Man Arrested After Fleeing from Cameron Police Hamilton Man
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Thursday, September 10, 2015 75¢ For more, log on to: www.mycameronnews.com Cameron, Missouri Man arrested after Man found dead under fleeing from Cameron U.S. Highway 36 bridge Police By Chris Johnson Officers pursued the Editor subject and the pursuit [email protected] ended just north of Kidder, when the suspect A St. Joseph man exited the stolen vehicle was arrested Sunday and ran off into a wooded afternoon in Daviess area. Members of the County after fleeing from Daviess County Sheriff’s Cameron police during an Department and Missouri investigation into a stolen State Highway Patrol truck. along with several other According to a news agencies from the area release from the police began searching for the department, on Sept. 5 at suspect. approximately 2:21 p.m., On Sunday Sept. 6 at the police department Jeffrey S. Griffith about 4 p.m., the male received information of a subject surrendered to stolen Ford F-250 located law enforcement after in the city limits. The stolen vehicle was he was located under a bridge at Route D taken the day before near Faucett, Missouri. and Route J and was taken into custody by The vehicle was reportedly located behind the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department. Photo by Chris Johnson the Motel 6 at 1920 Bob F. Griffin. The male subject was identified as Jeffrey Cameron Police Department officers, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers Officers were dispatched to the area S. Griffith, age 43. Griffith currently had and paramedics with the Cameron Ambulance District responded to the scene and Officer Dustin McCloud located the warrants for his arrest from Andrew County where a man was found dead under the U.S. Highway 36 bridge on Sept. 2. stolen vehicle which was also pulling a for resisting arrest and from Clay County for stolen trailer and was loaded with stolen non-support. By Chris Johnson 8:40 a.m. Wednesday with the caller stating 3-wheelers. Officer McCloud noticed a The DeKalb County Prosecutor’s Office Editor a male subject was seen laying on the ground male subject sitting in the driver’s seat and has issued charges on Griffith for tampering [email protected] under the bridge and that the individual had when he attempted to make contact, the shot himself. with a motor vehicle and resisting arrest. His A man was found deceased on the ground male subject took off at a high rate of speed Police officers and detectives with the bond was set at $50,000. beneath the U.S. Highway 36 bridge over northbound from the motel. department responded and located the Interstate 35 in Cameron on Sept. 2. individual. A handgun was recovered at the Chief Rick Bashor with the Cameron scene. Police Department said the individual was Troopers with the Missouri State Highway identified as James T. Phillips, 24, from DeKalb County receives Patrol assisted at the scene while employees Florissant, Missouri. of the Department of Transportation helped The police chief reported the dispatch with traffic control. Fair Rating in Audit center received a 911 call at approximately From Missouri State Auditor March 2012 with a performance rating of “fair.” JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri State Performance audits receive a rating on a Auditor Nicole Galloway has released the scale of excellent, good, fair and poor. The Hamilton man charged DeKalb County audit report, which lists the determination is made based on the scope overall performance rating as “fair.” and severity of findings. The DeKalb County Auditors identified findings related to audit report can be found at auditor.mo.gov. with possession of records and review processes to ensure accuracy of the property tax system, tracking Following is a summary of the audit and documenting of seized property in the stolen property sheriff’s office and inappropriate additional Property Tax System Property tax system controls and compensation paid to the county’s presiding By Chris Johnson 7:15 a.m. of a suspicious procedures need improvement. The County vehicle parked at commissioner. Editor “The residents of DeKalb County Collector-Treasurer collected approximately [email protected] the soccer fields at deserve a government that is efficient and $8.9 million in property taxes and other West Street. Officers accountable to its citizens,” Galloway monies during the year ended February 28, A Hamilton resident responded to the area said. “My office’s report provides clear 2015. was arrested Thursday and made contact with recommendations to improve procedures Neither the County Clerk nor the County morning, Sept. 3, following two individuals in the and operations in county offices.” Commission adequately reviews the financial an investigation by officers vehicle, Barnes and a The audit also identified inadequate activities of the County Collector-Treasurer. of the Cameron Police 15-year-old female from computer controls and safeguards in multiple The County Clerk does not maintain an Department of a suspicious Cameron. county offices. account book or other records summarizing vehicle near the city soccer The police department The scope of the audit included, but was property tax charges, transactions, and field. was contacted by the not necessarily limited to, the year ended changes. In addition, the County Clerk and As a result of the Clinton County Sheriff’s December 31, 2014. the County Commission do not verify the investigation 19-year-old Department, stating Prior to this report, DeKalb County’s accuracy and completeness of the County Tanner Barnes of Hamilton Barnes was wanted for Tanner Barnes most recent audit report was released in Collector-Treasurer’s annual settlements. was charged by the Clinton questioning about a The County Clerk does not prepare or verify County prosecuting stolen gun. Officers on the accuracy of the delinquent tax books attorney’s office with a scene then discovered he prepared by the County Collector-Treasurer. Class C felony of receiving stolen property. was in possession of the stolen handgun. Bond was set at $5,000. The female juvenile was released to a See AUDIT on page 2 According to a department news release, parent. the dispatch center received a call at about 2 - Citizen-Observer The Jump Thursday, September 10, 2015 Cameron resident Pleads AUDIT ________________ from front page not made timely. In addition, these checks Sheriff’s Controls and Procedures and money orders were not restrictively Guilty to Tax Fraud The Sheriff has not adequately segregated endorsed at the time of the cash count. accounting duties, does not review accounting records, and does not document Additional Compensation Scheme his review of bank reconciliations. The The Presiding Commissioner was paid From U.S. Attorney’s Office prepared and/or filed was approximately Sheriff has not established adequate controls $8,000 in additional compensation during $298,708, with approximately $256,281 over seized property and a master listing 2014 to serve as the county’s Emergency Western District of Missouri being paid on these false claims and a loss to of all seized property is not maintained. A Management Director. A payment to the the government of approximately $213,711. physical inventory of seized property has Presiding Commissioner for serving in this SPRINGFIELD – Tammy Dickinson, Drennen admitted that she filed a false not been performed since at least 2012 position is not in accordance with state law United States Attorney for the Western federal income tax return for the 2011 and documentation of this inventory was and should be discontinued. District of Missouri, announced that a tax year using another person’s identity, not retained. Additionally, several property former Springfield, Mo., woman pleaded including that person’s name and Social items have been held for years with some Computer Controls guilty in federal court Sept. 3 to her role in Security number. This 2011 federal income items dating back to 2004 and one item The County Clerk, County Collector- a fraudulent tax return preparation scheme tax return falsely listed wages that had dating back to 2002. Treasurer, Prosecuting Attorney, and that claimed nearly $340,000 in fraudulent not been earned and federal income tax Recorder of Deeds have not established income tax refunds. withholdings that had not been withheld. Recorder of Deeds’ Receipts and Deposits adequate password controls to reduce the risk Heather Nicole Drennen, 32, of Cameron, As a result, Drennen fraudulently received a Office personnel only issues generic of unauthorized access to office computers formerly of Springfield, pleaded guilty $5,592 income tax refund. manual receipt slips for copy and subscription and data. Security controls are not in place to before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush Drennen is the ninth defendant to plead monies received when requested by the lock any county computers after a specified to making a false and fraudulent income tax guilty to her role in the scheme. In addition payor. In addition, receipts of copy and number of incorrect logon attempts or after return. to Dupuis, co-defendants Johnny L. Cooper, subscription monies are posted to a copy a certain period of inactivity. Co-defendant Cherie Christine Dupuis, 28, and Jeannie Marie Rhodes, 34, both of ledger, but the method of payment is not 43, of Springfield, pleaded guilty on July Springfield, Shawna Marie Hughey, 37, of recorded on this ledger. The daily fee report Additional Comments 21, 2015, to leading the fraudulent tax return Joplin, Mo., formerly of Springfield, William used to prepare the deposit for recorded Because counties are managed by several preparation conspiracy. Dupuis admitted J. Coonce, 29, of Otterville, Mo., Jeannette documents also does not include method separately elected individuals, an audit that she and co-conspirators defrauded the R. Dunn, 48, of Huntsville, Ark., formerly of of payment information.