A Kansas City, Mo., man was convicted in federal court Wednesday for his role in a conspiracy to distribute PCP as well as a money-laundering conspiracy.

Antonio Laregus Robertson, 37, of Kansas City, was found guilty of the charges contained in a March 27, 2013, federal indictment.

Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Robertson participated in a conspiracy to distribute at least kilogram of PCP from Jan. 1, 2007, to March 13, 2013, as well as a conspiracy to conduct financial transactions that involved the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. Cash and other items obtained from drug sales were used to purchase additional drugs for sale, which promoted the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Robertson was among 20 defendants charged in the indictment, of whom 19 pleaded guilty and four have been sentenced.

According to the indictment, at least 10 law enforcement-controlled purchases of PCP, cocaine and crack cocaine were conducted with at least five of the defendants. At least 10 arrests or searches of co-conspirators occurred where PCP, cocaine or crack was recovered, the indictment says, and on multiple occasions during the conspiracy, defendants were found in possession of hundreds or thousands of dollars in cash, with no known legitimate income.

Robertson purchased PCP from co-defendant Walter Deandre Sorrells, also known as “Juice,” “Waterboy,” and “Walt,” 39, of Blue Springs, Mo. Sorrells pleaded guilty on Aug. 13, 2015, to his role in the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies. Sorrells admitted that he purchased large quantities of PCP from a source in California and re-sold it in smaller quantities in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Thirteen controlled drug purchases, totaling well in excess of one kilogram of PCP, were made directly with Sorrells. Additionally, at least two shipments of PCP (and other controlled substances) were taken by law enforcement before they were delivered to Sorrells and containers of another shipment were recovered from Sorrells. These shipments, in total, exceed one kilogram of PCP. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Sorrells will be sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole.

Under federal statutes, Robertson is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 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.

(Missourinet) – A poor rating has been given to the city of Joplin in a state audit. The findings date back to when the city was rebuilding after the 2011 Joplin tornado.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway says a request for proposal for a master developer may have favored developer Wallace Bajjali and a Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce employee who went on to work for Bajjali.

“It was written by a Chamber employee after Wallace Bajjali emailed that Chamber employee a draft. The document appears to favor Wallace Bajjali Development Partners in the plans they pitched in their many meetings with the Chamber and Citizen Advisory Recovery Team (CART) Representatives over the previous few months,” says Galloway.

The report also says a Joplin real estate company bought land that was empty after the 2011 tornado and sold it to the Joplin Redevelopment Corporation (JRC) at a big profit.

“It was purchased by Four State Homes for $35,000. About a month later in August 2013, it was sold to the JRC for $165,000,” says Galloway. “That means there was a markup of over 450%.”
Galloway says in all, Four State Homes bought 16 properties for about $963,000 and sold them to the JRC for $1.34 million.

The audit also says it was inappropriate for the city to provide the Joplin School District with money from the Parks/Stormwater Sales Tax Fund and Transportation Sales Tax fund to pay for new high school projects.

The audit also criticized the City paying the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce $335,000 in fiscal year 2014 and says Joplin pays its Chamber more than similar-sized cities.

(Missourinet) – Shawn Kober reports from one of several popular places to eat at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia:

(Missourinet) – Critics accuse legislative Republicans of grandstanding in their committees based on undercover videos that allege Planned Parenthood has illegally sold fetal tissue, but Republicans are standing their ground.

Joint committees met Wednesday to explore whether laws or rules were broken in Planned Parenthood’s resumption of abortions in Columbia, and whether the alleged illegal sale of fetal tissue could be happening in Missouri.

Planned Parenthood and its supporters say Missouri legislative Republicans are wasting time and taxpayer dollars with the legislative attention, and say the organization has broken no laws, and does not conduct in Missouri the fetal tissue donation program that is the focus of allegations.

A Doctor at Washington University who said he was speaking for himself, Ed Weisbart, dismisses those videos as unbelievable.

“This whole hearing process is based on a series of lies,” Weisbart said. “It drives me insane that our legislature would spend their time in this blatant witch hunt rather than just make the policy decisions that they want to make.”

One of the committee chairs, Diane Franklin (R-Camdenton), said if there is any chance Planned Parenthood is breaking the law, or if there are loopholes that could be exploited, lawmakers should investigate.

“Why can’t we ask those questions? Why is that a bad thing to do, to find out if something like this is happening in Missouri?” asked Franklin.
The other committee’s chair, Andre Koenig (R-Manchester), said the hearings are turning up what could be loopholes that could be exploited, such as a possible lack of oversight of fetal tissue after an abortion.

“I didn’t get an answer [about] what happens to it after it goes to a pathology lab,” said Koenig. “Maybe what needs to happen is that since there’s a pathology lab on every abortion, maybe we need to have that checked when it actually goes and gets disposed of.”

The House committee and its Senate counterpart will continue hearings before the veto session in mid-September.

(Missourinet) – An agreement has been signed by Governor Nixon that he says will further Missouri trade with Canada. The Governor led a state delegation to Canada this week in an effort to drum up trade and investment business for Missouri. The deal was secured with the province of Alberta and marks the third agreement with a Canadian province in the past 18 months.
Agreement signing with Alberta Premier

The Governor says the agreement is important for Missouri farmers.

“The individual Missouri farmer understands that international markets are the key to keeping prices competitive,” says Nixon. “They understand that if we continue to have very open markets, the world market will decide the value of agriculture products.”

Nixon says farmers understand that staying competitive internationally is a two-way street.

“It leads to more foreign investment, more organizations in our state, and it leads to good prices for Missouri agriculture products that are shipped around the world,” says Nixon.
There are no specific dollar figures or goods announced as part of the agreement, but Nixon says the relationship building is an important part of the process. The Governor did say he’s hopeful for additional energy investments and he expects Missouri’s agriculture exports to grow with Canada.

Canada is Missouri’s leading export partner, with more than $4.7 billion in Missouri goods going to Canada last year. Missouri’s top exports to Canada in 2014 were in the areas of transportation equipment ($2.08 billion); chemicals ($657 million); machinery ($438 million); and food products ($392 million).

A new law will allow haulers to carry heavier weights on livestock and grain.

The law allows livestock haulers to operate commercial motor vehicles loaded with animals up to a weight of 85,500 pounds, statewide. The law also states that commercial motor vehicles loaded with grain or grain co-products during time of harvest, may weigh as much as ten percent more than the maximum weight limitation indicated by a weight-by-axle chart contained within the law.

“Heavier loads could result in more rapid deterioration of Missouri’s supplementary system of roads and bridges at a time when funding for transportation improvements is stretched to the limit,” said Becky Allmeroth, Missouri Department of Transportation state maintenance engineer. “It is vital that livestock and grain haulers are aware of the responsibilities that coincide with the new weight allowances.” Haulers still must observe posted weight limits on bridges – no exceptions.

Several highway, bridge and equipment issues are associated with the legal changes that take effect on August 28, 2015.

First, heavier trucks hauling livestock, grain and grain co-products are limited to use of the state highway system. This includes U.S. routes, numbered state highways and lettered routes but excludes the interstate system. Trucks carrying a reducible load at weights heavier than normal legal weight limits cannot use any portion of an interstate highway.

Second, pre-loading preparation should include checking the intended route to ensure the bridges on the highway are rated to carry heavier loads. If the intended route includes a weight restriction that is less than the planned gross weight of the load, choose another route or load up to or just less than the gross weight restriction. Visit www.modot.org/bridgelimits to find a list of load-posted bridge locations.

Third, MoDOT advises haulers to pay sharp attention to tires and brakes. Tires must be in good condition and rated to carry the heavier load. Heavier loads of shifting material require excellent braking systems.

The additional weight allowance applies to movements within the state, only.

JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Jay Nixon today announced the State of Missouri’s AAA credit rating has been reaffirmed by rating agencies.

“Year after year, our bi-partisan work to maintain a balanced budget and make smart investments pays off as Missouri’s AAA credit rating is reaffirmed,” Gov. Nixon said. “The dividends from these efforts come back to Missouri taxpayers in the form of continued low interest rates and reduced principal, which will save millions in the years ahead.”

In reaffirming Missouri’s AAA rating, Standard & Poor’s Rating Services wrote that “debt payments are a first-priority budget item in terms of state budgeting” and that “the state’s track record regarding its budget management [i]s especially strong.” Standard & Poor’s also noted that “Missouri’s record of taking mid-year corrective budget measures has helped make its credit quality resilient to episodes of weaker than forecasted economic and revenue performance.”

Also reaffirming, Fitch Ratings noted Missouri’s “long record of conservative operations” and consistent “willingness and ability to support fiscal balance, even after incorporating recent tax changes and a revenue shortfall in 2014.”

Moody’s Investors Service noted that Missouri’s rating is based on “its history of above-average reserve levels, solid fiscal management controls and moderate debt burden.” Moody’s added that the “constitution provides strong executive powers to respond to revenue shortfalls” and praised “Missouri’s judicious approach to debt.”

Missouri is one of only a few states with a AAA credit rating from all three ratings agencies, which allows the state to benefit from low interest rates and makes long-term capital investments more affordable. This sends a strong signal to businesses that Missouri is a safe place to invest and saves taxpayers millions of dollars in interest annually.

(Missourinet) – Some Republican state lawmakers say they’ll shut down the budget process to keep a new NFL stadium from being built without legislative approval.
The proposed new football stadium would be open air and located on the edge of the Mississippi River.

The Missouri Development Finance Board approved $15-million in tax credits in another step toward paying for a new NFL stadium in St. Louis, but Republican lawmakers say they’ll vote to block paying the debt on bonds that would make up another part of the cost.

Senator Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph) says for bonds to be issued without legislative approval is unconstitutional.

“Do your listeners really believe that many years ago when the law was passed authorizing bonding for the Edward Jones Dome, that they intended that they could just go ahead and bond for a second St. Louis Football Stadium?” Schaaf asked Missourinet. “Is there any possible way that was the intention?”

Schaaf says the public announcement he and Senator Ed Emery (R-Lamar) have made of their intentions represent a warning to anyone who might consider buying such bonds.

“The bond issuers have a fiduciary duty to notify potential bond buyers that legislators are planning to block the appropriation,” said Schaaf.
Governor Jay Nixon (D) says lawmakers have been given since January to look at the plan he’s laid out.

“The choice in front of us was, if you back up a little bit, was clear here, and I think we’re coming about this in a cost-effective way and ultimately that’s something that people will respect and support,” said Nixon. “The fact that a couple of legislators are opposed to something? Well, there’s a whole lot of legislators.”