CHRISTIAN COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY’S STOP GRANT AWARD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: JANETTE BLEAU
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
(417) 581-7915
DATE: March 6, 2020
RE: STOP GRANT AWARD
OZARK, MO – Christian County Prosecuting Attorney Amy J. Fite announced today the Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has been awarded a STOP Grant. This grant is a two-year grant that will allow for an additional assistant prosecuting attorney and a victim advocate for the domestic violence caseload. At the end of the grant cycle, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will apply for renewal of the grant. The current caseload has 419 open cases.
Gino McKinnie Found Guilty of Robbery, Assault First Degree and Armed Criminal Action
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: TIMOTHY J. MCDONALD
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
(417) 581-7915
DATE: February 24, 2020
RE: Gino McKinnie Found Guilty of Robbery, Assault First Degree and Armed Criminal Action
OZARK, MO – Christian County Prosecuting Attorney Amy J. Fite announced today that GINO MCKINNIE of Ozark, Missouri was found guilty on February 20, 2020, by the Honorable Judge Jennifer Growcock following a bench trial heard on December 2, 2019. The defendant was found guilty of all counts charged – one count of robbery in the first degree (class A felony), two counts of assault first in the first degree (class B felony) and three counts of armed criminal action (unclassified felony).
On November 23, 2016, the defendant entered unlawfully into an apartment at 2447 W. Petrus Circle, Ozark Missouri, where two victims were sleeping. Once inside he hid downstairs until a third victim came home. The defendant, wearing black gloves and a hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled around his face, pointed a revolver at this victim and demanded money before striking the victim in the head with the pistol. The defendant then forced the three victims into an upstairs bedroom where he spun the cylinder on the revolver, pointed the gun at one of the victims and pulled the trigger. The defendant left the apartment after taking approximately $150 in cash.
Detective Anthony Appleton interviewed the victims and they identified the defendant as having committed the robbery. He was arrested later that day. During a search of the defendant’s residence and vehicle Detective Appleton found black rubber gloves and a hooded sweatshirt that matched those used during the robbery. Cell phone records established that the defendant’s cell phone was in the area of the apartment at the time of the robbery.
Sentencing is set for June 4, 2020. The range of punishment for robbery in the first degree is a term of incarceration of 10-30 years or life in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The range of punishment for the class B felony of assault in the first degree is a term of incarceration of 5-15 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The range of punishment for armed criminal action is a term of incarceration of at least three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
This case was investigated by the Ozark Police Department with Detective Appleton leading the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Tim McDonald.
Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Annual Report
The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has released its annual report.
JOSHUA SILAS RAINEY RECEIVES 22 YEAR SENTENCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amy Fite
Prosecuting Attorney
(417) 581-7915
DATE: November 18, 2019
RE: JOSHUA SILAS RAINEY RECEIVES 22 YEAR SENTENCE
OZARK, MO – The Christian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announces that on Nov. 14, 2019, JOSHUA SILAS RAINEY, DOB: 7/16/1980, of Springfield, Missouri, plead guilty to four counts and received a sentence of 22 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Rainey appeared in front of the Honorable Judge Jennifer Growcock and pleaded guilty to domestic assault in the first degree, armed criminal action, burglary in the first degree and domestic assault in the second degree. Pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement, he was sentenced to 22 years for domestic assault in the first degree, three years for armed criminal action, 10 years for burglary in the first degree and seven years for domestic assault in the second degree. All counts are to be served concurrently for a total sentence of 22 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
On August 15, 2018, as police responded to a burglary in progress, the incident escalated into a domestic assault in which Rainey broke into the back door of his girlfriend’s home with a crow bar and knowingly caused serious physical injury to her by striking her repeatedly with the sharp end of the crow bar while threatening to kill her.
Rainey carried out numerous assaults against his girlfriend by slamming her head into a counter and choking her with both hands. Additionally, he made numerous threats that he would kill her and their child.
The investigation of this case was handled by the Christian County Sheriff’s Department with assistance provided by the Nixa Police Department. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Janette Bleau.