Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The FBI is offering up a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of a man who is accused of robbing the Isle of Capri Casino in March.

Two men were charged in the robbery, with the first being Benjamin Charles, 21, of Columbia. He is charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on a $1.3 million bond. A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday.

Hollis Vanleer Jr., 20, is charged in the case with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and first-degree assault. Authorities have been searching for him since the robbery took place on March 25.

A press release from the FBI says Vanleer may have ties to Chicago and Normal, Illinois. He is 6-feet-1-inch tall and weighs between 180-230 pounds and has a tattoo on his left hand, according to the FBI wanted poster. A $1.3 million bond was set in his case.

The pair, who were carrying guns when they entered the casino, allegedly took about $1.28 million from the main money drawer and that a patron had tackled one of the men, previous reporting from court documents shows. Vanleer hit the patron before the pair got away in a Ford Taurus, court documents in previous reporting say.

The Ford was later abandoned in Howard County.

Law enforcement found a receipt in the vehicle and were able to determine a card used in the purchase belonged to Charles, who was also determined to be an employee at the casino, the statement says.

Press Advisory – Casino Robbery_ finalDownload

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

After 35 years, Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp has retired.

A retirement letter that was sent to ABC 17 News by Blomenkamp says his last day with BCFPD was Wednesday.

He began his 35-year career as a volunteer firefighter in Brush, Colorado, before serving in Castle Rock, Colorado. He spent the last 23 years of his career with Boone County and Missouri Task Force 1.

“Serving this community has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Blomenkamp wrote in the statement. “Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working alongside some of the most dedicated and professional firefighters, officers, staff members, and community partners imaginable. Together, we have faced challenges, celebrated successes, and made a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve.”

Blomenkamp wrote that recent complications following a hip replacement played a role in his decision to retire.

“As I begin this new chapter, I leave with immense pride in the Boone County Fire Protection District and confidence in the dedicated men and women who will continue carrying the mission forward,” he wrote.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Public Safety has filed a petition to discipline a former Ashland police chief, alleging criminal activity by using a law enforcement database for purposes that weren’t job-related.

Former Chief Gabe Edwards resigned after a settlement was reached in 2023. Edwards had sued the City of Ashland after he was suspended that summer for criticizing the mayor on social media. The city settled a lawsuit brought by Tom Whitener, a former officer under Edwards, earlier this month. Whitener will receive $1 million in the settlement.

Whitener had alleged that Edwards fired him in retaliation for reporting the chief’s misuse of the law enforcement database known as MULES.

Whitener alleged that Edwards used the database to search the mayor’s criminal background and post the information on Facebook,

Those allegations resurface in the petition filed Monday with the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission. The Department of Public Safety is asking the commission to take disciplinary action against Edwards’ peace officer license.

A hearing has been set for Dec. 15.

The petition states that Edwards admitted to misusing the system under the alias “Keith Beavers” during a 2023 interview with the Ashland city administrator.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe said Thursday afternoon that she was OK after her car was in a crash involving a city bus.

The crash shut down College Avenue at University Avenue at about 4 p.m. Thursday, according to an alert sent by Boone County emergency dispatchers. It wasn’t clear whether anyone on the bus was hurt. Damage was visible on Buffaloe’s vehicle and on the bus.

The scene was clear by about 5 p.m.

Buffaloe told ABC 17 News that a car ran a red light and hit her vehicle, which then hit a city bus. The car that hit Buffaloe was traveling south on College, she said.

“They hit the rear passenger side of my car, and it pushed me into the front of the bus, driver’s side,” Buffaloe wrote in a text message.

Police officers at the scene declined to comment on the details of the crash.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Three members of the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club have pleaded guilty in federal court to racketeering and other charges related to a deadly brawl outside a Lake of the Ozarks bar and grill in July 2021.

Tonka Way Con Ponder, 55, pleaded guilty on May 13 to two counts of a crime of violence in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence in aid of racketeering, one count of shooting a gun in furtherance of a crime of violence, three methamphetamine-related charges and two counts of having an unregistered gun.

Tretch Lawrence, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of a crime of violence in aid of racketeering and a count of attempted extortion on Wednesday.

Keith Nolen, 36, pleaded guilty May 5 to one count of a crime of violence in aid of racketeering, a count of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence in aid of racketeering and a count of being a felon in possession of a gun.

An indictment filed in June 2024 alleged that Ponder was the leader of the motorcycle club’s Lake of the Ozarks chapter.

A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office states that Ponder, Nolen and Lawrence were part of an assault on members of the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association in July 2021 outside Casablanca Pub and Grille. A man identified in court documents as “B.C.” was fatally shot in the confrontation.

Investigators alleged after the shooting that security video from outside the pub showed Ponder pull out a gun and shoot another man after a gun was pointed at him.

The men also admitted to assaulting Iron Celtics members in another confrontation at the Chuckwagon Cafe in Camdenton in December 2021.

Ponder and Nolen also pleaded guilty to conspiring with other members of the Galloping Goose club to attack members of the Iron Celtics and the Mongols Motorcycle Club, leading to the deadly confrontation outside Casablanca, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ponder also admitted to selling methamphetamine and owning a silencer, the release states.

Lawrence admitted to threatening two Iron Celtics members at their home and demanding money from them, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City business owner who was already accused of withholding more than $935,000 in employee wages has been charged in federal court with harboring several people with “an illegal immigration status.”

Federal court documents accuse Danny Cheng — who owns Dragon Kitchen in the 2200 block of Missouri Boulevard – of running a “dormitory” of people who were not citizens in the 800 block of Crestmere Court.

Court documents say the home in which the migrants stayed was determined to be dangerous and declared a nuisance, per Jefferson City’s ordinances.

Details in the court documents described more than one employee working 12 hours per day, six days a week at the restaurant and were not given paystubs. Migrants were described as being from China and Mexico in the statement.

A search warrant was served at the Crestmere Court building on Tuesday, and law enforcement noted that a document written in Mandarin and Spanish was taped to a wall stating it was for employee residence only.

The document also included rules, which included employees needing to be ready for work at 9:40 a.m. and telling the residents “not to gather in the front yard to prevent attracting attention from the police.”

At least five people were seen living in the home, according to the probable cause statement.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Moberly man who was already booked in the Randolph County Jail has been charged with two felonies.

Ross Van Cleve, 46, was charged on Thursday with felony stealing and second-degree burglary. He is being held on a $10,000 bond. He was charged earlier this week with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday in both cases.

The probable cause statement says a Randolph County deputy had his patrol vehicle parked at a location for repairs since March 26, and the shop owner told them on April 7 that it looked like someone broke into the vehicle.  A radar and other items totaling $3,930 were stolen, the statement says.

Van Cleve was being interviewed for his other court case when law enforcement found several items that matched the deputy’s stolen items, including the radar, the statement says.

Van Cleve allegedly told authorities that “it was probably him that stole the items” but he did not remember doing so, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A corrections officer at Boonville Correctional Center was charged with two felonies on Wednesday after authorities claimed she had sexual relations with an inmate.

Emmalee Walker, of Boonville, was charged in Cooper County with first-degree sodomy and committing sexual conduct in the course of public duty. A $10,000 bond was issued on Thursday, though her information did not appear on the Cooper County Jail’s online roster.

The probable cause statement alleges that Walker engaged in sexual relations with an inmate between October 2025-March 23, 2026, while inside a staff restroom area. Walker and the inmate allegedly talked about their sexual encounters during phone calls that were recorded at the jail between March 27-April 12, court documents say.

Video footage allegedly showed Walker and the inmate enter the staff restroom area for several minutes three separate times in March, the statement says.

Walker and the inmate denied having any physical or sexual contact to authorities, the statement says.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two men received probation in a deadly shooting case Thursday after pleading guilty to reduced charges.

Tavion Johnson, 21, and Daevion McCray, 22, were originally charged with felony murder in the 2024 shooting death of Orrion Moody, 28. They each pleaded guilty in April to two counts of second-degree assault and a count of unlawful use of a weapon.

Circuit Judge Joshua Devine sentenced Johnson and McCray each to five years of supervised probation with a suspended imposition of sentence.

Cellphone information had allegedly tracked them to the location of the Oct. 20, 2024, shooting in the 3900 block of Clark Lane.

Court documents say one person admitted to firing a gun after being fired at from another residence and that Johnson was one of the shooters. Investigators used Instagram videos showing Johnson waving guns at the scene before the shooting to corroborate the identification.

“We are really thankful for Judge Devine’s decision today,” said Jeffrey Hillbrenner, defense attorney for Johnson. “Boone County is fortunate to have judges who take the time to look at the whole person, the entire case, and all of the facts. Judge Devine did exactly that today, and we are grateful for it.

“Tavion has been through an extraordinary amount of pain. The tragic death in this case was his own brother — the only father figure he ever had. Tavion was present during a chaotic, violent event and watched his brother get shot and die. He will carry that loss for the rest of his life.”

Court records say several factors went into Johnson’s sentencing, including the fact that no evidence showed that he fired a gun on the night of Moody’s death. Records also noted that Johnson has been jailed for about 20 months.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 7-year-old boy was pronounced dead at University Hospital after he crashed a side-by-side Wednesday on a gravel road in Morgan County near Proctor.

The Stover boy was driving the vehicle on Blackbird Road near Birch Road at about 5:30 p.m. when the UTV skidded on the gravel, went off the left side of the road and overturned, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. The boy and a 42-year-old passenger, who had minor injuries, were each taken by ambulance to the hospital.

The death was the seventh traffic-related death this month in the Patrol’s Troop F region.

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