The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Carthage, Jasper County

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November 17, 2009

Feds close out prosecution of drug ring cases

Joplin man draws 10 years-plus without parole

By Jeff Lehr

jlehr@joplinglobe.com

The federal prosecution of two high-profile cases of drug trafficking in Southwest Missouri appeared to come to a close Tuesday with a federal judge’s sentencing of a Joplin man to more than 10 years in prison and a California man to more than 22 years.

U.S. District Judge Ortrie Smith sentenced Dominic D. Johnson, 37, of Joplin, to 10 years and three months in a federal prison without parole for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana in Jasper County between November 2004 and April 2006.

Johnson was one of 15 residents of Joplin and Carl Junction who were indicted in September 2007 as a result of Operation Headhunter, a multiagency investigation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jasper County Drug Task Force, Joplin and Carl Junction police, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Johnson was the last of the 15 co-defendants to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty in April to his role in the conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and marijuana, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug-trafficking crime.

He was assessed the longest prison term of any of the defendants in Operation Headhunter.

Johnson was out on bond until last week, when the bond was revoked for alleged violations of the terms of his release. He was taken back into custody pending the sentencing hearing.

Smith also sentenced Jose Lopez, also known as David Cerpa, 40, of Ontario, Calif., on Tuesday to 22 years and six months in a federal prison without parole for his role in a separate conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from California in Barton County and beyond.

Lopez was one of 17 co-defendants who were indicted in September 2007 as the consequence of Operation Buckshot and the last to be sentenced. Many of the same agencies participated in that operation, along with the Vernon and Barton county sheriff departments, Lamar and Nevada police, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

More than 38 pounds of meth, more than $100,000 in cash, four vehicles and 89 firearms were seized in Operation Buckshot.

Lopez supplied Randy S. Lucero, 34, of Highland, Calif., with meth for transport to Michael L. Wilson, 33, of Lamar, who then distributed the drug in western Missouri and eastern Kansas, according to the U.S.. attorney’s office for the Western District of Missouri. Lucero has been sentenced to 20 years in prison without parole, Wilson to 15 years without parole.

Co-defendant Juan Lara, 61, of Ontario, Calif., was assessed a life sentence without parole for his role in taking about 25 pounds of meth to Kansas City for distribution to Wilson in August 2007. The 13 remaining co-defendants were assessed sentences ranging from 12 years and six months without parole to release with credit for time served in jail.



Operation Headhunter

All the co-defendants in a federal drug conspiracy investigation dubbed Operation Headhunter pleaded guilty this year or last year to one or more of a range of offenses from possession of cocaine or marijuana with intent to distribute to using a telephone to traffic in drugs. Besides Dominic Johnson, who was sentenced Tuesday, the defendants were assessed the following sentences, not including terms of home confinement and community service.

-- James L. Eaton, Joplin, five years and 10 months in prison.

-- Kenneth L. Endicott, Carl Junction, five years in prison.

-- Jason J. Fields, Joplin, 33 months in prison.

-- Blake DeCarlo, Joplin, two years in prison.

-- Stefan Gilmore, Joplin, five months in prison.

-- John Hergenrother, Joplin, a $1,000 fine and five years on probation.

-- Howard Nunnelly, Joplin, five years on probation.

-- Joseph J. Ristau, Joplin, five years on probation.

-- Scott K. Morrison, Joplin, five years on probation.

-- Patrick Robbins, Joplin, five years on probation.

-- Jacob W. Musser, Joplin, five years on probation.

-- Jacob A. McGinnis, Carl Junction, five years on probation.

-- Joshua A. McGinnis, Carl Junction, five years on probation.

-- Jeffrey D. Snider, Joplin, three years on probation.

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