A Missouri man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of illegally possessing a firearm. Jeremiah Ezekiel Brown, 36, of Columbia, was found guilty on Monday, Sept. 20, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brown was arrested by a Columbia police detective during a traffic stop on Nov. 24, 2020. The […]
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Missouri trucker sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole, for transporting minors across state lines and sexually assaulting them
A Missouri, truck driver was sentenced in federal court for transporting two Missouri teenagers across state lines and sexually assaulting them. Cleveland Lee Crumsey, 38, of Republic Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Crumsey to spend the rest of his […]
Missouri business owner who stole from customers, in $4 million fraud scheme, sentenced to 5 years in prison for $768,000 tax evasion
A Missouri business owner who engaged in a $4 million scheme to defraud his customers was sentenced in federal court for tax evasion after failing to pay more than $768,000 in state and federal taxes. “Not only did this defendant steal millions of dollars from his customers, but he stole from the public by evading […]
Former paraprofessional at Missouri high school sentenced to 22 years in prison for producing child pornography
A former paraprofessional at Blue Springs High School was sentenced in federal court for producing and distributing child pornography. Steven B. Allen, 46, of Independence, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 22 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Allen to spend the rest of his life on […]
Mississippi man sentenced to seven years in prison for smuggling meth and heroin aboard train in Missouri
A Mississippi man was sentenced in federal court for transporting more than five pounds of methamphetamine and nearly three pounds of heroin through Kansas City, Missouri, en route to St. Louis, Mo. Willie Lewis Braison, 48, of Jonesboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to seven years and three months in federal […]
Missouri woman sentenced to 15 years in prison without parole for meth conspiracy
A Missouri woman was sentenced in federal court for her role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine. Cassidy R. Clayton, 25, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. On Oct. 31, 2019, Clayton pleaded guilty to participating in the drug-trafficking […]
Man from Chula charged with sexual misconduct after exposing himself to restaurant employee
Chillicothe Police Chief Jon Maples says officers located a suspect vehicle on September 7th regarding a call on September 3rd about someone in a restaurant drive-through exposing himself to an employee. The alleged incident happened in the 1000 block of South Washington Street. Maples says a 37-year-old man was arrested for sexual misconduct after officers […]
Virginia’s black farmers push lawmakers to provide debt relief, end lawsuits delaying USDA loan forgiveness
Farmers of color are urging Congress to end a slew of lawsuits delaying a loan-forgiveness program designed to make amends for years of loan discrimination against minority farmers. White farmers are claiming in court Congress’s $4 billion debt relief for Black farmers, part of a COVID-19 stimulus package, amounts to reverse discrimination. John Boyd Jr., president of […]
New York man sentenced to 13 years in prison for sending child pornography to a man in Liberty, Missouri
A New York man was sentenced in federal court for sending images and videos of child pornography to a Liberty, Missouri man who in turn used them to harass the child victim. Joseph J. Balio, 36, of Utica, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 13 years and nine months in federal […]
Missouri woman pleads guilty to sex trafficking a child, faces 15 years in prison
A Missouri woman pleaded guilty in federal court to her role in the sex trafficking of a child. Danna Marie Rodriguez, 36, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of the sex trafficking of a minor. By […]
Seven die in traffic crashes over Labor Day holiday weekend
Seven people died in traffic crashes during the 2021 Labor Day holiday weekend. Last year, there were 18 fatalities. The 2021 counting period for the Labor Day holiday ran from 6 p.m., Friday, September 3, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, September 6. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following enforcement activity during the 2021 Labor […]
Roadblocks facing Kevin Strickland’s innocence claim is nothing new for Missouri
(Missouri Independent) – Kevin Strickland was hopeful Thursday was going to be his first step towards freedom after 40 years in prison. A new law that went into effect on Aug. 28 gave Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker a legal avenue to free Strickland, who she says is innocent and wrongly incarcerated. But opposition […]
Investigation into illegal dumping at Route A bridge in Grundy County continues
Grundy County authorities continue to investigate what is being described as an illegal trash dumping incident into the Weldon River at the Route A bridge in the northwest part of the county. On Thursday afternoon, Sheriff Rodney Herring and Deputies Cox and Ratliff were able to collect and remove the trash, including a refrigerator plus […]
Child Passenger Safety Week is September 15 through 21
The Missouri State Highway Patrol joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Safety Council, Safe Kids Worldwide, and other safety advocates to commemorate National Child Passenger Safety Week which is September 15-21, 2021. The primary goal of this program is to remind all parents and other adults responsible for children traveling in motor […]
Two from Missouri plead guilty to meth trafficking
Two Missouri residents have pleaded guilty in federal court to methamphetamine trafficking after they received a large package of methamphetamine shipped from California to distribute locally. Bryan Patton Tullous, 39, of Columbia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Co-defendant Cassiopeia Marie Blaise, 36, […]
Grundy County Sheriff’s Department investigates illegal trash dump in river
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports it is investigating an illegal trash dump into the Weldon River at the Route A bridge in northwest Grundy County. A refrigerator and several bags of trash were allegedly dumped over the bridge into the river. Anyone with information is asked to call the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office at […]
Missouri man sentenced to 15 years in prison without parole for meth trafficking and illegal firearm
A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm. Maxwell L. Fleming, 25, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. On April 7, 2021, Fleming pleaded guilty to one count […]
Missouri man pleads guilty to marijuana grow operation and dozens of illegal firearms
A Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court to growing marijuana and illegally possessing dozens of firearms. Darrin Dale Smithee, 55, of Auxvasse, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps Jr. to one count of manufacturing marijuana and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Sept. 21, 2018, […]