Marijuana leaf

Audio: Missouri medical marijuana-related businesses recover money seized by government

A Missouri police chief once called asset forfeiture “pennies from heaven” It’s a rule that allows the government to seize the property of a person who has not even been charged with a crime.  That includes an armored car carrying money from legal Missouri businesses.     The federal government has agreed to return more […]

Jamal Ghazai booking photo courtesy Caldwell County Jail

Lathrop man arrested after pursuit by authorities for marijuana grow operation

The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Department reports a man was taken into custody after a short pursuit on April 5th as a result of the discovery of an illegal homegrown marijuana operation Forty-two-year-old Jamal Ghazai of Lathrop has been charged with felonies of possession of a controlled substance and manufacture of 35 grams or less of […]

Fentanyl Graphic

DEA warns of increase in mass-overdose events involving deadly fentanyl

The Drug Enforcement Administration sent a letter to federal, state, and local law enforcement partners warning of a nationwide spike in fentanyl-related mass-overdose events. Administrator Anne Milgram outlined the current threat and offered DEA support to law enforcement officers responding to these tragic incidents. “Fentanyl is killing Americans at an unprecedented rate,” said DEA Administrator […]

Man with fingers through fence also immigration or immigrants

Biden administration to halt pandemic policy blocking migrants who claim asylum

(Missouri Independent) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that the government will terminate a Trump-era policy that prevented migrants from claiming asylum during a health crisis, including the coronavirus pandemic. The policy will end on May 23, the CDC wrote in its notice. “There is no longer a serious danger that the […]

Dog fight or Dogfighting news graphic

Defendant sentenced to 3 years in prison for multistate dogfighting conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms

A Virginia resident was sentenced today to 37 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to federal charges resulting from a lengthy investigation into a significant multi-state dogfighting conspiracy. According to court documents, Raymond L. Johnson, 41, of Henrico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in an […]

Armed Robbery Graphic

Missouri man and woman indicted for armed robbery of banks and businesses

A Missouri, man and woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to commit armed robbery at four businesses and two banks in six different cities. Drake Adam Stockton-Kenney, 30, of Columbia, and Mary Catherine Sumpter, 28, of Moberly, were charged in an eight-count indictment returned under seal […]

Child Porn Charges

Missouri man pleads guilty after being caught discussing plans online to sexually abuse a child

A Kansas City, Missouri, man who was caught discussing plans online to sexually abuse a child pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing child pornography. Joshua Evan Lilley, 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of distributing child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography over the internet. […]

Charges Filed news graphic

Missouri man charged with producing and distributing child pornography

A Missouri, man has been charged in federal court with producing and distributing child pornography. Andrew J. McCardie, 35, of Farley, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Monday, March 7, with one count of producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography […]

Life in Prison News Graphic

Judge sentences man to life in prison for being the leader of a large-scale fentanyl distribution conspiracy

Gerald Hunter, 56, of Los Angeles, appeared before United States District Judge John A. Ross and was sentenced to life in federal prison.  Hunter was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, […]

Fentanyl Graphic

Missouri man pleads guilty to distribution of fentanyl related to overdose death investigation

United States District Court Judge John A. Ross accepted a plea of guilty from Markquis Bryant for the crime of distribution of a controlled substance related to an overdose death.  Judge Ross set sentencing for June 14, 2022. According to the plea agreement, Bryant knowingly and intentionally distributed a controlled substance on or about March […]

Meth with police banner

Missouri man sentenced to 13 years in prison without parole for meth conspiracy

A Missouri man was sentenced in federal court after law enforcement officers seized more than two kilograms of methamphetamine from his residence. Walter M. Terrell, 37, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years in federal prison without parole. On Sept. 1, 2021, Terrell pleaded guilty to one count […]

Illegal Firearms and firearm theft

Missouri gun store owner pleads guilty to selling machine gun components, faces 10 years in prison

The owner of a Missouri gun store pleaded guilty in federal court to selling components to convert firearms into machine guns, which he marketed on his website as “cell phone holders.” Charles Lee Weston, 37, of Kansas City, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays […]

Department of Homeland Security website

Coalition of 13 attorneys general call for resignation of Alejandro Mayorkas’ at Department of Homeland Security

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, along with 13 other attorneys general are calling for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ resignation. In a letter, citing the continued failure to enforce federal law and secure the southwest border, the coalition of 14 state attorneys general is demanding that Secretary Mayorkas leave office as his […]