A Maryland man was sentenced Monday to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution for defrauding a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program dedicated to rehabilitating military veterans with disabilities. According to court documents, Francis Engles, 65, of Bowie, was the owner and operator of Engles Security Training School (Engles […]
Tag: investigation
Missouri lawmakers passed a host of reforms aimed at keeping kids out of jail
(Missouri Independent) – Retired St. Louis Judge Evelyn Baker once sentenced a 16-year-old Black boy to 241 years in prison for two armed robberies. No one was seriously injured in the robberies, but the boy “didn’t express any remorse,” Baker said, remembering the sentencing hearing. Now, when she thinks back, Baker deeply regrets the sentence […]
Milan police arrest Green City man in stolen vehicle investigation
A report of a stolen utility terrain vehicle in Milan led to the arrest of a Green City man. Milan Police Chief Gail Hayes reports the police responded to the 200 block of Southeast Grandview Street on June 8th in reference to the UTV that had been taken from the victim’s front yard. During an […]
Woman charged with murder of newborn child has trial re-scheduled
A jury trial has been re-scheduled in Harrison County 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’s case was removed from the trial docket for the week of July 26th, and it is now scheduled to start October 5th. This came […]
Trenton Police Department releases information on big rig hitting stop sign at intersection of 22nd Street and Pleasant Plain
The Trenton Police Department has released information about a semi-truck with one unit hitting a stop sign at 22nd Street and Pleasant Plain on June 3rd. No injuries were reported for the driver, 77-year-old James Gruver of Kansas City. Officer Keith Edmonston reports Gruver drove the semi into a residential area following a GPS while […]
Three Russian men, one U.S. citizen indicted for $11 million tax fraud conspiracy
Three Russian men and a naturalized U.S. citizen have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to use stolen identities to file thousands of fraudulent tax returns and send much of the illegal proceeds to their co-conspirators in Russia. Alexander Pavlov, 37, and Dmitrii Shenke, 35, citizens and residents […]
Lawmakers release bipartisan report investigating January 6 Capitol attack
U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Ranking Member and Chairwoman of the Committee on Rules and Administration, and Gary Peters (Mich.) and Rob Portman (Ohio), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a bipartisan report on the security, planning, and response failures related to the violent […]
Missouri, Kansas utilities may use loophole to charge customers for fossil fuel lobbying
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri and Kansas residents’ utility bills may be helping to bankroll the energy sector lobbying against policies aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Federal and state rules prohibit utility companies from passing their lobbying costs on to customers through bills. But in both Kansas and Missouri, utilities like Evergy, Ameren, and Spire […]
Hawley calls for Fauci resignation, full investigation into COVID-19 origins
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called for Dr. Fauci’s resignation following the release of his emails and recent investigative reporting regarding the origins of COVID-19. Sen. Hawley also called for a full congressional investigation into the origins of COVID-19, including determining the NIAD’s involvement in funding research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Last week, […]
Livingston County investigation results in two arrests and recovery of stolen vehicle
Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox has released information about incidents resulting in arrests. A call of suspicious individuals in the 22000 block of LIV 443 on May 26 resulted in two arrests and the recovery of a vehicle reported as stolen from Chillicothe. Cox says three people were found on Highway Z. The sheriff’s office arrested […]
Governor Mike Parson appoints fifteen to various boards and commissions
Governor Mike Parson announced fifteen appointments to various boards and commissions. Bryan Atkins, of Rea, was appointed to the Board of Probation and Parole. Mr. Atkins served as the Sheriff of Andrew County from 2009 until his retirement in 2020. Prior to being elected sheriff, he served as a Deputy Sheriff for Andrew County. He also formerly […]
Missouri Secretary of State seeks $125,000 in penalties after company allegedly defrauds investors
The Missouri Secretary of State, Securities Division ordered Cryotherm USA, Inc., John (Jianxin) Wang, and Dennis R. Di Ricco to cease and desist after allegedly issuing more than $2 million in unregistered, non-exempt promissory notes. Between December 1, 2015, and October 31, 2020, the Florida-based Cryotherm USA allegedly sold the promissory notes through a Las Vegas, […]
Missouri State Highway Patrol now testing for new troopers
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is testing for new troopers. The Patrol is encouraging qualified individuals of all backgrounds to apply and will offer testing at nine different locations in Missouri. Those who successfully complete testing will be eligible to continue in the selection process for the 113th Recruit Class, scheduled to begin training on […]
Bill requiring Biden to declassify intelligence related to origin of COVID-19 passes senate
The United States Senate unanimously passed Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) bill to require the Biden administration to declassify intelligence related to any potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and the origins of the Covid pandemic. The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Mike Braun. In March 2020, Senator Hawley was the first member […]
Disturbance at Chillicothe business results in arrest of a man making threats with a “bladed weapon”
A report of a disturbance at a business in the 200 block of West Business Highway 36 in Chillicothe the evening of June 1st led to an arrest. Assistant Police Chief Rick Sampsel reports an investigation revealed one subject had threatened another with a bladed weapon. Forty-nine-year-old Walter Franklin Spunaugle has been charged with second-degree […]
Livingston County Sheriff’s Department receives six breath testing instruments
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded six preliminary breath testing instruments from a grant application to the Missouri Department of Transportation Highway Safety and Traffic Division. Sheriff Steve Cox reports the preliminary breath testing instruments are assigned to road patrol deputy sheriffs to assist with driving while intoxicated investigations and can be “a […]
Lawmakers demand speaker Pelosi investigate origins of COVID-19
Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) joined more than 200 colleagues today in calling on Speaker Pelosi to direct her committee chairs to look into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic started, the House of Representatives has held zero hearings on the origins of the virus and the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup. “Americans deserve […]
Former contract postal worker in Missouri pleads guilty to stealing mail
A former contractor working for the U.S. Postal Service pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to steal gift cards from the mail. Tyrone V. Read Jr., 27, of Warrensburg, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of conspiracy to possess stolen mail matter.- Read was employed […]
COVID-19 surge in north Missouri creates worries for summer as vaccinations decline
(Missouri Independent) – In the last week of April, the Linn County Health Department signaled that the COVID-19 pandemic had cooled enough that it could discontinue weekly reports on new cases. With only three active cases on April 21, the urgency for frequent updates seemed to have passed. But the coronavirus came roaring back this […]