Thursday, May 25, 2017

Joplin residents, Lamar man indicted on meth conspiracy, trafficking charges

A federal grand jury indictment charges three Joplin residents and a Lamar man with meth trafficking, conspiracy to distribute meth and using a cell phone in the commission of a felony.

Those charged were Katherine A. Stein, 27, Joplin, Torrey L. Nigro, 26, Joplin, Adrian K. Gire, 31, Lamar, and Brice J. Bresee, 36, Joplin.

The crimes allegedly occurred between May 10 and May 12, 2016, according to court records.

This marks the second time the four have been indicted on charges connected with this alleged conspiracy.

The U. S. Attorney for the Southwest District of Missouri issued the following news release November 14, 2016:

Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that nine southwest Missouri residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in relation to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper County, Mo.

Donald B. Loomis, 34, Katherine A. Stein, 26, Torrey L. Nigro, 25, Brice J. Bresee, 36, and Kelly C. Walker, 25, all of Joplin, Mo.; Alisha D. Courtney, 46, and Terrance E. Romero, 41, both of Webb City, Mo.; Adrian K. Gire, 30, of Lamar, Mo.; and Lisa M. Allison, 38, of Neosho, Mo., were charged in a 16-count indictment returned under seal on Nov. 2, 2016. That indictment has been unsealed and made public following the arrests and initial court appearances of the defendants.

The federal indictment alleges that Loomis, Stein, Walker, Courtney and Romero participated in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in Jasper County from March 1, 2015, to Sept. 24, 2016.

The indictment also alleges that Stein, Nigro, Bresee and Gire participated in a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Jasper County from May 10 to May 12, 2016.

In addition to the conspiracies, the indictment charges Stein, Nigro, Bresee and Gire together in one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and in one count of using cell phones to facilitate the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Romero is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Romero allegedly was in possession of an F.I.E. Corp. Titan .25-caliber handgun on June 1, 2016.

Courtney is also charged with four counts of distributing methamphetamine.

Walker is also charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Stein and Allison (who is not charged in either of the drug-trafficking conspiracies) are charged together in one count of distributing methamphetamine and in one count of using a cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Webb City, Mo., Police Department, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Newton County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

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