Christian County Prosecuting Attorney

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.

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Ozark, MO – Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite is very pleased to announce that for the third year in a row the office has come in under budget. In fact, the total expenditure from the general revenue fund after grant reimbursement for 2013 was approximately 3.2% or $24,045 less than the amount available for use from the general revenue fund.

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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.

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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.

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