St. Clair County Sheriff Scott Keeler said deputies made 10 warrant arrests during the week of April 4-11.

Traffic stop leads to arrest
on felony drug charge

Samuel O'Bryan

     Samuel O'Bryan- On April 10, Samuel O'Bryan, 49, Blue Springs, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with class C felony possession of a controlled substance. Bond is set at $15,000 cash or surety. The charge stems from an investigation the previous day when a St. Clair County deputy made a traffic stop on a recreational vehicle that O’Bryan was a passenger in. The vehicle was traveling south on Highway 13 turning west onto B Highway, Osceola, and the taillights were not working. During the investigation a glass pipe with a white powdery substance was located. The substance field tested positive for methamphetamine. A citation for possession of marijuana was issued to a female driver of the vehicle. Formal charges are pending on her.  

Other warrant arrests

Ryley Knowles

     Ryley Knowles- On April 11, a St. Clair County deputy arrested Ryley Knowles, 18, Appleton City, on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with an unclassified misdemeanor of attempt to purchase or possession of liquor by a minor. Bond is set at $1,000 cash or surety. The charge stems from a Missouri State Highway Patrol investigation on March 24.

Samantha Taylor

     Samantha Taylor- On April 9, Samantha Taylor, 28, Deepwater, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging her with two class A misdemeanors, violation of order of protection for adult and resisting/interfering with arrest. Bond is set at $10,000 cash only.

     The charges stem from an incident the previous day when St. Clair County deputies took a report at an apartment on Mahan Street, Lowry City, in reference to Taylor violating of an order of protection by entering the apartment of an individual with an active order. Contact was made with Taylor at Alexander Farms convenience store, Lowry City. Taylor stated she was not going to jail and resisted the deputies.

Haydee Smith

     Haydee Smith- On Thursday, April 7, Haydee Smith, 17, Appleton City, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging her with an unclassified misdemeanor of minor visibly
intoxicated and two class B misdemeanor charges of property damage-second degree. Bond is set at $1,500 cash or surety. The charges stems from an incident on Feb. 3 when a traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle she was a passenger in on NW 1501 Road, Appleton City. During the investigation a breath test indicated a positive presence of alcohol on Smith’s breath. During the investigation Smith was taken into custody and placed in the front passenger seat of the patrol vehicle. Throughout the incident, Smith continuously kicked the dash and banged her head on the window causing damage to a GPS unit mount and the power outlet on the center console. Total damage was estimated at which is valued at $694.

James Thompson

     James Thompson- On April 7, James Thompson, 45, Lowry City, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with three felony counts. Thompson is charged with an unclassified felony armed criminal action, class C felony endangering welfare of child-first degree, and class D felony unlawful use of a weapon. Bond is set at $25,000 cash or surety. The warrant was issued Aug. 12, 2015 and stems from an incident in February 2014 at Casey's General Store, Osceola, when St. Clair County deputies and the Osceola Police Department (OPD) were dispatched to a call regarding a man with a gun inside the store. The OPD’s investigation revealed Thompson was carrying a handgun and pointed it at an individual inside the store. There was a child nearby. 

Gregory McClure

     Gregory McClure- On April 6, Gregory McClure, 30, Sheldon, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with two class D felony charges of resisting arrest by fleeing- creating a substantial risk of serious injury/death to any person, and resisting arrest for a felony. Bond is set for $20,000 cash surety.

     The charges stem from a investigation the previous day when a St. Clair County deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding on Highway 54. McClure was driving a 1991 Buick Riviera eastbound on Highway 54 and failed to yield to the deputy. During the chase the vehicle increased in speed and crossed the double yellow line forcing oncoming traffic off the road.  The vehicle traveled over 20 miles into Hickory County with speeds reaching in excess of 100 miles per hour.

     Hickory County deputies and Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted with the call and spike strips were deployed. The vehicle’s tires were deflated. McClure exited the vehicle and fled on foot from multiple law enforcement officers. After a short foot chase and struggle McClure was taken into custody and transported to the St. Clair County Jail. 

Steven Whitesell

     Steven Whitesell- On April 6, Steven Whitesell, 35, Schell City, was arrested at the St. Clair County Courthouse on three Cass County warrants from Harrisonville Police Department for failing to appear in court on ordinance violations. Whitesell is charged with speeding, failing to register vehicle, and vehicle license inspection. Bond was set at $750 cash only.

Ashley Mitchell

     Ashley Mitchell- On April 5, Ashley Mitchell, 25, Montrose, was arrested on two St. Clair County warrants charging her with probation violations on original class C felony charges of possessing a controlled substance. Total bond is set at $10,000 cash only.

     One of the original charges stems from an investigation in July 2013 at a residence on NW 801 Road, Osceola. During the investigation St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office deputies and members of the Mid Missouri Multi Jurisdiction Drug Task Force found Mitchell to be in possession of two glass pipes that contained a white powder that field tested positive for methamphetamine.       

      The other original charge stems from an investigation in September 2014 when a St. Clair County deputy assisted the Appleton City Police Department with a call regarding an alleged assault that occurred near Appleton City. Contact was made with Mitchell in the parking lot of Dollar General, Appleton City. During the investigation, Mitchell was found to be in possession of methamphetamine.

Joyce Frankel

     Joyce Frankel- On April 4, Joyce Frankel, 53, Osceola, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging her with class D felony non-support. Bond is set at $3,000 cash only.

Gerald Johnson

     Gerald Johnson- On April 4, Gerald Johnson, 52, Collins, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with class C felony unlawful possession of a firearm. Bond is set at $15,000 cash or surety. The charge stems from an incident on Jan. 11, when St. Clair County deputies were called for a well being check at a residence on SE 777 Private Road, Collins. During the investigation a .22 caliber rifle was located by a deputy. Johnson unlawfully possessed a firearm due to his previous felony conviction of burglary in the second degree in February 2013.

 Disclaimer: Arrest records are public information. Any indication of an arrest does not mean the individual identified has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Arrest warrant issued

File photo Joseph Anderson

     Joseph Anderson- On April 7, a St. Clair County arrest warrant was issued for Joseph Anderson, 37, Butler, for failing to appear in court on an original class D felony charge of non support-total arrears in excess of 12 monthly payments due under order of support. Bond is set at $3,000 cash only.

Criminal summons issued

     Joseph Howery- On April 4, a criminal summons was issued for Joseph Howery, 17, Appleton City, charging him with an unclassified misdemeanor of minor visibly intoxicated. The charge stems from an incident on Feb. 3 when a traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle he was a passenger in on NW 1501 Road, Appleton City. During the investigation a breath test indicated a positive presence of alcohol on Howery’s breath. He was taken into custody and later released pending the formal charge.

IRS phone scam

     Sheriff Scott Keeler said his office has received numerous complaints in reference to citizens receiving telephone calls from individuals impersonating Internal Revenue Service(IRS) employees. Citizens report the callers are aggressive and threaten taxpayers with police arrest, deportation, license revocation, and more. They often demand payment of back taxes on a prepaid debit card or by immediate wire transfer.

     The sheriff explained the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment over the phone or call about taxes owed without mailing a bill first. They will not ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or threaten to immediately bring in law enforcement to make an arrest for not paying.

     “As frustrating as these calls may be, there is no crime committed until money is exchanged,” said Sheriff Keeler.

     For additional information on protecting against scams please visit the crime tips page on the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office website, www.scsomo.org.

Court case updates

Ryan Keith found guilty by court. Sentencing set for May 25
http://scsomo.org/court_case_view.php?id=27 

Probation revoked for Carneal. Court orders 25 year sentence in DOC executed
http://scsomo.org/court_case_view.php?id=105

Daugherty pleads guilty and is sentenced to DOC
http://scsomo.org/court_case_view.php?id=86

Samuel Newman placed on unsupervised probation
http://scsomo.org/court_case_view.php?id=38

Bruce Bennett receives probation
http://scsomo.org/court_case_view.php?id=181

Jami Faulkner receives probation

     On April 4, Jami Faulkner, 45, Osceola, appeared in St. Clair County Circuit Court for sentencing. In February Faulkner plead guilty to three class C felony charges of possessing a controlled substance. Faulkner was sentenced to serve 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The execution of the sentence was suspended and she was placed on five years supervised probation.

     One of the charges stemmed from a St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office investigation on Aug. 14, 2014 when a traffic stop was initiated for failure to use a turn signal and failing to maintain the right half of the roadway. During the investigation methamphetamine was located in Faulkner’s possession.

     Faulkner’s other charges were from Osceola Police Department cases in January 2014 and March of 2015.