Western District of Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a LaGrande, Ore., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to traveling across states lines to Missouri to engage in illicit sexual activity with two minors, whom he believed were the daughters of an undercover law enforcement officer.

 

Abdul Lamont Gamble, 40, of LaGrande, Ore., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to the charge contained in an April 30, 2014, federal indictment.

 

By pleading guilty today, Gamble admitted that he traveled from Oregon to Missouri between March 25 and April 9, 2014, to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and a commercial sex act with a minor.

 

Gamble contacted an undercover law enforcement officer through an online social media site in October 2013 and offered to have sex with her fictitious 12-year-old and 15-year-old daughters. Gamble engaged in numerous conversations with the undercover detective through late 2013 and early 2014 via this social media site, email and text messages. Gamble described the specific sexual acts he intended on performing with and on the two minor females, for which he agreed to pay $250.

 

Gamble traveled to Kansas City, Mo., on a Greyhound bus and arrived on April 9, 2014. The undercover officer met him at the bus station. Gamble reconfirmed the sexual acts he intended on performing on and with the two minor girls.

 

Gamble and the undercover officer stopped at a CVS on Independence Avenue. Police officers arrested Gamble when he exited the car and began to approach the CVS.

 

Under federal statutes, Gamble is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. 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 Kansas City, Mo., man who tried to flee from police by breaking into a nearby home was charged in federal court today with robbing the Commerce Bank in the Brookside area on Saturday morning.

 

Frank L. White, 35, of Kansas City, was charged in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with one count of bank robbery.

 

Today’s criminal complaint alleges that White stole $1,971 from Commerce Bank, 6336 Brookside Place, Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, May 16, 2015.

 

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, White originally came into the bank that morning, approached a teller while she was helping a customer and asked when the bank closed. He then left the bank and returned about 10 or 15 minutes later. White approached a teller station while she was helping another customer, the affidavit says, and she told him to step back. Another teller told him they could help him in a moment. White came back to the first teller station, the affidavit says, and was fumbling with a white piece of lined notebook paper that he was not able to get open. The teller locked her bottom teller drawer. White allegedly told the teller not to press any buttons, but she activated the alarm. White allegedly demanded money, stating words to the effect of “give me all the money in the drawer, give me everything” and “give me all the 100’s.” The teller gave White all of the money in her top drawer, the affidavit says, and White left the bank.

 

Kansas City police officers spotted White walking quickly eastbound on 65th Street across Holmes, according to the affidavit. When White saw their unmarked car, he allegedly began to run through the back yard of a residence on Holmes. The officers pursued on foot, with several citizens showing them the direction where White was running.

 

As officers entered the back yard of a residence on East 65th Terrace, they saw a broken rear door window. The owner of the residence was in the front yard and pointed the direction White was running. The homeowner later told police that when White broke into his house, he stated several times, “I have a gun, give me the keys to your car.” The homeowner kept telling White, “No, get out of my house” and told him the police were coming. White ran out the front door without taking anything.

 

When the officers reached the back of another residence on East 65th Terrace, White was being taken into custody by other responding officers.

 

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 Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Columbia, Mo., men and a Phoenix, Ariz., man were charged in federal court today, in separate but related cases, for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine after law enforcement officers seized several pounds of methamphetamine from the defendants during an investigation yesterday.

 

Ryan Roger Ellingboe, 40, and Shane Alan Callahan, 29, both of Columbia, and Todd Michael Zazilenski, 43, of Phoenix, were charged in separate criminal complaints filed in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo. All three of the defendants remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

 

Ellingboe, Callahan and Zazilenski are each charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Boone County and elsewhere from April 2015 to May 14, 2015. Zazilenski is also charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

 

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, a deputy with the St. Charles County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department stopped a Cadillac Escalade driven by Ellingboe for a traffic violation on Thursday, May 14, 2015. Callahan was a passenger in the vehicle. The deputy smelled burnt marijuana upon approaching the vehicle, the affidavit says, and conducted a search of the vehicle. The deputy found a vacuum-sealed bag that contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine behind the glove box.

 

Ellingboe and Callahan told law enforcement officers they had traveled from Columbia that morning to meet a customer in St. Charles who wanted to purchase the methamphetamine. According to the affidavit, Ellingboe told officers he had acquired the methamphetamine from a man who was staying at the Howard Johnson Inn in Columbia. He was driving a Chevrolet Malibu with Arizona license plates, the affidavit says.

 

Law enforcement officers located the Malibu in the hotel’s parking lot and conducted surveillance until Zazilenski came to get into the car at approximately 11:15 a.m. the same day. Officers searched Zazilenksi’s hotel room and found three bags, each containing approximately one pound of methamphetamine, for a total weight of 1.369 kilograms.

 

According to the affidavit, Zazilenski told officers that he expected Ellingboe to return later in the day to pay him $8,000 for the methamphetamine that he had taken to sell in St. Charles. Zazilenski also told officers that he had provided an additional 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine to Ellingboe during a visit to Columbia on April 17-19, 2015.

 

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

 

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Miller. They were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the St. Charles County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Joplin, Mo., man and a Springfield, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in separate and unrelated cases, for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.

 

USA v. Childers

 

            Jason L. Childers, 38, of Joplin, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

 

            The federal indictment alleges that Childers received and distributed child pornography over the Internet on four separate occasions in October and December 2014. Childers is also charged with possessing child pornography on April 7, 2015.

 

            The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Childers to forfeit to the government any property used to commit the alleged offenses, including a computer tower, two laptop computers, two cell phones and various digital storage media.

 

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

 

USA v. Greinke

 

Michael Greinke, 27, of Springfield, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Greinke received and distributed child pornography over the Internet between Jan. 1, 2014, and April 6, 2015.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force and the York Regional Police Service in Ontario, Canada.

 

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

 

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 Hollister, Mo., man and a Republic, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in separate and unrelated cases, for producing child pornography.

 

USA v. Tyson

 

Michael Shane Tyson, 30, of Hollister, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Tyson on April 24, 2015.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Tyson used a minor, identified as Jane Doe, to produce child pornography from Jan. 30 to April 7, 2015.

 

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Tyson to forfeit to the government any property used to commit the alleged offense, including an Acer laptop computer and a Droid Razr Maxx cell phone.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI.

 

USA v. Hopper

 

Benjamin Michael Hopper, 22, of Republic, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Hopper used a minor, identified as “Jane Doe #1,” to produce child pornography between Jan. 21 and 25, 2015.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI and the Republic, Mo., Police Department.

 

 

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

 

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 that a Springfield, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for a wire fraud scheme in which she made hundreds of fraudulent transactions and stole more than $200,000 from a couple who hired her to be their personal assistant.

 

Tessa A. Riley, 25, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Riley to pay $215,167 in restitution to her victims.

 

Riley was hired as a personal assistant by a husband and wife (identified as “R.E.” and “A.E.”) in February 2012 to make travel arrangements, run errands, respond to correspondence, call repairmen and enter personal finances on their Quicken computer budget program. They hired Riley because their professions – he is an engineering professor and she is a physician – required them to travel and work away from their home for extended periods of time. She was given permission to make small purchases and to make travel arrangements on a credit card.

 

On Dec. 10, 2014, Riley pleaded guilty to the wire fraud scheme that began about four months after she was hired. Riley admitted that she linked her credit card to her employers’ checking account, which allowed her to make online payments, credits and withdrawals from the checking account automatically when expenses were reported on her credit card. Between June 2012 and September 2013, Riley made 333 fraudulent transactions that withdrew $192,019 from that checking account.

 

Riley also admitted that she used her employers’ credit cards to make $29,144 in unauthorized purchases in 23 fraudulent transactions. In total, Riley embezzled $221,164 in funds from her employers’ checking account and credit cards.

 

According to court documents, Riley knew that R.E. suffered from two diagnoses of cancer, one of which involved a brain tumor. Riley continued to steal from their accounts while they were in Houston, Texas, for three months while R.E. received life-saving cancer treatments. As a result of her fraud scheme, the victims were forced to withdraw a considerable sum of money from their retirement funds in order to cover the lost funds stolen by Riley.

 

When the victims discovered unexplained transactions on their accounts and told Riley they were going to meet with the bank personally, she sent a text message admitting to her fraud and theft. Riley’s text messages stated that she embezzled these funds because she was trying to “make ends meet.” She also asked the victims to not press charges.

 

In reality, according to court documents, many of the automatic withdrawal and credit card transactions were to purchase luxury items. Riley purchased a car for herself and then made payments utilizing the victims’ bank account. She purchased airline tickets and stayed in expensive hotels overseas. Riley’s credit card receipts showed that she ate at expensive restaurants nearly every night and traveled to Kansas City, St. Louis, New York, Chicago and many cities overseas. Riley used her credit cards to pay for her tuition at Drury University and Missouri State University. She repeatedly used her credit cards to make high-end clothing and technology purchases. Riley also made cash withdrawals and purchased health and beauty products that she was selling as a side business.

 

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court today, as his jury trial was scheduled to begin, to his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.

 

Jaime Gonzalez-Alvarado, 34, a citizen of Mexico residing in South Baja, Calif., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Barry County, Mo., from March 1, 2012, to Oct. 11, 2013. He also pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

 

Co-defendants Julio Vincente Mendoza, 33, a Mexican citizen who is a resident alien residing in Monett, Mo., Camilo Acosta, Jr., 22, of Imperial Beach, Calif., and Ernie Soto, 22, and Armando Arizpe, 24, both of Los Angeles, Calif., have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

 

By pleading guilty today, Gonzalez-Alvarado admitted that he directed the delivery and then the distribution of methamphetamine, which was being delivered from California to Mendoza’s residence in Monett. This methamphetamine was then distributed by Gonzalez-Alvarado and others in the Monett area and throughout southwest Missouri.

 

On Oct. 11, 2013, law enforcement officers in Oklahoma seized one of these shipments of methamphetamine that was enroute to Mendoza’s residence in Monett. Officers seized 15 tape-wrapped bundles of methamphetamine weighing 14.61 kilograms.

 

On the same day, Missouri law enforcement officers conducted a controlled delivery of a portion of the methamphetamine to Mendoza’s residence, where they arrested Gonzalez-Alvarado and the other co-conspirators. Officers executed a search warrant and seized $57,660 found in a locked safe, $3,000 found in a downstairs bedroom, a Smith and Wesson 10mm semi-automatic handgun with 50 rounds of ammunition, packaging material consistent with the packaging of methamphetamine, approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine, a glass pipe commonly used to ingest methamphetamine and a drug ledger notebook which contained names, numbers, and currency amounts.

 

Under federal statutes, Gonzalez-Alvarado is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole on each of the two counts. 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 Randall D. Eggert and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan Nguyen. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Missouri State Highway Patrol; the Canada County, Okla., Sheriff’s Department; the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department; and the Barry County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lebanon, Mo., woman who was originally convicted of her role in a sex trafficking conspiracy was indicted by a federal grand jury today for failing to register as a sex offender.

 

Marilyn Bagley, 49, of Lebanon, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Bagley remains in federal custody.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Bagley knowingly failed to register or update her registration between Feb. 14, 2015, and March 18, 2015.

 

Bagley pleaded guilty on Dec. 6, 2012, to her role in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking in which the victim was subjected to sadistic acts of torture over a six-year time period. Bagley was sentenced to a term of probation and is required to register as a sex offender.

 

On April 29, 2015, the court found that Bagley violated the terms of her probation. Bagley’s probation was revoked and she was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole.

 

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 Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man and woman have been convicted by a federal trial jury of their roles in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.

 

Robin M. Sims, also known as Robin Hood, 51, and Amy E. Jones, 52, both of Kansas City, were found guilty on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, of participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin between June 2012 and June 2013 and of aiding and abetting one another to distribute heroin. In addition, Sims was convicted of five counts of distributing heroin and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Jones was also convicted of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm.

 

Evidence introduced during the trial included a series of undercover and controlled purchases of heroin from Sims, often utilizing a confidential informant. Police officers conducted three searches at two separate residences shared by Sims and Jones and seized heroin and firearms.

 

On Aug. 30, 2012, during an investigation, Kansas City police officers searched a residence shared by Sims and Jones and found a Colt .32-caliber pistol under the mattress of a bed.

 

On Nov. 12, 2012, officers executed a search warrant at the residence shared by Sims and Jones and discovered heroin wrapped in a lottery ticket and a digital scale in the kitchen.

 

On June 20, 2013, officers executed a search warrant at the residence shared by Sims and Jones. When officers entered the residence, Sims placed a plastic baggie that contained what appeared to be heroin in his mouth and swallowed it. Officers discovered a loaded Davis Industries .22-caliber revolver under a bed.

 

Under federal statutes, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Sims has a prior felony conviction for second degree murder, two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking, two prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance and a prior felony conviction for distributing, delivering and producing a controlled substance.

 

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about an hour before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple, ending a trial that began Monday, May 11, 2015.

 

Under federal statutes, Sims is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Jones is subject to a sentence of up to 50 years in federal prison without parole. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV and Joseph M. Marquez. It was investigated by the Kansas City, 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 today that a former Buffalo, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for tax evasion and for failing to file tax returns.

 

Ronald Allen Downey, 56, formerly of Buffalo, was charged in a four-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on April 2, 2015. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following Downey’s arrest in Hawaii and initial court appearance today in the U.S. District Court in Springfield. Downey was released on bond.

 

Downey worked as an alternative healer and teacher in his company, Downey Life Transformation Center.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that in 2008 Downey received $818,386 in gross income, of which at least $79,343 constituted taxable income. Downey did not file an income tax return, the indictment says, but attempted to evade paying taxes by using bank accounts that were opened with false Social Security numbers and by fraudulently using the credit card merchant account of another person to process commercial transactions.

 

The federal indictment also charges Downey with three counts of failing to file a federal income tax return. According to the indictment, Downey received gross income of $254,743 in 2009, $101,206 in 2010 and $69,423 in 2011. Downey allegedly failed to file an income tax return for each of those years.

 

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 IRS-Criminal Investigation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former president of the union representing Jackson County Department of Corrections employees was sentenced in federal court today for a wire fraud scheme in which he embezzled more than $138,000 from the union local.

 

Jesse E. Morgan, 39, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 21 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Morgan to pay $138,011 in restitution to the union.

 

Morgan, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Oct. 7, 2014, was president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1707 from 2008 through Oct. 20, 2012.

 

Morgan admitted that he engaged in a wire fraud scheme during most of his tenure as president, from November 2008 through Oct. 22, 2012, to steal from AFSCME Local 1707. Morgan issued checks from Local 1707 to third parties for his benefit or to himself; made electronic transfers from Local 1707 bank accounts to pay personal expenses; made unauthorized ATM withdrawals from Local 1707 bank accounts; and made unauthorized counter withdrawals from Local 1707 checking and savings accounts.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a reserve deputy sheriff for Christian County, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury today on additional charges related to a $14.5 million investment fraud scheme.

 

Marty Layne Brickey, 44, of Republic, Mo., was charged in a 30-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Today’s superseding indictment replaces an indictment that was returned on June 10, 2014, and adds additional charges.

 

Brickey has been commissioned as a reserve deputy sheriff in Christian County, Mo., since 2012.

 

Including three counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering contained in the original indictment, today’s indictment charges Brickey with a total of 10 counts of wire fraud, 13 counts of money laundering and seven counts of failure to pay employment taxes.

 

According to the indictment, Brickey owned and operated several companies that marketed, promoted and managed software development. Interzone Entertainment, LLC, had offices located in Springfield, Chicago, Ill., Perth, Australia, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and in China before it ceased operations in February 2010. Big Collision Games, LLC, had offices in Texas and in Dublin, Ireland. MasterTitle Games, Inc., and Spectacle Games maintained offices in Austin, Texas. Brickey also owned Zoonik USA, Inc., and Studio Avenue, Inc.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Brickey defrauded investors of more than $14.5 million in a scheme that operated from January 2008 to January 2014. Brickey allegedly told victim investors that their investment funds would be used to bring a video game to market and they would share in the profits. Brickey made false statements to potential investors regarding the amount of capital he had raised from other investors, the indictment says, and how close his companies were to bringing a product to market.

 

Brickey allegedly told potential investors he was working with, or close to receiving investments from, various celebrities and important persons, including Shaquille O’Neal, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, the Sheik of Abu Dhabi and various corporate entities.

 

In reality, the indictment says, Brickey used a substantial amount of investor funds to pay his personal expenses unrelated to the development and marketing of any video game, and to repay prior investors who had demanded the return of their money. None of Brickey’s companies brought a video game to market, and the total revenue of Brickey’s companies during this time period was approximately $2,281.

 

Brickey is charged with seven counts of failure to pay employment tax (including federal income taxes, Medicare and Social Security taxes of employees) related to his role as president of Interzone from August 2006 to December 2011.

 

Between April 2009 and June 2011, the indictment says, Brickey caused Interzone to make hundreds of thousands of dollars of expenditures for his personal benefit while, at the same time, failing to pay over to the IRS the payroll tax due from Interzone’s employees’ paychecks. Interzone allegedly failed to account for and pay over approximately $102,813 in payroll taxes during those seven quarters.

 

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 IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a St. Louis, Mo., man and a Berkeley, Mo., woman have been convicted by a federal trial jury of their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy after the man suffered a heroin overdose in a Columbia, Mo., hotel room.

 

Gustavo Ruvalcaba, 44, of St. Louis, and Jennifer Ann Foust, 29, of Berkeley, Mo., were found guilty of the charges contained in a Dec. 16, 2014, federal indictment. 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 on Tuesday, May 5, 2015, before returning the verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, May 4, 2015.

 

Ruvalcaba and Foust each were found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, powder cocaine and methamphetamine from July 2013 to July 2014. Ruvalcaba was also convicted of four counts of possessing heroin, crack cocaine, powder cocaine and methamphetamine, each with the intent to distribute, on July 14, 2014. Foust was also charged in the possession counts but the jury was unable to reach a verdict; the court declared a mistrial on those counts in regard to Foust.

 

Columbia police officers were dispatched to a room at the Super 8 Motel in response to a heroin overdose on July 14, 2014. Foust had called 911 for Ruvalcaba, who was lying on the floor and being treated by EMS and fire personnel when officers arrived. Officers executed a search warrant for the hotel room and seized 16.4 grams of black tar heroin, 6.6 grams of crack cocaine, 35.3 grams of powder cocaine, 11.6 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, seven cell phones and $78,525 divided up into 8 different manila envelopes and numerous piles.

 

St. Charles, Mo., police officers also had found Ruvalcaba and Foust together in an Embassy Suites hotel room about a year earlier, on July 10, 2013. Foust initially told officers that nobody else was in the hotel room, but they heard noises in the bathroom. Officers noticed drugs and drug paraphernalia scattered in plain view throughout the room and a large bundle of cash. The bathroom door was locked and they continued to hear sounds of plastic being rubbed together, water running and the toilet flushing. Officers believed evidence was being destroyed, so they jimmied open the bathroom door and found Ruvalcaba, who had two fists full of wet plastic baggies. Other wet baggies were found on the sink. Ruvalcaba was handcuffed and set in a chair.

 

When one of the officers turned around to speak to Foust, Ruvalcaba quickly ingested some of the 15.4 grams of methamphetamine that was being weighed on a digital scale found in the bedroom. Ruvalcaba, who had chunks of methamphetamine in his mouth and on his face and t-shirt, began to eat the methamphetamine at a fast pace and refused to spit it out. When asked why he had ingested the methamphetamine, Ruvalcaba stated, “You can’t charge me without any evidence.” Officers seized 9.6 grams of crack cocaine, 5.7 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, five cell phones and $11,086 from the hotel room.

 

St. Charles police officers arrested Ruvalcaba and Foust again on Sept. 12, 2013, after their vehicle was pulled over on Interstate 70 for operating without proper registration. A K-9 walked around the vehicle and alerted to several areas of the vehicle, including the trunk. Officers found several syringes in a suitcase in the trunk.

 

Ruvalcaba and Foust were transported to the police station. While they were waiting in the holdover area, Ruvalcaba, whose right hand was handcuffed to the holding bench, reached with his free left hand to remove his shoe and retrieved a package of methamphetamine. Ruvalcaba threw the package of methamphetamine toward Foust, who pulled it toward her with her foot, placed it in her mouth and swallowed it. Officers ordered Foust to open her mouth and noticed a white residue on her tongue; officers also found methamphetamine on the floor where Foust was sitting.

 

Under federal statutes, Ruvalcaba is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 140 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $13 million. Foust is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $5 million. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Charles City Police Department, the St. Charles County, Mo., Sherriff’s Department and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Joplin, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today following a pursuit in which he rammed into a police vehicle.

 

Michael L. Watson, 37, of Joplin, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Watson on April 13, 2015, and includes additional charges.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Watson was in possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on April 10, 2015. Watson is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

 

Watson allegedly possessed a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol on April 10, 2015. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Watson has prior felony convictions for assaulting a law enforcement officer, possession of a controlled substance, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a lawful stop.

 

Watson was arrested on April 10, 2015, when a Joplin police officer contacted a vehicle that Watson was driving. The officer initially stopped a man walking out of the Sunrise Inn motel at 3600 Rangline, and the man indicated that he was with the four occupants of a Nissan Sentra that was parked nearby. One of the passengers started to get out of the car, and the officer told him to stay in the vehicle. The man closed the passenger door and Watson, the driver, allegedly fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed.

 

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the officer returned to his vehicle and began to back up in order to follow the Sentra. Watson drove the Sentra straight into the patrol car at a high rate of speed. The collision with the passenger side of the vehicle caused significant damage. The officer felt his body leave the driver’s seat and fly upward, striking his head on the roof of his patrol vehicle. Watson got out of his car, fell to the ground, then fled on foot. Three passengers also fled on foot, in the opposite direction. The officer pursued Watson, who stumbled and fell to the ground after he jumped over a fence. The officer caught up with him and, while Watson was on the ground, saw the loaded firearm in a holster on Watson’s right side. The officer also found a hard case in Watson’s left front pocket that contained methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

 

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Kan., man who drove the getaway car was sentenced in federal court today for the armed robbery of an Excelsior Springs, Mo., bank, which was followed by a high-speed chase until the robbers’ vehicle crashed.

 

Steven Dale Robinson, 23, of Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to six years and eight months in federal prison without parole.

 

On Nov. 13, 2014, Robinson pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery. Co-defendants Virginia Lynn Spencer, 29, and her brother, Charles Ralph Spencer, 25, both of Kansas City, Kan., each pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2015, to one count of aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery and one count of aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Sentencing hearings for Virginia and Charles Spencer have not yet been scheduled.

 

By pleading guilty, all three defendants admitted to stealing $11,883 at gunpoint from Bank Midwest, 201 N. Jesse James Rd., Excelsior Springs, on May 23, 2014.

 

Before robbing the bank, in order to help disguise themselves for the robbery, the defendants went to a K-Mart store in Independence, Mo., where they purchased black University of Missouri t-shirts, a package of gardening gloves, head coverings, sunglasses, black spray dye for Charles Spencer’s facial hair and electrical tape for Virginia Spencer’s shoes. They cased banks in Polo, Braymer and Richmond, Mo., before deciding to rob the Bank Midwest in Excelsior Springs.

 

Prior to entering the bank, Virginia Spencer provided Charles Spencer with a loaded Rossi .32-caliber revolver.  Robinson, the driver, backed the vehicle up near the bank’s entrance in order to facilitate the getaway.

 

Virginia and Charles Spencer entered the bank at about 5:30 p.m. Charles Spencer stood in the lobby and pointed a Rossi .32-caliber revolver in the air with his finger on the trigger. Charles Spencer displayed the revolver during the entire course of the robbery. They yelled at bank employees to sit on the floor. Virginia Spencer then jumped over the middle teller counter and began going through the teller drawers, while Charles Spencer stood near the teller station, revolver displayed.  Virginia Spencer took money out of the teller drawers, placed it in a clear trash bag, and jumped back over the counter.

 

Both robbers ran from the bank, with Virginia Spencer saying, “Have a nice day” on her way out. They got into the vehicle being driven by Robinson and sped out of the parking lot.

 

A bank customer, who had just conducted a transaction at the ATM with her three children in the vehicle, drove around toward the front of the bank to leave the parking lot. As the bank robbers’ vehicle left the Bank Midwest parking lot it narrowly missed the customer’s vehicle. She immediately called 911 on her cell phone and reported the vehicle’s direction of travel.

 

Clay County Sheriff’s deputies saw the vehicle near 69 Highway and Lightburn Road. Attempting to escape from pursuing law enforcement officers, Robinson drove approximately 85 miles per hour while going southbound (the wrong way) in the northbound lane of traffic. Robinson ran traffic stops, struck a concrete barrier, and continued evading police officers, driving over 50 miles per hour through residential neighborhoods. After turning into oncoming traffic on Missouri Highway 291, Robinson continued to speed at 65 miles per hour, eventually reaching approximately 90 miles per hour. During this chase, Charles Spencer threw the firearm out the car window. Eventually, Robinson was traveling at such a high rate of speed that while attempting to round a corner, he lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree head-on near Kings Highway and Dam Road in Liberty, Mo. Virginia and Charles Spencer were both injured in the crash and were transported to a nearby hospital.

 

Law enforcement officers found a bag containing $11,883 on the front floorboard of the vehicle. Police recovered the firearm near the crash site.

 

Under federal statutes, Virginia and Charles Spencer are each subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $500,000. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin G. Davids. It was investigated by the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Excelsior Springs, Mo., Police Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that six defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to illegally possessing a firearm.

 

Phuoc Hong, also known as Tony Hong, 32, of Warrensburg, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Wednesday, April 29, 2015, to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from December 2013 to May 2014.

 

Co-defendants Garrett D. Statler, 21, and Alyce M. Maher, 27, both of Warrensburg, Mo.; Dylan K. Avery, 19, of Clinton, Mo.; and Arturo-Lorenzo Roldan, 34, of Independence, Mo., have also pleaded guilty earlier this month to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendant Tony D. Meyer, 42, of Sedalia, Mo., recently pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

Hong admitted that he sold methamphetamine from his Warrensburg residence and from other locations. During the investigation, an undercover agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives purchased methamphetamine from Hong on 11 occasions and purchased cocaine or crack cocaine from Hong on four occasions.

 

Hong purchased his methamphetamine from Roldan and purchased his cocaine from a different source. Roldan admitted that he sold Hong approximately one to ounces of methamphetamine per week, later increasing to two to three ounces per week. Hong also supplied methamphetamine to Meyer, Statler, Avery and Maher, who then supplied others.

 

The investigation resulted in the purchase or seizure of a total of 424.6 grams of methamphetamine, 68.3 grams of cocaine and 65.7 grams of crack cocaine. In addition to the methamphetamine actually purchased from Hong, it is believed that he is responsible for at least another pound of methamphetamine that he sold to Meyer.

 

Law enforcement officers conducted a search of Roldan’s residence and seized 88.5 grams of methamphetamine and $12,000 that came from the sale of a pound of methamphetamine to another individual. Based on this, Roldan is responsible for approximately 1.65 kilograms of methamphetamine (an estimated two ounces a week for five months (1120 grams), 88.5 grams found during the search and a pound sale (448 grams) represented by the $12,000).

 

Meyer admitted that he was in possession of a Hi-Point 9mm pistol when his vehicle was stopped by Kansas City, Mo., police officers on Jan. 18, 2014. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Meyer has two prior felony convictions for assaulting a law enforcement officer, four prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance, and prior felony convictions for trafficking in drugs, possessing drug paraphernalia, robbery, assault, and leaving the scene of an accident.

 

Under federal statutes, Hong and Roldan are each 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, plus a fine up to $10 million. Meyer is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. Statler is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $5 million. Avery and Maher are each subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million.

 

Sentencing hearings have been scheduled for Aug. 27 and 28, 2015.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the Warrensburg, Mo., Police Department, the Johnson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Knob Noster, Mo., Police Department, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, 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 retired Springfield, Mo., police officer was sentenced in federal court today for possessing child pornography.

 

Steven Robert Magruder, 60, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to four years in federal prison without parole. The court will issue a separate order for Magruder to pay restitution to one of his victims.

 

Magruder retired as a corporal from the Springfield Police Department in 2005. He worked part-time from 2006 to 2014 as a security officer for Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield and as a bailiff for the Greene County Circuit Court in 2013.

 

On Oct. 7, 2014, Magruder pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

 

A detective with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department identified Magruder’s computer on Jan. 7, 2013, as sharing child pornography over the Internet. The detective downloaded 12 videos of child pornography that Magruder was sharing via a peer-to-peer file-sharing program during a 42-day period in January and February 2013. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Magruder’s residence and seized his computer, which contained child pornography. A detailed forensic analysis was conducted on Magruder’s computer and indicated that Magruder had been collecting child porn for the past year.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that four men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to steal identity information and use the stolen information to create and cash more than $70,000 in counterfeit checks.

 

Tyler Sutton, 53, Gary K. Keesler, 35, and Chad M. Mills, 26, all of Kansas City, Mo., and Christopher Hite, 32, of Windsor, Mo., were charged in a 10-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, April 28, 2015.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Sutton, Keesler, Mills and Hite participated in the conspiracy beginning in October 2013.

 

According to the indictment, Sutton unlawfully obtained identity and account information belonging to other persons and businesses. Sutton allegedly stole these items from a business and from the mail and allegedly paid addict co-conspirators in cash and/or drugs for checks, identification information, credit card numbers, and other information that could be used to create counterfeit checks and identifications. Sutton and co-conspirators used the stolen documents to create counterfeit identifications and checks, the indictment says, which they cashed at retail stores and financial institutions

 

Sutton was employed to be a property manager. He was a tenant at a residence in the 400 block of Gladstone Boulevard in Kansas City. According to the indictment, however, he only paid rent for one month and was evicted in October 2014. Sutton used the Gladstone Boulevard residence to conduct his illegal business, the indictment says, by operating it as a flop house where he offered cash and/or drugs to drug addicts who brought him stolen mail, identities, addresses, credit card numbers, and bank account information that could be used to create counterfeit identifications and checks. Sutton often allowed the addicts to stay at the Gladstone Boulevard residence.

 

Sutton did not usually create counterfeit identifications and checks himself, according to the indictment, nor did he personally present counterfeit identifications and checks for payment. Rather, he allegedly instructed others in the making and presenting of counterfeit identifications and checks, and shared the illegal proceeds with his co-conspirators. In this manner, the indictment says, Sutton attempted to insulate himself from liability.

 

In addition to the conspiracy, Sutton, Keeler and Hite are charged together in two counts of bank fraud and in two counts of aggravated identity theft. Sutton and Mills are charged together in one count of possessing counterfeit checks. Sutton is also charged with two additional counts of possessing counterfeit checks and two counts of possessing stolen mail.

 

The indictment also contains a forfeiture count, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any proceeds obtained through the alleged violations, including a money judgment of $70,100.

 

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 the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that four Kansas City, Mo., residents have been indicted for their roles in an arson and insurance fraud conspiracy.

 

Tina L. Shonk, 34, Roy Thieman, 30, Joseph Levi Little, 40, and Tyler Sutton, 53, all of Kansas City, were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, April 28, 2015.

 

The federal indictment alleges that Shonk led the arson and insurance fraud conspiracy in 2014. She allegedly obtained renter’s insurance on a house she rented, burned the house with the help of co-conspirators, and then made false claims on the insured property resulting in a total loss to insurance companies of $235,464.

 

According to the indictment, Shonk rented a residence in the 3500 block of Garfield in Kansas City, Mo., for about three years. In 2014, the indictment says, Shonk obtained renter’s insurance in the amount of $60,000, much more than the value of her personal property. At the time Shonk obtained renter’s insurance, she owed approximately $7,929 in back due rent, and had the gas shut off due to non-payment.

 

Shonk and her co-conspirators allegedly moved all of her personal property of any value to a storage unit. They allegedly moved damaged and broken electronic equipment and appliances into the residence so that it would appear that valuable appliances were destroyed. In April 2014, according to the indictment, Shonk owed $10,356 in back due rent and eviction proceedings had been initiated by her landlord.

 

Shonk, Thieman and Little allegedly set fire to the residence on April 4, 2014, by covering a space heater with a blanket and setting fire to the blanket. The Kansas City Fire Department extinguished the fire but the house was a total loss.

 

After the fire, Shonk made false claims to the insurance company as to the value of her property, that her property was in the house at the time of the fire, and also that she had no knowledge of, or involvement in, the fire. She received a $57,364 check from the insurance company, which was deposited into a bank account controlled by Sutton. Shonk allegedly paid $2,500 to Thieman and $4,000 to Little for their criminal assistance.

 

In May 2014, Shonk and Thieman moved into a house in the 3800 block of Pittman Road in Kansas City, Mo., a property managed by Sutton. Co-conspirators allegedly discussed repeating the arson insurance fraud scheme at the Pittman Road house. According to the indictment, Thieman wrote a letter to Shonk outlining plans to insure their personal property and then burn the house, stating in part, “there can be no evidence, nor signs of foul play, or accelerant.”

 

In addition to the conspiracy, Shonk, Thieman and Little are charged together in one count of arson. Shonk and Sutton are charged together in two counts of money laundering related to conducting financial transactions which involved the proceeds of unlawful activity. Shonk is also charged with one count of mail fraud.

 

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require all of the defendants to forfeit to the government any proceeds obtained as the result of the alleged violations, including $62,364.

 

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 the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that 11 defendants have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute at least 10 kilograms of methamphetamine worth nearly $500,000.

 

Mike Kamal Ahmad, also known as “Viper Mike,” 39, Carey Michael Vannostran, 39, and Patrick Thomas Baker, 50, all of Kansas City, Mo.; Lori L. Justus, 51, Nicole Marie Bartram, 35, and Jono Dean Hamlin, 43, all of St. Joseph, Mo.; Scott Dewain Yount, 42, of Maryville, Mo.; Joseph Michael Tooley, 32, of Fordland, Mo.; and Matthew Lee Gusman, 31, Mike Andrews Lawson, Jr., 25, and Kayla Caroline Cornelison, 22, all of Red Oak, Iowa, were charged in an indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury on April 15, 2015. That indictment was unsealed and made public following the arrests and initial court appearances of the defendants.

 

The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2010, to April 15, 2015.

 

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government $494,200, which allegedly was received in exchange for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine, based on a conservative average street price of $1,400 per ounce and the total conspiracy distribution of at least 10 kilograms. Ahmad would be required to forfeit to the government a 2001 Dodge Viper and a 2003 Hummer H2, both of which allegedly were used to facilitate 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 Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today as the result of a child pornography investigation that began in Australia.

 

Joshua Ryan Clark, 27, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 11 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Clark to pay $3,000 in restitution to his victims.

 

On Jan. 26, 2015, Clark pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. According to court documents, Clark actively traded child pornography via e-mail, including depictions of prepubescent children (as young as three years old) engaged in all manner of sexual activity. Clark directly contacted other pedophiles via e-mail and text; Clark claimed in a chat with another pedophile that he had sodomized a 12-year-old victim (which the government has not been able to corroborate) and expressed a desire in another message to rape a child.

 

Law enforcement officers in Australia discovered several e-mail messages from Clark to a resident of Queensland, Australia, to which Clark had attached images of child pornography – one message contained 100 images of child pornography.

 

An FBI agent in Springfield received a 16 GB thumb drive from Yahoo! that contained the contents of Clark’s e-mail account, including 2,264 depictions of child pornography. Clark admitted that he used the e-mail account to trade child pornography with numerous individuals beginning in 2006 or 2007.

 

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

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Marble Hill, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy in which the government seized his aircraft and dozens of firearms.

 

Joshua William Vawter, 37, of Marble Hill, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Monday, April 27, 2015, to the charge contained in a Dec. 17, 2013, federal indictment.

 

By pleading guilty, Vawter admitted that he and a co-conspirator purchased seven duffel bags to transport 91.5 kilograms (202 pounds) of high-grade marijuana from California to Missouri. They placed the marijuana in the duffel bags, a suitcase and two golf bags, and loaded them onto Vawter’s airplane, a Piper PA-32-260, which he piloted. Vawter’s plane landed at West Plains Regional Airport in West Plains, Mo., on Oct. 31, 2013. Law enforcement officers conducted a search of the plane and seized the marijuana and $1,800. Drug Enforcement Administration agents estimate the total street value of the marijuana seized to be $1 million.

 

The next day DEA agents searched Vawter’s residence and seized 56 firearms from a vault in the basement. Agents also seized a total of $75,000 from the vault (including $18,000 that was hidden in the foam backing of a gun case). Four additional firearms were seized from the master bedroom, for a total of 60 firearms seized from the residence.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Vawter must forfeit to the government the airplane, the firearms and the money that was seized.

 

Under federal statutes, Vawter is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million. 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 Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DHS Custom and Border Patrol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bollinger County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri South Central Drug Task Force.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former employee of the Social Security Administration was sentenced in federal court today for illegally accessing personal identification information as part of a nearly $10,000 fraud scheme to steal from the government.

 

Mary Francis Taylor, 54, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one year and one day in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Taylor to pay $9,853 in restitution.

 

On Sept. 16, 2014, Taylor pleaded guilty to the theft of government money.

 

Taylor worked as a teleservice technician in the Social Security Administration’s Mid-America Program Service Center in Kansas City, Mo., until she resigned on Jan. 10, 2014. In that role, she had access to sensitive private information for all individuals who possess a Social Security number.

 

Taylor admitted that she found a NetSpend debit card on a public bus in August 2013. She took the NetSpend debit card as well as some documents that contained additional personal identification information. Taylor called NetSpend, falsely claiming to be the cardholder (identified as Victim 1), and instructed NetSpend to add another beneficiary to the debit card. Taylor possessed identity information for this new beneficiary, identified as Victim 2, because she found Victim 2’s case file on a co-workers desk.

 

Taylor illegally accessed the SSA computer system to create an overage to Victim 2’s record, which was direct deposited into the bank account linked to the debit card that was stolen from Victim 1. As a result, SSA direct deposited $9,853 into that bank account.

 

Taylor used the debit card to pay off her account at Aaron’s and to pay arrearages on her home mortgage, utilities and car loan.

 

This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William A. Alford III. It was investigated by Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Iowa men were sentenced in federal court today for the armed robbery of a Burlington Junction, Mo., bank.

 

Donald D. Kestner, Jr., 27, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and Travis Joe Davis, 28, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays. Kestner was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison without parole. Davis was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.

 

Kestner pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2014, to one count of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Davis pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, 2014, to one count of bank robbery. Co-defendant Torrence Joseph O’Neill, also known as “Torry,” 27, of Pleasant, Iowa, pleaded guilty to bank robbery on Oct. 21, 2014, and awaits sentencing.

 

Kestner, Davis and O’Neill stole $12,282 from Citizens Bank and Trust, 102 W. Main St., Burlington Junction, Mo., on March 21, 2014. Kestner and Davis entered the bank about about 11:10 a.m. while O’Neill waited in their vehicle, a 1996 Ford Explorer, parked in an alley next to the bank.

 

Upon entering the bank, Kestner and Davis began yelling and brandishing weapons. Kestner brandished a silver semi-automatic pistol and Davis was armed with what appeared to be a black Uzi, but was later determined to be an air pistol. Davis remained in the lobby, while Kestner went behind the teller stations with the three bank employees. Kestner grabbed money from teller drawers. During the robbery, Kestner pointed his gun directly at a teller.

 

Kestner, Davis and O’Neill were arrested shortly after the robbery occurred. A Maryville Department of Public Safety officer, riding in an airplane being piloted by a citizen, spotted the three men walking and they were arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The vehicle used in the bank robbery was discovered hidden among some trees.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes, IV. It was investigated by the Nodaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Maryville, Mo., Department of Public Safety, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Page County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, presented the Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award today to Craig Hill, a professional consultant with a long history of combatting crimes against children during many years working in law enforcement as well as through his own organization and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

 

            Today’s award ceremony was part of an annual event hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and VictimNet, a coalition of victim service providers and others committed to meeting the needs of crime victims in Jackson County, in conjunction with the observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme – “Engaging Communities. Empowering Victims” – emphasizes the role of the entire community, individually and collectively, as we support victims of crime and empower them to direct their own recovery.

 

Hill is a consultant who presents law enforcement training and public lectures in conjunction with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, where he formerly served as associate director of law enforcement training and outreach for more than five years.

 

“Craig Hill has spent his career either directly working in law enforcement, or working to support law enforcement,” Dickinson said. “Some people retire to play golf, or go fishing. When Craig retired as Deputy Police Chief in the Leawood Police Department, he didn’t skip a beat. Craig continued to pursue his passion for protecting children and for equipping and training law enforcement officers and other professionals who are in the trenches combatting these heinous crimes.”

 

After 33 years in the Leawood, Kan., Police Department, the last five as Deputy Police Chief, Hill went to work for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

 

“That was a natural progression for him,” Dickinson said, noting that during his tenure with the Leawood Police Department he was a co-founder of The Lost Child Network. The Lost Child Network, where Hill served as president for 14 years, was one of the nation’s first non-profit child resources centers when it was founded in 1984. Hill traveled throughout the United States and parts of Canada to lecture on the crimes committed against children. The Lost Child Network played a role in the recovery of several children who were reported missing, working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as well as NCMEC.

 

The Lost Child Network merged with NCMEC in 1998 to become the Kansas City branch of that national organization and Hill joined NCMEC’s board of directors. In 2005, Hill retired from the police force and became the associate director of law enforcement training and outreach for NCMEC. In that role, he was responsible to provide training in more than 230 cities to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, parole and probation workers, employees of corrections departments and social services agencies, and child advocacy centers. The training covered the dynamics of the crimes committed against children, tactics used by the offenders, preparing first responders and prevention strategies.

 

In 2011 Hill formed his consulting company, Craig Hill Consultant, LLC. Hill is also the executive producer for Media Consultant, LLC, which provides development and design for in-service training, print adds, video productions and computer graphics design. Among the firm’s clients is the FBI International Symposium on Agroterrorism.

 

Hill is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and an active member of the FBI National Academy Associates, Inc.

 

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

 

The Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award is presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office each year during the local observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to recognize the outstanding work of an individual or organization in protecting children from exploitation. The award was presented to Hill in memory of Crystal Kipper and Ali Kemp, two young women who were both fatal victims of tragic crimes. Anna Rhea, Crystal Kipper’s mother, and Roger Kemp, Ali Kemp’s father, participated in today’s presentation.

 

Today’s event at the Power and Light District also featured comments from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office and Alvin Brooks of the AdHoc Group Against Crime. The event showcased various local victim service providers and a solidarity walk led by the Kansas City Mounted Patrol and Parents of Murdered Children. An art display featured the work of students of MyARTS.

 

The Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), enacted in 2004, grants victims in federal criminal proceedings certain enforceable rights, including the right to be reasonably heard at public court proceedings and to receive full and timely restitution as provided by law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has a dedicated Victim/Witness Unit that serves federal crime victims across the district’s 66 counties. Members of this unit notify victims of significant case events through the Department of Justice’s Victim Notification System (VNS). Such notice enables victims to participate in court proceedings and make their voices heard. Victim/Witness personnel accompany victims to court hearings and trials to ensure that victim participation in court proceedings is meaningful and to answer questions and explain the federal judicial process.

 

In addition to notification and court accompaniment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Unit provides essential services to victims, such as making referrals for counseling, securing temporary housing, assisting with access to victim compensation funds, and accompanying victims to court to provide support and guidance during the proceedings. These services provide tools victims need to reshape their futures.

 

Further information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is available at http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/.

 

The Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award

 

Crystal Kipper was an 18-year-old Gladstone, Mo., resident who was murdered after her car broke down on Interstate 29, just north of Platte City, on Feb. 24, 1997. Ali Kemp was a 19-year-old Blue Valley North High School graduate who was murdered on June 18, 2002, while she worked at the Foxborough neighborhood swimming pool in Leawood, Kan.

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

 

David Michel McCowan, 26, of Joplin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole, which is the longest sentence recommended under the federal sentencing guidelines. The court also ordered McCowan to serve a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration.

 

On Oct. 9, 2014, McCowan pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.

 

According to court documents, an officer with the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force identified McCowan’s computer as utilizing a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to download and share child pornography over the Internet. Officers executed a search a warrant and seized McCowan’s computer, which contained images of child pornography.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for using stolen credit cards that he obtained from automobile burglaries.

 

Jeffery M. Haywood, 44, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to 15 years in federal prison without parole, which is the statutory maximum penalty for this offense, less credit for time served on a related state case.

 

On Sept. 22, 2014, Haywood pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit card with the intent to defraud.

 

According to court documents, the victim left her purse in her vehicle when she parked at the Overland Park Racquet Club in Overland Park, Kan., at approximately 7 p.m. on Nov. 25, 2012. When she returned to her vehicle at approximately 8:45 p.m., she found that a window had been smashed and her purse was gone. The purse contained several credit cards, including an American Express card. She immediately called American Express to report the card stolen and learned that more than $3,000 worth of unauthorized charges had already been made on her account at several local businesses in the past two hours, as well as a ninth attempted charge.

 

A loss prevention officer at a Price Chopper store provided investigators with a surveillance photograph of a female who had conducted the fraudulent transaction at that business. The surveillance photo was published in the news media and an anonymous caller identified the suspect, who was not charged in this case. She described an auto burglary ring that included Haywood and others.

 

The investigation revealed that Haywood was responsible for at least 10 additional automobile burglaries in which purses were taken and credit or debit cards stolen, with a total loss of more than $10,000.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Cowles. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Overland Park Police Department.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that Nevada, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography after he assumed a false online identity as a woman and persuaded a teenage girl in Georgia to send him pornographic images of herself.

 

Curtis Bowman, 43, of Nevada, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Bowman to serve a life term of supervised release following his incarceration, and to pay $12,140 in restitution to his victim.

 

Bowman pleaded guilty on Oct. 15, 2014, to receiving child pornography over the Internet.

 

Law enforcement officers in Cobb County, Ga., were contacted by the victim’s mother. She told officers that her 16-year-old daughter, identified as ”Jane Doe,” had been engaged in sexually explicit e-mail communications with an individual identifying herself as “Amanda Toben.” Jane Doe confirmed that she met “Amanda Toben,” whom she believed was a female resident of Missouri, in an online chat room sometime in January 2014. They began exchanging e-mails and within a matter of days, the e-mail exchanges became sexual in nature.  Jane Doe ultimately sent a number of images depicting herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct to “Toben.”

 

Georgia law enforcement officers identified Bowman and on March 7, 2014, local law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bowman’s residence, where he was arrested. Investigators discovered a number of sexually explicit images of Jane Doe on Bowman’s computer.

 

Although the age of consent in the state of Georgia is 16 years of age, the federal government deems the age of consent to be 18 years of age. Therefore, receiving sexually explicit images of a 16-year-old minor over the Internet is a violation of federal law.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kelleher. It was investigated by the Vernon County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the FBI and the Cobb County, Ga., 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 Kingdom City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for robbing an employee at the Kingdom City post office.

 

Lucas Wayne Branstetter, 39, of Kingdom City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to seven years in federal prison without parole. Branstetter was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior felony convictions.

 

On Sept. 18, 2014, Branstetter pleaded guilty to robbing a postal employee. Branstetter entered a postal facility in Kingdom City on July 19, 2014, and presented a note to a postal employee that stated, “This is a robbery.” The postal employee placed $310 from the cash drawer into Branstetter’s backpack and he drove away from the post office on a motorcycle.

 

According to court documents, Branstetter was identified by a confidential source on July 21, 2014. On the same day, Branstetter was arrested for possessing stolen property after Laclede County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a call regarding a suspicious person sleeping behind a local church. A stolen motorcycle was also parked behind the church. Branstetter had an active arrest warrant for forgery from the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department.

 

Branstetter has been convicted of at least 12 felonies, including four prior felony convictions for burglary and a prior felony conviction for robbery, as well as numerous misdemeanors.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Laclede 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., woman was sentenced in federal court today for stealing from the government by receiving more than $100,000 in Social Security and other benefits to which she was not entitled.

 

Glenda Jacobs, 64, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to two years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Jacobs to pay restitution to the government.

 

On Sept. 9, 2014, Jacobs pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Jacobs admitted that, from January 2009 to August 2013, she fraudulently obtained $107,604 in Social Security, unemployment and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps) benefits.

 

Jacobs filed for Supplemental Security Insurance benefits in 1982 and was found disabled. From 1987 forward, Jacobs worked continuously under a second Social Security number while continuing to draw benefits. Jacobs repeatedly failed to report her employment and earnings to the Social Security Administration. Jacobs admitted that she fraudulently received $93,922 in Social Security benefits.

 

Jacobs admitted that she fraudulently received $8,869 in federal unemployment benefits from August 2011 through September 2012. Jacobs admitted that she fraudulently collected $4,813 in SNAP benefits from January 2011 to August 2013.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Pansing Brown. It was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.

 

Robert Fount Mahan, 34, of Jefferson City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Dec. 30, 2014, Mahan pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Mahan was traveling westbound on U.S. 54 Highway on Oct. 25, 2012, when a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper attempted a vehicle stop on the Old Bass Road crossover due to Mahan’s suspicious behavior and the license plate on Mahan’s vehicle being reported as not on file. Mahan instead led the trooper in a vehicle pursuit that reached speeds of 75 to 80 miles per hour on Old Bass Road. Mahan’s vehicle crossed the center line on several occasions. Mahan’s vehicle struck an embankment and crashed into a fence near the Hunter Run intersection. Mahan ran from the vehicle but was apprehended. Troopers found a loaded Hi Point .45-caliber pistol in the vehicle’s center console.

 

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

 

Co-defendant Danielle Christine Orcutt, 33, of Jefferson City, was also sentenced today to one year and one day in federal prison without parole.

 

Orcutt, who was Mahan’s girlfriend, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to tamper with evidence so that it could not be used in Mahan’s prosecution. Orcutt admitted that she had twice visited the location where Mahan’s vehicle crashed in search of a purple cloth bag containing methamphetamine. However, troopers had already located the bag prior to Orcutt’s search.

 

Co-defendant Kenneth Dale Witherell, 28, of Barnett, Mo., was sentenced on March 3, 2015, to three years and six months in federal prison without parole. Witherell pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Camden County, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for the forced sex trafficking of two women.

 

Joshua Kain Smith, 36, of Camden County, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Smith to serve a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration, and ordered him to pay $23,406 in restitution to one of his victims.

 

On Aug. 12, 2014, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking and one count of attempted sex trafficking. Smith admitted that he used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to cause a person (identified in court documents as “FV1” – Female Victim 1) to engage in prostitution, from which he benefitted financially, between Nov. 15, 2011, and March 15, 2012. Smith also admitted that he used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion in an attempt to cause another person (identified in court documents as “FV2” – Female Victim 2) to engage in prostitution between Dec. 1, 2010, and Nov. 15, 2011.

 

Smith met FV1 on a dating Web site in 2011.  Shortly after they began dating Smith became physically abusive. Smith was possessive and wanted FV1 around him at all times. When FV1 first met Smith she had a job at a hotel but lost the job when Smith forced her to stop working. Smith arranged for FV1 to have sexual activity with other men and told her she did not have a choice but to participate. Smith demanded the money FV1 received in exchange for sexual activity.

 

Smith physically abused FV1 and threatened to kill her and her family if she left him. In December 2011 Smith threatened to kill FV1 if she did not travel to Florida with him. Smith also threatened to harm his own family members if she ever contacted authorities for help. Smith threatened her with a knife and tied her up on one occasion. While in Florida, Smith forced FV1 to commit commercial sex acts with customers to support him and his drug habit. After FV1 was raped by a group of men while purchasing drugs for Smith, she was able to get away with the help of one of Smith’s family members. FV1 has since obtained an order of protection against Smith.

 

Smith met FV2 through an Internet dating service and they began dating in December 2010. The day after FV2 initially met Smith she bailed him out of jail in Eldon, Mo., and attempted to break up with him at that time. Smith became enraged, threatened to kill FV2 and tore all of FV2’s clothing off. For the next year FV2 was in a physically, emotionally and sexually abusive relationship with Smith. FV2 stated that Smith physically assaulted her on numerous occasions, and on at least two occasions wrapped a belt around her neck until she passed out. FV2 estimated Smith threatened to kill her and her family at least 100 times. Smith attempted to convince FV2 to have sex with other men. Smith solicited FV2 to help him open an escort service but she refused.

 

FV2 subsequently obtained an order of protection against Smith, which he violated on numerous occasions. FV2 maintained many of the threatening texts and e-mails she received from Smith to assist the police in the event she was murdered. Smith posted Craigslist advertisements without her knowledge or consent, advertising FV2 for sexual activity. FV2 received well over 100 telephone calls from men responding to the advertisements.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. It was investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Human Trafficking Rescue Project.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that two members of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed at least 10 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Independence, Mo., and Kansas City, Mo., area have been sentenced in federal court.

 

Alberto Manuel Piggott, 32, and Diamond Lynell Cooper, 34, both of Kansas City, Mo., were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner. Piggott was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Cooper was sentenced on Thursday, April 16, 2015, to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.

 

The court also ordered Piggott and Cooper to forfeit $700,000 to the government for which they are jointly and severally liable, which represents the proceeds of drug-trafficking (based on a conservative street price of $2,000 per ounce and distribution of at least 10 kilograms of methamphetamine through the overall conspiracy).

 

On Sept. 25, 2014, Piggott pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, participating in a money-laundering conspiracy, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

On Oct. 30, 2015, Cooper pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies, and to aiding and abetting the use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

 

Piggott admitted that, from 2009 to 2012, he and co-defendant Bonnie Cortez Hernandez, 39, of Kansas City, Mo., supplied the other conspirators with methamphetamine for further distribution. From May 5, 2010, to July 19, 2011, Piggott was found in possession of methamphetamine totaling over 50 grams and three weapons: May 5, 2010, vehicle stop and seizure of .20-gauge shotgun and 1.73 grams of methamphetamine; Dec. 22, 2010, vehicle stop and seizure of 21.23 grams of methamphetamine; Jan. 31, 2011, vehicle stop and seizure of 14 grams of methamphetamine; Feb. 24, 2011, vehicle stop and seizure of 19 grams of methamphetamine; April 4, 2011, vehicle stop and seizure of a shotgun and a 9mm Beretta handgun; and July 19, 2011, a stolen Taurus TCP 380 with six rounds.

 

Cooper admitted that he sold 1.4 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on Aug. 23, 2011. On Sept. 13, 2011, a vehicle stop of Hernandez and Cooper was conducted and a stolen .45-caliber Sig Sauer and 37.69 grams of methamphetamine were seized. On Oct. 18, 2011, a vehicle stop of Cooper was conducted and a consent search of Hernandez’s residence was conducted and they resulted in the seizure of a 9mm Sky Industries pistol and 4.2 grams of methamphetamine. On Dec. 7, 2011, another vehicle stop of Cooper resulted in the seizure of 39.23 grams of methamphetamine.

 

Co-defendants Hernandez, Juliann Marie Savona, 30, and William Gregory Smith, 33, all of Kansas City, Mo., have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

 

Co-defendant Brittany Michelle Dugger, 26, of Independence, Mo., was sentenced on March 18, 2015, to 11 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. 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 was sentenced in federal court today for the robbery of a Raytown, Mo., restaurant in a series of incidents that began with a carjacking and ended with him pulling a gun and being shot by a police officer.

 

Christopher L. Rice, 26, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 18 years and four months in federal prison without parole; the court sentenced Rice to 16 years and four months on the robbery conviction, revoked Rice’s supervised release on a prior bank robbery conviction and sentenced him to a consecutive prison term of two years. Rice was sentenced as a career offender due to his three prior convictions in state court for robbery and the federal conviction for bank robbery.

 

On Dec. 18, 2014, Rice pleaded guilty to the robbery of a Burger King restaurant in Raytown, Mo. According to court documents, Rice carjacked a Toyota Camry at gunpoint earlier that day and drove the stolen vehicle to Burger King. Rice approached the cashier, told her that he had a gun and ordered her to open the register. The cashier gave Rice $177 from the register and he left the restaurant.

 

A Raytown police detective, listening to reports of the armed robbery on his radio, saw a vehicle matching the description of the car used in the robbery and followed it until Rice parked in the driveway of a residence. Rice got out of the car and began walking away. The detective noticed that Rice had numerous tattoos, which were part of the description of the suspect in the Burger King robbery, so he told Rice to stop. During their conversation, Rice began to pull away and the detective felt what could be a gun under his clothes. The detective pulled his weapon and ordered Rice to get on the ground.

 

Rice instead began to pull a loaded Taurus .40-caliber pistol out of his waistband and the detective began shooting at Rice. Rice began running away, still carrying the pistol. The detective pursued Rice and saw him fall on the street. As he approached Rice, the detective told him to drop his gun, and Rice tossed it to one side. Rice was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital with three gunshot wounds.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.

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 robbing Bank Midwest with a pellet gun.

 

Casey M. Widman, 60, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 16 years in federal prison without parole.

 

Widman was sentenced as a career offender due to his prior criminal convictions. Widman has approximately 92 criminal convictions, according to court documents. This is Widman’s third conviction for bank robbery, his 15th felony conviction and his seventh conviction for a crime of violence. Widman also has approximately 77 misdemeanor convictions.

 

On Oct. 7, 2014, Widman pleaded guilty to stealing $838 from Bank Midwest.

 

According to court documents, Widman entered Bank Midwest, 6249 Brookside, Kansas City, at about 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 30, 2013. Widman approached one of the tellers, pulled out a black pistol (a pellet gun) and placed it on the counter in front of the teller. Widman said he wanted to make a withdrawal in “all fifties and hundreds.” When the teller placed the money on the counter, he became agitated and told her that he wanted more money. She placed more money on the counter, and Widman took the cash and fled from the bank.

 

A witness told police officers that he saw a blue Ford Taurus parked near the bank for about 15 minutes. The vehicle left the bank immediately after the robbery occurred. An officer saw a vehicle that matched that description and followed it. When the driver stopped at a gas station, Widman was taken into custody.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former California prison inmate, incarcerated for state sex offenses, was sentenced in federal court today for using a smuggled cell phone to distribute child pornography over the Internet.

 

Eric Lee Bederson, 37, formerly an inmate at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 42 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Aug. 12, 2014, Bederson pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography. At the time he committed these offenses, Bederson was serving a 16-year state sentence in California for a charge involving the aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual conduct of a minor. Bederson, then a 21-year-old day care center teacher, had been arrested following an investigation into suspicions that he was molesting multiple children and possessed child pornography. According to court documents, Bederson molested at least 20 children. A civil lawsuit resulted in a judgment of more than $10 million in damages.

 

Bederson used smuggled cell phones to distribute numerous images and videos of child pornography while he was incarcerated. As his release date approached, Bederson began communicating with other traders of child pornography via e-mail. He amassed upwards of 40 gigabytes of images and videos in his multiple e-mail accounts, which he used to actively trade, receive, and distribute to others – including an undercover federal agent based in Kansas City, Mo. According to court documents, these images and videos constitute violent and disturbing child pornography, including minors as young as five years old.

 

Between Sept. 29 and Oct. 8, 2011, he sent six e-mails to an undercover agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which included a total of 164 images and 10 videos of child pornography. Bederson sent this child pornography with the hope and expectation that the undercover HSI agent (and others) would reciprocate in sending child pornography back to him in return. Bederson also admitted that his e-mail accounts contained multiple gigabytes of e-mails and attachments of child pornography.

 

For example, on Sept. 29, 2011, Bederson sent an e-mail with 24 attached images of child pornography to the undercover federal agent. On Oct. 1, 2011, Bederson sent another e-mail to the undercover federal agent, which contained a video of child pornography.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California State Prison security office.

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 on charges related to producing child pornography.

 

Donald T. Paris, Jr., 28, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 40 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On March 25, 2014, Paris was convicted at trial of one count of producing child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography over the Internet, one count of transporting child pornography over the Internet and one count of possessing child pornography.

 

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Paris used a child victim, identified in the indictment as “CV,” to produce child pornography in December 2010. Paris also used his e-mail account to receive, transport and possess separate images of child pornography.

 

According to court documents, Paris was arrested in December 2011 when he was caught printing images of child pornography at the Kansas City Public Library. Paris admitted to law enforcement officers that he used his e-mail account to receive, send and possess images and videos of child pornography. Paris possessed 169 images and 25 movies of child pornography.

 

Paris also admitted that he had used his cell phone to produce images of child pornography with two separate minors in December 2010 and January 2011. Paris admitted to repeated sexual abuses and molestations of numerous children as young as three years of age over the past decade.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Taney County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the North Richland Hills, Texas, Police Department and the Branson, 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 former Lee’s Summit, Mo., youth soccer coach was sentenced in federal court today to attempting to produce child pornography by secretly videotaping members of his soccer team.

 

Joel D. White, 41, of Lee’s Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to 30 years in federal prison without parole. White pleaded guilty on July 30, 2014, to three counts of attempting to produce child pornography.

 

White coached a girls under-12 soccer team and a girls under-15 soccer team through the Lee’s Summit Soccer Association. The Lee’s Summit Soccer Association has cooperated fully with law enforcement officers during this investigation. White also owned his own business, Adida Entertainment, which provided DJ and photography services for weddings, parties, dances, and reunions at both public and private events.

 

White admitted that he videotaped 11 child victims without their consent while they were changing clothes in his daughter’s bedroom at his residence. White videotaped the child victims 10 to 15 times without their consent from approximately May 2012 until October 2012, when the victims were between 11 and 12 years of age. White also admitted that he touched one of the child victims on the breast with his hand and mouth while she was sleeping next to his own minor relative at his residence, and that he recorded this touching.

 

White is clearly identified in the videos setting up the camera and recovering the camera after the child victims leave the room. In one video, as White recovers the camera, he looks into the camera and gives himself two “thumbs up.”

 

Under Department of Justice guidelines, the attempted production of child pornography is ordinarily charged in cases that involve surreptitious recordings. The statutory penalties for producing child pornography are the same as the penalties for attempting to produce child pornography.

 

The investigation began when White was arrested for stealing in Commerce City, Colo. In March 2013 the soccer stadium in Commerce City was hosting a world cup qualifying game. Colorado authorities contacted White at the stadium when he was accused of stealing soccer-related items and merchandise from the stadium. Officers searched White as well as his backpack, camera, vehicle and hotel room. Officers located stolen items in White’s possession and in his hotel room and White was arrested for felony stealing. White’s cameras, computer and computer media were recovered during the course of the stealing investigation.

 

Detectives wanted to investigate the possibility that White was placing advertisements on sites such as “Craigslist” to sell the stolen items. They began reviewing the cameras and computer media and observed a video of a minor female changing clothes in what appeared to be White’s residence. Commerce City police officials then contacted the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department to take the lead on the child pornography investigation.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department and the Commerce City, Colo., 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 former California prison inmate, incarcerated for state sex offenses, was sentenced in federal court today for using a smuggled cell phone to distribute child pornography over the Internet.

 

Eric Lee Bederson, 37, formerly an inmate at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 42 years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Aug. 12, 2014, Bederson pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography. At the time he committed these offenses, Bederson was serving a 16-year state sentence in California for a charge involving the aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual conduct of a minor. Bederson, then a 21-year-old day care center teacher, had been arrested following an investigation into suspicions that he was molesting multiple children and possessed child pornography. According to court documents, Bederson molested at least 20 children. A civil lawsuit resulted in a judgment of more than $10 million in damages.

 

Bederson used smuggled cell phones to distribute numerous images and videos of child pornography while he was incarcerated. As his release date approached, Bederson began communicating with other traders of child pornography via e-mail. He amassed upwards of 40 gigabytes of images and videos in his multiple e-mail accounts, which he used to actively trade, receive, and distribute to others – including an undercover federal agent based in Kansas City, Mo. According to court documents, these images and videos constitute violent and disturbing child pornography, including minors as young as five years old.

 

Between Sept. 29 and Oct. 8, 2011, he sent six e-mails to an undercover agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which included a total of 164 images and 10 videos of child pornography. Bederson sent this child pornography with the hope and expectation that the undercover HSI agent (and others) would reciprocate in sending child pornography back to him in return. Bederson also admitted that his e-mail accounts contained multiple gigabytes of e-mails and attachments of child pornography.

 

For example, on Sept. 29, 2011, Bederson sent an e-mail with 24 attached images of child pornography to the undercover federal agent. On Oct. 1, 2011, Bederson sent another e-mail to the undercover federal agent, which contained a video of child pornography.

 

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California State Prison security office.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former owner of a Grandview, Mo., business that provided residential treatment for children while in state custody pleaded guilty in federal court today to failing to pay both the payroll taxes he collected from his employees and his personal income taxes, resulting in a total tax loss of more than $750,000.

 

Jason Rudolph, 47, of Kingsville, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to failure to pay over withholding taxes and willfully failing to file federal income tax returns.

 

Rudolph owned and operated Jay’s Residential, which provided residential psychiatric care for children at several locations in Grandview.

 

By pleading guilty today, Rudolph admitted that he did not deposit the employees’ Federal Insurance Contributions Act and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes and income taxes that he withheld from his employees’ wages and did not pay the employer portion of FICA. Instead, Rudolph used the money to gamble, pay personal bills, and purchase vehicles. In addition to failing to pay over his employment taxes, Rudolph admitted he did not file personal income tax returns for the tax years 2008 through 2011.

 

The total tax harm from Rudolph’s criminal conduct is $755,643. Rudolph admitted that he failed to pay over $149,944 in employee payroll taxes and $344,902 in personal income taxes, for a tax loss of $494,845. The tax loss increases to $570,491 after including the employer portion of FICA, and to $755,643 including earlier employment tax periods and the employment tax owed to the state of Missouri.

 

While having substantial employment taxes due, according to today’s plea agreement, Rudolph frequently went to casinos and paid personal expenses with Jay’s Residential’s funds.  An analysis of bank records and records obtained from Ameristar Casino reveal that Rudolph withdrew more than $1.1 million from Jay’s Residential’s bank account at the casino from 2008 to 2011.

 

Although Rudolph failed to file his personal federal individual income tax return for the tax years 2008 through 2011, the plea agreement says, his wife filed her personal federal individual income tax return using the filing status of married and filing separately.

 

Under federal statutes, Rudolph is subject to a sentence of up to six years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $500,000. 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 Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man and six Columbia, Mo., residents have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Boone County, Mo., and elsewhere.

 

Yun Yi Chang, 37, and Ricardo Lawrence Harrell, 36, both of Columbia, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes. Chang was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison without parole. Harrell was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole.

 

Samuel Raphael Johnson, 37, of Kansas City, was sentenced on Tuesday, April 7, 2015, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

 

Johnson, Chang and Harrell have all pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Boone County and elsewhere from July 2008 until 2012. Johnson admitted that he sold multiple kilograms of cocaine to co-defendant Levi McLean Franklin Coolley, 36, of Columbia, for $20,000 per kilogram. Coolley, who has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing, used other conspirators (including Chang) to pick up the cocaine from Johnson in Kansas City and deliver it to Columbia, where it was distributed.

 

Chang admitted that he and Coolley were responsible for bringing more than 20 kilograms of cocaine to Columbia. Chang also admitted that, for approximately six months preceding his March 2012 arrest, he purchased an average of two ounces of cocaine every two weeks from Harrell for $1,100 per ounce.

 

At approximately 2:40 a.m. on Nov. 8, 2011, officers of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department were dispatched on an alarm call to Johnson’s residence, where they discovered evidence of a break-in. When they searched Johnson’s residence, they found 72.42 grams of cocaine, 75.47 grams of crack cocaine and 18.66 kilograms of marijuana.

 

During the time of the conspiracy, and due to his direct involvement in the agreement to distribute cocaine and his knowing participation and knowledge of the extent of the distribution network, Johnson acknowledge that he was responsible for the distribution of more than five kilograms of cocaine.

 

Co-defendants Jessica Lynn Jobe, 32, George Dale Wolchko, 33, and Patrick Jeremy O’Blennis, 35, all of Columbia, were also sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty to their roles in the cocaine-trafficking conspiracy. Jobe was sentenced to three years and three months in federal prison without parole. Wolchko was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole. O’Blennis was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison. Co-defendant Justin Ashley Blackburn, 33, of Columbia, was also sentenced yesterday to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to his role in a separate conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

 

Co-defendants Russell Preston Browns, 33, Sara Jean Patrick Browns, 28, Travis Keith Rudloff, 38, Art Waylon Gill, 36, Michael Wayne Crossno, 40, Russell Scott Kuda, 41, Nicholas Robert Berberich, 34, and Lance Michael Walbrecht, 36, all of Columbia, already have been sentenced.

 

Three co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing: Coolley, Eric Paxton Pyle, 36, and Jonathan Richard Gray, 36, all of Columbia.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Gonzalez. It was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Kansas City, 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 operating an illegal gambling business that generated nearly $4 million in bets placed during its final year of operation.

 

Hoang Pham, 49, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan to conducting an illegal gambling business and participating in a money laundering conspiracy.

 

By pleading guilty today, Pham admitted that he operated an illegal gambling business from at least 2008 to February 2012. Pham used Costa Rican Web sites to run his bookmaking operation. The gross revenue of Pham’s illegal gambling business exceeded $2,000 per day on multiple days during the operation of the business. Evidence obtained during the course of the investigation indicated that, in approximately a one-year period from Jan. 1, 2011, to Feb. 9, 2012, bets totaling $3,788,635 were placed in Hoang Pham’s operation.

 

Pham settled up with his bettors on a weekly basis and, typically, the transfer of funds would be in cash. Pham and his partners conspired to use a number of bank accounts and businesses to conduct financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership and control of the proceeds of the illegal gambling operation and to engage in financial transactions that involved the proceeds of the illegal gambling business. These accounts included their personal bank accounts and their business accounts.

 

In a separate civil proceeding, Pham has forfeited to the government $56,437, which represents the proceeds of his illegal conduct and was seized by law enforcement officers during the execution of a search warrant.

 

Under federal statutes, Pham is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $750,000. 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 Bruce E. Clark. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms.

 

Terrence Lamar Hawkins, 46, of Jefferson City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to five years in federal prison without parole.

 

On Nov. 4, 2014, Hawkins was convicted at trial of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 

Hawkins was found guilty of possessing a Hi-Point .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on Feb. 24, 2011. Hawkins was also found guilty of possessing a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic pistol on March 24, 2011. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hawkins has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon in Cole County, Mo.

 

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Hawkins was arrested twice by the Lincoln University Police Department at the Lincoln University Scruggs Student Center cafeteria in Jefferson City. At the time of both arrests, Scruggs was carrying a concealed handgun.

 

On Feb. 24, 2011, Hawkins, who appeared to be intoxicated, was confronted by police officers in the student center cafeteria. Officers noticed a bulge in his front, left pocket.  When questioned about the bulge, Hawkins stated that it was nothing. When informed that officers were going to check his pockets, Hawkins attempted to flee and was detained by officers.  Officers recovered a loaded Hi-Point .40-caliber pistol from Hawkins. Hawkins was then arrested and warned that he would be arrested for trespassing if he returned to Lincoln University.

 

On March 24, 2011, officers were dispatched to the Scruggs Student Center after a report that Hawkins was present, in violation of the trespass order. Hawkins was subsequently arrested for trespassing. During a search, a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol was found in his pants pocket.

 

This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Lincoln University Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

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

 

Dominic J. Veit, 39, of Jefferson City, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth on Monday, April 6, 2015.

 

By pleading guilty, Veit admitted that he distributed child pornography over the Internet on Jan. 14, 2011. Veit also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography from Jan. 14 to March 3, 2011.

 

An FBI agent in New York identified Veit’s computer as sharing child pornography on the Internet through a peer-to-peer file-sharing network during a national investigation, Innocent Images. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Veit’s residence on March 3, 2011, and found a computer in his bedroom that contained hundreds of images of child pornography, including images of child bestiality and movies of child pornography. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children confirmed that there were 43 known series of identifiable child pornographic images contained on Veit’s computer.

 

Veit must forfeit to the government a laptop computer, a computer tower, four hard drives and other computer equipment that was used to commit the offense.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the FBI.

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that the owner of a now-closed Oronogo, Mo., restaurant has been indicted by a federal grand jury for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.

 

Jerry Batchelor, 51, of Carthage, Mo., was charged in an indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on April 1, 2015. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Batchelor’s arrest and initial court appearance.

 

Batchelor was the owner of Benchwarmer’s Neighborhood Restaurant and Sports Pub in Oronogo. The federal indictment alleges that Batchelor received and distributed child pornography over the Internet between Aug. 10, 2012, and April 4, 2014.

 

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 James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.

 

Project Safe Childhood

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., businessman pleaded guilty in federal court today to engaging in fraud schemes, even after he was under indictment and while incarcerated, that totaled more than $3 million in losses.

 

Richard Thomas Gregg, 59, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of bank fraud and one count of bankruptcy fraud.

 

Gregg was the principal shareholder and a director of Southwest Community Bank in Springfield, which failed in May 2010. In the factual basis to his plea agreement, Gregg admitted that the United States could prove he substantially jeopardized the soundness of that financial institution and directly contributed to the failure of the bank. Southwest Community Bank lost $679,399 on Gregg’s personal line of credit and $871,125 on a commercial real estate fraud scheme perpetrated by Gregg, for a total loss of $1,550,524.

 

Gregg and his wife also were majority shareholders in Glasgow Savings Bank in Glasgow, Mo., which failed in 2012. Prior to Glasgow Savings Bank’s failure, it was one of the oldest operating banks west of the Mississippi River. Gregg was also a real estate developer, an investor and a licensed insurance agent for the Shelter Mutual Insurance Company. Gregg had ownership interest in and controlled a number of business entities.

 

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Gregg will be sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison without parole and must pay $3,098,896 in restitution to the victims of his fraud schemes. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

 

 

Bank Fraud

 

By pleading guilty today, Gregg admitted he defrauded Great Southern Bank by selling the collateral securing a $2 million loan, and keeping the proceeds.  In February 2009, Gregg borrowed $2 million from Great Southern Bank in Springfield, using 160,000 shares of stock for First Bancshares, Inc. (FBSI), the holding company for First Homes Savings Bank, as collateral. Gregg physically deposited the stock certificate with Great Southern Bank. Between May 6, 2009 and June 6, 2009, Gregg devised and executed a scheme to defraud Great Southern Bank, and to obtain securities under the custody and control of Great Southern Bank by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.

 

As a part of this scheme, on May 6, 2009, Gregg checked out the original FBSI stock certificate from Great Southern Bank, using as a pretext the stated purpose of separating the large certificate into multiple smaller certificates. At that time, the loan from Great Southern Bank had a balance of $1,511,194. Gregg signed a trust receipt promising to return the stock certificates to the bank within 30 days. Gregg, however, chose not to return the stock certificates to Great Southern Bank and instead used the funds for other purposes. On May 7, 2009, Gregg deposited the collateralized FBSI shares into his account at Scottrade (a privately-owned retail brokerage firm). On May 28, 2009, Gregg borrowed $440,000 from Scottrade, from the margin account on which he used the FBSI stock as collateral.

 

As a result of Gregg’s fraud, Great Southern Bank consolidated several of his outstanding loans in order to cover the missing collateral. In the end, Great Southern Bank “charged off” $2,316,264 on this consolidated loan. However, the actual value of the FBSI shares, $1,350,400, is the loss directly attributable to the fraud.

 

Bankruptcy Fraud

 

While Gregg was already under indictment for bankruptcy fraud relating to the bankruptcy petition of his corporation, 1717 Market Place, LLC, he filed a personal bankruptcy petition that contained numerous false declarations and concealed fraudulent transfers of property.

 

On March 19, 2013, Gregg filed a voluntary bankruptcy petition. Between Feb. 20, 2013, and Sept. 1, 2014, Gregg devised a scheme to defraud the Bankruptcy Court, the United States Trustee and his creditors. By pleading guilty today, Gregg admitted that his bankruptcy petition contained materially false statements and knowingly omitted material facts. Gregg also admitted that he transferred his property to place that property beyond the reach of the Bankruptcy Court, the United States Trustee and his creditors.

 

Gregg transferred his interest in two parcels of real estate, a 97.2-acre tract and a 6.4-acre tract in Nixa, Mo. Gregg also filed $250 million in bogus liens on his real and personal property in order to keep them out of the hands of his creditors.  Gregg admits that the United States could prove he reported $45,773,834 in unsecured debts to others, which he fraudulently attempted to have discharged in his personal bankruptcy case.

 

Other Crimes

 

In addition to the two counts to which he pleaded guilty, Gregg admitted the United States could prove by a preponderance of the evidence all of the other conduct alleged in the indictment against him, including two other bank fraud schemes, wire fraud schemes targeting two casinos, and money laundering.

 

In one bank fraud scheme, in 2008 Gregg defrauded Southwest Community Bank by selling the bank a piece of commercial real estate at 2814 S. Fremont in Springfield for $1,551,9440, when it was worth less than half that amount. Gregg did not disclose to the other bank directors that he had purchased that property for $775,000 a few months earlier, nor did he disclose that two appraisals had been conducted on the property in recent months. One appraisal valued the property at $762,000. The second appraisal was cancelled when Gregg disagreed with the preliminary work. After Gregg cancelled the appraisal, he had the bank order an appraisal of the Fremont property by another appraiser, who valued the property at $1,580,000. Gregg did not disclose to the bank that this appraisal was not an independent valuation of the property, but rather was something Gregg had, in essence, directed.

 

In another bank fraud scheme, Gregg used collectible automobiles as collateral to obtain loans, then sold the cars without paying back the loans. Gregg admitted that the United States could prove that in January and February 2010 he executed separate but related schemes to defraud Great Southern Bank, Metropolitan National Bank and People’s Bank of the Ozarks. As a part of these schemes, Gregg sold seven collectible automobiles at the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. Five of the automobiles were encumbered at the three banks.

 

Gregg borrowed $400,000 from Great Southern Bank in October 2007, which he secured with four collectible automobiles, including a 2006 Ford GT. Gregg consigned the 2006 Ford GT with the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., where on Jan. 23, 2010, the vehicle was sold at auction for approximately $150,000. Gregg chose to not return the proceeds of the sale of the Ford GT ($138,000 after deducting the auctioneer’s fee) to Great Southern Bank and instead used the funds for other purposes. When Gregg defaulted on the loan, Great Southern Bank realized a $129,644 loss.

 

Also, Gregg borrowed $400,000 from Metropolitan National Bank in 2005. He secured this loan with a “floor plan” financing, meaning the loan was a revolving line of credit made against specific pieces of collateral, in this case automobiles. When each vehicle on the floor plan was sold, the loan advanced against that piece of collateral was to be repaid. This loan was renewed in December 2009. In January 2010, the collateral included a 1971 Chevy Cheyenne Pickup. The portion of the loan’s balance collateralized by the 1971 Chevy Cheyenne Pickup was $17,221. Gregg also consigned the 1971 Chevy Cheyenne Pickup with the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, and it was sold for approximately $29,000. Gregg admits the United States could prove he chose to not return the proceeds of the sale ($26,680 after deducting the auctioneer’s fees) to Metropolitan National Bank and instead used the funds for other purposes. When Gregg defaulted on the loan, Metropolitan National Bank realized a $17,221 loss.

 

Gregg also admits the United States could prove he committed wire fraud related to bounced checks at two Oklahoma casinos.  On Jan. 3, 2012 Gregg presented five checks, payable to Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla., each in the amount of $10,000, knowing his credit union account contained insufficient funds to cover those checks.  Between Feb. 16 and March 1, 2012, Gregg presented five checks payable to Downstream Casino and Resort in Quapaw, Okla., in the total amount of $60,000, knowing his bank account contained insufficient funds to cover those checks.

 

Gregg also admits the United States could prove that on Aug. 14, 2012, he filed a substantially fraudulent corporate bankruptcy petition for his company, 1717 Marketplace, LLC, that misrepresented the company’s financial situation to the material detriment of creditors, and concealed more than $9 million in debt owed to the company by insiders, payments he had directed.

 

Ongoing Criminal Conduct

 

Some of Gregg’s criminal conduct occurred while he was on bond and while he was incarcerated.

 

Following his indictment by a federal grand jury on Feb. 28, 2013, Gregg was released on a personal recognizance bond. While he was on bond, Gregg committed substantial, additional criminal offenses, for which the grand jury issued the first superseding indictment on July 23, 2014. The court found that Gregg had violated his conditions of bond by committing federal crimes while on release. The court found that Gregg posed a danger to the community in the form of potential economic harm, and that Gregg was unlikely to abide by any condition or combination of conditions of release. For those reasons, the court ordered Gregg’s bond revoked and he was incarcerated.

 

Gregg, through counsel, filed a motion asking the court to reconsider its order. Prior to the hearing, the government obtained and reviewed recordings of Gregg’s telephone conversations and prison visits, preserved on the Greene County Jail’s recording equipment. The recordings revealed that Gregg had conspired with others to commit new crimes from jail. On Nov. 3, 2014, the court issued an order denying the motion to reconsider bond.

 

On Nov. 4, 2014, the grand jury returned a second superseding indictment, which charged Gregg with additional acts of bankruptcy fraud.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by the FDIC Office of Inspector General and IRS-Criminal Investigation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Lublin, Wisconsin man pleaded guilty in federal court today to robbing a Polo, Mo., bank.

 

Oran Woodfin, 30, of Lublin, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to bank robbery.

 

By pleading guilty today, Woodfin admitted that he stole $7,867 from Bank Northwest, 305 Main St., Polo, on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015.

 

According to court documents, Woodfin entered the bank, approached a bank teller and ordered her, “Give me your money.” He kept his left hand inside his jacket as though he had a weapon. The teller pleaded with him, “Don’t shoot me,” and placed the cash from her teller drawer on the counter. Woodfin picked up the money and walked out of the bank.

 

Bank surveillance photos indicated the robber was driving a red Dodge extended cab pickup truck with a black canvas tonto cover in the bed of the truck. A witness to the robbery observed the truck had a broken driver’s side taillight cover although the bulb was still functioning. Photographs of the robber and the pickup truck were disseminated to the media.

 

On the same day as the robbery, Woodfin checked into the Super 8 Motel in Richmond, Mo. Employees at the motel saw the surveillance photos on a television newscast, thought that Woodfin and his vehicle matched the descriptions from the bank robbery and the photos, and notified the police department.

 

Richmond police officers arrested Woodfin without incident outside his motel room. Officers executed a search warrant at the motel room and seized $7,145, a new computer, clothes and a container of alcohol. The pickup truck had been reported as stolen out of Clark County, Wisconsin. Woodfin had a warrant for his arrest out of Wisconsin for a probation and parole violation.

 

Under federal statutes, Woodfin is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. 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 D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Caldwell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Polo, Mo., Police Department, the Richmond, Mo., Police Department, the Ray County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Versailles, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to selling $750,000 worth of synthetic marijuana, commonly referred to as K2, at his store in Laurie, Mo.

 

Scott Wesley Hanson, 49, of Versailles, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to participating in a conspiracy to introduce, receive, deliver and sell misbranded drugs across state lines and in foreign commerce.

 

Co-defendants Sharon Elizabeth Harrington, 27, of Bunceton, Mo., and Chadwick James Schlicht, 44, of Osage Beach, Mo., pleaded guilty on Monday, March 30, 2015.

 

Conspirators imported chemicals from other countries (including China), which carried misleading labeling in order to avoid detection by law enforcement officers. Those chemicals were used to create synthetic marijuana, which was packaged for sale in foil packets that bore the label “not for human consumption,” in an attempt to thwart drug-trafficking laws. The synthetic marijuana, which was falsely referred to as “incense” and “potpourri,” was shipped and sold throughout Missouri and the United States – including to Vedas, a business at 101 N. Main Street in Laurie, Mo., owned and operated by Hanson.

 

On June 4, 2012, a Morgan County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy, acting in an undercover capacity, entered Veda’s and asked Hanson for something that would not cause him to test positive for an illegal substance as he was on probation and did not want to jeopardize that. Hanson sold a package of “Mr. Happy” to the undercover deputy. The package, which contained synthetic marijuana, was mislabeled and did not contain directions for use.

 

Based upon the invoices, bank records, and products seized by law enforcement, Hanson purchased approximately $375,000 of synthetic cannabinoid products, which he then sold through his business for approximately $750,000. Hanson admitted that he sold, in aggregate, multiple kilogram quantities of synthetic marijuana products.

 

Under federal statutes, Hanson is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander. 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.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for possessing methamphetamine for distribution, following a high-speed police chase in Osage Beach, Mo.

 

Stacy Renae Merrell, 28, of Springfield, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that Merrell was in possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on Feb. 19, 2015. The federal indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Merrell to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged offense, including $12,557 that was seized by law enforcement officers.

 

Merrell was arrested on Feb. 19, 2015, when she allegedly refused to stop for an Osage Beach, Mo., police officer. The officer observed Merrell driving a BMW X5 SUV on U.S. Highway 54 near the Grand Glaize Bridge in Osage Beach. The officer activated his emergency lights, but Merrell refused to stop and allegedly led police in a pursuit that exceeded 100 miles per hour. Merrell exited U.S. Highway 54 at the Highway 242 exit in Miller County, Mo., and crashed through a metal gate. Her vehicle went down an embankment and crashed. Merrell ran from the vehicle but fell through a partially frozen pool of water and was completely submerged. Merrell pulled herself out of the water and surrendered to police officers.

 

During a search of Merrell’s vehicle, officers found a large bundle of $100 bills totaling $10,000 in the glove box and two plastic bags containing a total of 244 grams of methamphetamine on the passenger floor board inside a nylon bag.

 

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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander. It was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Osage Beach, Mo., Police Department, the Lake Ozark, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Columbia, Mo., man was charged in a federal indictment today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin.

 

James Delarosa Borden, also known as “Jimmy White,” “Detroit,” and “D,” 40, of Columbia, was charged in a nine-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. Today’s second superseding indictment replaces an earlier indictment and adds Borden as a defendant. His cousin, James Delvico Borden, 38, along with Matthew Alec Ell, 20, Angelic Melanie Polston, 20, and Javis Deonn Wideman, 37, all of Columbia, were previously charged.

 

Today’s indictment alleges that all five defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin in Boone County, Mo., from July to October 2014.

 

In addition to the conspiracy, James Delarosa Borden is charged with one count of distributing heroin, Ell is charged with five counts of distributing heroin, Ell and Polston are charged together in one count of distributing heroin, and Wideman and James Delvico Borden are charged together in one count of distributing heroin.

 

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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and MUSTANG (the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group).