A dual national of the United States and Ireland was sentenced to 324 months, or 27 years, in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for conspiracy to advertise child pornography. Eric Eoin Marques, 36, of Dublin, Ireland, pleaded guilty on Feb. 6, 2020, to conspiracy to advertise child pornography. According to court documents, between […]
A jury trial has been reset for a Kirksville woman charged with first and second-degree murder after a child death investigation in May 2020. Twenty-nine-year-old Makuya Stephanie Kambamba appeared in court in Putnam County on September 15th, and her trial is now scheduled to begin in Harrison County on March 1st, 2022. It was previously […]
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 […]
(Missouri Independent) – With several months to go before state lawmakers return for the 2022 legislative session, Republicans are promising to once again push to require photo identification to vote. Committees in the Missouri House and Senate held hearings Tuesday dominated by discussions of requiring a government-issued ID for both in-person and absentee voting. Secretary […]
(Missouri Independent) – Senate Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a revamped voting rights bill that would expand voter registration as well as create nonpartisan redistricting committees, but the measure is still likely to face an uphill battle in an evenly divided Senate. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he will bring the legislation to the floor […]
After releasing the findings of a voter fraud investigation involving two St. Charles County voters, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft went on record to make clear his intentions regarding voter integrity by announcing his plan to keep voting secure and accurate in upcoming Missouri elections while making sure no voter is turned away from the […]
A Missouri, man who was charged in two federal cases pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a $335 million scheme to defraud federal programs that award contracts to firms owned by minorities, veterans, and service-disabled veterans, and in a separate case to filing false tax returns that cheated the government out of […]
The Bethany Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance as it conducts investigations regarding motor vehicle break-ins from the weekend. The Bethany Police Department, via Facebook, says the department received a large number of calls regarding vehicles being broken into. Vehicle owners are reminded to lock their vehicles when unable to secure the vehicle inside […]
A Trenton man was placed on probation after receiving a prison sentence when he pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree statutory rape of a girl that authorities said was 15 years old at the time of the offense last year. Michael Wilson, who was 25 years old at the time of his arrest in […]
The Chillicothe Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire at 408 Grandview Street on September 8, 2021. Captain and Emergency Medical Technician Tracy Bradley says the caller reporting the fire did not believe anyone was in the vehicle. A Chillicothe Police officer on the scene said the fire was in the engine compartment. Upon arrival, […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Linn County Health Department has released a potential COVID-19 exposure advisory involving the Bell Game in Brookfield on September 3rd. As part of COVID-19 contact investigations, the health department advises anyone who attended the game to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone who feels they may have been exposed should call the Linn County […]
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 […]
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 […]
A Bucklin man charged with 43 counts of first-degree sex offenses entered a plea of not guilty on September 7, when 54-year-old Roger Cupp waived formal arraignment. The court denied bond modification at this time, and a bond hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2021. The Highway Patrol previously reported Cupp was to be held […]
A traffic stop in Caldwell County resulted in what the sheriff’s department called the arrest of one suspect following the seizure of drugs and cash. Early Sunday morning, around 2:11 am, a Caldwell County sheriff’s deputy conducted a motor vehicle stop. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 27 grams of heroin, 17 point three […]
(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 […]
Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox has released information on recent incidents involving the sheriff’s office. Cox reports the sheriff’s office assisted a conservation agent at the Grand River Access in Chillicothe on August 28th. A Polo man allegedly attempted to flee from officers, and investigation led to the arrest of that man. Online court information […]
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 […]
