A former employee of the Internal Revenue Service pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to using stolen identities in a scheme to receive $326,000 in fraudulent tax refunds.

Demetria Michele Brown, 38, of Birmingham, Ala., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

By pleading guilty today, Brown admitted that she engaged in a scheme to submit hundreds of false and fraudulent state and federal income tax returns in order to generate refunds from 2008 to 2011. Brown, formerly of Fairview Heights, Ill., worked at an IRS office in St. Louis, Mo., during the fraud scheme.

Brown filed more than 120 fraudulent federal tax returns, resulting in a loss of approximately $211,000. Brown filed at least 236 fraudulent state tax returns, resulting in a loss of approximately $115,000, for an aggregate loss amount of approximately $326,000.

The scheme involved Brown obtaining personal identification information, including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of other persons without their knowledge or consent. Brown completed U.S. individual income tax returns and Missouri state income tax returns for persons using the personal identification information she had obtained, adding other information which was false and fraudulent, including the address, place of employment, wages earned, taxes withheld and the fact that a refund was due.

Under federal statutes, Brown is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole for each wire fraud count and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison without parole for aggravated identity theft, plus a fine up to $750,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

A Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to producing child pornography after recording videos of two minor victims, including a teenager who responded to his online advertisement for modeling and a minor who was secretly filmed in the shower.

Marcus S. Clarke, 43, a citizen of Jamaican residing in Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to one count of producing child pornography and one count of attempting to produce child pornography.

According to court documents, a 15-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe #1, had been sending and receiving text messages on a borrowed cell phone. The cell phone’s owner notified a Prairie Village, Kan., police detective when she noticed a text conversation about a modeling photo shoot.

MV told law enforcement officers that she responded to a Craigslist advertisement for models for a photo shoot. Clarke picked her up at a park in Prairie Village on Oct. 3, 2014, and drove her to his apartment in the Northland. When they arrived at the apartment, Clarke put a flash drive in his television to display photos of nude females to MV. MV described the images to law enforcement officers as “disturbing” because the women were nude and engaged in sexual activity. Clarke took both nude and non-nude photos and videos of MV using a digital camera and digital recorder.

According to court documents, Clarke had been advertising online for lingerie and nude modeling as far back as September 2012.

An FBI agent used the same cell phone that MV had used to contact Clarke. Several text messages were exchanged in which Clarke made arrangements to meet MV again for another photo shoot. When Clarke arrived at the Prairie Village park to meet MV on Oct. 22, 2014, he was placed under arrest. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Clarke’s residence and seized computers and computer storage devices that contained sexually explicit videos of MV.

Clarke also admitted today that he secretly recorded video of a second victim, identified as Jane Doe #2, to produce child pornography between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 13, 2010. According to court documents, investigators discovered an SD card in Clarke’s apartment that contained video recordings in which Clarke appeared to secretly film a minor female while she took a shower.

Under federal statutes, Clarke is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole for each count, up to a sentence of 60 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $500,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completio

By Kyle Loethen (Missourinet) – Last week, a Missouri conservationist known for his work in preserving the state’s forests died last at the age of 98.

Leo A. Drey died in his sleep with his family gathered at his home in University City, nearly two weeks after a stroke. Drey was Missouri’s largest private landowner before donating it all to a foundation he set up to preserve the land. The L-A-D Foundation was established in 1962 to protect natural areas throughout the state. In 2004, Drey and his wife Kay donated 146,000 acres in Pioneer Forest to the L-A-D foundation. The donation was valued at $180 million and is considered to be the largest private gift of its kind in Missouri’s history.

Former L-A-D Foundation Vice President Susan Flader said Drey’s work in the Ozarks will be part of his greatest legacy.

“He had a vision for what that part of the state could become with an economy based on the renewable natural resources of the area, the forest, the wildlife, the free flowing streams,” said Flader. “He worked all of his life in all of those different areas to try and make those things begin to happen and to get people to think about them and work with him.”

Drey began to acquire and manage Ozark timberland in 1950. His purpose was to harvest timber conservatively to show that it could be done economically and allow for a forest to regrow. Drey harvested timber using a “single-tree selection” method rather than clear-cutting. Flader said Drey always looked for ways to improve the health of a forest and saved natural areas that were endangered.

“Leo’s philosophy was you take the worst and you leave the best, you’re always thinking about maintaining a continuous forest,” said Flader. “He didn’t go in and buy areas that were being adequately taken care of by others, but when they were threatened with development that he thought would destroy their character, he bought those lands.”

In 1987, Drey bought Greer Spring for $4.5 million to keep Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. from buying it to bottle and sell the water. Drey later sold it at a loss to the U.S.

Forest Service.

Drey helped form the Open Space Council in 1965. Former Executive Director of the Open Space Council for the St. Louis region Ron Coleman said Drey was his mentor.

Coleman said Drey helped conserve nearly 50,000 acres of public land along the Meramec River.

“If it hadn’t been for Leo’s support, places like Castlewood State Park, Bee Tree County Park, and other facilities that join the Meramec River probably wouldn’t exist,” said Coleman. “He was the ideal spokesman for why we should conserve and protect these things today, so future generations and the environment can enjoy the benefits.”

Coleman said when it comes to a leadership figure in the realm of conservation, parks, and the environment, Drey stood out like the tallest tree in the forest.

Drey is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, and one grandson. Drey donated his body to the Washington University School of Medicine.

By Alisa Nelson (Missourinet) -Senate President Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles) and Governor Jay Nixon (D) confirm the state Senate has an attorney for a possible case of harassment or discrimination involving an intern. Normally the Attorney General’s Office would respond to a matter involving a state government body. Nixon says an independent review can be helpful.

“You need to make sure that if things need to be changed or improved to guarantee safety in the right work environment they’re done. I think the Senate moving forward and taking that action is an appropriate action to make sure everybody understands the facts around this,” said Nixon. “They have an obligation also, I believe, to review and see what the facts are. So I think you will get a couple of good, independent views of what’s going on.”

The investigation was first reported earlier this month. Reports have linked it to the office of Senator Paul LeVota (D-Independence).

Senator Dempsey wouldn’t confirm future policy changes, but says the intern policy is being looked at and says the Senate’s sexual harassment policy could follow.

Former House Speaker John Diehl Junior resigned this month after admitting to sending sexually suggestive text messages to an intern. A group of Representatives will review the House’s capitol intern policy this summer and propose changes to be implemented next year.

By Kyle Loethen (Missourinet) – Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer and many people are ready to go swimming, but health officials warn heavy rains may wash harmful bacteria into swimmers favorite recreational waterways.

The Springfield-Green County Health Department and the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks have started monitoring popular swimming spots in Greene County for the presence of E. coli. The E. coli count is an indication of fecal water contamination, which can make swimmers sick.

Kathryn Wall is the Public Health Information Administrator for the Springfield-Green County Health Department.

“We found some areas that were a little bit higher than we like, the highest was the Little Sac River, and the E. coli levels there were just a little too high for our comfort level,” said Wall. “We’re not telling people don’t go swim or anything like that, just be more aware of what you’re getting into.”

Wall said E. coli levels are often high during periods of storm water runoff.

“Don’t go swimming after really heavy rains, that’s going to tend to really wash things out into those creeks, if the water is murky, generally it’s a place to avoid,” said Wall. “E. coli is most common in fecal material and so in the Ozarks we do have some agriculture, so some of that is going to naturally wash away into the water streams, so usually we just kind of tell people to wait it out.”

Wall said there is a certain amount of danger when E. coli levels are high.

“Too high of concentrations can make people sick and in some cases can be fatal, especially for people very young, very old, or immune compromised for one reason or another,” said Wall.

Wall said swimmers should avoid swallowing water and swimming when sick. Wall said it’s important to thoroughly wash hands and shower after swimming.

“There a lot of people who are at the creek all day and they take a lunch and might not think about it, they get out of the water, and go straight to their lunch, and don’t think about that bacteria that’s on their hands,” said Wall.

By Kyle Loethen (Missourinet) – A University of Missouri study says chemicals released in the air by industrial sites and wastewater treatment sites could adversely affect wildlife and humans.

Researchers from the University of Missouri have studied Missouri water quality near industrial sites that are allowed to release Bisphenol-A (BPA) into the air. BPA is a chemical often used to make plastic containers that store food and beverages. BPA has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s.

Chris Kassotis and his team sampled water near locations with reported atmospheric discharges of BPA as identified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

“We sampled at the Crooked River in Richmond, Missouri and Flat Creek near Jenkins, Missouri,” said Kassotis. “We also sampled near other point sources of pollution, so wastewater discharge sites in four areas of the state as well.”

Kassotis said the study revealed two key points.

“We found that the BPA concentrations of Bisphnol-A were up to ten times greater than normal near sites where there had been some sort of atmospheric discharge of the chemical and there were elevated amounts of anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic chemicals in sites that had some sort of wastewater influence,” said Kassotis.

Kassotis said exposure to BPA may produce adverse health effects.

“BPA interacts with the endocrine system of animals and humans,” said Kassotis. “BPA can lead to the development of breast and prostate cancers, obesity, other metabolic diseases, decreased fertility and reproductive health, neurological and behavioral effects such as ADHD and austism.”

The study was published in the journal, Science of the Total Environment.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Four people pleaded guilty Wednesday to taking part in a real estate fraud scheme in connection with the development of Indian Ridge Resort, a resort community located near Branson, Mo.

The following defendants pleaded guilty:

David P. Drake, 56, Lone Tree, Colo., one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Donald D. Snider, Jr., 55, Littleton, Colo., one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Vickie A. Hall, 63, Lone Tree, Colo., one count of concealing a felony (misprision).

Heather A. Gibbs, 53, Littleton, Colo., one count of concealing a felony (misprision).

Drake and Snider were partners in Western Sites Services, a company that was engaged in developing Indian Ridge Resort. They borrowed money for the project from three banks, one of which was Columbian Bank and Trust in Topeka, Kan. In their pleas, they admitted they and other conspirators made false representations to Columbian Bank in order to obtain loan funds.

Vickie Hall was the wife of David Drake. Heather Gibbs was the wife of Donald Snider and a 2 percent owner of Western Site Services. In her plea, Gibbs admitted she knew invoices submitted to the bank included overhead and profit in the line item costs in violations of the terms of the loan agreement. Hall owned a company called Colorado Modular Home Finders Service, LLC. In her plea she admitted she helped to conceal Drake and Snider’s felonies by allowing her company, Colorado Modular Home Finders Services, LLC, to be used to withdraw home deposits from Columbia Bank.

Sentencing hearings will be set for a later date. Both parties have agreed to recommend five-year prison terms for Drake and Snider, and three years on probation for Hall and Gibbs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that five Mexican nationals were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a Mexico-based drug-trafficking organization that smuggled large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico to distribute in the Kansas City, Mo., area.

Alejandro Valencia, 32, Eric Octavio Rangel-Ortega, 33, and Alfredo Avitia, 34, all of whom are citizens of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., and Juan Rodriguez-Ponce, 62, and his son, Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Maynez, 36, both of Mexico, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple.

Valencia was sentenced to 24 years and four months in federal prison without parole. Octavio Rangel-Ortega was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Valencia and Rangel-Ortega to forfeit to the government $376,000 that was seized by law enforcement officers and represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking, and a 2001 Silverado that was used to commit the offenses.

Avitia was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison without parole. Rodriguez-Maynez and Rodriguez-Ponce were each sentenced to nine years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered them to forfeit to the government a 2002 Honda Odyssey van.

Law enforcement officers initially purchased methamphetamine from Rangel-Ortega on five separate occasions from October 2012 to January 2013 during an undercover storefront operation. On three occasions, those transactions occurred near the Mores Early Childhood Center and Elementary School in Kansas City, Kan. The undercover officer purchased a total of 256.9 grams of methamphetamine from Rangel-Ortega during this time period, until Rangel-Ortega left the United States and returned to Mexico. Rangel-Ortega then told the undercover officer that his cousin, Valencia, would continue to sell methamphetamine.

The undercover officer purchased a total of 345.4 grams of methamphetamine from Valencia on five separate occasions from February to April 2013. The undercover officer contacted Rangel-Ortega before every deal and Rangel-Ortega made contact with Valencia to ensure he would sell to the undercover officer. After one of the buys, Valencia told the undercover officer that he sent Rangel-Ortega the money while he was in Mexico.

Investigators learned of additional members of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Investigators also learned that Valencia was expecting a shipment of cocaine from Mexico to Kansas City, Mo., and planned to ship $330,000 in cash back to Mexico.

Investigators conducted surveillance and on April 19, 2013, saw Valencia meet with Rodriguez-Maynea and Rodriguez-Ponce, who had driven their vehicle across the border from Mexico a few days earlier.

After observing the transaction between Valencia and the other men, law enforcement officers later stopped the Honda Odyssey driven by Rodriguez-Maynez and Rodriguez-Ponce. Officers found 33 bundles of cash, each containing $10,000 for a total of $330,000, stashed in a hidden compartment.

On the same day, officers executed a search warrant at Valencia’s residence and seized approximately five kilograms of cocaine, $20,400 and Valencia’s truck.

On Aug. 22, 2013, a confidential informant working under the direction of law enforcement arranged to purchase one ounce of cocaine from Avitia for $1,000. On Aug. 27, 2013, the same confidential informant again working under the direction of law enforcement arranged to purchase two ounces of cocaine from Avitia. This transaction did not occur after it appeared that Avitia had observed law enforcement surveillance.

Valencia pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine from Sept. 1, 2012, to April 19, 2013. Valencia also pleaded guilty to bulk cash smuggling, to participating in a conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine and to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.

Rangel-Ortega pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, to distributing methamphetamine and to his role in the money-laundering conspiracy.

Avitia pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy to distribute cocaine and to participating in the money-laundering conspiracy.

Rodriguez-Maynez and Rodriguez-Ponce both pleaded guilty to bulk cash smuggling and to their roles in a conspiracy to import cocaine.