Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Willard, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his role in a $1.9 million conspiracy to distribute synthetic drugs through his business in Battlefield, Mo.
John Waddell, 49, of Willard, was charged in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. Waddell and his wife owned and operated Bilbo’s Earth Store at 4032 W. Lark, Suite #F in Battlefield under their company Johrri Enterprises, LLC.
The federal indictment alleges that Waddell participated in a conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue in Greene County, Mo., from April 1, 2011, to Sept. 25, 2013. Waddell is also charged with maintaining a place in Battlefield, Mo., for the purpose of distributing a controlled substance analogue and with possessing several firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Waddell was allegedly in possession of a Springfield Armory .40-caliber pistol, a Bersa 9mm pistol and a Springfield Armory 9mm pistol.
The indictment also charges Waddell with one count of money laundering and two counts of structuring a currency transaction to evade reporting requirements.
The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations, which would require Waddell to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged violations or any property used to commit the alleged violations, including $1,928,204 (which represents the amount involved in the conspiracy); Waddell’s residential property in Willard; Waddell’s commercial property in Springfield; 83 electric, acoustic and bass guitars; a five-piece drum set; dozens of speakers and amplifiers; several guitar cases; three pistols; $32,271 seized from Waddell’s residence; a certificate of deposit in the amount of $100,000; $216,535 in the bank accounts of Johrri Enterprises, LLC, dba Bilbo's Earth Store, and $1,323 in Waddell’s bank account.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cindy Hyde. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, COMET (the Combined Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team), the Food and Drug Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
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