(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, recognized six local and federal law enforcement officers for their work on significant investigations as recipients of the 2025 Guardian of Justice Award.
The award recipients were honored on Aug. 21, 2025, during the 23rd Annual Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee Training Seminar in Springfield, Mo. The prestigious law enforcement award is presented annually by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Isaac McPheeters was recognized for his investigation of two members of the self-styled 2nd American Militia who conspired to go “to war with border patrol.” The conspiracy to murder Border Patrol officers and immigrants was thwarted after one of the conspirators attempted to murder FBI agents by firing at them as they executed a search warrant on the eve of their planned trip to the United States – Mexico border.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent Jerry Wine, along with ATF Task Force Officers David Schroeder (Greene County Sheriff’s Office), Justin Gargus (Christian County Sheriff’s Office), Eric Pinegar (Springfield Police Department), and Evan Nicholson (Springfield Police Department) were recognized for their efforts in reducing violent gun crime and gang activity in the Springfield, Mo. area.
“I would like to congratulate and commend the agents and task force officers for their effort on these investigations. As a result of their hard work and dedication, these violent individuals are off the streets and citizens of the Western District are safer,” said U.S. Attorney Price.
Conspiracy to Murder Border Patrol
After a two-week jury trial in October and November 2024, Bryan C. Perry, of Clarksville, Tenn., and Jonathan S. O’Dell, of Warsaw, Mo., were found guilty of their 2022 conspiracy to murder officers and employees of the United States government. They also were found guilty of seven counts of the attempted murder of FBI special agents, seven counts of assaulting FBI special agents with a deadly weapon, three counts of assaulting FBI special agents, 14 counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of damaging federal property.
Perry was also found guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing body armor by a violent felon, and one count of threatening to injure another person. Additionally, O’Dell was found guilty of one count of threatening to injure another person and pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing a firearm while subject to a court order of protection, one count of making a false statement to a federal agent, and one count of escaping from custody. O’Dell and Perry are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, 2025.
Special Agent McPheeters coordinated with numerous local and federal agencies in Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, at various stages of the complex investigation. When O’Dell escaped from custody in October 2023, Special Agent McPheeters and the FBI coordinated a wide-ranging search with numerous law enforcement agencies across the state of Missouri resulting in O’Dell’s apprehension within 48 hours.
“Violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated and recognition of the work to stop these individuals from carrying out their planned attack is greatly appreciated. The FBI will do everything it can to ensure the safety and security of all law enforcement from danger,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus.
Springfield Area Gun Violence
In November 2021, the ATF started investigating numerous shooting incidents including drive-by shootings and homicides in the Springfield, Mo., area involving juveniles and young adults. The shootings were in neighborhoods or crowded areas, endangering innocent citizens. Using crime gun data, social media profiles, and police reports, the ATF was able to identify multiple suspects responsible for the uptick in violent firearms offenses in the area. To date, approximately seven homicides and multiple drive-by shootings have been linked to these groups and their activities.
Many of the shooting suspects were identified as gang members and/or rappers. The primary gangs involved in these shootings were “F**k The Opps” (FTO) and “Only Da Brothers” (ODB). ATF’s investigations into the gangs have included street investigations, surveillance operations, search warrants, adoption of state firearm cases, examining federal firearm licensee paperwork, analyzing crime gun data, close coordination with local law enforcement and other federal law enforcement agencies, studying and understanding these gangs/groups, their associations and their social media, tracing firearms, submitting firearms to local crime laboratories and the ATF’s Firearms & Ammunition Technology Division, and directly assisting in local violent crime and homicide investigations. The ATF has provided vigorous trial support and have testified extensively at sentencing hearings.
As a result of the ATF’s investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has indicted numerous gang members or associates, including the two identified leaders of FTO, Ezekiel King and Jardell Williams, both of Springfield, Mo. King and Williams were each sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Of the gang members indicted, nine have been sentenced to federal prison, two were sentenced to supervised release, and nine are pending sentencing after pleading guilty. The indictment of multiple members of FTO and ODB has coincided with a sharp drop in shooting calls in the Greene County, Mo., area.
“This case is the gold standard for what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement work side by side to confront violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen. “By leveraging our collective resources through a task force, and utilizing crime gun intelligence tools such as NIBIN, we delivered prison sentences for those violent gang members who threatened the safety of our communities and a significant reduction in crime.”
3 comments:
No lack of deplorables in SWMO!
Agreed 703.....ultra righwingnut deplorables, moderate rightwingnut deplorables, and then the rest that really are no threat because they're too lazy but put a big stink when their deplorable worldview is challenged.
Wow all you Ultra Liberal Leftist Demon Democratics, who hide from the Truth and the Facts - If you are an Illegal Alien, you are Committing a Crime. Every Country in the World if you are caught as an Illegal Alien, will Arrest You, Fine You, and the Deport You (That includes Canada and Mexico too). Why should the United States be any different than any other Country? The Cartel with Drug Dealers, Criminals, Murders, and Human Traffickers have crossed our Borders and are living amongst you is that fine with you?
We have given Free Housing, Free Medical, Free Food, Free Education, Monthly Stipends and Jobs to these Illegal Aliens. As of early 2025, 19 states and the District of Columbia allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, without having to provide Automobile Insurance.
So, if one of these Illegal Aliens, hit you or kill one of your family members you are just SOL?
Obama, one of your exulted Democratic Leaders - Deported the most Illegal Aliens in History only to have Biden and Harris open up our Borders and allow millions of Illegal Aliens to enter our country. These are the Truths and Facts - So whine, cry, show us your best Karen and Kevin Attitudes - while the Republicans clean up more messes that Biden and Harris contributed too.
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