Former North Middle School teacher who molested 13-year-old boy sentenced to 20 years

Former Joplin North Middle School reading teacher Amanda Ruth Schweitzer, 42, was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for charges connected to her molestation of a 13-year-old boy.

Following her sentence, she will be under supervised probation for 15 years. She will also be required to register as a sex offender.

On June 16, 2020, Schweitzer pleaded guilty to enticing a minor for illegal sexual activity. 

Schweitzer's crimes were spelled out in the plea agreement.

On March 29, 2017, Joplin, Missouri Police Department (JPD) Officer and School Resource Officer R. Hirshey responded to North Middle School, 102 South Gray, Joplin, Missouri, in reference to the defendant sending nude images of herself to three students.

Officer Hirshey spoke with North Middle School Principal Matt Harding. Harding stated that C. O. and D. R. adult females, made a report regarding John Doe 1 (DOB 2003), John Doe 2 (DOB 2002) and John Doe 3 (DOB 2002), and advised him that the defendant sent nude photos to John Doe I's Instagram account.

On March 29, 2017, JPD Corporal Luke Stahl responded to North Middle School to further the investigation. Cpl. Stahl seized all the John Does' cellular phones with consent from their mothers. Cpl. Stahl asked the defendant if she would be willing to come to JPD for an interview.

The defendant consented and rode with Cpl. Stahl. Upon arrival, Cpl. Stahl took the defendant to an interview room and read the defendant her rights under Miranda and she agreed to waive her rights to speak with Cpl. Stahl.

The defendant stated she had communicated with John Doe 1 and 3, but that it was all school related. The defendant said John Doe 1 and 3 had messaged her asking for Mountain Dew, so she drove to John Doe 3's residence to drop some off for them.

The defendant said she had also given John Doe 1 and 3 a ride to John Doe 3's residence so that they would not have to walk home from school.

The defendant also admitted she had picked John Doe 1 up on March 20, 2017 to go see a movie. They never went to the movies, driving around instead and eventually they went to the river in a white four-door car.

John Doe 1 reported that once they got the river, the defendant (initiated oral sex and later sexual intercourse with the boy).

John Doe 1 stated the second time they had sex was on March 29, 2017. John Doe 1 stated he had not gone to school; he had stayed home with John Doe 3.

The defendant texted him to ask him why he had not come to school. The defendant later came to John Doe 3's residence and took (John Doe 1) inside to a bedroom. John Doe 1 stated that they had sex in the bedroom.

John Doe 1 started that the defendant mostly communicated with him through the Instagram application. John Doe 1 stated that before the defendant picked him up from John Doe 3's residence, she had sent him a picture of her breast.

John Doe 1 stated that the defendant had sent him nude pictures of herself before. John Doe 1 stated that in one of her photos, the defendant had a purple (sex toy) that looked like a cactus. John Doe 1 sent one (nude photo of himself) to the defendant.

On April 11, 2017, TFO Roller conducted a forensic examination of (Schweitzer's phone and John Doe 1's phone).

On John Doe 1's phone, images of John Doe (nude) and images with the defendant's exposing her breast were located. There was also one image depicting the defendant with (the sex toy) in her mouth.

On the defendant's phone, multiple images of her exposing her breast were located, including the images that were located on John Doe 1's phone. All of the Instagram messages had been deleted from both phones.

 

Remembering Bill Virdon

Former major league outfielder and manager Bill Virdon, a West Plains resident, died today at age 90. Virdon earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1955 with the St. Louis Cardinals with 17 home runs, 69 RBI and a .281 batting average.

He was traded to the Pittsburg Pirates the following year and was the center fielder when the Pirates defeated the Yankees in seven games to win the 1960 World Series.

Virdon retired after the 1965 season and spent the next four decades as a coach and manager. He managed the Yankees, Houston Astros and Montreal Expos.

Before he reached the major leagues, Virdon began his professional baseball career with the Independence, Kansas team in the KOM League.

Virdon returned to one of the KOM ballparks where he played, Carl Lewton Stadium in Carthage, in July 1998 to renew old acquaintances and participate in an oldtimers' game, which I wrote about in the Carthage Press and in my book Sports Talk Memories.:

The man held the notepad in front of him as he walked through the bleachers toward the first base dugout at Carl Lewton Stadium.

Do you think Mr. Virdon would sign this?” he asked.

Assured that he would, the man went into the dugout and returned with the autograph of the man who played center field for the 1960 World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.

All eyes were on the former all-star when he stepped to the plate during the bottom half of that same inning.

Though he is 67, Virdon still looked amazingly like he did more than four decades earlier when he played in the KOM League.

The first pitch hit the dirt well in front of the plate. “Ball,” umpire Carl Lewton called out in his clear, distinctive voice.

The next pitch was right down the middle and Virdon ripped a line drive over the second baseman’s head into right field. He stopped at first with a single.

“What did Virdon do?” one of his teammates, who had been talking during the at-bat, asked.

Cal Hrabos turned to his friend and said, “Hell, he got a base hit.”

Bill Virdon had a lot of base hits during his major league career, which included some time with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was one of the lucky ones.

He was talented enough to be a success at the major league level, but so were many of the other men who played baseball in the KOM League. They stayed in places like Carthage, Iola, Pittsburg, Miami, Independence, and Ponca City, waiting for opportunities that usually never came. There were too many minor leagues and too many players who were too old to play in the major leagues because they served their country during World War II.

Bill Virdon was not at the KOM Reunion Oldtimers Game Tuesday morning as the man who hit the big time. He was there to see old friends, to be just one hero among many.

He was there to see old friends, like starting pitcher Joe Beatka. Beatka was disappointed when the oldtimers game at the first KOM Reunion, held in 1996 in Pittsburg, was rained out. At that time, he promised he would play when the next game was held. Despite open heart surgery and cataract surgery, he kept that promise.

The man who may have been the fastest man to ever play in the KOM League, Jumpin’ Joe Pollock, was another one whose career was derailed by the war, but that never erased the smile from his face.

He was in the lineup Tuesday despite have knee replacement surgery on both knees. It would have been easy for him and some of the other men, most of whom are in their 70s, to sit on the sidelines.

Joe, 77, shook his head. “I guess we still love baseball.”

For Joe and the other love of his life, his wife of more than half a century Mary, the KOM League holds many fond memories.

“I came here to the KOM League as a bride,” Mary said. “The manager’s wife and the players’ wives took me under their wing. We were like family.”

The special bond wasn’t just limited to the players and their immediate families. “The people in the towns we played were absolutely wonderful,” Joe said.

Joe, who played for the Miami, Pittsburg, and Iola teams, drove opposing teams crazy during the 1946 and 1947 seasons, when he attempted 123 stolen bases and was successful on 120 of them.

He and his teammates were much appreciated by the community, he said. “The storeowners would give merchandise to the players, maybe a free dinner or three pounds of ground beef.”

One night, when Joe stole six bases, including home twice, he fans passed the hat and collected $150 for them. “And the players were paid $150 a month at that time.”

After his days in the KOM League, Joe remained active in baseball, coaching Babe Ruth ball for 26 years in Miami, where two of his players, Steve and Tinker Owens, later became better known for their football exploits.

More than half a century has passed, but Joe and his bride have nothing but fond memories of the league that refuses to die. “Those were wonderful times. We’re all just like a family,” Mary said.

“We still have that same kind of togetherness and closeness,” Joe added. His wife agreed and she has no doubt why the passing decades have not erased that bond.

“It’s because they love the game.”

Emanuel Cleaver: Build Back Better Act will lower costs, level playing field for American families

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

As we approach our National Day of Thanksgiving, we have much to be thankful for this week.

Last Monday, I watched from the lawn of the White House as President Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. 

I was proud to support this historic and long overdue investment in our crumbling national infrastructure, as it will send $9 billion to Missouri to modernize our roads, bridges, public transit, broadband, drinking water systems, ports, airports, and more. 

Not only will this create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs across Missouri, but it will increase our economic growth and allow every community in our state to compete in the 21st century digital economy.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a truly landmark piece of legislation, and I'm thankful President Biden was able to bring Congress together to pass it on a bipartisan basis, showing that the United States can still put partisan differences aside to tackle the biggest challenges facing our nation.

And that's not all.

Last week, after months of vigorous debate and deliberative negotiations, the House of Representatives passed President Biden's Build Back Better Act. 

The President's signature economic proposal would cut taxes for middle-class families, lower drug costs for American seniors and those with disabilities, provide universal pre-K and affordable child care to working families throughout Missouri, make the single biggest investment to act on climate in our nation's history, and expand health care coverage to millions more Americans--all without raising taxes on families making less than $400,000 by making sure the ultra-wealthy and corporations finally pay their fair share in taxes.

I was proud to support this historic bill--which will now go to the Senate to be taken up for consideration--and I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some insight into a few key provisions within the legislation, including:

Cutting taxes for middle-class families by extending the expanded Child Tax Credit, which was passed in the American Rescue Plan Act in March and has resulted in the largest one-year reduction in child poverty in American history. 

This tax cut will continue to provide middle-class Missouri families with $3,600 per year for every child under 6 and $3,000 for every child 6-17-years-old. Additionally, the bill would also provide a tax cut of up to $1,500 for 338,000 Missouri workers by extending the American Rescue Plan's expanded Earned Income Tax Credit.

Lowering prescription drug costs for seniors and families by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping insulin prices at $35 per month, and guaranteeing that seniors never pay more than $2,000 per year for their drugs under Medicare Part D. 

As millions of Medicare beneficiaries pay more than $6,000 per year in cost-sharing, this provision will save families thousands of dollars every year that can go toward other essential items like rent, groceries, clothing, and more.

Implementing universal, free preschool for every 3- and 4-year-old in Missouri. Currently, only 14% of 3- and 4-year-olds in Missouri have access to publicly-funded pre-K, while the average cost in the state is $8,600 per year for those who can't access publicly-funded preschool. 

The Build Back Better Act would enable more than 115,000 additional Missouri children to access free, high-quality pre-K--which will strengthen outcomes for our children and our workforce in the years to come.

Providing affordable child care to Missouri families by enabling the state to provide child care for approximately 380,000 children (ages 0-5) per year from families earning under 2.5 times the state median income. The bill guarantees that these families would pay no more than 7% of their income on high-quality child care.

Making the largest investment to combat climate change in history, which will set the United States on a path to reduce greenhouse gas emission to 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, create millions of good-paying green jobs, grow domestic manufacturing, and protect our communities from extreme weather events like floods or tornadoes.

Addressing the needs of rural America by investing tens of billions of dollars in rural job-promoting projects, giving critical debt relief to farmers and ranchers in need, providing substantial funding to support rural fire departments, and promoting agricultural research and development.

Making generational investments in higher education, workforce training, and nutrition assistance.
Ensuring corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share to pay for all of the above provisions. 

To ensure the Build Back Better Act is fully paid for and does not increase the deficit, the bill will establish a minimum 15% tax on all U.S. corporations earning more than $1 billion per year in profits, ensure companies pay a minimum 15% tax on profits earned overseas, and provide a new surtax on the wealthiest Americans--those making over $10 million per year. The bill also provides a 1% surcharge on stock buybacks, which are frequently used by corporate executives to enrich themselves rather than invest in their workers or grow their business.

In conjunction with the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Build Back Better Act will create millions of good-paying jobs across the United States of America, lower costs for families, and lay the groundwork for increased economic growth over the next decade. That's precisely what Democrats envision when we talk about building back better than before the pandemic, and I will continue doing all I can to ensure this economic plan is implemented in the coming months.

Jasper County reports 238th COVID-19 death, 35 new cases

The Jasper County Health Department reported the county's 138th COVID-19 death today.

The victim was a woman in her 80s.

The department confirmed 35 new COVID-19 cases Monday. The breakdown is printed below.

COVID Update 11-22-2021

35 new positive cases

<1 year 0
1-4 yrs 0
5-11 yrs 0
12-19yrs 5
20-29yrs 2
30-39yrs 8
40-49yrs 3
50-59yrs 7
60-69yrs 5
70-79yrs 3
80-89yrs 1
90+yrs 1
Vaccinated = 11
Reinfection = 1 (person was not vaccinated)

State audit slaps former Greene County Commissioners for misuse of taxpayers' money during ethics investigation

(From State Auditor Nicole Galloway)

State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released the audit of the Greene County Commission that included the involvement of a former Greene County commissioner in a 2017 sales tax ballot measure campaign. 

Among its findings, the audit found that taxpayers paid more than $25,000 in legal invoices sent to the personal address of now-former Presiding Commissioner Robert Cirtin; the expenses were related to a Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) complaint.

In December 2017, acting on information obtained through the office's Whistleblower Hotline, Auditor Galloway requested authority from the County Commission for her office to conduct a thorough, independent audit into allegations that public resources were misused to advocate for the ballot measure; however, the County Commission at that time did not grant her request. 

Subsequently, after changes to the County Commission due to an election, the County Commission asked Galloway to audit county government.

"I appreciate the cooperation of the current Commission to bring this review to completion, after prolonged efforts by two former commissioners to prevent taxpayers from seeing how their tax dollars were used," Auditor Galloway said.

The commission retained legal representation from law firms, costing over $34,000, related to an election law complaint at the MEC without soliciting competitive bids, and did not enter into a contract with one of those law firms.

Eventually, the MEC issued rulings describing violations of law and ethics rules surrounding Cirtin's activities regarding the adoption of the sales tax. Auditors found that county taxpayers paid a total of $20,284 to a law firm for invoices sent to Cirtin at his personal address. 

Auditors also found that Cirtin approved a reimbursement to himself totaling $5,400 for additional legal expenses that he initially personally paid to the same law firm. Cirtin also was paid for a reimbursement request for mileage to travel to Jefferson City to meet with legal counsel about the MEC complaint; however, there was no commission or other signature indicating the request was approved before it was paid.

Auditors also found that, in violation of county policy and legal guidance, Cirtin used his official county email to encourage other county employees to engage in campaign activity around the sales tax measure. In one exchange, he asked a county employee to engage in political activity for the political action committee (PAC) formed to support the sales tax. When the employee raised concerns about doing work for a PAC as a county employee, Cirtin told the employee to do it on their free time. The employee resisted the order, citing it would be a violation of ethics laws.

A commission with two new members, including current Presiding Commissioner Dixon, voted early in 2019 to formally request that Auditor Galloway audit the entire government of Greene County. The Auditor previously released audits of Greene County government and of the Greene County Sheriff. Both of those reports gave a rating of "good."

The audit released today of the Greene County Commission looked at the specific allegations related to the former Presiding Commissioner's involvement in the 2017 sales tax campaign, as well as other operations of the Commission. A complete copy of the audit report, which gave a rating of "poor," can be found here.

Bill White: Committee issues recommendations to improve MO HealthNet

(From Sen. Bill White, R-Joplin)

After conducting five hearings and listening to testimony from state leaders, advocates and stakeholders, the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Accountability and Taxpayer Protection is in the process of writing the second of two reports on our state’s MO HealthNet (Medicaid) program. 

The first report dealt with abortion providers and their affiliates, and I’m pleased to report that the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Social Services have issued emergency rules to tighten up their rules and regulations, which if not followed, can affect licensure for such facilities. 

The second report focuses on the efficacy of our MO HealthNet system and contains the following five main recommendations to improve our state’s Medicaid program:

Use our surplus of federal COVID and stimulus funds to replace outdated computer information systems within the Department of Social Services and the Department of Health and Senior Services;

Develop a public dashboard to help benefit recipients navigate the programs and improve transparency;

Create a unified a fee schedule to align services throughout the state and improve managed care;

Modify the state statute relating to abuse in senior care facilities by adding a negligence provision;

Extend MO HealthNet coverage to one year for postpartum women to address our state’s high maternal mortality rates.

I want to thank the members of the committee, the department leaders and committed citizens who took the time to work with us on these issues. I believe our recommendations will improve the quality, transparency and outcomes of our state’s Medicaid Program.

Fifty-eight years ago today

Class dismissed early 58 years ago today at Midway Elementary.

Word had spread quickly that President John F. Kennedy, the only president most of the second graders could remember, had been murdered.

As we headed to the bus a couple of hours earlier than usual, I remember the conversation. My classmates did not believe it. 

"You can't kill the president" one girl said.

"They killed Abraham Lincoln," I said, having just read a small paperback biography of the 16th president. I knew nothing of the assassinations of Garfield and McKinley.

That weekend my eyes were glued to the small black-and-white television in the living room. I watched as one man, Jack Ruby, murdered another one, presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, on live television- the first time that had ever happened. It was only on one network, but that was the network I happened to be watching.

The Kennedy assassination was the first time that television took over the coverage of an event and dominated the newspapers because of its immediacy. Now it is something we expect.

On the 30-year anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, Nov. 22, 1993, I combed through the third floor archives set up by Marvin VanGilder in the old Carthage Press building and wrote a story about what it was like in Carthage three decades earlier.

The Carthage Press account from the Nov. 23, 1963 issue began, "Carthage today was a city in shock, still unable to comprehend the brutality with which the nation's chief executive was removed from office and from life." 

"Carthaginians repeatedly remarked only, 'It's unbelievable...What a terrible thing! I didn't think it could happen in this country...What happens now?'

Flags on the courthouse lawn, over the post office, before Memorial Hall and elsewhere in the city dangled limply at half-staff, the article said.

"The city mourned the death of a president and mourned with equal fervor a demonstration of hate too awful to comprehend."

Former Joplin Globe reporter was first to tell nation President Kennedy had been assassinated

 

Fifteen years ago, former Carthage Press editor John Hacker, who is writing a healthy portion of the Joplin Globe these days, asked me to write a weekly column for GateHouse Media's shortlived effort to gain access to the Joplin market, the Joplin Daily.

When the Daily launched in January 2006, I wrote a column about the 15th anniversary of the death of Nancy Cruzan, whose right-to-die case began in Carterville, went all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court and then back to Jasper County Circuit Court.

As it turned out, that was the only column I ever wrote for the Daily. The powers that be at GateHouse Media told Hacker they did not want a weekly column from me, but that he could run my columns every once in a while.

Since I was just as arrogant then as I am now, I decided if they did not want a weekly column from me, they would not receive any columns.

When I made that decision, I already had a second column written, a look at the role a former Joplin Globe newspaper delivery boy and later Globe reporter Jud Dixon played in a historical event that forever changed the United States.

I published the column in the Turner Report in January 2006 and for the past several years, I have reprinted it each year on November 22, the anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy 57 years ago.

***

"Get your Joplin Globe, five cents. Get your Joplin Globe five cents."

The job didn't pay much, but the country was in the midst of a depression, and every cent counted. Even more importantly for teenager Jud Dixon, it was his entry into the magical world of news.

That road took Jud from the Globe street sales to reporting jobs with the Globe and the Springfield Daily News to a seven-decade career in journalism that ended last month with his death at age 85 at his Dallas home.

Jud Dixon spent the last five decades of his life in the Dallas area, and it was there on Nov. 22, 1963, that the Joplin High School and Joplin Junior College graduate had a brush with history.

Jud was in charge of the United Press International (UPI) bureau in Dallas when he received word that President Kennedy had been assassinated during a political trip to the city. 

Within seconds, with the cool demeanor that characterized his entire reporting career, he sat behind his manual typewriter pounding out the story that no reporter ever wants to write, but at times like that, when people absolutely have to know what is going on, that’s when reporters must be at the top of their game.

"He was completely stone-faced, pouring it out of that typewriter," Jack Fallon, who was UPI’s Southwest Division editor at the time, told the Dallas Morning News. "Just by his presence, he kept everyone else around him calm."

Within moments, it was Jud Dixon’s version of the death of President John F. Kennedy that went out over the UPI wire to radio stations and television stations across the United States.

Though Jud Dixon’s coverage of that watershed moment in American history was what led his obituary, he perhaps did his greatest service to journalism and to the public after his retirement from UPI two decades ago.

Jud spent the next 18 years of his life as editor of the newsletter for the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas fighting for the public’s right to know.

When Jud retired for a second time, Freedom of Information director Tommy Thomason praised his years of service. "Jud’s a journalist’s journalist. His entire career has been committed to open government as the basis of solid reporting of the issues and events important to his readers."

Jud Dixon knew the importance of a free and unfettered press serving as the public’s representative. He knew that when the workings of government were open to the public that this country could survive anything from unpaved streets to official corruption to the death of a president.

Parson, 14 Republican governors sign Operation Open Roads Initiative

(From Gov. Mike Parson)

Today, Governor Mike Parson joined 14 other Republican Governors in signing onto the Operation Open Roads initiative. 

The Governors issued a joint statement committing to use their respective state authority to implement solutions that support supply chain efficiency, cut regulatory red tape, and increase market access, in response to supply chain shortages being experienced across the country.

In the joint statement, the Governors also called on the Biden Administration to suspend outdated regulations that are burdening commercial drivers, transportation and logistics stakeholders, and American manufacturing. The Governors detailed specific ways in which the Biden Administration can assist these efforts:

Lowering commercial drivers license (CDL) age requirements from 21 years old to 18 years old;

Suspending federal policies that deter American manufacturing;

Ending COVID-19 vaccine mandates on private businesses, particularly on the trucking and transportation industry; and

Ceasing inflation inducing federal spending.

"Missourians, like many Americans, are deeply concerned about their rising grocery and energy bills, increasing delays for goods and services, and soaring inflation threatening their paychecks," Governor Parson said. 

"The Biden Administration's continued attempts to tax, spend, and regulate its way out of this crisis have failed. We are committed to doing what we can at the state level to fix this crisis and to get us back on track, but we need the federal government to get on board or get out of the way."

To strengthen and support Missouri supply chains, Governor Parson today signed Executive Order 21-13 establishing the Missouri Supply Chain Task Force. The Task Force is charged with convening public and private stakeholders across the state to identify potential improvements and solutions to supply chain issues occurring in Missouri.

The Task Force is also charged with engaging surrounding states in its work in order to maximize interstate coordination.

The Task Force will be co-chaired by the Director of the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Director of the Office of Workforce Development. Any recommendations that require legislative changes are to be expedited by the group ahead of its dissolution on June 30, 2022.

"This is a national crisis that requires coordination across all levels of government and between public and private partners. By signing this Order and supporting this initiative, we are acknowledging the threat and working to mitigate the negative impacts on Missourians," Governor Parson said. "Missouri agencies and stakeholders have already begun identifying ways to improve and strengthen our transportation infrastructure and workforce, and this Task Force will complement and further that work, while prioritizing prompt and meaningful solutions."

To view the joint Republican Governors initiative Operation Open Roads, see attachment.

To view Executive Order 21-13, click here.


Operation Open Roads 11.22.2021.pdf

NW Arkansas group sentenced to combined 141 years for meth, heroin, fentanyl trafficking

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas)

The final member of a Northwest Arkansas group has been sentenced to federal prison for the Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings for the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

In the spring of 2019, Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched an investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering in the Western District of Arkansas. 

For approximately a year between April 2019 and August of 2020, agents conducted extensive investigative activities into a large, Northwest Arkansas-based drug trafficking organization led by Nathan Martin.

This investigation resulted in the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of fifteen (15) individual drug traffickers and money launderers and the seizure of approximately 28 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 415 grams of heroin, approximately 61 grams of fentanyl, 5 firearms, and over $43,000.00 in funds derived from drug trafficking.

The sentencings of the drug trafficking organization members are as follows:

WDAR Case No. 5:20 CR 50044 – 001-012 – (Indictment issued August 26, 2020)

Nathan Martin: age 36, Rogers, Arkansas - Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of More Than 50 grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine – 300 months imprisonment, 4-year term of supervised release, a fine of $9,900, and a $100 special assessment.

Karla Avelar-Mejia: age 23, Rogers, Arkansas - Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine - 60 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment. Rogers

Evan Boyd: age 26, Springdale, Arkansas - Distribution of Methamphetamine -130 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $2,400, and a $100 special assessment.

Gary Boyd: age 40, Bella Vista, Arkansas - Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine – 180 months imprisonment, 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,900, and a $100 special assessment.

Patrick Ford: age 23, Rogers, Arkansas - Distribution of Methamphetamine -120 months imprisonment, a 5-year term of supervised release, a fine of $2,400, and a $100 special assessment.

Humberto Noel Gonzalez: age 38, Rogers, Arkansas - Distribution of Methamphetamine – 78 months imprisonment, a 3 -year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment.

Christopher Lee Jackson: age 59, Rogers, Arkansas - Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine – 100 months imprisonment, a 3 -year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Michael Moran: age 38, Bentonville, Arkansas - Distribution of Heroin -120 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment.

Thomas Porras: age 32, Bentonville, Arkansas - Distribution of More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture Containing Methamphetamine- 110 months imprisonment, a 4 -year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment.

Katie Putty: age 41, Springdale, Arkansas - Distribution of More Than 5 Grams Actual - 30 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment.

Dakota Siller: age 26, Springdale, Arkansas - Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering- 84 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment.

Ruben Zapien: age 35, Rogers, Arkansas – Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of More Than 50 grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine- 188 months imprisonment, a 5-year term of supervised release, a fine of $900, and a $100 special assessment.

Natalie Urbina: age 26, Rogers, Arkansas - Aiding and Abetting the Possession with Intent to Distribute of More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine - 87 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release, a fine of $900, and a $100 special assessment.

Bernardo Carcamo: age 29, Rogers, Arkansas - Aiding and Abetting the Possession with Intent to Distribute of More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine - 63 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release, a fine of $900, and a $100 special assessment.

Helena Belena Sorimle: age 23, Springdale, Arkansas - Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine: - 42 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release, a fine of $400, and a $100 special assessment.

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration Fayetteville Division, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Rogers Police Department, Benton County Drug Unit, Bentonville Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Springdale Police Department, 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Unit, Homeland Security Investigations Fayetteville Division, United States Postal Service, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Arkansas State Probation and Parole investigated the case.p

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.

Today’s announcement is part of the Western District of Arkansas’ Operations Sticking Points/Crystal Shields, which is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.