10 indicted in federal drug case include two from St. Joseph

St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read
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Feb. 6—A St. Joseph resident is the latest indicted in a 10-person conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Northwest Missouri.

Kaden Bernard, 22, of St. Joseph, was named along with Raymundo Felix-Perez, 31, a citizen of Mexico who resided in Bethany, Missouri, and Joshua Stramel, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas in a 13-count indictment.

They join seven previously indicted co-defendants: Craig Austin Troester, 24, and Cassidie Bumgarner, 21, both of Spickard, Missouri; Troy Lee Palmer, 24, of Trenton, Missouri; Dallas Hughs, 27, of St. Joseph; Jessica Nicole Moody, 30, of Bethany; Dakota Morris, 25, of Liberty, Missouri; and Lucas Ryan Coltrain, 23, of Newtown, Missouri.

The federal indictment alleges that Troester and Felix-Perez led the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl beginning on Oct. 27, 2020.

In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Troester, Felix-Perez, Bumgarner, Coltrain and Moody are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering from March 1, 2021, through Jan. 31, 2022. They allegedly collected proceeds from the drug-trafficking conspiracy and wired the money to Mexico.

Bernard is also charged with two counts of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, two counts of distributing fentanyl, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Bernard allegedly had an FNH .45-caliber pistol, an FNH 9mm pistol, and a Century Arms 7.62x39 pistol on March 17, 2022.

Palmer also is charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Palmer allegedly had several firearms, including a Cricket .22-caliber bolt-action rifle, a Rossi .22-caliber rifle, a Rossi .410-gauge shotgun, a Ruger .410-gauge shotgun, a Hiawatha 12-gauge shotgun and a Ruger .223-caliber rifle on Dec. 8, 2020.

Hughs is also charged with three counts of distributing fentanyl.

Stramel is also charged with one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.