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 […]
The Northwest Missouri Workforce Development Board in partnership with North Central Missouri College has announced Brent Stevens as its new Executive Director. Brent has worked for the NWWDB since 2015 and prior to moving into the director role, served as the Program Operation Manager and the Equal Opportunity Officer. Lisa Hostetler who has served the […]
An Independence, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm that was used to shoot another man in the leg, using the victim’s own illegally-possessed firearm. William D. Fullbright, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts to being a felon in possession of a firearm. By pleading guilty, […]
Chillicothe Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Crystal Narr was recently elected to serve as President of the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Missouri (CCEM) state organization for 2021. Narr has served as Executive Director of the Chillicothe Area Chamber for over six years and previously served in the same role for Main Street Chillicothe […]
Sebrina Barrett credits Missouri 4-H for her career path in advocacy and organizational leadership. “It’s no surprise that I am running an association,” said Barrett, executive director of the Association for Community Living, an organization of not-for-profit agencies in New York State that provide housing and rehabilitation services to people with psychiatric disabilities. Barrett grew […]
Joshua Oldham was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of probation or parole for the 2017 killing of Marshall “Luke” Helm. Oldham was also sentenced to 30 years for Armed Criminal Action and 10 years for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and all sentences will run consecutively. This case was handled by the […]
The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Harrisonville man in Jackson County on November 24th on a capias warrant on failure to appear in court. Thirty-year-old Kevin Michael Miller’s original charges were tampering with a motor vehicle—first degree, stealing—all other property, and delivery of a controlled substance except 35 grams or less […]
A Missouri prisoner who was 16 when she killed a man during a meth transaction in western Missouri’s Cass County will remain in prison for now, under a key ruling Tuesday from the Missouri Supreme Court. The inmate, 41-year-old Jessica Hicklin, was sentenced in April 1997 to mandatory life without parole. Hicklin is incarcerated at […]
The North 65 Center in Trenton will not have congregate dine-in meals from November 23rd through 25th. The center will make home deliveries daily, and grab and go meals will also be offered. The holiday meal will be available on November 23rd as a grab and go and may be picked up at the front […]
A Kenyan national pleaded guilty in federal court to her role in a marriage fraud conspiracy. Fidelina Mwelu Mutisya, 61, of Winchester, Ohio, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts to one count of criminal conspiracy. By pleading guilty, Mutisya admitted that she participated in a conspiracy to enter into fraudulent marriages for […]
(Missouri Independent) – There’s no point trying to spin it: While the 2020 election was a mixed verdict nationally, with Republicans gaining congressional seats and minimizing Senate losses even as Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump, the Missouri verdict was unequivocal. It started atop the ticket with Trump’s dominance. He and Gov. Mike Parson set […]
Among cases Thursday in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court: Trenton resident Duane Ernest Harding pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, persistent offender, as of July 11th. Harding received a prison sentence of four years with the Department of Corrections. Judge Thomas Alley suspended the execution of the sentence and placed Harding on five […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a response in Judy Doe v. Michael L. Parson, defending Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s faith after it was called into question by a member of the Satanic Temple. Judy Doe, a member of the Satanic Temple, filed a motion to disqualify Justice Barrett last week. Read the […]
An inmate at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court for assaulting another inmate at the facility. Earl F. Love, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to seven years in federal prison without parole. The court ordered the sentence to be served consecutively to […]
A Missouri woman was sentenced in federal court for a Social Security and bankruptcy fraud scheme. Carol L. Dille, 68, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Dille to pay $76,601 in restitution. On Jan. 31, 2020, Dille pleaded […]
A Kansas City, Missouri man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies at area businesses. Aaron Fisher, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Wednesday, Nov. 4, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. On June 16, 2020, Fisher […]
A Missouri financial advisor was sentenced in federal court for a fraud scheme in which he stole more than $1 million from two elderly clients. Kraig Gier, 59, of Independence, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to five years and three months in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 31, 2020, Gier […]
A Missouri man pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that distributed at least 12 pounds of methamphetamine in the Joplin area, as well as to illegally possessing numerous firearms. Mark E. Burdge, 50, of Joplin, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of […]
A Newburgh, New York, man pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to produce child pornography after soliciting sexually explicit photos and videos of two 8-year-old twin sisters in Missouri. Charles Junious Adams, 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. The father […]
(Missouri Independent) – Republican Mike Parson has secured a full four-year term as Missouri’s governor, scoring victory Tuesday night over his Democratic challenger Nicole Galloway. Parson, 65, led Galloway, 38, by more than 442,000 votes with over 95 percent of the state’s precincts reporting shortly after midnight, according to the Secretary of State’s unofficial results. The […]
