A Mexican national who has illegally entered the United States at least seven times pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in the Kansas City, Missouri, area and in the Springfield, Missouri, area. Armando Quintana-Galaz, 37, a citizen of Mexico residing in Springfield, pleaded guilty […]
A Purdy, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm. Guadalupe Urbina-Rodriguez, 71, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Urbina-Rodriguez was found guilty at trial on March 26, 2019, of possessing methamphetamine to distribute, possessing […]
A Marshfield, Missouri, woman was sentenced in federal court for her role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine. Jami L. Deam, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to nine years in federal prison without parole. On February 6, 2019, Deam pleaded guilty to participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy […]
A Sacramento, Calif., man was sentenced in federal court for the sex trafficking of six victims. Ronald Ean Taylor, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 18 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Taylor to pay $5,000 in restitution to one of his victims, and $6,100 in […]
Historically, most of the bills passed during the Missouri Legislature’s regular session become law on August 28. Of the roughly 2,100 measures filed this year, 144 proposals made it across the finish line. Dozens of proposals become official today. Here is a snapshot of 10 key measures taking effect: Education funding In the fiscal year […]
Nine individuals, primarily from West Plains, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties. Shirley J. Hicks, 61, Raymon F. Ortega, 63, Benny D. Griffin, 57, Jose I. Gonzales, 37, Jordan W. Gutierrez, 25, and Shaun M. Ross, 39, […]
Operation Triple Beam, an initiative led by the U.S. Marshals Service to track down some of the metropolitan area’s most violent and persistent offenders, resulted in hundreds of arrests and the seizure of dozens of firearms and illegal drugs. Results of the 10-week initiative were announced today by U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison, U.S. Marshal Mark […]
Director Christopher Wray has named Timothy Langan as the special agent in charge of the Kansas City Field Office in Missouri. Mr. Langan most recently served as the acting deputy assistant director in the International Operations Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington. Mr. Langan began his career as an FBI special agent in 1998, working […]
A former Ohio University professor was sentenced in federal court for traveling to Kansas City, Missouri, to engage in sexual activity with a person whom he believed to be a 14-year-old runaway. Kevin Connor Armitage, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to two years and nine months in federal prison without […]
Probation violation hearings dominated Thursday’s docket in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court. Trenton resident Shawn Michael Yuille saw his probation revoked on an original Grundy county charge of stealing a motor vehicle in April of 2015. Yuille was sentenced to three years with the Department of Corrections with the term to run concurrently […]
This week the Department of Justice announced the nationwide recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through the FBI-led Operation Independence Day. This initiative was a month-long coordinated law enforcement effort, focused on the recovery of child sex trafficking victims and providing them with the assistance they needed. […]
A Warrensburg, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Stacy A. Lyman, 40, of Warrensburg, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 17 years and one month in federal prison without parole. Lyman was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his […]
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against two men previously charged in two area murders. Shawn Burkhalter, also known as “Deuce,” 30, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Joshua Nesbitt, also known as “T,” 25, of Crowder, Mississippi, were indicted last […]
A former postal carrier was sentenced in federal court for stealing mail from dozens of residents and for possessing methamphetamine to distribute. Brandy Manning, 40, of Liberty, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Manning to pay $3,993 in restitution. Manning, […]
A woman who hid heroin around her waist and pretended to be pregnant pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking. Perla E. Murillo, 18, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute. Law enforcement officers were conducting interdiction activities at a local bus station […]
The Highway Patrol reports the arrest of a Kirksville man in Adair County on Friday evening accusing him of several allegations. Twenty-nine-year-old Justin Brookhart was accused of felony trafficking methamphetamine, six counts of felony unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of fewer than 10 grams of marijuana, endangering the welfare of a child, and possession […]
A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court for attempting to sell about 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer after illegally reentering the United States. Javier Corona-Verduzco, 36, of Montclair, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also […]
A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for leading a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine. Christopher A. Jefferson, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Jefferson, who has two prior state convictions for distribution/delivery of a controlled substance, was sentenced […]
A Cameron, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court on Monday for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Benjamin W. Clark, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 18 years in federal prison without parole. On Feb. 4, 2019, Clark pleaded guilty to participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendants […]
Two Mexican nationals have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy that distributed more than 14 kilograms of heroin in the Kansas City, Missouri, metropolitan area, some of which is believed to have resulted in overdoses and deaths. Julian Felix-Aguirre, 46, and Martin Missael Puerta-Navarro, 38, were sentenced in separate hearings […]
