Ozark time share salesman sentenced to prison for tax evasion

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

An Ozark, Mo., timeshare salesman was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to evade taxation.

Ryan J. McMillin, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 18 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. McMillin was ordered to pay $460,283.00 in restitution and an additional $149,396.68 in interest.

McMillin, who pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025, admitted that he did not report income he received while employed as a timeshare salesman with four different companies from 2018 to 2023. McMillin submitted eight different forms to his employers falsely claiming exempt status during those years. Because McMillin claimed exempt status on his W-4s his employers did not withhold taxes from McMillin’s paychecks. McMillin then failed to make an income tax return or pay the $581.981 in income taxes he owed to the IRS for those six calendar years.

“This time of year, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is especially focused on investigating tax fraud. This sentence is an important victory for every taxpayer who plays by the rules, and it sends a message to those who attempt to shirk their responsibilities,” said Special Agent in Charge William Steenson, IRS-Criminal Investigation, St. Louis Field Office. “Thanks to our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, those who defraud the U.S. government through tax evasion will be held accountable.”

“Don’t become a convicted felon because you think you can get away with cheating the government on paying your fair share of taxes,” said R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Springfield woman pleads guilty to mail fraud, identity theft

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

A Springfield, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for her role in a mail fraud scheme in which false documents were submitted to the Missouri Department of Revenue to obtain mechanics liens and titles for vehicles that had previously been reported stolen.

Christie Engle, 49, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count of mail fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering.

According to the plea agreement, Engle worked as an employee for Dennis Cleveland, the owner of Affordable Towing. Cleveland directed his employees, one of which was Engle, to submit fraudulent documents to the Missouri Department of Revenue. 

The purpose of the documents was to obtain substitute or replacement mechanics liens and vehicle titles that would allow Cleveland, through Affordable Towing, to sell the vehicles. In each instance, the documents submitted by Engle, at the direction of Cleveland, claimed to have received permission from the vehicle’s owner. 

Upon reviewing the documents, it was discovered that none of the listed vehicle owners gave Engle, Cleveland, or Affordable Towing permission to seize or sell their vehicle. Further, in all these documents, a signature in the name of the vehicle’s owner was provided and was confirmed to be a forgery. In those instances that Engle was successful in obtaining a replacement lien or title at Cleveland’s direction, from the Missouri Department of Revenue, Cleveland sold the vehicles at his used car dealership. 

 In those instances that Engle was unsuccessful in obtaining a replacement title or mechanics lien at Cleveland’s direction, the vehicle was sold to a local scrapyard. Under either circumstance, Engle carried out criminal acts at Cleveland’s direction, who then took all the proceeds from the vehicle’s sale or scrapping of these vehicles for himself. Each of the vehicles involved in this scheme were confirmed to have been reported stolen and Engle, Cleveland or Affordable Towing did not have permission to possess, sell, or scrap any of these vehicles.

In December 2025, Cleveland also pleaded guilty to the same charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Under federal statutes, Engle is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for the offense of mail fraud. Further, Engle is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for the offense of money laundering. Finally, Engle is subject to a sentence of 2 years, to run consecutively to the mail fraud and money laundering, for the offense of aggravated identity theft. 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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney It was investigated by the Missouri Department of Revenue, Compliance and Investigation Bureau, the United States Post Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Springfield man sentenced for firearms violation

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

A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms.

Aaron Wayne Williams, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 104 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by an additional three years of supervised release.

Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 27, 2025. Williams has previous felony convictions for domestic assault in the third degree, attempted burglary in the first degree, property damage motivated by discrimination in the second degree, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon.

On Jan. 8, 2025, Springfield, Mo., Police Department officers contacted Williams after observing Williams sleeping in his running vehicle in the parking lot of the Kum & Go located at 2963 East Division Street. Officers observed a Ruger, Mini 14, semiautomatic rifle beside Williams as he slept. Officers woke Williams up and removed him from the vehicle. After a search of the vehicle, officers found three additional firearms on Williams and in the vehicle: a Taurus, G2S, 9mm pistol; an HS Produkt, XD, .40 caliber pistol; and a Star, 9mm pistol. Officers also located suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, loose ammunition, and additional firearm magazines in the vehicle. When law enforcement interviewed Williams, he admitted that he was under the influence of controlled substances when he was contacted by the Springfield Police Department officers.

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

Retired Springfield firefighter killed in 3-vehicle accident

(From the Springfield Police Department)

Willis King, 57, died this morning in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 65.

This was Springfield’s first fatal vehicle crash in 2026.

King retired from the Springfield Fire Department in 2018 as a fire equipment operator. He served the Springfield community for 24 years.

Incident details

On Jan. 20, 2026, 7:54 a.m., officers with the Springfield Police Department responded to a three-vehicle crash in the 1600 block of North U.S. Highway 65.

Willis King, 57, of Fordland, was northbound in a 2008 Buick Lacrosse and hit the back of a 2014 Dodge Ram driven by Robert Caton, 34, of Nixa, then left the roadway to the right. The initial impact caused the Dodge to hit a 2021 Ford Explorer driven by Alyssa Tapio, 35, of Rogersville.

King was transported to the hospital where he died. King’s family has been notified.

The circumstances of the crash are part of an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information should contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477) or online a p3tips.com.

Springfield man sentenced for fentanyl trafficking, weapons charge

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

A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for fentanyl distribution and illegally possessing firearms.

Darius Burnett, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to a total sentence of 13 years in federal prison without parole.

Burnett pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 8, 2025.

On Nov. 8, 2023, investigators with the ATF, DEA, and Springfield Police Department executed a search warrant at Burnett’s residence. During the search of Burnett’s apartment and vehicle, officers located four loaded semi-automatic pistols, including two with extended magazines, body armor, ammunition, marijuana, over 1,000 pills containing fentanyl, and $78,935.80 in cash. In an interview, the defendant described himself as the “top dude” in Springfield, Missouri, for fentanyl sales, stated that he was purchasing 5,000 pills a month from a source in St. Louis, Missouri, and admitted that the cash located by law enforcement were drug proceeds.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.