A former professor at Miami University in Ohio pleaded guilty in federal court to traveling to Kansas City, Mo., to engage in sexual activity with a person whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Kevin Connor Armitage, 53, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to traveling across state lines to engage […]
A Grain Valley, Missouri, man who was already under investigation for distributing child pornography over the internet pleaded guilty in federal court to traveling to North Dakota for illicit sex with a 14-year-old child, who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Andy Earl Crook, 63, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs […]
A Harrisonville man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Robert J. Keegan, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 18 years in federal prison without parole. On Dec. 28, 2018, Keegan pleaded guilty to participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and to possessing a […]
A St. Joseph, man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm following an 11-hour standoff with law enforcement officers. Terrance T. Brown, 41, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Monday, April 22, to 10 years in federal prison without parole, which is the statutory […]
A St. Joseph, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a stolen firearm that had been used in two recent shootings. Jeremy G. Helton, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 11 years in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 4, 2019, Helton pleaded guilty to […]
A former St. Joseph, Mo., Boy Scout leader was sentenced in federal court for distributing child pornography over the internet. Michael R. Goeller, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Goeller to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. Goeller, […]
An Excelsior Springs, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing and attempting to distribute child pornography. Gabriel Valencia, Jr., 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 10 years in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 30, 2018, Valencia pleaded guilty to attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet […]
A Springfield, Missouri., man was sentenced in federal court for recording his sexual abuse of a child victim. George Ralph Pollock, 77, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 30 years in federal prison without parole. On April 3, 2018, Pollock pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child. Pollock admitted […]
Two former executives of a Springfield, Mo.-based charity and an Arkansas state senator have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a multi-million-dollar public corruption scheme that involved embezzlement, bribes and illegal campaign contributions for elected public officials in Missouri and Arkansas, announced U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison of the Western District […]
A former Pineville, Mo., youth pastor was indicted by a federal grand jury for producing child pornography. Ryan Daniel Crawford, 32, currently a resident of Jacksonville, Arkansas, was charged with producing child pornography between November 29 and December 18, 2017. Crawford was formerly the associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Pineville. The charge contained […]
A Sacramento, California, man pleaded guilty in federal court to the sex trafficking of six victims. Ronald Ean Taylor, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to six counts of the sex trafficking of an adult. By pleading guilty, Taylor admitted that he used force, fraud or coercion to cause six victims […]
A former Lebanon, Missouri, teacher was sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet. Brandon Hileman, 26, of Lebanon, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to eight years in federal prison without parole. Hileman, formerly a math teacher at Joel E. Barber Junior High School in […]
Two Mexican nationals have pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing firearms after police officers interrupted them shooting handguns in their backyard. Juan Carlos Cuevas-Alvarez, 33, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully residing in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Monday, March 11, 2019, to being an illegal […]
A Clinton, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for a $4.7 million investment fraud scheme in which he defrauded 92 investors who believed they were purchasing cattle for resale at a profit. Cameron J. Hager, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, to eight years […]
A former teacher in Cameron, Mo., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for using three minor victims to produce child pornography. William Derek Williams, 39, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. Williams formerly was a high school language […]
Three Cameron, Mo., residents are among five defendants who have pleaded guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Benjamin W. Clark, 26, of Cameron, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to the charge contained in a Nov. 16, 2017, federal indictment. Clark is the fifth defendant to […]
A Kansas City man was charged in federal court for the armed robbery of a female Z-Trip driver who was shot at least 20 times. Z-trip is a service that allows users to book rides or taxis. Derron D. Nevels, also known as “Ronnie,” 18, was charged in a two-count complaint filed in the U.S. District […]
A former Barry County, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for traveling from Missouri to Tennessee to engage in an illicit sexual relationship with a 15-year-old victim, who became pregnant and bore his child. Michael Douglas Peterson, 35, of Morristown, Tenn., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, Dec. 7, […]
A St. Joseph man has been convicted by a federal trial jury of illegally possessing a firearm following an 11-hour standoff with law enforcement officers. Terrance T. Brown, 41, of St. Joseph, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Brown was in possession […]
President Donald Trump will speak at the Project Safe Neighborhoods National Conference in Kansas City Friday. The two-and-a-half day closed event is being held at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Plaza Hotel starting Wednesday. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker will also address the National Conference, which brings together U.S. attorneys along with […]
