Ozark, MO – Officers and Staff of the Missouri Dept. of Corrections – Nixa Probation & Parole Office, attended 2 hours of in-service training provided by the Christian County Prosecutor’s Office. Each person in attendance received credit of 2 hours in the area of Technical Studies which will be applied to their training record with the Missouri Department of Corrections.

In-service training is one of the most important responsibilities in any law enforcement agency.

Training serves four basic objectives:
– Well-trained personnel are better prepared to act decisively and correctly.
– Training results in greater productivity and effectiveness.
– Training promotes cooperation and unity of purpose.
– Provides safeguards for being legally accountable for actions of personnel

The training was conducted by JJ Goulbourne, Investigator for the Christian County Prosecutor’s Office and a Deputy with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office. JJ is a Generalist Instructor with the Missouri Sheriff’s Association Training Academy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

Ozark, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite, is pleased to announce the winners of the 3rd Annual National Crime Victims Week Poster Contest sponsored by the Christian County Prosecutor’s Office. Three school districts and 39 5th grade students participated in this year’s contest. A winner from each school was selected with an overall grand prize winner. The winners include Morgan Keith of Clever, Jayme Dye of Highlandville, and Rachel Janisch or Nixa. The Grand Prize winner was Shelby Volmert of Clever.

Each student that participated was asked to draw a poster on how they can help someone who is hurting. The posters were judged based on originality/creativity, content, how well it related to the theme, and overall presentation. The posters were displayed in the Christian County Justice Center during National Crime Victims’ Week.

National Crime Victims’ Week was held April 6-12, 2014. It is a week used to promote awareness to victims’ rights and services and to honor past victims of violence. This year’s national theme was 30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice.

The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office would like to thank all of this year’s participants. We would also like to send a special thanks to Linda Baker, Barb Stillings, Ashley Keesling, and Suzanne Frakes for taking time out of their day to judge all of the posters.
The participants from Clever Upper Elementary include: Jordan Palmer, Jasmine Sondree, Dylan Thompson, Lucas Sale, Brea Benedict, Taylor Holmes, Morgan Keith, Penny Murray, Maddie Whittle, Jameson Price, Travis Franco, Shelby Volmert, Steven Blink, and Macy Browning.

The participants from Highlandville Elementary include: Bailey Nichols, Victoria Gagliardi, Dillon Abernatha, Matthew Grantham, Samuel Shuman, Daniel Newell, Jayme Dye, Jasmin Inman, Lana Martin, Haley Weiss, Nicole Sportsman, Mya Glenn, Jacob Mease, Keril Vakhrushev, and Chalice Sherer.
The participants from Nixa Summit Elementary include: Jaelyn Zimmerman, Samantha Denning, Rachel Janisch, Mariah Dillon, Isabel Panduro, Caitlyn Tatum, Terin MacDonald, Olivia Engelman, and Brianna James.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

OZARK, MO – Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite announces that Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Anna L. Bunch has just completed training at the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) in Hoover, Alabama. The NCFI is a partnership between the United States Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, and the Alabama District Attorney’s Association to train state and local law enforcement, judges and prosecutors in computer forensics and digital evidence. She was one of 24 other prosecutors that came from all over the United States.

The five-day course provides hands-on experience to allow prosecutors to obtain knowledge and insight into handling criminal cases with digital evidence. The training teaches prosecutors how the computer forensics process is completed by investigators and how to better evaluate and present computer crimes cases.

The in-court exercises dealt with a fictional case that involved fraudulent computer access, identity theft, and forging of documents, which will provide helpful guidance to her in handling her caseload of property and financial crimes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced today that DANNY J. PRALL, JR. dob: 11/7/1970 formerly of Topeka, KS and Ozark, MO was sentenced by the Honorable Tony Williams on February 14, 2014 after being found guilty on November 20, 2013 by a Christian County jury of forcible rape of a child less than 12, three counts of statutory sodomy 1st degree, sexual abuse, kidnapping, child molestation 1st degree, domestic assault 2nd degree, endangering the welfare of a child 1st degree and victim tampering.

Judge Williams sentenced the defendant to the maximum sentence on each count including four life sentences one for forcible rape of a child less than 12, and three life sentences for three counts for statutory sodomy 1st degree. Prall received the maximum sentence of 15 years for the B felonies of sexual abuse of a child less than 14, kidnapping and child molestation 1st degree. Judge Williams sentenced Prall to the maximum sentence of seven years for the C felonies of domestic assault 2nd degree, endangering the welfare of a child 1st degree and victim tampering. The Court structured the sentences such that the defendant will serve the life sentences and some of the other sentences concurrently to one another and consecutively to one of the 15 year sentences and to two of the 7 year sentences.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced that William Copher , dob: 07/05/1973 of Nixa, Missouri, after being found guilty after a jury trial on September 9, 2013 was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Mark Orr on February 7, 2014. COPHER was sentenced to seven (7) years the Missouri State Department of Corrections for unlawful use of a weapon and seven (7) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for domestic assault in the third degree. The sentences are to run consecutive with each other.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Janette Bleau represented the State of Missouri. Evidence presented by the State included:

Victim K.M. testified that during the period of 01-03-12 to 01-04-12 while at her home in Christian County, Missouri her boyfriend, William E. Copher, engaged in a series of physical attacks and threats against her; including hitting, slapping, and stomping her in the face and head, choking her, throwing hot butter on her legs, threatening to bum and cut her face, threatening her with a knife to dismember her and kill her. K.M. testified that defendant further cut off her ability to communicate or leave the residence by taking away her car keys and phone. K.M testified defendant had threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone what he did. K.M told the jury she was afraid and believed Mr. Copher would kill her. K.M. stated that she caused a black eye to defendant when he had her on the floor, and he was on top of her, her puppy tried to protect her barking at the defendant and defendant punched the puppy to get it away from him. K.M. stated when defendant did that, she struck him in the facing causing a black eye. Deputy Durham, of the Christian County Sheriff’s Department, testified regarding booking the defendant into the jail on January 8, 2013 and to the booking photo taken that day of the defendant showing defendant with a black eye.

Deputy K. Heitman, of the Christian County Sheriff’s Department, and Sue Ann Robinson, of Missouri State Probation and Parole Office both testified that on January 5, 2013, they made contact with K.M. and noticed injuries to K.M. such as: her left eye was swollen, and black, blue, and red in color a black eye, a cut to the back of her scalp, blood in her hair, burns to her legs and bruising to her ear. Photographs of K.M.’s injuries were also presented as evidence to the jury. Deputy Heitman and Ms. Robinson testified that K.M. was crying and distraught and that K.M. told her that defendant had threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone what he did. K.M told them she was afraid and believed Mr. Copher would kill her.

Further, the Court found the defendant to be a prior and persistent felony offender based on the following:

On or about July 14, 2003, defendant was convicted of the felony of burglary in the second degree in the Circuit Court of Greene County, Missouri, Case no. 31302CF6045, and
On or about July 24, 1992, defendant was convicted of the felony of burglary in the second degree, in the Circuit Court of Greene County, Missouri, Case no. 591CR1334.

Further, the Court found the defendant to have two prior domestic assaults in the third degree convictions based on the following:

On or about November 6, 2002, defendant pleaded guilty to class A misdemeanor of domestic assault in the Circuit Court of Greene County, Missouri, Case No. 31301CF7597.
On or about July 14, 2003, defendant pleaded guilty to the class A misdemeanor of domestic assault in the third degree in the Circuit Court of Greene County, Missouri, Case No. 31302CF11711.

As a prior and persistent offender, the range of punishment for unlawful use of a weapon is: one year in the Christian County Jail or two to seven years in the Department of Corrections and/or up to a $5000 fine.

Range of punishment for domestic assault in the third degree, with 2 prior third degree domestic assaults, and as a prior and persistent felony offender is: one year in the Christian County Jail or two to seven years in the Department of Corrections and/or up to a $5000 fine.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE