An inmate being held in the Buchanan County Jail died early Thursday morning.

According to the Sheriffs Office 57-year-old Steven Criswell was found unresponsive during a routine cell check at 12:25 a.m.

“At this time we believe it to be some form of a natural cause,” said Deputy Sarah Hardin, Public Information Officer with the sheriff’s office.

Hardin said the Buchanan County Ambulance service provided medical care but was unable to revive Criswell.

“At this time we believe it to be some form of a natural cause but we will still go through the regular investigation and autopsy like we would any death,” said Hardin.

“He was actually just sentenced to DOC for stealing,” Hardin said.  “Usually when an inmate is sentenced to the Department of Corrections they will return to the Buchanan County Jail until a travel order comes over to the courthouse from the judge.”

According to online court documents Criswell was sentenced in court Monday.

He had entered a guilty plea in Judge Patrick Robb’s court for felony stealing, his third offense.

Hardin said she believes his travel papers were set to arrive this morning to serve a 2-year sentence in the DOC.

It’s the second death that has taken place in the Buchanan County Jail this year.

46-year-old Roger Pankau died in Buchanan County jail two months ago.

Pankau was also found unresponsive during a routine cell check.

 

 

55-year-old Tony Eugene Wardlow of St. Joseph was found guilty Wednesday in federal court for transporting a minor across state lines for prostitution.

Wardlow was self-employed as a commercial truck driver, doing business as Prideco, LLC. Wardlow is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 1997 in Nodaway County, Mo., of sexual abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and sexual misconduct (involving two separate child victims). Wardlow also has prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of firearms and possessing methamphetamine.

Co-defendant Thomas Farrell, 49, of DeKalb, Mo., pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, 2014, to aiding and abetting Wardlow’s transportation of the minor victim to Texas for prostitution. Farrell was the owner of Farrell Trucking & Hay, LLC.

Evidence submitted during the trial indicated that Wardlow paid the minor victim for sex on multiple occasions while she was working as a prostitute on Independence Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. She was under 18 years of age at this time. Wardlow took her out of town in his truck on several occasions, including a trip to Texas in September 2011. Farrell accompanied them. During the trip, Wardlow engaged in prostitution activity with the minor victim multiple times, both in Wardlow’s truck and in hotels.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about an hour before returning the verdict to U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple, ending a trial that began Monday, Dec. 15, 2014.

Under federal statutes, Wardlow is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Wardlow remains in federal custody until his sentencing.

…Light Snow Expected Tonight Into Thursday…
…Winter Weather Advisory Remains In Effect Until Noon Cst Today…
A Winter Weather Advisory For Light Snow And Freezing Drizzle Remains In Effect Until Noon Cst Today.
* Location…North Central And Central Missouri.
* Timing…Snow Will Continue Tonight And Taper Off By Noon Thursday. Light Freezing Drizzle Is Possible Late Thursday Morning And Early Thursday Afternoon.
* Snow/ice Accumulations…2 To 4 Inches Of Snow…With Locally Higher Amounts Possible. Little To No Ice Accumulation.
* Impacts…Light Snow Will Likely Accumulate On Roadways Causing Them To Become Slick. This Could Cause Travel Difficulties During The Thursday Morning Commute.

An IRS scam has area law enforcement agencies warning residents and Q-Country 92.7 answering unwanted calls.

“Basically they’re telling these people that they owe back taxes for one thing or another and if those taxes aren’t paid then the IRS will put a lien on their home or their property or something like that and this matter can be resolved quickly if you’ll just send in some money,” Sergeant Greg Gilpin, Crime Prevention Officer with the St. Joseph Police Department said.

The St. Joseph Police Department and the Cameron Police Department have both issued warnings on social media to tell residents to be aware of the phone scam. Gilpin said the department has received a number of calls from area citizens who have been contacted by the scammers.

“The calls I’ve gotten from people are telling me it’s their home phones they’re getting them on,” Gilpin said. “You just have no idea where these calls are coming from. It could be right here in town or clear across the country or in another part of the world. That’s just the way it works.”

Wednesday Q-Country 92.7 also received several phone calls from the IRS scammers leaving an automated message on the radio station’s hotline.

“I need you or your retained attorney of record to return the call. The issue at hand is extremely time sensitive,” the message said. “Don’t disregard this message and do return this call before we take any action against you. Goodbye and take care.”

In an effort to try and contact the scammers the St. Joseph Post tried to call back the number provided in the message (415) 234-9651. The first two attempts went straight to voice mail with an automated recording.

“the voice mailbox of this account is full please try leaving a message later, your message has been saved,” the automated recording said.

On our third attempt we tried to call using the Q-Country studio line where the original call had been made. We received a busy signal on that attempt, however the scammers had made several attempts to try and contact someone at that number prior.

“I’d just tell you to hang up the phone,” said Gilpin. “If you think it’s a scam simply hang up, just don’t even deal with them.”

Gilpin said even if you did owe money, the IRS would not contact you that way.

“If you got some legal problems with the IRS or other government agency you’re going to be getting a notification probably through registered mail,” said Gilpin. “If it’s serious enough they’re probably going to be coming to your home but they’re not going to be randomly calling you on your phone and tell you that you owe money.”

He said scams like this usually don’t take place until the tax season.

“You see this a lot around tax time when people are really thinking about taxes but this is also the time of year when people have saved up for Christmas so the scammers probably figure you have extra money that maybe you won’t have throughout the year so it may be a good time to hit,” he said.

So far Gilpin said the St. Joseph Police Department has not received any reports of people actually falling for the scam, only reports of individuals being hit up by the robocalls trying to collect.

As far as Q-Country is concerned, the St. Joseph Post has been informed the radio station is caught up on its taxes with the IRS and even if the scammers had landed the right call number no cash prizes will be awarded.

The Trenton Police Department has begun implementing its new police body worn cameras.

According to a release issued on social media Chief of Police Tommy Wright said that over the next few weeks officers will be assigned body cameras and receive training on use, policy and procedure, uploading video into a secure system and other topics associated with recording police activities using the cameras.

The Trenton Police Department was able to purchase the cameras through donations collected by the Body Camera Steering Committee from businesses and individuals.

Currently the Trenton Police Department said it is still seeking donations for the purchase of several more body cameras.

Anyone with questions or comments concerning the body cameras or the fundraising effort can contact Chief Tommy Wright at 660-359-5557 or by email, twright@trentonmo.com.

A St. Joseph woman was injured Tuesday night after she walked in on a burglary taking place in her home.

A woman walked in on two armed men in her home in the 1000 block of Ridenbaugh Street just before 9 a.m. Tuesday.

According to the St. Joseph Police Department a struggle took place between the woman and the two armed men in which she was assaulted. A gun shot went off during the struggle but no one was believed to be hit.

The suspects ran away before law enforcement arrived.

The Woman refused medical treatment at the scene for some minor head injuries.

Police do not have a good description of the suspects because they were wearing masks.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the TIPS HOTLINE at (816) 238-TIPS

The countdown to get tickets to participate in a chance to win $10,000 in the Shop St. Joseph Holiday program is down to just days.

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s annual shopping program will end Thursday with the winner announced at 5 p.m. at the East Hills Shopping Center.

The ticket holder with the winning numbers will receive a grand prize of $10,000.

You can get your tickets through Wednesday, Dec. 17 at participating retailers.

Click Here for a list of retailers taking part in the program.

ROCK PORT, Mo. – Southbound Interstate 29 will be narrowed just south of the Iowa state line, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. On Tuesday, Dec. 16, at approximately 2 p.m., local maintenance crews will close the driving lane of southbound I-29 between mile markers 124 and 123 to perform routine maintenance on the bridge over the Nishnabotna River. The lane will remain closed overnight and should reopen after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17. All planned work is weather permitting.

According to the St. Joseph Police Department a number of area residents have been receiving phone calls involving an IRS scam.

In a warning issued on social media by the department today it warns citizens that someone claiming to work for the IRS is calling people to notify them they have unpaid taxes that must be paid immediately.

The scammer is telling people that if those taxes are not paid a lien will be placed on their homes and property.

The Police Department said that this is a scam and the IRS does not operate like that.

“This is another attempt to scam money from citizens,” the department said on Facebook. “If you owe money to the IRS, or any government agency you will be notified through proper channels.”

The department urges residents to be careful when handing out any personal information and if the caller persists to simply hang up.

The Midland Empire Chapter of the American Red Cross is no more after a ribbon cutting held Monday afternoon to recognize the agency’s transition to the American Red Cross of Northwest Missouri.

“It better reflects our location,” said Red Cross Ex. Dir. Angie Springs. “We’ll be recognized throughout the state as to where we’re located.”

Springs said the name change is based on a national initiative for Red Cross chapters to reflect the geographic location covered by the agencies. She said even with the name change, the agency’s service area will continue to cover counties in Kansas.

“We will continue to provide services in 10 counties in Northwest Missouri as well as cover Leavenworth, Atchison and Doniphan counties in Kansas,” said Springs.

The Red Cross first started serving areas in Northwest Missouri when it opened its doors to the community in 1917. But it hasn’t always been known as the Midland Empire Chapter.

“We used to be known as the American Red Cross of Buchanan County,” said Springs. “So this isn’t the first time that our name has changed.”

The agency will now refer to itself by its new name, however re-branding efforts may take some time.

“We will be exhausting all of our Midland Empire branded materials before we switch over to the new name,” said Springs. “However, in all press releases and anything we do in the media everyone will hear us referred to as the American Red Cross of Northwest Missouri.”