Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Federal grand jury indicts Joplin man on weapons charge

A federal grand jury indicted a Joplin man today on charges of illegally transporting a firearm.

The charge against Beau Rickman, 39, stems from a December 30 traffic stop by Joplin Police Officer Adam Brannin.

The arrest is described in an affidavit included in the federal case file:

On December 30, 2016, Officer Adam Brannin conducted a traffic stop of a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu for failing to display a front license plate. The rear license plate of the car was registered to Rickman and Kerissa Wynn for a 2013 Dodge vehicle.

As Officer Brannin initiated the traffic stop, the driver appeared to be concealing something. Officer Brannin identified the driver as Rickman. Officer Brannin was familiar with Rickman, as he had recently encountered him in relation to suspicious activity related to narcotics. A female passenger, who appeared to be intoxicated, was in the front seat, and later identified as Kiley M. Carpenter.

Officer Brannin advised Rickman of the reason for the stop. Rickman appeared very nervous and Officer Branning observed Rickman's hands visibly shaking. Officer Brannon observed what appeared to be an empty black nylon holster between the driver's seat and the center console.

Rickman stated that Carpenter was intoxicated and he had just met her at a bar. Predicated upon the presence of the empty holster, Rickman was asked to exit the vehicle. Officer Brannin then frisked Rickman to ensure that he was not armed. No weapons were located on Rickman's person.

Officer Brannin explained that he was a K9 handler and asked if Rickman had anything illegal in his vehicle. Rickman responded that he did not have anything illegal in the vehicle. Rickman denied Officer Brannin's request for consent to search the vehicle. Officer Brannin then removed Rickman from the vehicle.

Officer Brannon retrieved his K9 Belgon to perform a sniff on the exterior of the vehicle. Belgon indicated to the presence of narcotics on both the front passenger and driver's doors. Belgon was allowed inside the vehicle where he showed a strong change in behavior on or around the driver's seat. Belgon was removed from the vehicle and Officer Brannin conducted a search of the vehicle, locating a black handgun under the driver's seat.

Officer Brannin, knowing Rickman was a convicted felon, left the vehicle and approached Rickman. Rickman commented that he was about to get sick and quickly stood up. Rickman was placed in handcuffs as it appeared he was going to flee. Rickman was placed in a patrol car and was not asked any questions. 

Officer Gauss, acting as Officer Brannin's backup, attempted to identify the female passenger (Carpenter, who refused to identify herself. Carpenter was detained and was found to be holding and concealing a glass smoking pipe in her hand, commonly used for smoking methamphetamine. Carpenter was later identified and confirmed to have two confirmed arrest warrants.

Officer Brannin retrieved the black handgun and identified it to be a BERSA, Model Thunder 9 Pro, 9 mm pistol, SND96611. The pistol contained a magazine loaded with nine rounds of 9 mm ammunition. A black nylon belt clip holster was found beside the driver's seat and console, and a black nylon handgun zipper case was found beside the driver's seat and door. A black and grey backpack with a black nylon holster attached to the side was located in the back seat of the vehicle. 

Located inside the backpack was male clothing and a black digital scale with a white residue. Officers located a black shoulder holster and a black pocket holster in the trunk of the vehicle.

Officers searched a woman's pink handbag located on the front passenger's side of the vehicle and located Carpenter's driver's license and a green plastic bag inside. The green plastic bag contained one green pill and a yellow plastic bag containing a crystal substance. 

A black case from inside the handbag contained two clear plastic bags one containing two rounds of .380 caliber ammunition, the other containing four rounds of .25 caliber ammunition The crystal substance from the yellow plastic bag and the smoking pipe from Carpenter both tested field positive for methamphetamine.

Rickman was transported to jail where Officer Brannin interviewed Rickman after advising him of his Miranda rights. Rickman stated he had been using methamphetamine for over two months and was using methamphetamine daily. Rickman admitted that the firearm under the seat belonged to him. Ricman stated that he had purchased it in Joplin a week prior from two males in Galena, Kansas. 

Your affiant researched Rickman 's criminal history I confirmed that Rickman was convicted of second degree murder in Kansas.

It was also determined that Rickman's gun had not been manufactured in Missouri.

A weapons charge was initially filed against Rickman in Newton County Circuit Court. Court records also indicate he is awaiting trial in Jasper County for driving while intoxicated, and for two felony burglary charges, both of which resulted from an arrest by the Carl Junction Police Department.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

thank you for the whole story beau rickman is my dad so thank you