Post Staff – Page 478 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Missouri man pleads guilty to child porn charge

Posted on April 19, 2016April 20, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Clinton, Missouri man has pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing child pornography over the Internet.

Benjamin A. Bowers, 27, of Clinton, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to the charge contained in an April 15, 2015, federal indictment.

By pleading guilty, Bowers admitted that he shared images of child pornography over the Internet using a peer-to-peer file-sharing network.

Law enforcement officers from the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol were conducting an investigation into peer-to-peer networks that shared child pornography online. In November 2013, they downloaded multiple images of child pornography that were being shared from Bowers’s computer.

Officers with the Clinton Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol executed a search warrant at Bowers’s residence on Dec. 10, 2013, and seized several items, including computers and external components. Examiners discovered approximately 7,699 photos and 177 videos that contained child pornography, as well as 3,032 images of child erotica, on his computers and related media. The content includes depictions of toddlers and prepubescent minors.

Under federal statutes, Bowers is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Two charged in Boost Mobile robbery

Posted on April 19, 2016April 19, 2016

Two men are accused of holding up a Boost Mobile at gunpoint in St. Joseph and taking the victim’s wallet to have the witness possibly assaulted in the event of their arrest.

Jose Diaz-Garcia, 42 and David Matias-Torres 35 both listed as residents at the same St. Joseph address have been charged in Buchanan County. Matias-Torres is charged with a felony for first-degree robbery, Diaz-Garcia is charged with a felony for 2nd-degree robbery.

According to court documents, Officer A. King with SJPD said Diaz-Garcia and Matias-Torres entered the Boost Mobile in the 6400 block of King Hill Ave. around 4:40 p.m. Wednesday.

King said Matias-Torres was seen on video with no covering over his face.

“The defendant pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the clerk. The defendant is seen pointing behind the counter to the second suspect,” King said in reference to Matias-Torres.

King said Diaz-Garcia is the suspect accused of walking behind the counter and grabbing the money from the drawer as well as a cell phone and a wallet from the victim while Matias-Torres held the victim at gunpoint.

He said both suspects then left the store on foot and left the area.

King said the victim’s wallet was later found at Matias-Torres residence and that Matias-Torres has been known to intimidate witness’ in past cases. Matias-Torres is also listed on court documents to have two prior arrests for robbery. King said Diaz-Garcia kept the victims wallet possibly to have the victim’s address in case they were arrested.

“Defendant is looking for someone to assault witness in this case,” King said in reference to Diaz-Garcia.

Online court documents said an arraignment for Diaz-Garcia was continued from Tuesday to Wednesday in order to request an interpreter. Matias-Torres appeared by video conference in court Tuesday and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 13. Both are being held without bail.

Obituaries April 17-18

Posted on April 19, 2016April 19, 2016

Clarence Norman Higley
1932-2016

Clarence Norman Higley was born on Sunday, July 3rd, 1932; and passed away Sunday, April 17th, 2016 in Atchison, KS. Services will take place Friday, April 22nd, 2016, 10:00am; officiating Schirmacher Al, located at Horton Cemetery.

Rebecca Ann Wood
1937-2016

Rebecca Ann Wood 78, of Saint Joseph, Missouri passed away Sunday April 17, 2016 at a Saint Joseph hospital. She was born August 8, 1937 in Cranberry, Pennsylvania daughter of Eva & Aubrey Singleton. She married John Henry Wood on 1959, he survives of the home. She graduated from high school, and was a homemaker, and a member of Souls Harbor Pentecostal church. Rebecca was preceded in death by her parents. Survivors include husband, John of the home, and a niece, Mary (Raymond) Radil of Peoria, AZ. She will be cremated under the care and direction of the Rupp Funeral Home. There are no scheduled visitation or memorial services at this time.

Marie Flaherty
1918-2016

Marie Flaherty, 97, formerly of Havensville, died Monday, April 18, 2016 at the Onaga Health & Rehab.
She was born Ocotber 22, 1918 at Hanover, the daughter of Casper and Anna Hora Bauer.
Marie was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Onaga and had been a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church at Coal Creek until it closed.
She married Harold Jeanneret. He died September 11, 1944. She married Everett W. Flaherty on March 4, 1946 at Coal Creek. He died April 6, 1998.
Marie was also preceded in death by her parents, a daughter, Kathleen M. Flaherty, a sister, Rose Brown, and two brothers, Frederick Bauer and Charles Bauer.
Survivors include two daughters, Carroll Gudenkauf and husband Don, Onaga, and Marilyn Faunce and husband Jerry, Topeka; a step-son, Harold Jeanneret, Jr. and wife Doris, Onaga; six grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 20th at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Burial will follow in St. Patrick’s Cemetery at Coal Creek. Marie will lie in state Tuesday at the Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Onaga. She will lie in state from 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning until Mass time at the church. Memorials are suggested to Coal Creek Cemetery, and may be sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 312, Onaga, 66521.

Donald D. Manville
1916-2016

Donald D. Manville, 100, Wathena, passed into the hands of the Lord and was reunited with his wife on April 18, 2016, at his home. He was born March 29, 1916, in Wathena, KS., the 4th of 9 children born to William H. and Anna Wagen-knecht Manville. He graduated from Wathena High School in 1934 and was a life-long resident of Wathena. He married Lorene Gray on April 20, 1939. She died just weeks before their 65th wedding anniversary in 2004. He served on the Gladden Elementary School Board for 20 years and the Wathena High School Board for 9 years. He was one of the original board members of the Burr Oak Levy Board and a former member of the Elks. He was in the earth moving construction business with Manville-Miller Construction Co. for 20 years. When he retired after 60 years of farming, he became the Regional Sales Manager for a major seed company, responsible for the states of Kansas, Missouri, and parts of Nebraska and Iowa. He was a member of the Wathena United Methodist Church for 55 years and served in many capacities, including Lay-Delegate to Annual Conference for 20 years, chairman of the Trustees and served on the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee. He was currently a member of Huffman Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Joseph, Mo. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; 4 brothers: Henry F., Wilbur C., Charles W., Peter A. Manville; and 3 sisters: Jessie Davis, Maxine Embery and Bettie Brown. Survivors include 2 daughters: Joyce Langford of Richardson, Tx. and Donna Lance of Savannah, Mo.; 2 sons: Bill Manville of St. Joseph Mo., and Pompano Beach, Fl., and Donald R. and his wife Michelle Manville of Wathena, Ks. and The Villages, Fl.; 1 sister: Wilma Gummig of St. Joseph, Mo.; 7 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. The body has been cremated. A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, April 23, at 2:00 p.m. at Huffman Memorial Methodist Church, 28th & Renick, St. Joseph. Family visitation will be held 1:00-2:00 at the church, prior to the service. Private burial will be at Bellemont Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Huffman Memorial United Methodist Church, 2802 Renick, St. Joseph, Mo. 64507; or St Croix Hospice, 708 Oregon, Hiawatha, Ks. 66434. www.harmanrohde.com

Rain on and off in your 7-day forecast

Posted on April 19, 2016

Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.

Tonight: A slight chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Low around 54. E-NE Winds, 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall of 1/4 to 1/2 inch possible.

Wednesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. High near 65. Light and variable wind becoming west 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. West wind 7 to 10 mph.
Thursday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 48.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 77.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Shooting suspect arraigned on new, harsher charges, after rejecting plea bargain

Posted on April 19, 2016

Gerald Johnson Jr front — Gerald Johnson Jr

A trial-setting hearing is scheduled in May for a St. Joseph man accused in connection with a shooting incident in December on the Parkway near the Hillcrest Transitional Housing apartments. Prosecutors have filed additional charges against Gerald Johnson Jr., which include much harsher penalties than the charges in the original complaint.

Mr Johnson is now charged as a persistent offender with 1st degree assault and 2nd degree robbery, along with charges of armed criminal action.

He was arraigned on the new charges Monday in Buchanan County Circuit Court.

Johnson is accused in connection with a robbery and shooting of Trevor Keith, 23, in a truck parked near Parkway A on Dec. 15. He faces a possible life prison term if convicted, and would have to serve at least 85% of whatever sentence is handed down.

According to online court records, Johnson rejected a plea offer on the original charges of assault and armed criminal action.

A co-defendant in the case has pleaded guilty. Adrian Taylor is scheduled for sentencing June 6.

Fatal crash in SE Kansas; Platte City trucker unhurt

Posted on April 19, 2016

A trucker from Platte City was involved in a crash in southeastern Kansas Monday that claimed the life of another driver.

The Kansas Highway Patrol crash report says Derik Blakely was driving along U.S. Highway 169 near Cherryvale, Kansas shortly after 3:30 p.m. when another motorist ran a stop sign and pulled into the path of Mr Blakely’s semi.

The collision claimed the life of 62-year-old Earl Wooldridge of Cherryvale. Mr. Wooldridge was taken to a hospital in Coffeyville where he died.

Mr. Blakely was not hurt.

Maryville extends spring open burning period

Posted on April 19, 2016

Many areas of in our region, including Doniphan County, Kansas, have been under an almost uninterrupted outdoor burn ban for several weeks.

Windy weather has caused similar problems in Maryville, interrupting that city’s spring open burning period. But recent rains have prompted officials to extend it.

The opening burning period expired last week but Maryville officials say you can now continue burning yard waste through the end of the month.

Click here for a copy of the announcement.

Sawyer Brown, Steve Moakler, John Waite, and others to play Trails West! ® this summer

Posted on April 18, 2016August 19, 2016

Sawyer Brown Courtesy Photo — Sawyer Brown
Courtesy Photo

ST. JOSEPH, MO— The Trails West! ® festival committee has released its 2016 entertainment lineup, which includes funk rock, country, and blues-pop.

The festival will take place August 19-21 in Civic Center Park in downtown St. Joseph.

Here Come the Mummies takes the stage Friday night, Farewell Angelina, Steve Moakler and Sawyer Brown entertain crowds Saturday; and festival attendees Sunday will hear from John Waite (from Bad English and The Babys).

“We are thrilled to announce such a fantastic lineup for the 2016 festival,” says festival co-chair Robbie Morton. “Trails West! ® offers a great weekend full of exceptional entertainment at a very affordable price.”

Here Come the Mummies Courtesy Photo — Here Come the Mummies
Courtesy Photo

Here Come the Mummies, however, are not strangers to Civic Center Park. They performed at Trails West!® in 2013. Here Come the Mummies is an eight-piece rock band with a “terrifying funk from beyond the grave” sound. They have opened for P-Funk, Al Green, and Cheap Trick, and they rocked Super Bowl Village 2012.

Farewell Angelina Courtesy Photo — Farewell Angelina
Courtesy Photo

Farewell Angelina is an all-female country band. Band members Nicole Witt, Andrea Young, Elizabeth Elkins and Lisa Torres began recording together in 2015, and they released their debut single and video, “Hillbilly 401K” earlier this year.

Steve Moakler received rave reviews for his album “Wide Open” after releasing previous records “Watching Time Run,” which debuted at number 1 on the Singer/Songwriter chart and Top 50 Overall iTunes® chart, and “All the Faint Lights.” Moakler’s music has been recorded by country artists Dierks Bentley, Jake Owen and Kellie Pickler, among others.

Steve Moakler Courtesy Photo — Steve Moakler
Courtesy Photo

After winning Star Search, country-rockers Sawyer Brown have been churning out hits over the past few decades. Their debut album, “Leona,” rose to the Top 20 charts, and their next hit, “Step That Step” climbed to number one, and the album claimed the number two slot. In the ‘90’s, they released hits “This Thing Called Wantin’ and Havin’ It All,” “Treat Her Right,” and “Drive Me Wild,” and in the
early 2000’s released the pop hit “Can You Hear Me Now?”

John Waite Courtesy Photo — John Waite
Courtesy Photo

The festival’s entertainment concludes Sunday with John Waite, who first rose to fame as the lead singer of Bad English, and the The Babys. Waite formed the The Babys in England in the ‘70’s and grew in popularity across the U.S. and the U.K. for the hit “Isn’t It Time.” Later on, Waite created the group Bad English and became a huge success with hits like “When I See You Smile” and “Price of Love.”
Waite is now enjoying a solo career, releasing famous albums “Temple Bar,” “No Brakes” and “Rough & Tumble.”

“We are very excited to bring back a band that was such a crowd pleaser at a previous festival, and we’re also delighted to showcase some new performers at Trails West!®” said Shana Meyer, festival co-chair. “We believe this lineup will be a great draw for the region’s largest arts festival.”

Admission to the festival is by souvenir button or 2016 Trails West!® t-shirt. The buttons, good for admission to all three days of the festival, are $8 in advance and $10 at the festival gates. All festival guests over the age of 10 will need a button for admission. Trails West!® t-shirts must be purchased in advance and can be worn to the festival as an alternative option to purchasing an admission button.
Buttons will go on sale July 1, and will be available for sale online and at various locations across St. Joseph. Button locations will be announced at a later date.

Remington Nature Center back open after power issue

Posted on April 18, 2016April 18, 2016

(Update 2:18 p.m.) – The Remington Nature Center said it has opened after being forced to keep its doors closed Monday Morning due to an electrical problem.

The center had been scheduled to open at 10 a.m. but due to a loss of power it had to stay closed while crews worked to resolve the issue. Around 2 p.m. a representatives told us power has been restored and the museum is operating as normal once more.

(Update) Pedestrian identified, four felony counts filed in hit and run in Rosendale

Posted on April 18, 2016April 18, 2016

A 43-year-old St Joseph man accused of hitting a pedestrian with his vehicle and then leaving the scene has been charged in Andrew County court. According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the driver hit a pedestrian on Locust Street in Rosendale at 10:30 p.m. Saturday and then fled.

The pedestrian was identified in a later version of the crash report as Brenda Shell, 45, of St. Joseph. Ms Shell was transported by ambulance to Mosaic Life Care with what were described at the scene as moderate injuries.

Mr. John Bradley Young, 42, was arrested about an hour and a half later, according to the patrol’s arrest report. He was charged on Sunday with four felonies and a misdemeanor, including DWI as a chronic offender, two counts of 2nd degree assault, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving while revoked or suspended.

Mr. Young is scheduled for a first court appearance on Tuesday, April 19 at 9 a.m. before Associate Judge Michael Ordnung. He’s being held in the Andrew County jail, unable to post $100,000 bail.