Former Joplin police officer to be held without bond while awaiting trial on child pornography charges

A federal judge ordered a former Joplin police officer charged with child pornography offenses held without bond following a 13-minute preliminary hearing and detention hearing this afternoon at U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri in Springfield.

Based on the information provided in the complaint, Judge David Rush ordered Gary McKinney, 43, Joplin, order of Gary McKinney Plumbing, and a former officer with the Webb City and Duquesne police departments, held for either a grand jury or other court proceedings.



Assistant U. S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller asked for McKinney to be held without bond, citing his alleged crimes with underage children and supporting information, including the transcript of a chat session in which McKinney described in graphic detail how he would chloroform an underage girl to render her unconscious, "beat the child first thing," hang her from the ceiling and orally sodomize her.

In the detention motion, Miller said Gray presented "a substantial risk to the community."


The motion also included information about McKinney's alleged conversations with Anthony Helsel, 31, Joplin, who is also being held without bond on child pornography charges and for having sex with a four-year-old girl.

McKinney expressed an interest in meeting the four-year-old and engaging in a sex act that would involve her feet.