Springfield domestic disturbance ends with death of Arkansas man in officer-involved shooting

(From the Springfield Police Department)

On January 28, 2022, at 6:54 p.m., officers were dispatched to 1004 E. McDaniel #6 for a domestic disturbance where a man was armed with a gun. When officers arrived, they confirmed a woman and her children were inside the apartment, along with a male subject armed with a gun. 

The woman was not able to speak freely to officers, and it appeared she and her children were in immediate danger. The officers forced entry to the apartment and engaged the male, resulting in an officer shooting the suspect. 

Officers performed life-saving measures on the suspect, but he succumbed to his injuries on scene. The woman and her children were not injured, nor were any officers injured during this incident.

The deceased male has been identified as Mitchell R. Hooe, 28, from Arkansas. Next of kin notifications have been made to his family.

The Springfield Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division is investigating this incident and the case will be presented to the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

Detectives are asking anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477).

This incident marks Springfield’s first homicide for 2022.

Seven Springfield, Rogersville residents indicted for transporting stolen catalytic converters across state lines

 

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

Seven Rogersville, Missouri, and Springfield, Mo., residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to transport thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines as part of a multi-million-dollar business.

“A scourge of catalytic converter thefts on a breathtaking scale had a significant impact on the Springfield community over the past two years,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. 

“Not only were numerous individual car owners victimized, but several non-profit organizations and churches were also victimized. We worked closely with our law enforcement partners to shut down this criminal conspiracy and bring those responsible to justice.”

Evan Marshall, 24, and Camren Davis, 24, both of Rogersville, and Cody Ryder, 30, Leslie Ice, 37, his wife, Danielle Ice, 33, Eric Kaltenbach, 37, and Enx Khoshaba, 29, all of Springfield, were charged in a four-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The superseding indictment replaces the indictment returned against Marshall on Nov. 17, 2021, and includes additional charges and defendants. The superseding indictment was unsealed and made public today.

“The Springfield Police Department is pleased to see the end result of a two-year investigation into a series of crimes that has touched every aspect of our community,” said Chief Paul Williams. “Our citizens have not only suffered the inconvenience of all things associated with being a victim of these crimes, but also suffered significant financial losses. The dedicated professionals who worked tirelessly on behalf of the many citizens and organizations impacted by the theft of catalytic converters are to be commended.”

“Organized criminal activity, such as this, is extremely costly to victims, taxpayers and the economy as a whole,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Katherine Greer. “Oftentimes, these types of crimes fund larger, more egregious, criminal enterprises that put the community at a greater risk. HSI, and our law enforcement partners, are working every day to disrupt these criminal organizations and bring those who look to profit from these stolen goods to justice.”

“This case is an example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together and I am thankful for our partnership with the Springfield Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office,” said Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson.

The federal indictment charges all seven defendants with participating in a conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines from Dec. 12, 2019, to Oct. 15, 2021.

Catalytic converters, which are exhaust emission control devices mandated for all cars and trucks, contain metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium that can be recycled. According to the indictment, Marshall bought junk vehicles and scrapped them out for several years prior to 2019, when he started a company, identified as Company D, to provide the appearance of a legitimate business for his purchase, transportation, and sale of stolen catalytic converters.

In the fall of 2019, two co-owners of a firm identified in the indictment as Company C, located in Mountain Home, Arkansas, asked Marshall to buy catalytic converters from the Springfield area and sell them to their company. Company C purchased and sold automotive cores, which refers to automotive parts that can be recycled, including catalytic converters. In addition to selling them catalytic converters from junk vehicles he had purchased from salvage yards, the indictment says, Marshall began to buy stolen catalytic converters from co-conspirators and sell them to Company C.

The owners of Company C purchased tens of thousands of catalytic converters from Marshall from December 2019 through October 2021. According to the indictment, Marshall received more than $6.8 million from Company C, which was, in part, payment for stolen catalytic converters. Marshall loaded between 800 and 1,200 catalytic converters onto trailers and transported them to Company C approximately every two to three weeks. The transports allegedly included stolen catalytic converters.

Marshall allegedly withdrew more than $6.4 million in cash from his bank account, which he used, in part, to promote future purchases of stolen catalytic converters. Marshall provided Davis, Ryder, and others with thousands of dollars in cash to promote future purchases of stolen catalytic converters during the conspiracy.

The owners of Company C sold the catalytic converters they purchased from Marshall to another firm, identified in court documents as Company A, located in Cherry Valley, Ark., which purchased and sold automotive cores, including catalytic converters. Company A paid the owners of Company C $3,247,135 between Dec. 4, 2019, and July 14, 2020. At that point, Company A began selling the catalytic converters they purchased from Marshall to another firm, identified in court documents as Company B, located in Farmington, Mo., which purchased automotive cores, including catalytic converters. Between June 2020 and October 2021, Company B paid Company C more than $18 million. According to the indictment, approximately 32 percent of the catalytic converters Company C sold to Company A and Company B were purchased from Marshall.

On July 5, 2021, Marshall allegedly purchased stolen catalytic converters from an undercover agent and paid $1,030.

On Oct. 15, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Marshall’s residence and seized 67 firearms and $125,000 in cash. The prior evening or morning of the search, however, Marshall learned of the impending law enforcement action and moved 197 catalytic converters from his residence to another location in order to conceal the catalytic converters from law enforcement.

Marshall has remained in federal custody without bond since his arrest on the original criminal complaint, which was filed on Oct. 20, 2021.

According to the indictment, Davis and Ryder worked for Marshall and allegedly bought stolen catalytic converters on Marshall’s behalf. In February 2021, Davis started a new company, referred to in the indictment as Company E, which purchased and sold automotive cores, including catalytic converters.

The indictment alleges that Leslie Ice, Danielle Ice, Kaltenbach, Khoshaba, and others stole catalytic converters from vehicles in the Springfield area and elsewhere, and sold the stolen catalytic converters to Marshall, Davis, or Ryder.

In addition to the conspiracy, Marshall and Davis each are charged with one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Marshall is also charged with one count of possessing an unregistered firearm, a Springfield .410-gauge short-barrel shotgun with no serial number that was seized by law enforcement officers during their search of his residence.

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 Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon T. Kempf and Megan W. Chalifoux. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Greene County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney.

Springfield man killed in crash at intersection of Battlefield and 65

(From the Springfield Police Department)

Springfield police were dispatched to the intersection of U.S. Highway 65 and Battlefield Road at 2:55 p.m., on January 23, 2022, regarding a single-vehicle crash.

The initial investigation indicated a 2011 Honda Element was traveling south from Battlefield on the on-ramp to merge onto U.S. Highway 65. The vehicle left the roadway, crossed an embankment to the west, and struck a concrete sound barrier. The driver later died at the hospital.

The driver, and only occupant, was identified as John M. Ferguson, a 58-year-old male from Springfield. Mr. Ferguson's family has been notified.

Officers with the department's Traffic Section are continuing to investigate the circumstances involved in the crash and are asking anyone who has additional information to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810.

This crash marks the first traffic fatality in Springfield in 2022.

Springfield Police searching for missing person

(From the Springfield Police Department)

The Springfield Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing person.

Joseph D. Sparks is an 38-year-old white male. He is 5'10" tall, 185 lbs, with brown eyes and brown hair. His head is currently shaved. He has sleeve tattoos on both arms.

He suffers from diagnosed mental illness.

He was last seen the evening of Monday, January 24, 2022, at the Veterans Coming Home Center, 806 N. Jefferson Ave.

Anyone with information relating to his whereabouts should call 911 or the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477).

German national sentenced for meth trafficking in Springfield area

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A German national was sentenced in federal court today for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing firearms.

Manuel Poludenyj, 36, of Springfield, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 23 years in federal prison without parole.

On June 24, 2021, Poludenyj pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Poludenyj’s residence on Jan. 3, 2019. In a bedroom, officers found a bag that contained 47.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, a stolen Ruger .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine, and a stolen New England Firearms 12-gauge short-barrel shotgun. Officers also found a paint can with a false bottom in the bedroom, which contained 92.5 grams of methamphetamine, 24.09 grams of cocaine, and 1.69 grams of fentanyl. Poludenyj had $625 in cash in his pocket.

Poludenyj has a criminal history that includes five felony convictions and 32 misdemeanor convictions. Among those convictions are acts of violence towards women, police officers, and others, as well as drug-trafficking offenses. Poludenyj was on state supervision at the time of this federal offense.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Springfield police release name of man who died while in custody

(From the Springfield Police Department)

The Springfield Police Department has located and notified the family of the man who died after being arrested by Springfield Police on January 22, 2022.

The deceased is Tymel Bowman, 43, of Springfield, Missouri. Officers arrested Bowman for an outstanding Greene County, Missouri, warrant for 4th Degree Assault of a Special Victim (police officer).

Detectives continue to investigate and are asking anyone who has information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810.

Earlier news release

On January 22, 2022, at 8:27 p.m., Officers were dispatched to 949 S. Grant, Casey’s, in reference to a check person call. Officers arrived on scene and contacted two males rummaging through the trash dumpster on the parking lot.

Officers discovered one of the men had an outstanding warrant. He was placed under arrest but immediately resisted when Officers attempted to place him in handcuffs. During the struggle, an Officer deployed their Taser, but it was ineffective. The man then produced a knife, but the Officers were able to knock it away from him.

The man escaped their grasp and ran northbound on Grant. Officers chased him on foot, caught him, and attempted a second Taser deployment, but it was ineffective. Officers continued to struggle with the man, and he attempted to pull a second knife from his waistband. Additional Officers arrived on scene to assist, and he was finally subdued and taken into custody.

Prior to being booked into the jail, the man was transported by ambulance to a local hospital to be medically cleared. While enroute to the hospital, the man stopped breathing and paramedics began CPR. However, those efforts were not successful, and he died at the hospital.

Officers are attempting to identify next of kin to notify them of his death.

El Dorado Springs residents killed in rollover crash

Two El Dorado Springs residents were killed in a one-vehicle accident 3:29 p.m. Friday on U. S. 54, two miles east of El Dorado Springs.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2010 Pontiac Vibe driven by Teri L. Hamilton, 65, El Dorado Springs, traveled off the right side of the road, became airborne, struck an embankment and overturned on its top in a creek.

Cedar County Coroner Frank Brumfield pronounced Hamilton dead 4:42 p.m.

A passenger, Bobby M. Hamilton, 68, El Dorado Springs, was pronounced dead by Dr. Morrison at Citizens Memorial Hospital, Bolivar at 4:42 p.m.

The fatalities were the fourth and fifth this year for Highway Patrol Troop D.

Forsyth city clerk charged with felony stealing after state audit discovers thousands missing

(From State Auditor Nicole Galloway)

Carla D. Combs, a former utility clerk for the city of Forsyth, has been charged with one felony count of stealing by the Taney County Prosecuting Attorney for allegedly misappropriating $2,000 in utility deposits from the city. 

An audit last year by State Auditor Nicole Galloway uncovered that the money was missing between May 2019 and November 2019. The audit helped form the basis for the probable cause statement filed by the Taney County Sheriff's Department.

 

"The audits from my office have led to 80 criminal charges over the last seven years against public officials and have been an invaluable tool to fight fraud and corruption," Auditor Galloway said. "I'm proud of the work done by our Public Corruption and Fraud Division to uncover the missing funds and to work with local law enforcement to bring justice for the citizens of Forsyth."

In December 2021, the State Auditor's Office issued a follow-up report on Forsyth to measure progress made on the 12 recommendations of the original audit, which had given a rating of "poor." The follow-up report found that city officials had either implemented or were in the process of implementing all of the recommendations. Auditor Galloway said she was encouraged the city was taking the steps to better protect taxpayer resources, and that their action was another sign that audits get results.

 

Springfield man sentenced to 13 years for meth trafficking, illegal firearm

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Springfield, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.

Jason A. Hamann, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 13 years and five months in federal prison without parole.

On June 23, 2020, Hamann pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Dec. 8, 2018, to April 18, 2019, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers executed a search warrant at a salvage yard in Lebanon, Mo., on Dec. 8, 2018. Hamann was present during the search and was detained by troopers. During the search, troopers found a backpack on the front passenger seat of Hamann’s truck. That backpack contained 11 baggies of methamphetamine and an SCCY 9mm firearm. Troopers also found a Craftsman tool bag in the floorboard of the truck that contained five more firearms, and a zippered bag that contained $11,280. In the bed of the truck, troopers found a plastic tote that contained three vacuum-sealed bags and two Ziploc-style bags with a total of approximately five pounds of methamphetamine.

Hamann was arrested again on April 18, 2019, while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at a Springfield residence. Hamann had a baggie in his front left jacket pocket that contained approximately 37 grams of methamphetamine.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Sarff and Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Nixa woman pleads guilty to meth trafficking

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Nixa, Missouri, woman who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase at night with no headlights pleaded guilty in federal court today to trafficking methamphetamine.

Gina N. Nunez, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

By pleading guilty today, Nunez admitted that she was in possession of methamphetamine found in her vehicle after she led officers on a high-speed chase over two stop strips before crashing her vehicle and being arrested.

A sergeant with the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop Nunez, who was driving a gray Honda on U.S. Highway 65, a few minutes before midnight on June 27, 2021. She was driving approximately 17 to 32 miles per hour on the highway and crossing over the center line. Nunez waved at the officer as he followed her with his emergency lights and siren on for approximately three minutes. Nunez then accelerated to speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour northbound on U.S. Highway 65 to the Finley River bridge, where Ozark, Mo., police officers had positioned spike strips. Nunez continued travelling at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, without headlights, into Greene County.

The Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department deployed a spike strip near U.S. Highway 65 and Chestnut Expressway. Nunez continued northbound on U.S. Highway 65 at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. At approximately 12:16 a.m., Nunez exited the highway onto Interstate 44 and crashed into the guardrail. Her vehicle was disabled, and she was arrested.

Law enforcement officers searched Nunez’s vehicle and found six plastic bags in the front passenger floorboard that contained a total of 126 grams of pure methamphetamine.

Under federal statutes, Nunez is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Nixa, Mo., Police Department, and the Ozark, Mo., Police Department.

Taney County man sentenced to 25 years for sexual exploitation of children

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Merriam Woods Village, Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of children.

Mark Nicholas Cobb, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Friday, Jan. 7, to 25 years in federal prison without parole.

On June 23, 2021, Cobb pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Cobb admitted that he received and distributed child pornography.

Investigators received several CyberTips regarding Cobb from different sources. On Sept. 16, 2017, a private citizen contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to report that his 9-year-old daughter had been contacted by Cobb through Secretchattalktostrangers, a communication and social media application. On March 5, 2019, Facebook reported a Facebook Messenger chat session that contained possible images of child pornography. On Dec. 17, 2019, Google reported a file of possible child pornography stored in Cobb’s Google Photos account. Investigators confirmed the images were child pornography.

On Feb. 25, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Cobb’s residence. Investigators found a video and images of child pornography on Cobb’s cell phone. Some of the images and the video were pornographic images and video that depicted Cobb and included children.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.

Pierce City woman killed in crash on 97

A Pierce City woman was killed in a one-vehicle accident 1:20 p.m. Thursday on MO 97, two miles north of Pierce City.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2007 Nissan Titan driven by Julie A Caldwell, 54, Pierce City, traveled off the roadway and overturned.

A passenger, an 11-year-old boy, was treated for minor injuries at Mercy Joplin.

The fatality was the second this year for Highway Patrol Troop D.

 

California trucker charged with involuntary manslaughter following fatal collision on I-44

A California man was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the second degree following a fatal two-vehicle collision 9:10 p.m. Wednesday on westbound 1-44 in Mount Vernon.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 20189 Freightliner Cascadia driven by Dianwen Feng, 56, La Puente, California, struck the rear of a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder driven by Marvin David Hernandez Soto, 27, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

A passenger in the Soto vehicle, Luis Javianne Pacheco Lopez, 25, Tulsa, was ejected and pronounced dead by Dr. Bransetter at Mercy Springfield at 10:09 p.m.

Soto was treated for moderate injuries at Mercy Joplin.

The fatality was the first this year for Highway Patrol Troop D.