Former Cherokee County deputy pleads guilty to child pornography charge

A 2:30 p.m. June 29 sentencing is scheduled in U. S. District Court in Kansas for former Cherokee County deputy Garrett Gayoso, 25, who pleaded guilty Monday to production of child pornography.

Gayoso's crime was described in the plea agreement:

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office placed Gayoso, 25, on administrative leave in April after the Fall River, Massachusetts Police Department said it was investigating the deputy for what was described as "an inappropriate relationship" between Gayoso and a juvenile female."

Gayoso later resigned. Massachusetts authorities charged him in May. A grand jury from the U. S. District Court in Kansas indicted him December 17.

The allegations against Gayoso were detailed in the U. S. Attorney's motion.

Defendant is a former law enforcement officer who abused his position of trust to groom a teenager online and get her to produce child pornography for his sexual pleasure. During the course of the months-long grooming, defendant was promoted to the role of Detective in February 2025, where he was supposed to be investigating the very types of crimes he was committing in secret.

Defendant is a danger and a flight risk and should be detained.

The case came to light when the victim’s mother searched Minor Victim 1’s laptop and cell phone and found sexually explicit messages and pictures between Minor Victim 1 – a 16-year-old high school student - and Defendant.

Minor Victim 1’s mother also discovered that Defendant had traveled to Massachusetts (where Minor Victim 1 resides) and had sex with Minor Victim 1. Minor Victim 1 confirmed that this all occurred.

Massachusetts law enforcement contacted the KBI to investigate further. Various search warrants were obtained, and Defendant was Mirandized and interviewed. During the interview, Defendant admitted that he met Minor Victim 1 online and moved the chats to snap but claimed they did not text much (but had over 24,000 text messages on his phone). 

Defendant admitted to having sex with Minor Victim 1. Defendant admitted that nude photographs were exchanged and that he sometimes requested the nude photographs. Defendant denied knowledge of Minor Victim 1’s age, but his denial is contradicted by the facts.

For example, Minor Victim 1 states that although they met on a website meant for 18-year-olds, that Defendant asked her almost immediately how old she was, and she responded truthfully that she was 16.

Additionally, a review of the text messages show that it is clear Defendant knew her age. Defendant talks about throwing a prom for the victim, discusses the 7-8 year age gap of Minor Victim 1’s parents and how it matches their age gap.

Additionally, at one point Minor Victim 1 sends her Massachusetts id card that clearly shows her date of birth on it. Defendant comments on the id. Although proving that Defendant knew Minor Victim 1’s age is not an element of production of child pornography, it is relevant to show that he absolutely knew she was a minor in high school.

Defendant’s cell phone was seized and searched pursuant to a warrant. Defendant’s common social media handle was some variant of “Bootygoblin.” Agents found well over 24,000 text messages between August 17, 2024 and January 8, 2025.

Minor Victim 1 stated they were communicating through April 2025 (when her mother discovered the messages) and also reports that they communicated on other forums, such as Snapchat. Even with this incomplete picture, agents uncovered 119 images from Minor Victim 1 to Defendant, many of her entire nude body and many focused on her vagina.

There are also videos of Minor Victim 1 engaged in a sex act.


Defendant regularly discusses masturbating to these images. The chats are filled with sexually explicit comments, including when Defendant calls Minor Victim 1 “daddy’s little whore” and “daddy’s little slut” and “my cum slut” and “my whore” and “my obedient little whore.”


Defendant moved quickly in his grooming techniques with Minor Victim 1. Within his first 10 messages to the victim, he asks for a picture to see what she looks like. He starts talking about wanting to be in bed with her and rubbing her thigh within the first two hours of conversation.

After some of Defendant’s subtle suggestions, Minor Victim 1 states “I’m not sending you nudes we literally just met.” Nevertheless, Defendant continued to lavish Minor Victim 1 with praise and grooming and despite starting the conversation on the evening of August 17, already tells Minor Victim 1 he loves her around 1am on August 20.

The next day, on August 21, 2024, Defendant states “show me all of your body. That way nothing is secret or hidden from me.” The victim then sends a full body picture showing her breasts and vagina. It is evident this is new production because Minor Victim 1 states she needs to shave and Defendant responds he isn’t bothered by it before Minor Victim 1 says she will need some time to take a decent picture.

The text messages continue to when Defendant travels to Massachusetts to have sex with Minor Victim 1. After that encounter, the following exchange takes place:

MV1: Yes, I'm a little upset about something though

Defendant: What's that

MV1: I didn't like the whole not putting the condom on right away thing. I'm going to be paranoid as hell now

Defendant: I'm sorry baby

MV1: I don't want to take risks like that

Defendant: I'm sorry

MV1: It's okay just ask me before doing stuff like that next time

Defendant: You're right. I should've asked

Defendant then proceed to buy Plan B for Minor Victim 1.

The rest of the messages continue with the grooming and requests for child sex abuse material. At one point, Defendant asks Minor Victim 1 if she is still horny and suggests that she “take care of it” but then says “Don’t forget to show me.”

When Minor Victim 1 responds that she will, Defendant responds “Good girl.” They also discuss Defendant watching Minor Victim 1 engage in a sex act on a video call. In other words, the Defendant used Minor Victim 1 to engage in sexually explicit conduct in live chats that law enforcement does not have a record of.

New guidance on student screen time passes Missouri House after loosening restrictions

By Annelise Hanshaw

Missouri Independent

Public school districts will be encouraged to limit elementary school student use of iPads and laptops in the classroom under a Missouri House bill approved in a 143-10 vote Monday.

Originally, the legislation set out to place a 45-minute cap on students’ screen time in schools and mandate cursive instruction. This raised concerns among educators and parents, who told the House Education Committee that it would force a “one-size-fits-all” approach on students.

The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Tricia Byrnes, addressed that critique with committee members, who passed a version that would require schools to set their own technology policy with guidance from experts.

“(School boards) should create a policy that makes sense, that’s going to be supported by their teachers and parents. But most importantly, it is going to help their students,” Byrnes said during a House debate Monday.

Schools would also be required to share information about students’ use of technology to their guardians, upon request.

Over the past 10 years, an increasing number of schools have created policies that provide devices like an iPad or laptop to each student. State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly and chairman of the House Education Committee, said this push is “wrong” for young students.

He didn’t want the state to set a limit on technology time but wants the state to “start the process of looking at screen time in schools.”

The legislation would establish a council overseen by the state’s education department that would create model policies for school districts and potentially inform legislative changes on technology use in schools. The council would be made of teachers, principals, a parent advocate and adolescent health professionals.

“This is a bill to put this back to the teachers and the experts,” Byrnes told the House during its first debate on the bill last week.

The changes won over former educators like state Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, a Democrat from Columbia, who applauded the bill for “pulling experts in” while allowing school districts to set local policies.

“This is a really exciting moment for this bill,” she said last week. “I think this will be the most important bill we pass out of the education committee this year.”

Criminal justice reform package, including Carter provision, headed to governor

(From Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby)

The Missouri General Assembly has passed Senate Bill 888, a comprehensive criminal justice reform package that incorporates key provisions from State Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby’s Senate Bill 894, enhancing protections for victims of violent crime, human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The bill is now awaiting action by the governor.

Senator Carter has long been a leading advocate for measures that defend the most vulnerable. The inclusion of her SB 894 in this wide-ranging criminal justice reform bill underscores her ongoing commitment to keeping Missouri families and communities safe.

“Missouri families have demanded real accountability for violent crime, human trafficking and sexual predation,” said Senator Carter. “Senate Bill 888 answers that call by ensuring dangerous criminals serve the overwhelming majority of their sentences behind bars. This is smart, tough-on-crime policy that protects our communities, supports victims and uses taxpayer dollars more effectively.”

Senate Bill 888 strengthens protections for victims while delivering tougher penalties for violent offenders, sex traffickers and repeat sexual predators, all while promoting smarter use of prison resources. The legislation includes several major provisions designed to enhance public safety. Serious crimes such as abuse through forced labor, trafficking for slavery or involuntary servitude, sexual trafficking through force, abduction or coercion, sexual trafficking of a child, and third-time violations of sex-offender registration are now classified as dangerous felonies, with offenders required to serve 85% of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

The bill also establishes clear minimum prison terms for other felony classes to ensure consistent sentencing. Class A felonies require 70% of the sentence to be served before parole eligibility, Class B felonies require 50%, Class C felonies require 40% and Class D and E felonies require 25%, while dangerous felonies remain at the 85% threshold. Conditional release will be phased out for offenses committed on or after January 1, 2028, ensuring offenders serve the full term imposed by the court.

In addition, SB 888 reforms the parole process to prioritize victims’ rights. The parole board must use validated risk-and-needs assessments, publish performance data publicly and provide victims with enhanced notice and input at hearings, keeping the focus on incarcerating the most serious and violent offenders.

By closing early-release loopholes and expanding the list of offenses requiring lengthy prison terms, SB 888 strengthens public safety across Missouri.

For more information on Sen. Carter’s legislative actions, visit her official Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Carter.

Nevada couple charged with sex crimes against children

(From the Vernon County Sheriff's Office)

The Vernon County Sheriffs Office conducted a search warrant at 16562 S.1713 Rd lot 19 Nevada Mo. Friday evening after receiving information that was disclosed from a forensic interview from the Children’s Center. 

After conducting multiple interviews and collecting evidence from the search warrant, 2 individuals were placed in custody regarding sexual deviant crimes against children. Both individuals were placed on 24hr investigative holds and charges were sent to the Vernon County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. 

Vernon County prosecutor filed charges on both suspects, and warrants were issued for the following charges.

Fritts, Adam
26VE-CR00171
$500,000 cash only bond
Abuse or Neglect of a child under section 568.060
Child Molestation- 1st degree
Statutory Sodomy or Attempted Statutory Sodomy
Statutory Rape or Attempted Statutory Rape- 1st Degree

Fritts, Alicia
26VE-CR00170
$25,000 cash only bond

Endangering the Welfare of a Child Creating Substantial Risk—First Degree—No Sexual Contact

This is still an ongoing case and still under investigation. The children have been placed in state custody.

Sheriff Buehler says, "THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN!! Parents are supposed to protect their children and this makes me sick to think that both parents were involved. No child should feel unsafe with their parents. However, this is the stuff we encounter every day in our line of work. I will do my best to make sure the children in this county are safe.” 

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

David Mayes named MSSU dean of students, Title IX coordinator

(From Missouri Southern State University)

Missouri Southern State University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. David Mayes as the institution’s new Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator. He will officially join the university on April 1.
Dr. Mayes brings extensive experience in higher education leadership, having served in executive roles at colleges and universities across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

Throughout his career, he has overseen a broad range of student-focused departments, including admissions and recruiting, counseling services, student conduct, health services, housing and residential life, foodservice, disability services, student success and retention, new student orientation, tutoring, student activities, engagement and leadership, university police, TRIO programs, Veterans services, and Title IX administration.

He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and an Education Specialist degree in Community College Teaching from Arkansas State University, a Master’s degree in College Student Personnel from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, and a Bachelor’s degree from Arkansas Tech University.

“I am excited about the opportunity to serve as the next Dean of Students and Title IX Coordinator at Missouri Southern State University,” said Dr. Mayes. 

“I have a long history and passion for helping students transform their lives. I look forward to collaborating with leaders within the campus community to make a positive difference in the lives of our students.”

Dr. Mayes’s appointment reflects Missouri Southern’s continued commitment to student success and well-being.

Parents charged after 1-year-old taken to Mercy Carthage after ingesting marijuana

A couple is being held on $50,000 bond after their one-year-old boy was taken to the emergency room at Mercy Carthage after ingesting two grams of a marijuana cigar.

Chaseton Wayne Mayhall (DOB 2000) and Chloe Belle Brown (DOB 2003) pleaded not guilty during video arraignments today in Jasper County Circuit Court. A bond review hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 1 before Judge John Nicholas.

From Brown's probable cause statement:

On 3/21/2026 officers with the Carthage Police Department responded to Mercy Carthage in reference to possible child abuse of a 1-year-old male. The initial report was that while Victim 1 was under the care of his mother, Chloe Belle Brown and the father, Chaseton Mayhall, at Super 8 in Carthage, Victim 1 ingested two grams of a marijuana cigar. The time Victim 1 was brought into the hospital was 1926 hours.

I observed Victim 1 at the hospital. It appeared Victim 1 was pale, lethargic and in and out of consciousness, When Victim 1 would start to wake up, he would start screaming and act similar to having a seizure.

An interview with Brown was conducted after being read her Miranda rights. During the interview she admitted to smoking a "pre-roll" earlier in the morning. Brown stated that she arrived at Super 8 around 1500 hours on 3/21/2026. Shortly after getting inside the room, she noticed her pre-roll was missing. Brown then noticed that Victim 1 had some of the pre-roll in his hands and mouth.

Brown provided Victim 1 with Pedialyte and waited.

Brown noticed 10 minutes later that Victim 1 was "high" and "swaying back and forth," and said, "I got to go right now," as well as "I knew right away that I needed to take him to the hospital."

Brown said that rather than taking Victim 1 to the hospital, she sent Mayhall to Walmart to obtain the Pedialyte to help. 

During the interview, Brown stated, "I did do wrong," and "I f---ked up."

After speaking with Brown and the family members, they all said that Victim 1 has regressed in his physical ability to walk and speak as a result of this incident.

Video footage also confirms Mayhall and Brown arriving at the Supreme Court 8 at 1446 and leaving at 1923. Walmart receipts show Mayhall purchasing a remote at 1513 and then purchasing Pedialyte, Children's Tylenol and Pedia Lax at 1628.

Victim 1 was treated at Mercy Carthage before being transported to Mercy Springfield for a higher level of care due to his health not improving. Victim 1 was later discharged from the hospital three days later on 3/24/2026.

From Mayhall's probable cause statement:

During the interview, Mayhall stated that both he and Brown smoked the "pre-roll" outside the hotel after checking in at 1500 hours. Shortly after this they went inside and unpacked. Mayhall estimated noticing that his pre-roll was missing around 1530 and that is when he noticed residue on Victim 1's face and hands.

Mayhall noticed that Victim 1 was "high" and would "look off into space."

Mayhall described Victim 1 as acting like "the first time someone getting stoned" and "something wasn't right; this wasn't normal."

I asked Mayhall why they didn't take V1 to the hospital and he said, "they were going to sober him up" and "we knew how to sober up adults."

I asked Mayhall if he was scared and he said, "it was everything" and "he got into the weed. We are going to lose him. We are going to jail."

Mayhall said that he knew that he should have taken him to the hospital instantly. 

Mayhall made the comment, "We almost put our kid in the ground."

Granby man charged with child molestation, statutory sodomy

Ronald Eugene Spears, (DOB 1963), Granby, was arraigned today in Newton County Circuit Court on charges of child molestation and statutory sodomy charges.

Spears allegedly molested a child, according to the probable cause statement, which says the child told an interviewer at the Children's Center in Joplin that Spears "used his mouth to kiss her private area on multiple occurrences" and "kissed her on the butt while she was not wearing any clothing."

The crimes allegedly took place between the beginning of this year and March 20.

After being given his Miranda rights, Spears told the Newton County Sheriff's Office investigator "he had kissed V1 on the chest and butt while she was not wearing any clothing."

Spears is being held on no bond. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 7 before Judge Jacob Skouby.

Jason Smith: Republican tax policy delivering for American workers

(From Eighth District Congressman Jason Smith)

This tax season is set to be the biggest refund season in American history, and it’s not by coincidence. It’s the direct result of Republicans delivering for the American people who sent us to Washington. The Working Families Tax Cuts, which I was proud to author and spearhead in Congress, is a historic achievement that puts more money where it belongs: in the pockets of hardworking Americans.

According to new IRS data, the total amount refunded and the average refund amount have increased by more than 10 percent over the same time last year. And according to IRS CEO Frank Bisignano’s testimony earlier in March, that increase is only expected to grow as we get closer to April 15. This tax refund season, Americans are set to receive nearly $400 billion in tax refunds, which will make it easier to afford gas in their cars, clothes on their backs, and food on their tables.

When I became chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, I made it clear that my priority would never be the big business or special interests here in Washington – it would be the working families, small businesses and farmers who are my friends and neighbors. The median household income in the 8th Congressional District of Missouri is $59,897, according to the U.S. Census. But thanks to the policy changes we made in the Working Families Tax Cuts, an average family of four making $73,000 will now not owe any federal income taxes. That’s huge for Missouri families.

What’s particularly meaningful is that of all tax returns filed so far, nearly half of all tax filers have taken advantage of at least one of the newly created tax provisions created in the Working Families Tax Cuts: No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, No Tax on Social Security, the Auto Loan Interest Deduction, or Trump Accounts. That’s huge, because it means we succeeded in delivering relief that will impact working families, farmers, and small businesses.

The data from this tax season tells an important story, but the stories I’m hearing from families back home tell an even more powerful one. At the end of the day, working people shouldn’t be left behind or punished for going the extra mile. With the Working Families Tax Cuts, they are finally getting the relief they deserve. 

As I was traveling through the district earlier this month, a man approached me to share the story of his daughter, who was a waitress and hardworking mom in Fredericktown, Missouri. Thanks to the No Tax on Tips and expanded Child Tax Credit included in the Working Families Tax Cuts, her tax refund this year was more than $10,000. As he told me, that’s enough to cover her rent for the entire year and some groceries on top of that. When I hear stories like hers, it stuns me even more that every Democrat in Congress voted against these pro-family provisions.

We are still weeks away from April 15, but the numbers we are seeing from the IRS have confirmed that Republicans’ pro-worker tax policy is having a positive impact on millions of people, and this is exactly what happens when you prioritize everyday Americans over Washington elites and lobbyists. I came to Washington to deliver for Southeast and south central Missouri. They want the opportunity to get ahead, not just get by. That opportunity is exactly what Republicans are delivering.

Thousands rally across Missouri in third ‘No Kings’ protest against Trump

By Sterling Sewell

Columbia Missourian

Thousands gathered across the state Saturday for the third nationwide No Kings protest, part of a global demonstration against the Trump administration.

(Photo- Protesters gather for the No Kings rally on Saturday at the Boone County Courthouse. It was the third No Kings rally held in Columbia as part of a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump and his administration. In Missouri, more than 40 protests were organized across the state (Le Chen/Missourian)

It was one of 3,000 protests expected to organize across the country in opposition to policies they view as dictatorial. It was the third widespread No Kings protest in less than a year and was anticipated to be the largest.

More than 40 protests were scheduled Saturday in cities across Missouri, including Jefferson City, Fulton, Moberly, Boonville, Fayette, Springfield, Kansas City and St. Louis.

In Columbia, roughly 2,500 people gathered in front of the Boone County Courthouse to listen to speakers, musicians and poets express their grievances against President Donald Trump and his governing practices.

According to a release from No Kings organizers, more than 5 million people in the U.S. participated in No Kings protests last June, with more than 7 million attending the October rallies. Columbia’s organizers said Saturday’s protest seemed to be about the same size as the one in October.

Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., protest signs and speakers took aim at everything from the conflict in Iran to the release of the Epstein files.

When asked what issue brought her to the courthouse, Katie Mericle said it was difficult to pick just one.

“All of them,” she said. “It’s a nightmare. It’s a literal nightmare.”

Mericle was joined by her two children, Maissie and Leo, along with Eliza Weir, 10, the daughter of a family friend. Each held a sign protesting different policies handed down by the Trump administration.

“They’re just as mad as we are,” Mericle said, referring to the children. “Their daily lives are affected by this chaos.”

Leo, 14, said he disagrees with how Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been deployed in the country.

“I believe we should stop misusing ICE to deport innocent civilians,” he said.

Lauren Replogle, a student at the University of Missouri, called Trump’s mass deportation policy a key motivation for her to attend. Replogle added that she thinks it’s important for people her age to attend local rallies and keep up with world events as they become eligible to vote.

“It’s a lot more empowering to attend events in person and see them on a local scale rather than to just absorb events through a screen,” Replogle said.

Columbia City Council member Vera Elwood highlighted the history of protest movements in Columbia as she spoke to the crowd. She listed the protests for veteran rights after World War II, sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement and student protests against the Vietnam War.

Elwood extended the list of protests to more recent actions taken by local organizers, including the effort to unionize library employees at the University of Missouri where she worked previously.

“The Trump administration wants us to believe that local movements are hopeless,” Elwood said. “But we have proof. We in Columbia are the proof that when we stand together, we win.”

Silas Marrero, whose father also spoke during the event, said he believes most people in the country are in agreement about the problems facing America, but finding common ground toward a solution remains a problem.

Marrero’s father, Louis, runs La Bruja, a Latin-inspired food pop-up in Columbia, and he proposed that the first step toward a solution would be to impeach Trump.

“There’s so many things that need to be done,” Silas Marrero said. “So many things that need to be retracted and fixed just because of the last year from the sitting administration.”

Although the protest in Columbia was peaceful, it was not without resistance. One woman came to support Trump and his actions in Venezuela and Iran holding a sign that read, “Make no peace with evil. Support Trump.”

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE America Act, was at the forefront of former City Council member Karl Skala’s mind during the protest.

The SAVE America Act, now in debate in the U.S. Senate, would require Americans to prove they are citizens before registering to vote. It would also require voters to use accepted identification at the polls. Another provision of the act would require states to provide voter data to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to allow the department to screen for illegal voting.

“It used to be that conservatives thought states’ rights were important,” Skala said. “These days they think federalism is important as long as they have someone who can control the information to their benefit.”

Skala, a former Marine who served between 1966 and 1972, also pointed out his concern over the recent war in Iran. He said he believes military action with Iran has worsened because Trump’s cabinet will not stand up to the president.

“It’s a war of opportunism, if you will,” he said. “There was no imminent threat to the United States, and obviously, it was not very well planned.”

Skala also acknowledged how diverse the protest issues were, citing affordability, gas prices and tariffs as major motivators for many. But he said the focus now should be on the midterm elections.

“Obviously, people are getting killed in the war. The war should be paramount,” he said. “But I think the most important thing right now is looking forward to the 2026 elections because if that guy is not stopped in 2026, we’re going to have another three years of this. And I don’t think the country can take it.”

After narrow 2024 loss, Missouri abortion opponents reorganize for 2026 vote

By Anna Spoerre

Missouri Independent

Three months before Missourians narrowly voted to legalize abortion, a small group led by Tom Estes gathered in a living room and came up with a plan to rally voters against the amendment..

The effort that emerged — MO Protects — was improvised, underfunded and, by its own telling, forced to make up for a fractured statewide campaign with volunteer labor and little money.

That narrow defeat is now shaping a much more organized rematch. Estes and the activists who tried and failed to defeat the 2024 abortion-rights amendment have regrouped under a new PAC, called “Her Health, Her Future,” betting that more time, tighter coordination and earlier backing from top Missouri Republicans can help them succeed in 2026.

“So far, we are very, very happy about how unified the campaign is and how just eager everybody is to work together,” said Estes, a mid-Missouri pastor and chief of staff to state Sen. Rick Brattin. “And look, it also makes it easier for everybody to want to work together when we just lost when we were working separately. So everybody’s very motivated and very unified.”

In 2024, Luke Schrandt, who served on MO Protects’ leadership team, said he put 15,000 miles on a borrowed truck delivering yard signs and fliers urging voters to reject the abortion-rights amendment.

“None of us got paid a single dime,” said Schrandt, who also serves as policy director for state Sen. Mike Moon. “We knew we were fighting a probably insurmountable challenge.”

By Election Day, anti-abortion groups had been outspent 10 to 1. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign behind the reproductive-rights amendment, raised more than $31 million. The amendment passed with just under 52% of the vote.

To Schrandt and Estes, that result was less proof the fight was unwinnable than evidence their side had come together too late.

“I think if some of the larger Pro-Life donors would have known how close it would have been, we would have gotten some of the bigger checks, but we didn’t get any of the bigger checks,” Schrandt said. “Because a lot of people thought that it was going to be impossible, that we were going to lose by a lot. And it was sad to lose. It was even sadder to lose knowing that, had we had some more resources, we probably could have won.”

Estes said the biggest advantage this year is time. Legal battles over the 2024 measure, he said, kept abortion-rights opponents from knowing until August that it would even be on the ballot, leaving only a few months to mount a statewide campaign.

He has since folded MO Protects into Her Health, Her Future, a PAC launched in September that is now trying to serve as that central hub. The campaign’s website features endorsements from a roster of prominent Republican officeholders and anti-abortion groups in Missouri. So far, Her Health, Her Future has raised about $105,000.

That still trails the opposition. Stop the Ban, the campaign seeking to preserve the current abortion-rights amendment, has raised more than $1 million this election cycle. A spokesperson for the campaign — which includes Planned Parenthood, the ACLU of Missouri and Abortion Action Missouri — declined to comment for this story.

But anti-abortion organizers say donors are more likely to give now that the effort looks less scattered.

“It was hard for donors to get a lot of confidence to give their funds last time when the campaign was just so segmented.” Estes said, noting the lack of a central command structure two years ago.

The proposed ban, which was approved by the legislature in May 2025 and will appear on the November ballot, would outlaw all abortions with exceptions for medical emergencies and for survivors of rape and incenst who seek out an abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Like 2024’s abortion-rights amendment, the abortion ban amendment will also be listed on the ballot as Amendment 3.

One notable difference this time around is the involvement of Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office from the outset.

State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Republican from Moberly who helped draft the proposed abortion ban last spring, said while former Gov. Mike Parson publicly opposed abortion rights ahead of the 2024 election, he did not play as active a role in the campaign.

“But you know, you have to not just be against it, you have to plant your name, and lend your bully pulpit to that, and this governor and his wife appear to be taking a more active lead,” Lewis said.

Last year, Her Health, Her Future PAC announced Missouri First Lady Claudia Kehoe would serve as campaign treasurer, attaching the governor’s name to the cause.

At that point, the governor’s office had been involved in the amendment effort for months, as lawmakers proposed and then approved the abortion ban for the statewide ballot.

As negotiations over which version of an abortion ban to move forward with were underway last session, Kehoe dropped by state Sen. Adam Schnelting’s office on several occasions asking for updates on the drafted amendment. 

Sherry Kuttenkuler, who now serves as Schnelting’s chief of staff, said the governor’s involvement is one of the biggest advantages she sees this time around. The lieutenant governor, the secretary of state, attorney general, along with Senate and House leadership, all lined up behind him.

“That doesn’t happen,” Kuttenkuler said. “I’ve never been part of an effort like this one where just out of clear blue sky, Kehoe drops in and says, ‘how’s it going?’”

In the days after winning the gubernatorial race, Kehoe told St. Louis Public Radio that he believed in some abortion exceptions, and that he hoped lawmakers would take the election results as a sign to re-consider exceptions for rape and incest.

In June 2022, Missouri became the first state to outlaw nearly all abortions, with limited exceptions for medical emergencies, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion. Then in November 2024, Missouri became the first state to overturn an abortion ban through a statewide vote. That reproductive rights amendment protects the right to abortion up until the point of fetal viability.

While abortion is legal in Missouri, only procedural abortions, which take place in clinics, are available. Medication abortion, which is increasingly the most common way to end a pregnancy, is not available due to several abortion regulations that remain on the books. A lawsuit attempting to strike down these regulations is ongoing, with a decision expected to come down in the coming months.

In her spare time, Kuttenkuler travels around the state giving presentations on the abortion ban amendment, at times encountering Missourians who voted in favor of President Donald Trump and the abortion rights amendment.

“They really do believe that it’s more compassionate and loving to allow a victim of rape and incest to get an abortion than it is to ask them to carry that baby to term and give it up for adoption,” she said.

There are 500 4-by-8-foot “Yes on 3” yard signs stacked in Kuttenkuler’s garage next to her BMW. As soon as the legislative session concludes in mid-May, she said it will be “all hands on deck” to distribute them around the state.

That ground game in 2024 was led in large part by Missouri Right to Life, the state’s leading anti-abortion group.

Last fall, the Missouri Right to Life PAC formally announced a partnership with the Missouri GOP and the hiring of political strategist Jessica Flanagain to help lead their campaign efforts.

“With their organizational strength and our expansive pro-life infrastructure, we are building an unstoppable coalition,” Missouri Right to Life president Steve Rupp said during an event in St. Charles whose speaker line-up included Laura Trump.

Flanagain helped lead Nebraska’s anti-abortion movement to success at the polls in 2024 when voters, faced with two opposing abortion proposals on the ballot, approved an abortion-restrictions amendment and rejected an abortion-rights amendment.

She recently stepped down as political consultant for Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen a day after law enforcement announced an investigation into a state contract led by Pillen, the Nebraska Examiner reported.

Leadership with Missouri Right to Life declined comment. But Schrandt of MO Protects said the group’s membership and organizing capacity could make it one of the most valuable pieces of the 2026 effort.

“They have a lot of members. 
They’ve got a lot of people that are willing to go out and go to work,” Schrandt said. “A lot of the Missouri Right to Life folks were the ones that were going and doing the ground game, and I believe that’s where Missouri Right to Life will be effective in the next campaign.”

With the 2024 result so close — and with polling suggesting another tight contest could be ahead — organizers on both sides are treating every vote as consequential.

Schrandt, through his work in Moon’s Senate office, said he is familiar with abortion abolitionists, or those who don’t believe any exceptions should be allowed. He said while he believes these activists have good intentions, he’s not worried that those divisions will damage the November effort.

“I’ll do what I can to convince my peers, and the people that I know in my community, to vote for life,” he said. “
And past that, I’m going to leave it up to the Lord, just like I did the last one.”

Bomb squad called after grenade discovered in Shoal Creek

(From the Joplin Police Department)

On March 29th, 2026, around 8:00 pm, Joplin Police Officers were dispatched to the 2100 block of S. Pennsylvania Street in reference to a suspicious device. Upon arrival, it was discovered that a citizen had been magnet fishing around 5298 S Main Street (Wildcat Park) and discovered what they believed to be an explosive device in Shoal Creek.

Upon inspection of the device, it was determined that it was a World War One Era German Mark 17 hand grenade. Further inspection of this device revealed that it did not appear to be in working order due to its deteriorating condition and overall degeneration. 

Out of an abundance of caution, the Springfield Fire Department’s Bomb Squad was contacted and responded. The Bomb Squad determined that the device did not contain specific elements that would make it capable of initiating an explosion.

Despite the lack of these elements, the Springfield Fire Department’s Bomb Squad took custody of the device and disposed of it by their protocols.

The Joplin Police Department wants to remind citizens that if they believe they have located a suspicious object they believe to be dangerous, immediately report it to local law enforcement. It is not uncommon for old collectible military ordnance to be found in communities. These inert collectors’ items typically can be seen at trade shows and put on display for enthusiasts.

Carthage residents arrested, stolen trailer recovered

(From the Jasper County Sheriff's Office)

At approximately 9:54 p.m., Sunday detectives developed information regarding a trailer that had been taken from the area of Civil War Road and High Street in Jasper County.

Detectives later located a black SUV towing a matching trailer eastbound on State Highway 96. The trailer was observed without functioning lights, consistent with the reported theft.

At approximately 10:14 PM, a traffic stop was conducted near State Highway 96 and County Road 65 for observed equipment and lane violations. The vehicle, a black 1999 Toyota 4Runner, was occupied by two individuals.

During the investigation, both Max Cancinos-Escobar, 63, Carthage, and Urias Vasquez-Gonzalez, 28, Carthage, admitted to stealing the trailer. Both were arrested and transported to the Jasper County Detention Center. 

Further investigation revealed that Vasquez-Gonzalez is in the U.S. unlawfully and an ICE detainer has been issued.

Formal charges have been submitted to the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office.

Further investigation into this incident continues.

17-year-old driver hits, kills Jasper man in car-pedestrian crash near Strafford

A Jasper man was killed in a car-pedestrian accident 8:46 p.m. Saturday on Evergreen Road two miles east of Strafford.

According to the Highway Patrol report, a 2016 Ford Focus driven by a 17-year-old Strafford boy struck a 26-year-old Jasper man who was crossing the roadway.

The Jasper man was pronounced dead at Mercy Springfield at 9:55 p.m.

The fatality was the 27th this year for Highway Patrol Troop D.

 

Joplin man charged with child molestation, statutory sodomy

 

A Joplin man has been charged with child molestation and statutory sodomy for crimes that allegedly took place between January 1 and March 31, 2020.

An arrest warrant was issued for Joseph Michael Davis (DOB 1980) without bond.

According to the probable cause statement, Davis choked a child younger than 12 to the point where she wasn't able to breathe then forced her to have anal intercourse.

Davis initially agreed to cooperate with the Newton County Sheriff's Office investigation, the probable cause statement said but then said he had been advised by counsel not to do so unless his lawyer was present.

Neosho sex offender charged with statutory sodomy

The Newton County Prosecuting Attorney's office charged a Neosho man with statutory sodomy March 20.

An arrest warrant was issued for Luther Wayne Sampson, 58, to be held without bond.

According to the probable cause statement, Sampson exposed himself to a girl younger than 12 and told her if she touched him she could play on his phone.

V1 disclosed that Mr. Sampson told her it was feeling good and that the more she played with it, the more she would get to play the game on his phone.

Sampson is a registered sex offender due to a sexual assault conviction.

The case was investigated by the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

Wrongful death lawsuit filed against Freeman

A Nevada man whose wife died following a March 27, 2024 surgery at Freeman West Hospital, Joplin, filed a wrongful death lawsuit Thursday in Jasper County Circuit Court, followed by an amended petition Friday.

Listed as defendants in the action are Freeman-Oak Hill Health System, Freeman Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Derek Miller, D. O., Mohammad Rahman, D. O., David Buvant, M. D.,, Darla P. Easter, FNP; Jessica Statz, D. O., Justin Wilberding, D. O. and Christine Grimes CRNA.

According to the petition, Jerry Gilmore says CT scans and x-rays showed that his wife, Diane Gilmore, was not a good candidate for the elective hip arthroplasty surgery.

From the petition:

Diane Gilmore had pulmonary conditions and one or more brain tumors that should have been treated before surgery;

Diane Gilmore, by virtue of her pre-surgery condition, was not a good candidate for anticoagulation drugs;

Diane Gilmore, by virtue of her pre-surgery condition, was not a good candidate for anesthesia.

Gilmore is represented by El Dorado Springs attorney Mark Watson.

Joplin man charged with two counts of child molestation

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed two child molestation charges against a Joplin man Friday.

An arrest warrant was issued for Michael Schlueter (DOB 1965) with bond set at $200,000 cash only.

The alleged crimes took place in January at Schlueter's residence where the child, who is under age 12 was spending the night, according to the probable cause statement.

Victim 1 disclosed that Schlueter asked her if she wanted "snuggles" and asked her to go to the guest bedroom with him, which she followed him into. Schlueter helped her onto the bed and while lying on the bed Schlueter rubbed the outside of victim 1's vagina on her skin with his hand. Schlueter asked victim 1 if she liked that which she told him no.

Schlueter told victim 1 to keep this a secret between them and told her not to tell anyone.

Victim 1 disclosed there was an additional incident that occurred at Schlueter's residence on a different
date. Victim 1 discloses while lying on the air mattress in the living room, Schlueter rubbed her vagina
the same way he did before however this time was over her clothes.

Schlueter was arrested by the Joplin Police Department on 03/25/2026 and charged with domestic
assault. (Note: This was a different case.)

During his interview with police, Schlueter acknowledged the child had spent the night with him and his wife on occasions. He said he and his wife bought the child "the Bluey designed pajamas as well as the Care Bear style pajama, which she had described wearing in her interview at the Children's Center.

Neosho man killed in crash on 86

Seth Zerbel, 31, Neosho, was killed in a one-vehicle crash 12:22 p.m. today on MO 86 1/8 of a mile east of Neosho.

Zerbel was pastor at Joplin Grace Chapel before it closed in October, according to a post on the Joplin Area Ministry Network Facebook page and had been working for Teen Challenge the past few months.

According to the Highway Patrol report, Zerbel, who was driving 2003 Toyota Sequoia, traveled off the right side of the road, overcorrected, traveled off the left side of the road and struck a utility pole.

Newton County Coroner Ronnie Jones pronounced Zerbel dead at 12:35 p.m.

The fatality was the 25th this year for Highway Patrol Troop D. 

Jill Carter bill enshrining office of sheriff in Missouri constitution advances to House

(From Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby)

On Wednesday, the Missouri Senate third read and passed Senate Joint Resolution 87, sponsored by State Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby. The resolution, which proposes a constitutional amendment enshrining the office of sheriff in Missouri’s Constitution, now moves forward in the legislative process. As a constitutional amendment, SJR 87 would ultimately need to be approved by voters.

“At its core, this bill is about one simple but powerful idea: accountability to the people,” Sen. Carter said. “Sheriffs in Missouri should be chosen by and held accountable to the voters of their county — not appointed, insulated or controlled by political bodies.”

If approved by voters, SJR 87 would require counties to elect a sheriff to a four-year term by a majority vote of qualified county voters. The measure also clarifies the sheriff’s responsibilities and duties as provided by law.

“When citizens elect their sheriff, they know exactly who is responsible for public safety. And if that sheriff fails to lead with integrity, competence and courage, the people can remove them at the ballot box,” Sen. Carter said. “That is how a constitutional republic is supposed to work.”

Jasper County deputies interrupt in-progress theft of 4-wheeler

(From the Jasper County Sheriff's Office)

At approximately 9:00 AM, 03-27-26, Jasper County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to the area of County Road 220 and Baseline in reference to a suspicious vehicle. The reporting party indicated a car had parked directly behind his house during the night. The reporting party indicated he was not familiar with the vehicle and that it was not occupied.

Upon arrival deputies began searching the area. While searching, the deputies were notified of an in- progress theft of a four-wheeler about a mile to the south, near County Road 230 and Pine. 

Upon arrival at that scene, a subject had abandoned the four-wheeler and was found standing behind a
residence nearby.

The deputies observed the subject, later identified as Zachery G. Greeson, 28, Fargo, North Dakota
had no pants on. He was arrested without incident. During a consent search of the backpack he was
wearing, a baggie containing approximately 225 grams of powder cocaine and a baggie containing
roughly the same amount of ketamine was located.

Greeson indicated he was on his way from North Dakota to Alabama and while en route became
concerned about being the victim of an air strike. He said he pulled off the main highway to hide his car behind a house during the night. He stated as he was running through the woods during the night when his pants got hung up on barb wire and were ripped off.

Greeson has been charged with possession and trafficking of a controlled substance, burglary (he entered into a barn to steal the four-wheeler) and first degree trespassing. He is currently being held at the Jasper County Jail. Charges have been submitted to the Jasper County Prosecutor's Office for consideration.

Missouri House committee sinks latest bid to revive Second Amendment law

By Jason Hancock

Missouri Independent

Missouri lawmakers’ latest attempt to bar state and local officials from helping enforce certain federal gun laws collapsed Wednesday in a House committee, defeated not only by Democrats but by Republicans who said the bill would hurt gun dealers, invite costly litigation and ignore the concerns of law enforcement.

The House General Laws Committee voted 9-3 against a bill aimed at reviving Missouri’s Second Amendment Preservation Act. The committee has 16 members — 11 Republicans and five Democrats — meaning the bill would have failed even if all four absent members had shown up.

The vote was a setback for a measure that has become a recurring cause for Missouri gun-rights activists. Since the original law passed in 2021, supporters have cast it as a bulwark against federal overreach, while opponents — including police chiefs, sheriffs, federal prosecutors and local officials — have argued it undermined cooperation with federal authorities and exposed local governments to costly lawsuits.

What made Wednesday’s defeat stand out was where the resistance came from.

State Rep. Mike Costlow, a Republican from Dardenne Prairie and a firearms dealer, said the bill was “absolutely not second amendment friendly,” despite its title.

In remarks before the vote, Costlow said the measure would create a conflict between state and federal law for gun dealers forced to choose between complying with federal law and risking liability under state law, or vice versa. He also took aim at the bill’s $50,000 civil penalty, arguing it would create a framework for people to exploit the Second Amendment for payouts at taxpayer expense.

Costlow accused outside groups of pressuring lawmakers to back a bill he said would do more to fuel a political narrative than protect gun rights.

Joining Costlow in publicly criticizing the bill was state Rep. Jamie Gragg, a Republican from Ozark, who said he had checked with local law enforcement in his district before the vote and came away convinced the bill did not have their support.

That opposition undercut the central argument from the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Bill Hardwick of Dixon, that it was a narrower, more legally careful rewrite of a law courts already struck down.

At a hearing earlier this month, Hardwick told the committee he had removed language that sought to invalidate federal law while preserving what he described as its core protections. His bill would have barred state and local officials from enforcing certain federal firearm laws, including registration requirements, tracking of gun ownership and confiscation orders aimed at law-abiding citizens. It also would have kept the $50,000 civil penalty for violations.

Hardwick argued the proposal was based not on nullification but on the anti-commandeering doctrine that says the federal government cannot force state officers to carry out federal policy.

Supporters, including Aaron Dorr of the Missouri Firearms Coalition, said the bill would simply prevent the federal government from using Missouri police to enforce federal gun restrictions.

But opponents said that was not how the law worked in practice the first time around, and they warned it would not work now.

When originally enacted in 2021, the law declared a range of federal gun laws invalid in Missouri and threatened state and local agencies with lawsuits and $50,000 penalties for enforcing them. Law enforcement leaders warned it would chill cooperation with federal agencies, and the U.S. Department of Justice sued Missouri in 2022, arguing the state could not nullify federal law and that the measure was already disrupting gun-crime enforcement.

In 2023, U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes struck the law down as unconstitutional. The following year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit upheld that ruling, concluding Missouri may choose to withhold assistance from federal authorities but cannot do so by purporting to invalidate federal law. Last October, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Missouri’s appeal, effectively ending the state’s effort to save the 2021 version.

That did not end the legislative push.

Last year, the Missouri House passed another attempt to revive the law, but the effort stalled in the Senate after law enforcement groups again warned that the rewrite preserved many of the same practical and constitutional problems. This year’s bill was another try at threading the same needle: preserve the political appeal of the original law while cutting away enough language to survive in court.

In an interview Thursday morning, Hardwick said he is not giving up on the issue, even if his House bill is likely dead. Two Senate versions of the legislation, sponsored by GOP Sens. Rick Brattin and Mike Moon, are still alive. And if those efforts fail this year, he intends to keep pushing the issue if he wins the Missouri Senate seat he is seeking.

“I’m not going to give up,” Hardwick said. “This is an issue that is near and dear to me.”