A Sacramento, California, man pleaded guilty in federal court to the sex trafficking of six victims. Ronald Ean Taylor, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to six counts of the sex trafficking of an adult. By pleading guilty, Taylor admitted that he used force, fraud or coercion to cause six victims […]
A former Lebanon, Missouri, teacher was sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet. Brandon Hileman, 26, of Lebanon, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to eight years in federal prison without parole. Hileman, formerly a math teacher at Joel E. Barber Junior High School in […]
Two Mexican nationals have pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing firearms after police officers interrupted them shooting handguns in their backyard. Juan Carlos Cuevas-Alvarez, 33, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully residing in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Monday, March 11, 2019, to being an illegal […]
A Clinton, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for a $4.7 million investment fraud scheme in which he defrauded 92 investors who believed they were purchasing cattle for resale at a profit. Cameron J. Hager, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, to eight years […]
Three Texas men have recently pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing 654 firearms from United Parcel Service trailers in Springfield, Missouri, en route to Bass Pro Shops. Raynord Hunt, 36, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charges contained in a February 21, 2018, federal indictment. Co-defendants […]
Three Cameron, Mo., residents are among five defendants who have pleaded guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Benjamin W. Clark, 26, of Cameron, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to the charge contained in a Nov. 16, 2017, federal indictment. Clark is the fifth defendant to […]
A former Barry County, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for traveling from Missouri to Tennessee to engage in an illicit sexual relationship with a 15-year-old victim, who became pregnant and bore his child. Michael Douglas Peterson, 35, of Morristown, Tenn., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, Dec. 7, […]
A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court after being arrested at a local bus station carrying a duffel bag that contained more than six pounds of methamphetamine. Jose Miguel Cabrera-Arteaga, 32, a lawful permanent resident married to a United States citizen residing in Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner […]
People languishing in federal prison for decades on nonviolent drug convictions may get a new chance at justice if the U.S. Senate finds the political will to pass sentencing reform in the final weeks of the lame-duck session. Groups on both left and right on the political spectrum support the First Step Act, a series of […]
A St. Joseph man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of illegally possessing a firearm following an 11-hour standoff with law enforcement officers. Terrance T. Brown, 41, of St. Joseph, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Brown was in possession […]
A former Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department paramedic pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing fentanyl and morphine from ambulances for his own personal use. Michael L. Fostich, 37, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to obtaining a controlled substance (fentanyl and morphine) by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, and […]
An Eldon, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court to traveling to North Carolina on five occasions to engage in illicit sexual activity with a child victim over a two-year period. James Anthony Guthrie, III, 37, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of […]
A Honduran man who was arrested in Kansas City, Mo., for drunk driving was sentenced in federal court for illegally reentering the United States after having been deported eight times. Jose Salazar-Aguilar, 34, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to five years and eight months in federal prison without parole. Kansas City, […]
A prior sex offender in Fulton, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court after his mother and grandmother transported a 13-year-old child victim from Alabama to engage in illegal sexual activity with him. Michael James Collins, 21, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. Collins, who was a resident at the Community Supervision […]
A Polo, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a $4.3 million conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin throughout Clay, Ray, Clinton and Buchanan counties. Joshua K. Bowers, 34, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 25 years and 10 months in federal prison without […]
A former Lebanon, Mo., teacher pleaded guilty in federal court to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet. Brandon Hileman, 25, of Lebanon, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to the charge contained in an October 18, 2017, federal indictment. Hileman, formerly a math teacher at Joel E. Barber Junior […]
A Glenn Heights, Texas, man pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing 650 firearms from United Parcel Service trailers in Springfield, Mo., en route to Bass Pro Shops. Quinton Haywood, 27, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to the charges contained in a February 21, 2018, federal indictment. Haywood has remained in […]
The member of a violent St. Joseph, Mo., gang pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a RICO conspiracy that involved acts of murder, attempted murder, drug trafficking, and armed robberies, among other crimes, as part of a criminal enterprise. Luis Calderon-Oliveras, 27, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann […]
The captain of the duck boat that sank at Table Rock Lake last summer, resulting in the deaths of 17 people, was indicted by a federal grand jury. “Our entire community was shocked and saddened by the loss of 17 lives in this tragic event last summer,” U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison said. “Today’s indictment alleges […]
A Trenton, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in north central Missouri. Faron Wayne Lawrence, 52, of Trenton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 12 years in federal prison without parole. NITRO (the Northwest Inter-agency Team Response Operation) initiated an […]
