Investigator JJ Goulbourne and Victim Advocate Merissa Whitney, both with the Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, donate phones and toys to Freedom’s Rest, the Christian County domestic violence shelter. In the photo with JJ and Merissa are Jessi Bartolatta, Volunteer Coordinator and Christi Brown, Outreach Coordinator for Freedom’s Rest.

If you would like to donate items to Freedom’s Rest, please contact them at (417) 582-0344 or drop your items off at the resale shop Neat Repeats. Proceeds from sales benefits the domestic violence shelter.

OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announces that Aaron Campbell, dob: 04-30-1989, pleaded guilty to five counts in front of the Honorable Judge Mark Orr on January 10, 2014. Aaron Campbell pleaded guilty as a prior and persistent felony offender to Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer in the Second Degree, class C felony; Possession of a Controlled Substance, class C felony; Resisting a Lawful Stop, class D felony; Property Damage in the First Degree, class D felony, and Tampering in the First Degree, class C felony.

The range of punishment for a class C felony is one day up to seven (7) years incarceration and/or a fine not to exceed $5000. The range of punishment for a class D felony is one day up to four (4) years incarceration and/or fine not to exceed $5000. Since the Defendant pleaded guilty as a prior and persistent felony offender that increased the range of punishment of the class C felony charges up to 15 years incarceration and the class D charges up to 7 years incarceration.
Per the terms of the plea agreement, Aaron Campbell received a total of 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Campbell received 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on the charges of Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer in the Second Degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Tampering in the First Degree. Campbell received 7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on the charges of Resisting a Lawful Stop and Property Damage in the First Degree. All counts are to run concurrently to each other.

The State dismissed misdemeanor counts of driving while suspended, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia as part of the plea agreement.
At the time of plea the State alleged the following facts could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial:
On July 20, 2013, Officer Dye with the Nixa Police Department was traveling southbound on US 160 in a marked patrol vehicle and observed a maroon Dodge vehicle traveling in front of him make a traffic violation and then attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver, Aaron Campbell, failed to stop and fled.

Campbell drove through several streets in Nixa ignoring numerous traffic control devices, traveling on the wrong side of the roadway, and driving at excessive speeds. Campbell drove east onto Missouri Highway 14 into Ozark where Ozark Police Department assisted in the pursuit. Officers observed Campbell continue to speed and drive recklessly. At one point, Campbell came to a dead end and turned around and drove through a yard and fence, causing over $750 in property damage. Campbell also struck an Ozark Police Department patrol vehicle that was occupied by Cpl. Shonda Jackson.

The pursuit continued into Greene County where Greene County Sheriff deputies and Springfield Police officers assisted. Campbell was taken into custody after spike strips were deployed and deflated his tires.
Located inside the vehicle were several clear plastic baggies containing a powdery residue, which was tested by the Missouri State Highway Crime Lab as methamphetamine, a schedule II controlled substance.
Later, officers also found out that the Dodge vehicle being driven by Campbell was taken without the owner’s permission. Officers also learned that Campbell had an active warrant for his arrest.

Charges, including the class B felony of assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree and misdemeanor property damage, are pending in Greene County. These pending charges are merely allegations and Campbell is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

Campbell’s two prior felony convictions making him a prior and persistent felony offender were for Tampering in the First Degree, one for an offense occurring on December 1, 2012, and another for an offense occurring on September 9, 2012.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announces that on January 3, 2014, John C. Clark, D.O.B. 2-6-1979, was sentenced to a total of 14 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections by the Honorable Judge Mark Orr for one count of the class C Felony of involuntary manslaughter and four counts of the class C felony of assault in the second degree for the November 13, 2012 intoxication related crash on Missouri 14 that killed one and injured four others. Per the terms of the plea agreement, the defendant’s 7 year sentences on Counts III, IV, and V will run consecutive to the defendant’s 7 year sentences on Counts I and II. The range in punishment for a class C felony is one day up to 7 years incarceration and/or a fine not to exceed $5,000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite presented the 2013 Annual Report to members of the Christian County Commission on December 12, 2013. Missouri Law requires that an annual report be prepared and filed with the County Commission once a year.

To review the 2013 annual report presented to the Commission please click the link below:

VIEW REPORT

OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced that Justin Dover, dob: 07-31-1975, of Clever, Missouri was sentenced on December 13, 2013 by the Honorable Judge Mark Orr to: seven (7) years in the department of correction on each of the two counts of Class C felony felonious restraint (concurrent), four (4 ) years on Class C felony of domestic assault in the second (consecutive to two counts of felonious restraint) and four (4) years on Class D felony of unlawful use of a weapon (consecutive to the other counts). The sentence is a total term of fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections with probation denied. Pursuant to the plea agreement the State requested the total term of fifteen (15) years and the defendant through his attorney requested probation.

At the time of plea below the State alleged the following facts could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial:
Victim M.W. and victim S.B. were visiting Dover the evening of June 9, 2012 at his home in Christian County. M.W. and Dover had a prior relationship, had broken up, but he had called apologizing and requested a visit at his house.
M.W. and S.B. were preparing to leave late in the evening of June 9 and the into early morning of June 10, 2012, when Dover got angry and accused them of stealing electronic items from his property. While the two women were still inside the home, Dover picked up his 30.06 rifle, pointed it at them, and yelled at them. Dover searched M.W.’s pickup truck and did not find any of his items. He re-entered the home, continued to point the rifle at them and refused to let them leave and continued to yell at them.

After a period of time, Dover walked them out of the home while holding the rifle pointed at their backs, into the detached garage. M.W. and S.B. attempted to gather their purses and belongings, but Dover did not let them saying “You’re not going to need them”. Dover started swinging the rifle around “like a baseball bat”. He struck S.B. in the back of her neck/shoulder area, and M.W. in the upper arm with the butt of the rifle. Dover then pointed the gun at M.W. telling her he should kill her. Dover then fired off a round close to the left side of M.W.’s head. Dover allowed the women to leave at approximately 5:30 a.m. on June 10, 2012. Dover had his rifle up and pointed at M.W.’s vehicle as they drove away. M.W. and S.B. sought medical care at Cox Hospital. Deputies from the Christian County Sheriff’s Department took photos of the victims’ injuries and the scene.

FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE