vancil was stopped in his Nissan Pathfinder by Joplin police officers for a traffic violation. Officers located stolen mail bearing several Springfield addresses, including personal checks. Officers also located a pry bar inside of the vehicle at the time of the stop along with additional stolen mail and IRS tax forms.

 

On Dec. 24, 2013, another victim reported her mail was stolen and provided two video surveillance photos of a suspect vehicle that matched Vancil’s Nissan Pathfinder. On Feb. 4, 2014, Vancil was stopped by a Springfield police officer in his Nissan Pathfinder. The vehicle contained drugs, numerous burglary tools, stolen checks and several identifications bearing names other than the vehicle occupants.

 

On Feb. 20, 2014, two checkbooks, keys and multiple credit cards were stolen from a vehicle in Nixa, Mo. The credit card was used at several stores in the Battlefield Mall, including a fraudulent purchase at Foot Locker. When Vancil returned to the store the next day to return the merchandise, store employees called police and delayed Vancil until officers arrived. After a brief foot pursuit, officers detained Vancil, who was carrying checks, credit cards and other items from the theft victim.

 

On Jan. 27, 2015, a witness reported that a suspect later identified as Vancil drove up to a mailbox and removed mail from the box. On April 28, 2015, a witness reported a suspicious vehicle in Springfield, going from mailbox to mailbox stealing mail. Greene County sheriff’s deputies located the vehicle, the Nissan Pathfinder driven by Vancil. Vancil attempted to flee from officers and drove through some residential yards before being stopped. Deputies recovered approximately 100 pieces of mail from inside the vehicle, in addition to checkbooks, credit cards, applications for financial assistance as well as debit card information and other handwritten personally indefinable information. The recovered mail on this occasion contained addresses for 38 victims.

 

Among the credit card numbers found in Vancil’s vehicle was one used to make an online reservation for a Springfield motel room.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the University of Missouri-Columbia has agreed to pay the United States $2.2 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims for radiology services to federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE.  The United States alleged that certain attending physicians certified that they had reviewed the images associated with interpretative reports prepared by resident physicians when, in fact, they had not reviewed those images.

“Hospitals and physicians have the highest obligation to both protect patients by complying with the standard of care and to protect taxpayers by complying with the rules for billing federal programs.  This lengthy investigation by multiple agencies working together has produced a just result for both patients and taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Dickinson.

            Steve Hanson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Kansas City Regional Office, stated, “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that qualified medical professionals are reviewing radiology exams such x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, etc., to accurately diagnose our  beneficiaries’ medical conditions.”

            "The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to working with our partner agencies to combat fraud impacting the Department of Defense's vital programs, operations and resources.  The victims of this kind of fraud are real people and it impacts those who have served our country the most," said Brian J. Reihms, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal

Investigative Service (DCIS).

 

            A federal investigation commenced in 2011 and led to an internal investigation by the university.  The university determined that two attending radiologists, Dr. Kenneth Rall and Dr. Michael Richards, violated Medicare and hospital rules when they certified certain interpretive reports prepared by resident physicians.  Medicare will pay claims for resident physicians to interpret radiological images but only if an attending radiologist also reviews the image and provides any necessary input to the interpretive report.  Rall and Richards left the employment of the university in June 2012.  The university cooperated throughout the lengthy investigation.  In addition to this False Claims Act settlement, the university also entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG.

            The case, United States ex rel. Galuten v. University of Missouri-Columbia, et al., Case No. 11-cv-04140-FJG (W.D. Mo.), was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, HHS-OIG, and DCIS.  The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindi Woolery.  It was investigated by HHS-OIG and DCIS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Danville, Ky., man who carjacked a vehicle in Kansas City, Mo., and forced its owner to accompany him as he drove across the state, was sentenced in federal court today.

 

“During a week-long, multi-state violent crime spree, this lifelong criminal terrorized several victims, including young children, and endangered the lives of many innocent people,” Dickinson said. “His violent crimes were horrific; in fact, the victim in this case believed he was about to die and it was only through his own heroic efforts that he escaped.”

 

Robert C. Caldwell, 26, of Danville, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 38 years in federal prison without parole, plus a consecutive sentence of seven years in prison for a firearm violation.

 

On Feb. 4, 2016, Caldwell pleaded guilty to participating in a kidnapping conspiracy, one count of kidnapping, one count of carjacking, one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

In January 2015, Caldwell and an accomplice (who is considered a juvenile in the federal system but has been charged as an adult in state court) robbed and kidnapped a 68-year-old man at gunpoint, attacked a young mother with her infant children, and robbed and kidnapped a 13-year-old child at gunpoint.

 

According to court documents, Caldwell stole a .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a truck in Kentucky prior to committing the federal offenses for which he was convicted in this case. Caldwell and his accomplice drove to Columbia, Mo., and met some friends from prison who arranged for a marijuana deal in St. Joseph, Mo. Their plan was to rob the drug dealer, but this plan fell through and they found themselves in Kansas City, Mo., with no money and no gas. They began burglarizing several vehicles in the Grandview, Mo., area and were able to avoid arrest following a high speed chase. They abandoned the stolen truck and ran into a wooded area near the residence of their first kidnapping victim.

 

Caldwell and his accomplice lay in wait outside the home of a 68-year-old Kansas City, Mo., man at about 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 22, 2015. They abducted the victim at gunpoint as he was leaving his home. He was forced to hand over his keys to his van, his wallet and cash. The victim was forced into his van, a 1998 Chevrolet CK 1500. He was beaten by Caldwell and his accomplice and struck in the head with the handgun.

 

The victim told law enforcement officers that he was driven around to multiple ATMs, but he was covered with a blanket most of the time and was unable to see the locations where the carjackers attempted to use his debit card. He couldn’t remember his PIN number so they were unable to get cash, which made them angry. They repeatedly threatened his life and that of his wife. The kidnappers pretended to be on the phone with an accomplice who was holding his wife hostage; at one point after another failed ATM attempt, they informed him they had killed his wife, which was false.

 

According to court documents, they continued to drive and stopped at a drive-through restaurant, where one of the men sat next to the victim and shoved the barrel of the gun into his mouth, chipping his teeth, and told him that he would kill him if he moved. After getting food, they tied his hands together with a boot strap and had him lying in the floor with a blanket over his face so he couldn’t see. They continued driving and made several stops for purchases with the victim’s credit and debit cards.

 

Law enforcement authorities, who had been contacted by the victim’s wife, were tracking the use of the victim’s credit and debit cards as they were used or attempted to be used along I-70 eastbound. Investigators obtained surveillance photos and video from some of the locations.

 

When they arrived at a rest stop, according to court documents, Caldwell and his accomplice both fell asleep. The victim managed to untie his hands and retrieve a homemade 45-pound weight from under the seat of the van. He struck both of the carjackers in the head (causing a gash above the eye of one of them) and made an attempt to escape, but was unsuccessful. He was then beaten heavily by both men.

 

They began driving again, and the victim pretended to be knocked out. The driver of the van was having trouble maneuvering the large van while holding the gun, so he sat the gun on the floorboard so he could use both hands to steer the vehicle. The victim lunged for the handgun and pointed it at the two kidnappers as he demanded they pull over. When the vehicle pulled over, the driver made a move towards the victim, who pulled the trigger of the loaded gun, but it failed to fire. The victim quickly racked the slide to chamber a round, but both men had fled from the vehicle with the keys.

 

The victim also ran from the vehicle. As he ran down the street in Jennings, Mo., he turned and saw the two carjackers had returned to the vehicle and were slowly driving in his direction. The victim hid between several houses as he watched them drive away in his van. He then contacted the police.

 

According to court documents, Caldwell and his accomplice returned to the highway and drove through the night. They stopped the van at a Lynnville, Ind., high school around 5:45 p.m. They approached their next victim, a mother with three children, in the parking lot of the high school. The victim was holding her 2-year-old daughter in her arms when Caldwell approached her with a knife and demanded the backpack she was carrying. After taking the backpack, Caldwell pushed her and daughter to the ground, resulting in injuries to her arm.

 

Caldwell and his accomplice traveled back to Kentucky. Caldwell crashed the stolen van in Bardstown, Ky., and stole a Mitsubishi car near the scene of the crash.

 

According to court documents, Caldwell kidnapped a 13-year-old victim in Windsor, Ky., on Jan. 27, 2015. Caldwell, who was wearing a mask, approached the child victim with a rifle in his hands and demanded the keys to the Jeep in the driveway. The child victim told him the keys were in the Jeep. Caldwell then forced the child victim into the Jeep with him and put a blanket over his head. He eventually dropped off the child victim near a store a few miles away.

 

Caldwell later led law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit, at speeds up to 85-90 miles per hour. According to court documents, Caldwell was driving erratically in an attempt to flee, passing vehicles on the shoulder and forcing vehicles off the road, almost causing them to crash. After exiting the highway, Caldwell lost control of the Jeep and crashed over a curb into a yard. The Jeep appeared to be stuck, at which time a pursuing officer got out of his patrol car with his gun drawn, approached the Jeep and ordered Caldwell out. Caldwell did not surrender. Instead, he got the Jeep unstuck and drove through a busy parking lot at a high rate of speed, nearly striking several people. A high school in the area was placed on lock down because this chase was within 300 yards of the school. The chase ended when Caldwell drove the Jeep over an embankment and into a creek. Caldwell was apprehended after he exited the vehicle and fled into the woods.

 

This case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson and First Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Raytown, Mo., man who worked or volunteered at two area churches was indicted by a federal grand jury today for embezzling more than $86,000 from those parishes.

 

David Townley, 59, of Raytown, was charged in a 14-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, June 28, 2016. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Townley’s arrest and initial court appearance.

 

Nativity of Mary

 

The federal indictment alleges that Townley engaged in a scheme to defraud Nativity of Mary church and school in Independence, Mo., from 2007 through 2013.

 

Townley was employed by the Nativity of Mary church and school as the business manager from December 2006 through June 2013. Townley handled the payroll and had access to both cash and check collections/donations, and school tuition payments. From 2011 through 2013, Townley allegedly skimmed money from cash tuition payments made by parents. Townley allegedly wrote unauthorized checks, including payroll checks, to himself from the account at Nativity of Mary.

 

Townley is charged with three counts of wire fraud related to this embezzlement scheme.

 

Sacred Heart of Guadalupe

 

The federal indictment alleges that Townley stole $47,705 from Sacred Heart of Guadalupe church in Kansas City, Mo., in a fraud scheme that lasted from 2006 through 2013.

 

Townley was a volunteer at Sacred Heart of Guadalupe from 2002 through 2013. Townley was in charge of paying the church’s bills, making quick book entries, reporting to the financial committee and filing the church’s tax returns. From 2006 through 2013, Townley allegedly negotiated unauthorized checks payable to himself and checks payable to other entities. These checks, totaling approximately $47,705, were deposited into Townley’s personal bank account.

 

Townley is charged with three counts of mail fraud related to this embezzlement scheme.

 

Tax Evasion

 

The indictment charges Townley with eight counts of tax evasion. According to the indictment, Townley evaded paying federal income taxes from 2006 through 2013.

 

During those years, according to the indictment, Townley had taxable income that ranged from $54,633 to $115,721. Townley allegedly attempted to conceal his true sources of income at Nativity of Mary and Sacred Heart of Guadalupe.

 

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Townley to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged violations, including $86,297.

 

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

 

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Kan., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a large-scale conspiracy that distributed more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in St. Joseph, Mo., and across a four-state region.

 

Anselmo Salazar, also known as “Crazy Eyes,” 49, of Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Dec. 2, 2015, Salazar was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2009, to Nov. 12, 2013. Salazar was also found guilty of participating in a money-laundering conspiracy that involved financial transactions of the proceeds of illegal drug-trafficking.

 

In 2010, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation into a drug-trafficking organization distributing methamphetamine in northwest Missouri, northeast Kansas, southern Iowa and Nebraska.

 

Salazar is among 24 defendants charged in a Nov. 15, 2013, federal indictment. Salazar, along with co-defendants Carlos Alberto Yanez, 33, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Marvin Carl Rogers, 54, of Gladstone, Mo. were the primary sources of supply for methamphetamine for the entire organization. Yanez has been sentenced to four years and seven months in federal prison without parole. Rogers has been sentenced to 16 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

 

Yanez and Salazar obtained methamphetamine in up to pound quantities and then delivered the methamphetamine to co-defendant Shannon Martinez (also known as “Big Homie”), 38, of St. Joseph, and another man charged in a separate case. Martinez, in turn, sold the methamphetamine to others to distribute. Martinez has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Oct. 11, 2011, Salazar was arrested after a traffic stop in Platte County, Mo. Salazar, who was was driving Yanez’s vehicle, was in possession of 42 one-pound bundles of marijuana, 25 grams of cocaine and 80 grams of methamphetamine. Salazar was on his way to deliver the methamphetamine to St. Joseph for Yanez, and to pick up cash payment for the delivered methamphetamine.

 

Salazar was ordered to forfeit to the government a money judgment of $680,800, which was received in exchange for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine, based on a conservative purchase price of $1,850 an ounce (for 50 percent pure methamphetamine) and the distribution of 23 pounds of methamphetamine by Salazar and others.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Patrick C. Edwards. It was investigated by the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for engaging in a nearly $3.3 million fraud scheme against a victim who invested more than $8.6 million in his companies.

 

John Clifford Williams, 65, of Kansas City, was charged in a 14-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Williams formed approximately 20 companies to perpetuate a fraudulent investment scheme between July 2005 and May 2014. Williams raised more than $8.6 million from his victim investor, identified in the indictment as “JM.” Williams fraudulently spent or diverted nearly $3.3 million of those funds for his own personal use during the nine-year investment fraud scheme, the indictment says.

 

Williams convinced JM to invest more than $2.6 million in an entity named Energy Operations, the indictment says, which Williams established to offer investors revenues derived from certain mineral rights concessions for gold and manganese mines in Central America. Williams allegedly claimed he intended to extract gold and manganese from mines located in Panama and Peru.

 

According to the indictment, JM travelled with Williams to Panama to visit some of the mines purportedly controlled by Energy Operations. After JM’s visit to Panama, Williams asked JM to make additional equity investments in Energy Operations. Unbeknownst to JM, the indictment says, all of the trips to Panama, including all travel expenses for Williams, the consultants and JM, were paid for with JM’s investment funds. JM never authorized Williams to use investment funds to pay for travel expenses or to pay himself a salary in connection with the investment in Energy Operations.

 

Williams raised $5.5 million from JM for another entity named American Hydraulic Power, LLC, the indictment says, which Williams founded to develop and commercialize an energy-efficient technology. Williams told JM the technology licensed from the EPA would allow for large commercial vehicles, such as delivery vehicles and trucks, to store energy generated by hydraulic braking systems. Williams further stated the stored energy would allow vehicles to run more efficiently by storing energy instead of relying alone on hydrocarbon- powered engines.

 

American Hydraulic Power entered into an agreement with a multinational automotive engineering firm to develop and commercialize the hydraulic braking technology. Williams agreed to raise additional capital to pay for the costs of developing the hydraulic braking system and he told JM he had other investors willing to invest. In reality, the only investor Williams secured was JM. American Hydraulic Power quickly ran out of money, stopped paying the engineering firm, and ceased all operations in early 2014. FEV (a company in Michigan that manufactures small engines) incurred a loss of approximately $17 million for work performed on behalf of American Hydraulic Power due to Williams’ misrepresentations.

 

Williams raised $5,000 from JM in connection with an investment to develop an island off the coast of Panama (Bona Island), the indictment says, and $36,000 for Namasta, which Williams claimed was an investment to gain access to a large bank account in the Netherlands that would ultimately secure additional funding for American Hydraulic Power.

 

Instead of using JM’s funds as Williams claimed for these investments, the indictment says, Williams misappropriated and diverted $3,299,953 for his own personal expenses, household expenses, travel expenses, his daughter’s wedding expenses and other expenses incurred by family members. This accounted for more than 38 percent of the total funds raised by Williams.

 

Williams allegedly used $1.1 million of the funds he misappropriated from JM to pay for a variety of personal expenses, including payments of at least $67,500 to his domestic partner for household expenses and other financial obligations, transferring approximately $32,000 of investor funds to bank accounts that he shared with his daughter, and paying $10,000 for his daughter’s wedding. Williams allegedly used at least $437,500 of the funds he misappropriated from JM to pay for such personal expenses as credit card bills, restaurant and grocery bills, healthcare expenses, holiday gifts and entertainment expenses.

 

In addition to using JM’s funds to support his lifestyle, the indictment says, Williams diverted JM’s investment money to fund other projects he promoted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central America, and elsewhere. Williams allegedly diverted over $1.6 million of JM’s investment funds to pay for several projects unrelated to the investments. Williams allegedly transferred $124,000 of JM’s funds to a California-based water engineering firm. He allegedly diverted an additional $307,000 of JM’s money to Namasta. He allegedly spent $100,000 of JM’s funds to invest in a fraudulent scheme halted by the Securities Exchange Commission in 2013. Williams allegedly diverted $309,500 to Gargoyles, a company that was convicted of securities and mail fraud in an FBI investigation in Maryland in 2011.

 

Today’s indictment charges Williams with 10 counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering.

 

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Williams to forfeit to the government any property derived from the alleged offenses, including $3.2 million.

 

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

 

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Chinese national was indicted by a federal grand jury today for his role in an international, multi-million dollar software piracy scheme.

 

Wen Tao Liu, also known as Orland Liu, 36, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint filed against Liu on June 13, 2016, and contains additional charges. Liu, who was arrested on June 15, 2016, at Dallas Fort Worth International airport on an American Airlines flight during his return flight to China, remains in federal custody.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Liu, doing business as Haitu International Group Co. Limited (an entity based in Hong Kong), participated in a conspiracy from March 10, 2010, to Feb. 2, 2015, to commit the offenses of unauthorized solicitation of access devices, trafficking in counterfeit goods and smuggling goods into the United States.

 

Liu allegedly obtained and sold counterfeit, illicit, and/or unauthorized Microsoft software, software products and related components, including unauthorized product key codes and counterfeit product key cards, causing the Microsoft Corporation millions of dollars in losses.

 

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, investigators identified at least 4,659 individual product activation key codes distributed by Liu to various resellers across the United States, which were collectively activated over 36,000 times. Microsoft had already blocked 1,111 of those keys due to suspicions of piracy and 2,267 of the keys were already identified in the course of other Microsoft fraud investigations. Microsoft’s loss from the repeated activations of the 4,659 product keys could total approximately $9 million.

 

Liu allegedly acquired unauthorized product key codes and counterfeit product key cards for Microsoft software from others within the People’s Republic of China. According to the indictment, Liu supplied them to Kansas City, Mo., resident Casey Ross, Damascus, Md., resident Reza Davachi and numerous other individuals across the country. Co-conspirators in the United States, the indictment says, then resold these unauthorized product key codes and counterfeit product key cards for Microsoft software products to unsuspecting customers through their companies and affiliated Web sites.

 

For example, the indictment cites 105 wire transfers, totaling approximately $1,591,193, made to Liu by an unnamed co-conspirator in Florida for the purchase of unauthorized product key codes and counterfeit Microsoft Office “Lenovo” product key cards between April 14, 2014, and Feb. 10, 2015.

 

In addition to the conspiracy, today’s indictment charges Liu with one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. According to the indictment, an undercover agent purchased 500 counterfeit Microsoft Office “Lenovo” product key cards from Liu for $35,000. Liu is also charged with one count of smuggling goods into the United States and one count of the entry of goods by means of false statements. According to the indictment, Liu smuggled the 500 counterfeit Microsoft Office “Lenovo” product key cards into the United States by shipping them in packages that falsely labeled them as gift cards with a total declared value of $50.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Daly and Curt Bohling. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Smithville, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography over the Internet.

 

Jacob A. Arnold, 20, of Smithville, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Arnold to supervised release for the rest of his life following incarceration. The federal sentence will be served concurrently with Arnold’s 15-year sentence for child molestation in Clay County, Mo.

 

Arnold, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 22, 2015, admitted that he received child pornography over the Internet on March 17, 2015. According to court documents, Arnold was on bond for the state child molestation charge at the time he committed the federal offense.

 

On April 29, 2015, the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes (WMCC) Task Force received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a video of child pornography that had been uploaded from Arnold’s computer to a DropBox account. On June 4, 2015, members of the WMCC Task Force and officers of the Smithville Police Department executed a state search warrant at Arnold’s  residence.  Officers seized computers, cameras, digital storage devices and a cell phone.

 

Child pornography was located on each of the items seized from Arnold’s residence, which must be forfeited to the government. Approximately 170 videos and 1,600 images of child pornography were located on the seized items. The images and videos included graphic depictions of sexual acts by adults against children as young as three years of age. Investigators also discovered a photo of a 7-year-old boy Arnold had been charged in state court with molesting, one of three prepubescent boys who accused Arnold of molesting them.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Smithville, 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. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for throwing Molotov cocktails at the local congressional office of U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II.

 

Eric G. King, 29, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On March 3, 2016, King pleaded guilty to using explosive materials to commit arson.

 

On Sept. 11, 2014, at 2:52 a.m., a window was broken and two Molotov cocktails were thrown at Cleaver’s congressional office located at 101 W. 31st Street, Kansas City, Mo. The office was unoccupied at the time of the incident. A hammer used to break the window was recovered from the scene, as well as two broken Molotov cocktails. There was no fire damage to the building.

 

Video footage shows King, wearing a large backpack, walking to the congressional office. King retrieved two Molotov cocktails from his backpack, then walked around the parking lot for a few minutes in an apparent effort to hide from cars that were passing by. The video footage shows King throwing a hammer through the west window then lighting the two Molotov cocktails. The first Molotov cocktail bounced off the side of the building. King threw the second Molotov cocktail through the window then sprinted away from the office.

 

Detectives with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department were investigating King in connection with a series of anti-government related incidents of vandalism in the immediate vicinity of the congressional office. The incidents occurred over the Labor Day weekend in 2014 and involved the spray painting of anti-government/anarchy graffiti. One of the incidents was at a Bank of America, from which investigators obtained video surveillance footage that showed King spray painting the bank.

 

Investigators reviewed social media and Facebook posts by King and noted one post from Sept. 3, 2014, that read, “KC Fight Back celebrated its first labor day with a lovely variety of action, action and more action against a series of government and Financial properties.” Other posts included King posting “KC Fight Back Insurrectionist Collective is alive,” and “these cops aren’t going to kill themselves, get to the streets.” On Aug. 10, 2014, King posted “I want to leave kc better than I found or an ashes.” A social media post by King on the day before the congressional office was attacked read, “KC Fight Back has been in serious in its Insurrection activity, and that is the thing that is giving me the most pride in my life.”

 

King was arrested as he was leaving his apartment on Sept. 16, 2014. When officers opened the backpack King was carrying at the time, they found a can of red spray paint, Kingsford Charcoal Lighter fluid, and a clear plastic soda bottle (containing a clear liquid) with a tube sock placed over it.

 

Officers searched King’s apartment and found a hand-written letter entitled “Operation House Committee.” The letter, in part, was a list that contained the following: “(1) Paint thinner/alcohol, (2) face cover/hand cover/all tattoos covered, (3) Three bottles glass, (4) paper towels, old rags/lighter, (5) drive/driver, must be someone trust with.” The letter then mentioned the steps to light the devices, then said to “use hammer/sledgehammer to break door,” “light bottles, throw them, light curtains,” and repeat these steps on “government buildings, all things police, certain law firms, corporations…” The first part of the backside of the letter read, “The arsons committed on Sept 11, 2014 were committed solely by the KC FIGHT BACK Insurrectionist Collective.”

 

The Molotov cocktails recovered from the congressional office were analyzed by the ATF crime lab in order to identify any DNA that might be present and a profile was developed from one of the bottles and one of the wicks. A sample of King’s DNA was obtained via a search warrant; King’s DNA matched the DNA found on both the wick and bottle.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Edwards and Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Federal Protective Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Greenfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to attempting to entice two teenage victims to engage in illicit sexual activity.

 

Christopher L. Johnson, 37, of Greenfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to both counts of a Sept. 30, 2015, federal indictment.

 

According to today’s plea agreement, Johnson engaged in text messages and Facebook messages that were sexual in nature with two victims, both under the age of 17, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2.  Johnson admitted to engaging in sexual contact with Jane Doe 1 at his residence.

 

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

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI and the Dade County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Grandview, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies against victims who were contacted via craigslist, which culminated in the shooting of two victims.

 

Troy Wright, 23, of Grandview, pleaded guilty to the charges contained in a Sept. 19, 2014, federal indictment. Wright pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, six counts of aiding and abetting a robbery and one count of aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

 

By pleading guilty today, Wright admitted that he participated in a conspiracy between May 1 and Sept. 19, 2014, to rob several individuals at gunpoint. Wright participated in six armed robberies that occurred after conspirators posted false advertisements to buy or sell items on craigslist.org in order to entice their victims to meet so that conspirators could steal money and electronics. Wright also admitted that he was involved in the shooting of two of their victims during their final armed robbery on July 16, 2013.

 

Co-defendant Debvon Buckner, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., has also pleaded guilty to his role in the armed robbery conspiracy, five counts of aiding and abetting the robberies and one count of aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Buckner was the primary point of contact with the victims. Buckner made initial contact with the victims, while his co-conspirators robbed them at gunpoint.

 

July 16, 2014, Armed Robbery and Shooting

 

On the evening of July 16, 2014, Wright and his co-defendants robbed and shot two victims (identified as M.N. and M.K.N.)  near 5500 E. 84th Terrace, Kansas City, Mo. The two victims, along with their minor son, identified as D.N., had agreed to look at a Hyundai Sonata that was listed for sale in a craigslist advertisement. M.N. and D.N. took a test drive in the vehicle with Buckner and M.N. made a purchase offer. Buckner stated that he needed to call his wife about the purchase and walked away. As he walked away, Wright and another co-conspirator appeared and each pointed a firearm at the victims and demanded money.

 

The victims tried to return to their car, but Wright and his co-conspirator began shooting M.N. and M.K.N. multiple times. Conspirators took money and personal property (including a purse that contained $500) from the victims then shot one of the victims again, striking him an additional time. One of the victims was transported to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries from multiple gunshot wounds.

 

July 16, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

Earlier on the same day, on the afternoon of July 16, 2014, Wright and his co-conspirators robbed a victim who had listed an XBOX One for sale on craigslist. The victim arranged to meet Buckner at Ridge Pointe Apartments in Kansas City, Mo. When he arrived, Buckner approached him and asked to see the XBOX. When the victim handed him the XBOX, Wright and a co-conspirator then appeared and each pointed a firearm at the victim and demanded the XBOX One, XBOX games, and the accessories. They took those items then fled to their vehicle.

 

July 3, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

On July 3, 2014, another victim was robbed while trying to buy an XBOX from a craigslist advertisement. The victim met Buckner at Ridge Pointe Apartments after he had agreed to give him $160 and a Samsung Galaxy watch to buy the XBOX. Buckner refused to make the trade after examining the watch. When the victim began walking back to his car, Wright approached, pointed a gun at him and demanded the cash and watch. After taking the cash and watch from the victim, Wright and his co-conspirator fled from the area.

 

June 30, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

Wright and co-conspirators posted an advertisement for a phone for sale and made arrangements to meet the victim, identified as “D.B.,” after she responded to the advertisement. When the victim met with a co-conspirator, she decided not to purchase the phone and began to walk away. Two co-conspirators approached her, pointed guns at her and demanded money. After she gave the men $100 they demanded her car keys, cellphone and purse. She pressed the panic button on her car keys and when alarm sounded all three of the conspirators ran away.

 

June 30, 2014, Armed Robbery #2

 

Another victim met Buckner later that night on the same date. She had been contacted about purchasing an XBOX One that she posted for sale on Craigslist. When she arrived (with two minor children in her vehicle) at Ridge Pointe Apartments in Kansas City, Mo., Buckner told her that he wanted to see the XBOX. She got out of the vehicle, opened the trunk, and put the XBOX on the vehicle. Buckner grabbed the XBOX One and fled on foot. Wright and another co-conspirator, armed with handguns, approached and pointed the guns at the victims in the vehicle. They demanded all of their money, purses, and XBOX games and controllers. One of the victims asked for her purse back and one of the conspirators said, “Get back in the car or I’ll shoot you” and racked the slide on his gun.

 

June 26, 2014, Armed Robbery

 

Wright posted a Samsung plasma TV for sale on craigslist and, the same day, conspirators communicated with a victim for its purchase. The victims, including their infant child, were led to an apartment on E. 42nd Street, Kansas City, Mo. When they pulled out $170 to pay for the television, a co-conspirator came out from the bedroom armed with two handguns, pointed the guns in their face and demanded all their money. The victims gave them all their money and fled from the apartment.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Wright is subject to a sentence of at least 20 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 27 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that the former president of the Joplin South Little League has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing approximately $50,000 from the Joplin, Mo., organization.

 

Diane L. Heikkila, 41, of Joplin, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Monday, June 27, 2016, to a federal information that charges her with wire fraud.

 

By pleading guilty, Heikkila admitted that she engaged in a scheme to defraud and embezzle approximately $50,000 from the Joplin South Little League from September 2010 through January 2014.

 

Heikkila, while president, used the organization’s bank debit/credit card to make numerous purchases for personal gain. Heikkila often received “cash back” from the point-of-sale purchases when utilizing the debit/credit card. There were 217 incidents identified where “cash back” from point-of-sale transactions took place, with a total of $17,360 received as “cash back,” but these monies were never returned to the organization.

 

Heikkila also used the organization’s debit/credit card at ATMs to receive cash unrelated to the expenses of the Joplin South Little League. For example, on June 10, 2013, Heikkila fraudulently used the Joplin South Little League’s debit/credit card to conduct a $503 ATM withdrawal ($500 with a $3 fee) at Downstream Casino in Quapaw, Okla.

 

Heikkila also wrote and cashed checks to herself from the Joplin South Little League and often made cash withdrawals from the Joplin South Little League bank account.

 

The treasurer for the Joplin South Little League began reviewing account statements for the organization and in early 2014 discovered suspicious transactions taking place at retail stores, ATMs and casinos. The concerns were brought to the attention of the executive board for the Joplin South Little League and after a review Heikkila was removed from her position in March 2014.

 

Under the terms of her plea agreement, Heikkila must pay a money judgment in the amount of $50,000.

 

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

 

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