The U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and six other federal law enforcement agencies announced the completion of the third annual Money Mule Initiative, a coordinated operation to disrupt the networks through which transnational fraudsters move the proceeds of their crimes. Money mules are individuals who assist fraudsters by receiving […]
Nineteen defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a $1.2 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents. Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 32, and Latoya Marie Brown, 35, who resided in Columbia and in the Kansas City area; Lauren Courtney Luque, 34, Michael Jadon […]
Five members of the violent Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) international street gang are set to appear in court following charges of conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Wilson Jose Ventura-Mejia, 24; Jimmy Villalobos-Gomez, 23; Angel […]
The Board of Immigration Appeals has dismissed the appeal of Tennessee resident Friedrich Karl Berger, a German citizen who was ordered removed from the United States earlier this year on the basis of his service in Nazi Germany in 1945 as an armed guard of concentration camp prisoners in the Neuengamme Concentration Camp system (Neuengamme). […]
Seven individuals across two states were charged in an indictment unsealed for their alleged participation in a scheme to obtain approximately $16 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Amir Aqeel, 52, and Pardeep Basra, 51, both of […]
A Kansas City, Missouri, brother and sister were charged in federal court with the armed robberies of two pizza delivery drivers after a third suspect was killed during a shootout with police officers. Samuel M. David, 18, and his sister Rochelle E. David, 22, were charged in a six-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. […]
A Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy that distributed more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine in southern Missouri. Eric Eugene Akins, 54, of Monett, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 21, 2020, Akins pleaded guilty […]
(Missouri Independent) – A Missouri family that sued after being denied a medical marijuana license is alleging the state department of health and Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office illegally concealed documents and violated open records laws in order to undercut their lawsuit. The allegations — which are included in a 28-page motion seeking sanctions against […]
Several defendants were sentenced by Judge Thomas Alley Thursday in Division One of the Grundy County Circuit Court. Robert Lee Ellis of Trenton pleaded guilty to five felony counts stemming from the March 21st incidents. He was sentenced from three to five years with the Department of Corrections. The terms are to run concurrently, or […]
Five indictments in three different states were unsealed indicting a total of twenty-four defendants, including alleged Aryan Circle (AC) gang members and associates, on charges of racketeering conspiracy, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, drug conspiracy, and unlawful firearms trafficking. The indictments were announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice […]
Preliminary hearings were waived on Tuesday by seven defendants in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Each is to be arraigned on their various charges on Thursday in Division One of the Circuit Court in Trenton. Cory Jack Burchett of Trenton is charged with the September 30th offenses of possessing a controlled substance […]
A Trenton man is among 10 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury on conspiracy charges. The indictment charges 42-year-old David Willey and eight others with felony conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. It accuses them of distributing and possessing 1,000 kilograms or more of a […]
The owner of the Rockstar Burgers restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, is among 18 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 10 kilograms of heroin, valued at more than $1.7 million. Most of the defendants are also charged […]
U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison, at a joint press conference with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith, announced that 518 arrests have been made by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend. “On behalf of the team of federal law enforcement agencies involved in this groundbreaking initiative, I […]
In the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court on Tuesday, two defendants have waived preliminary hearings on unrelated charges. Duane Ernest Harding of Trenton is charged with driving while intoxicated – habitual offender as of July 11th. James Dale Coss of Cainsville is charged in Grundy County with delivering of a controlled substance or […]
Several defendants have been arrested on unrelated charges with dates for court appearances scheduled in Trenton. Thirty-year-old Sarah Dawn Harding of Trenton has been charged with felony stealing. Bond is $10,000 cash with an appearance in the associate division on September 22nd. The warrant accuses Sarah Harding of appropriating a credit device August 7th that […]
At a press conference in Chicago today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation Legend, a law enforcement initiative launched in Kansas City, Mo., in July and since expanded to eight more cities. Since the operation’s launch, there have been more than 2,000 arrests, including defendants who have been charged in state and […]
A Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri. Neal A. Norles, 31, of Blue Springs, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 30 years in federal prison without parole. On Sept. 5, 2019, Norles pleaded guilty to […]
A Mexican national who resided in Springfield, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in the Kansas City, Missouri, area and in the Springfield area. Luis Manuel Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 16 years and eight months in […]
Several bills become law today that the Missouri Legislature passed during the second regular session of the 100th General Assembly. Here is a snapshot of the top bills approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Mike Parson: Partial motorcycle helmet law repeal House Bill 1963 is a sweeping transportation bill allowing motorcycle drivers 26 years and […]
