Trial is set for Feb. 18 in Kansas City, Mo. federal court for a group of people charged for their roles in a conspiracy to steal nearly $1 million worth of trucks and trailers along with their cargo.
In December 2012, Kenneth Ray Borders, Christopher Dwight Turner, Reginald Shawn Tidwell, Harold Robertson, Verdie Carr Jr., Ryonell Eugene Fredrick, Michael O’Neal Foster and Myron Piggie, all of Kansas City, Mo., along with Jon Dirk Dickerson, of Raytown, Mo. and Kyle Wayne Dickerson, of Holden, Mo. were charged in a 25-count indictment by a federal grand jury.
Since then Piggie and Forster have pleaded guilty for their roles, but have yet to be sentenced, while Turner is expected to plead guilty later this month.
Some recent media reports wrongly reported the indictments were handed down in December of 2013.
The indictment alleges the co-defendants participated in a conspiracy that involved the theft of commercial trucks and trailers and their cargo, such as stolen meat, beer, Nike shoes, electronics, appliances and dog food, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Borders, Tidwell, Turner and Foster allegedly stole commercial tractor-trailers and their contents. John and Kyle Dickerson allegedly disguised and altered identifying characteristics of the stolen commercial trucks and trailers. Frederick, Robertson and Piggie, who owns the MP Convenience Store in Kansas City, allegedly received the stolen cargo.
According to the indictment, conspiracy involved the thefts of five Freightliner trucks and 17 trailers between 2005 and 2011. The stolen trailers included refrigerated trailers containing such cargo as 39,000 pounds of meat, 565 boxes of beef valued at $149,790, $125,000 worth of frozen ribs, and several refrigerated trailers that each contained tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of frozen chicken, including a load of frozen chicken wings valued at $59,706. Also stolen were utility trailers containing such cargo as Budweiser beer valued at $16,657, Nike shoes valued at $217,353 and 21,018 pounds of Little Sizzler sausages.
The indictment also alleges that conspirators reused and disguised these commercial trucks and trailers through the use of false and fraudulent vehicle identification numbers, license plates, registration documents, carrier names and other United States Department of Transportation certificates. Eventually, the indictment says, they disposed of these vehicles rather than maintain and repair them. Stolen trucks and trailers that had been dismantled were recovered from lots that were leased by the defendants.
In addition to the conspiracy, Borders, Jon Dickerson and Kyle Dickerson are charged together in one count of aiding and abetting the possession of stolen vehicles that were transported across state lines.
Borders is charged with one count of transporting stolen goods across state lines and two counts of aiding and abetting the transportation of stolen goods across state lines.
Borders is charged with six counts of aiding and abetting the possession of stolen goods that were transported across state lines. Borders, Jon Dickerson and Tidwell are charged together in one count and Jon and Kyle Dickerson are charged together in three counts of the same offense. Roberts is charged with one count of possessing stolen goods that were transported across state lines.
Kyle Dickerson is charged with one count of aiding and abetting the transportation of stolen vehicles across state lines. Kyle Dickerson is also charged with six counts of altering motor vehicle identification numbers.
Borders and Turner are charged together in three counts of aiding and abetting the altering of motor vehicle identification numbers.
The federal indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the United States any property derived from the proceeds of the alleged conspiracy, including $991,234.
The case was investigated by the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the National White Collar Crime Center, the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center, Travelers Investigative Services, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, CargoNet, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
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