SPRINGFIELD (AP) – A southwest Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to using her car to assault a federal immigration officer who was trying to apprehend her boyfriend.

Federal prosecutors say 32-year-old Alisha Johnson of Springfield saw her boyfriend, Francisco Sosa-Lopez, running from federal agents on July 25 and tried to pick him up with her vehicle.

As one of the agents approached Sosa-Lopez, Johnson veered onto the curb and into the officer, striking him in the left leg. Sosa-Lopez got into her car and fled, and shortly afterward Johnson surrendered to law enforcement.

The agent she hit sustained damage to his knee that required two surgeries. The boyfriend got away and remains a fugitive.

Johnson, who pleaded guilty on Thursday in Springfield, faces up to 20 years in federal prison without parole.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man who masterminded what prosecutors call the largest federal false claims case ever prosecuted in Missouri has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison and must repay the government more than $950,000.

Gerald Poynter pleaded guilty in November to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. by filing fraudulent tax returns and one count of filing a fraudulent tax return. Prosecutors say the 48-year-old, also known as “Brother Jerry Love,” admitted that conspirators prepared and filed 284 fraudulent tax returns from July 1, 2008, to Sept. 21, 2011, seeking a total of $96 million in fraudulent refunds.

Ten others also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri teens younger than 17 would need parental consent to use tanning machines that emit ultraviolet rays under legislation passed by the state House.

The measure would penalize tanning salons $500 every time they provide services to teenagers without parental consent. State health officials would be charged with developing a standardized consent form for parents to use.

The House voted 98-46 on Thursday to send the bill to the Senate.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – A Sedalia business owner pleaded guilty to making false claims on federal tax returns that brought nearly $478,000 to clients through improper tax credits.

Federal prosecutors announced Thursday that the scheme by 44-year-old Martha Stokes involved 186 clients in South Dakota.

In 2009 and 2010, Stokes prepared taxes for clients in several states through her Sedalia business, Destino Servicios Administravos.

Stokes admitted Thursday that in 186 fraudulent tax returns filed for South Dakota clients, she claimed a child tax credit to which they were not entitled. The tax loss for those returns totaled $477,934.

Stokes faces up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Republican lawmakers are trying again to limit the ability of Missouri workers to collect unemployment benefits after being fired for alleged misconduct.

The Senate passed legislation Thursday that would redefine what qualifies as misconduct.

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed a similar bill last year. He said it could have put Missouri at odds with federal law by permitting consideration of actions outside the job when denying unemployment benefits.

Last year’s bill sought to include misconduct that was, quote “reasonably related to the job environment.”

This year’s bill instead covers conduct that “is connected with work.”

The significance of that wording change is unclear. A business group that backs the bill said the state is waiting to hear how federal officials would interpret it.

SUE MANNING, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An industry spokesman says Americans spent an all-time high of $55.7 billion on their pets in 2013 and will creep close to $60 billion this year.

Bob Vetere  of the American Pet Products Association just told buyers and exhibitors at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Fla., that food accounted for $21.6 billion of the spending. In 1996, when the not-for-profit trade association started tracking pet spending, pet owners spent $21 billion on everything.

Vetere say the humanization of pets and the many positive effects pets have on human health should keep the industry vibrant for many more years.

For the long term, he expects to see a pet health craze that starts for humans and pets much earlier and younger.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri says it will demolish an apartment complex where a Columbia firefighter died Feb. 22 when a walkway collapsed.

University Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin emphasized in making the announcement Wednesday that engineers have inspected all buildings at the University Village Apartment Complex and declared them safe for occupancy.

Veteran firefighter Bruce Britt died when he became trapped by rubble while helping evacuate residents from the partial collapse of the second-floor walkway.

The complex houses graduate students and their families. There is also a child-care center on site.

Loftin says tenants will be allowed to terminate their leases before June 30 without financial penalties.

DETROIT (AP) — Graco Children’s Products has added 403,222 child seats to last month’s recall of 3.8 million to replace faulty harness buckles.

But the added seats won’t end a dispute with the U.S. government’s road safety watchdog. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration still wants Graco to add 1.8 million infant seats to the recall because they have the same buckles.

Buckles can get gummed up by food and drinks, making it difficult to remove children. In some cases parents have had to cut harnesses to get their children out. The agency says the problem increases the injury risk in emergencies.

Graco says in a letter to the agency that it found additional toddler and harnessed booster seats that should be recalled. The company still believes the infant seats should be excluded.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City police say the death of a man whose body was found at a recycling warehouse apparently was accidental.

The man was identified as 36-year-old Seth Boyer of Olathe.

The Kansas City Star reports Boyer’s parents said Wednesday their son was mentally ill and homeless, and he sometimes slept in trash bins.

Police believe Boyer was alive when the trash bin he was in was picked up early Tuesday. Workers found his body when the load was taken to the private recycling warehouse.

Police say Boyer had some broken bones but his body showed no signs of foul play.

Boyer graduated from Maranatha Christian Academy in Shawnee and had a degree in communications from Avila University, and worked as a production assistant at KSHB-TV for two years.