A Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography. Marco Barraza, 28, of Springfield, Missouri was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Barraza to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration and ordered […]
A Jamesport woman has been charged with felony abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact after an alleged incident in which she assaulted her grandson the afternoon of Sunday, August 30th. Online court information shows bond was denied for 67-year-old Berthia Maurer. A probable cause statement from Deputy Loreanna Parker with the Daviess County […]
Several bills become law today that the Missouri Legislature passed during the second regular session of the 100th General Assembly. Here is a snapshot of the top bills approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Mike Parson: Partial motorcycle helmet law repeal House Bill 1963 is a sweeping transportation bill allowing motorcycle drivers 26 years and […]
A Missouri man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of a 4-year-old child victim. Anthony Leon Helsel, 32, of Joplin was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Tuesday, Aug. 25, to life in federal prison without parole. On Sept. 24, 2019, Helsel pleaded guilty to one count of […]
Local author, June Betz, has launched an exciting new book series titled Missouri Maidens. Born and raised in rural Spickard, Missouri, she attended Spickard High School. June worked on the family farm as well as a waitressing in Mrs. Vanderford’s “Ella May’s Restaurant”. When Ms. Betz was 16 years old, she moved out to California […]
A St. Joseph, Missouri, man was charged in federal court with producing, distributing, and possessing child pornography. Tyler Bradley Wirth, 31, was charged in a four-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with two counts of producing child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography over the internet, and […]
U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced today that 59 additional arrests have been made in the past week by local and federal law enforcement officers in Operation LeGend, for a total of 156 arrests since the start of the operation. Among those arrested since Aug. 1, new federal charges have been filed against six defendants, for […]
A Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for downloading and distributing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography over the internet. Rusty J. Rose, 41, of Springfield was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Rose to […]
A Kirksville woman charged with murder—first degree in Sullivan County after a child death investigation entered a plea of not guilty in Division One of Circuit Court Wednesday, August 5th. Online court information shows 28 year old Makuya Stephanie Kambamba waived formal arraignment. The case was passed to September 9th (at 9 am) for setting […]
Charges have been filed in Grundy County stemming from recent law enforcement investigations into a report of endangering the welfare of a child and a separate incident of alleged child abuse. Arrested on Friday were 25 year old Christian Reece Yuille and 22 year old Shannon Bingham – both of Trenton. They face misdemeanor charges […]
U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison announced that 97 arrests have been made by local and federal law enforcement officers in less than two weeks since the launch of Operation LeGend. “This is the impact of a targeted initiative to reduce violent crime, carried out by local and federal law enforcement working together,” Garrison said. “Many of […]
A Kirksville woman charged with first-degree murder as well as second-degree murder in Sullivan County following a child death investigation in May was bound over to Division One of Circuit Court Thursday, July 30th. Twenty-Eight-year-old Makuya Stephanie Kambamba is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday, August 5th. Kambamba has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter—first degree, involuntary […]
The University of Missouri Extension began a three-year project in March to help beef producers improve whole-herd record-keeping. MU Extension specialists in Columbia, Albany, and Savannah worked with three northwestern Missouri producers to record and compare whole-herd production data, said livestock specialist Shawn Deering. By comparing individual and herd data to regional and national standards, […]
Two, two-day jury trials have been scheduled in Linn County for a Brookfield man accused of leading law enforcement on a multi-county pursuit in February that began in Linn County and ended at Marshall. The trial for 38-year-old Matthew Guilford is to begin November 9th (at 8:30 am). The case was placed on the docket […]
A Kirksville man accused of pulling a knife on multiple individuals and threatening to kill someone in Kirksville Tuesday faces multiple charges in Adair County. 63 year old Robert McFeely has been charged with burglary—first degree, domestic assault—first degree, assault—second degree, unlawful use of a weapon—exhibiting, endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk—first […]
A Lawson man charged with 11 felony counts of abuse or neglect of a child—no sexual contact has entered a plea of not guilty in Division 3 of Ray County Circuit Court. Online court information shows Gary Wyant’s case was continued to September 2nd. He has also been charged with the felonies of tamper or […]
A Gainesville, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court to coercing and enticing a teenage victim to engage in illicit sexual activity. Tracy Todd Presson, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of the sexual exploitation of a minor and to one count of the coercion and enticement […]
County Engagement Specialist in 4-H Youth Development Shaun Murphy reports a study by Tufts University of Massachusetts shows 4-H has an impact on the lives of youth. The study was conducted over eight years and engaged more than 7,000 youth in fifth through 12th grade in annual surveys that allowed researchers to gauge trends among […]
A Kansas City, Missouri, resident was sentenced in federal court for possessing child pornography. Raul E. Villalva, also known as Isabelle Villalva, a biological male who identifies as a female (transgender woman), 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Villalva […]
A prior sex offender in Carthage, Missouri, who impregnated a 14-year-old victim, was sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of a child. Victor Alfonso Vasquez, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 33 years and nine months in federal prison without parole. On Dec. 16, 2019, Vasquez pleaded guilty […]
