JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of burglaries and have a suspect in custody.

A Jackson County deputy stopped to assist with a disabled 2008 Dodge Caravan on P. Road near 254th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The deputy determined that the vehicle had been stolen from the Sac and Fox Casino on Thursday August 9, and placed the driver  Saleena Rae Masquat, 33, of  Mayetta, under arrest. She was  also found  in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

In addition, Masquat has been allegedly tied to three Jackson County burglaries, according to Morse.

Jackson County deputies and detectives investigated a burglary to an occupied residence located at 16400 326th Road where items including a television had been taken on August 9th.

Deputies and detectives also worked a burglary to an unoccupied dwelling located at 16621 326th Road in rural Whiting on August 9th. Detectives also investigated a burglary to a shed near 254th and P. Road close to where Masquat was arrested.  An assortment of tools had been stolen. Deputies recovered a considerable amount of the missing property that had been in Masquat’s possession.

She is being held in the Jackson County Jail on the following charges: felony possession of stolen property, possession of stolen property, theft, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, burglary of a dwelling, burglary of a non-dwelling, driving while suspended. Further charges on Masquat may occur. Masquat remains in the Jackson County Jail with bond set at $16,000.00.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A  Missouri woman was sentenced in federal court Monday for her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine that was shipped via UPS from Arizona.

Jennifer M. Conant, 38, of Joplin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

On March 28, 2018, Conant pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Conant admitted that she had a package shipped via UPS, which contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine, to a residence in Seneca, Mo. On May 6, 2017, law enforcement officers tracked the suspicious package from its origin in Arizona and upon its arrival at the Joplin UPS conducted a search to confirm the package contained methamphetamine.

A federal agent conducted a controlled delivery of the package to its Seneca destination on May 7, 2017. Shortly after the package was delivered, officers executed a search warrant and located the package in a bedroom of the residence. An occupant of the residence told investigators that Conant had the package shipped to his address and that she had inquired about the package just prior to law enforcement executing the search warrant. He then contacted Conant, who arrived at the residence approximately 45 minutes later to pick up the package and was arrested.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday and admitted he was arrested with almost 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine found in both his car and residence, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Edgar Martinez-Quintana, 36, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted the Kansas City Kan., Police Department stopped his car on Aug. 25, 2017. They found methamphetamine hidden in a roof console and more than $1,900 in cash. A later search of Martinez-Quintana’s residence by officers uncovered more methamphetamine.  Sentencing is set for Oct. 2

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill says she supports measures on Missouri’s November ballot to increase the state’s minimum wage and hike the gas tax.

McCaskill recently told reporters that she also supports medical marijuana. She said she “couldn’t be more enthusiastic” about another proposal that would change redistricting and limit lobbyist gifts to state lawmakers, among other things.

McCaskill is running for a third term this fall.

Her Republican challenger, Josh Hawley, says he needs to read through all of the proposals and is still making up his mind. He said he’s inclined to support medical marijuana, but he said he wants to make sure there are enough protections to limit it to medical uses.

The election is Nov. 6.

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) – A Missouri man accused of killing his wife and burying her in a shallow grave won’t go on trial as scheduled in September.

Sixty-year-old John McLaughlin is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Linda McLaughlin. She disappeared in June 2015 and her body was found in April 2016 in a grave in the Mark Twain National Forest in southwest Missouri.

Investigators say the couple was divorcing when she died.

The trial scheduled for Sept. 24 was rescheduled Monday for May 29, 2019, because defense attorneys asked for more time.

McLaughlin is being held at the St. Louis County Jail in lieu of $2 million cash-only bail.

The couple’s two adult sons have sued their father over their mother’s death.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A fired white Kansas police officer has been indicted in the fatal shooting of a black man.

Leavenworth County Prosecutor Todd Thompson announced Monday that Matthew Harrington, of Henderson, Nevada, has been indicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Antonio Garcia Jr.

The shooting happened in July 2017 when Harrington was investigating a domestic dispute involving a reported stolen vehicle.

Harrington was fired in January for what Leavenworth Police Chief Patrick Kitchens called a violation of the department’s use of deadly force policy.

Attorney Ken Barnes says the Garcia family is “relieved” and is considering a wrongful death lawsuit.

Harrington’s bond was set at $50,000 when he appeared in court Monday. His attorney didn’t immediately return a phone message.

MISSION HILLS, Kan. (AP) — A couple from a Kansas City suburb alleges that a $90 million billing scheme found last year at a rural Missouri hospital has spread to as many as 10 other hospitals.

James and Phyllis Shaffer of Mission Hills, Kansas, are suing Jorge Perez over alleged replays of the original scheme discovered at Putnam County Memorial Hospital in Unionville, Missouri.

Missouri’s auditor released a report in 2017 saying the hospital billed insurance companies for lab tests that didn’t occur at the facility and received a cut of payments funneled to another lab company. The audit doesn’t name Perez, but records show he’s vice president of Florida-based Hospital Partners Inc., which the audit prominently mentioned.

The newspaper was unable to reach Perez for comment.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – Missouri taxpayers may be covering $884,000 in legal fees for a Columbia church’s U.S. Supreme Court case after a state agency denied its playground resurfacing.

Attorney General Josh Hawley praised the high court ruling in favor of Trinity Lutheran Church but questioned the fees and expenses. The court ruled last year that the Department of Natural Resources couldn’t use religion as a reason to deny the church’s grant application to resurface a playground using scrap tire pieces.

The church filed a motion seeking legal fees for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which argued the case on its behalf. The alliance didn’t return a request for comment.

Hawley’s office is asking to reduce the hours billed and cut the hourly rates.