Sheriff’s Deputies Search for Smithville Lake Robbery Suspect

***UPDATE: 08/01/26**** Thanks the Blue Springs Police Department, Matthew Williams is now in custody.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a 21-year-old man charged in connection with an alleged robbery and assault at Smithville Lake earlier this month.

Authorities said Matthew R. Williams is charged with first-degree robbery for an incident that occurred late July 17 into the early morning hours of July 18. Investigators said Williams was one of several suspects involved in an attack in which the victim was held against his will, pistol-whipped and robbed of his belongings.

Williams is described as 6 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing about 220 pounds. The sheriff’s office said he has ties to Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs and Raytown.

Anyone with information about Williams’ whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 816-407-3700.

Three other suspects in the case are in custody and have been charged, according to the sheriff’s office. They are 18-year-old Haeli Smith, 21-year-old Georgio M. Sparks and 18-year-old Mason X. Card.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Seven Arrested and Charged in Child Enticement Stings

An operation led by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit during the time FIFA World Cup events took place in the metro area resulted in the arrest of seven men who were attempting to engage in sexual acts with a 15-year-old girl.

The child enticement operations took place in June and July. Undercover detectives posed as 15-year-old girls online and engaged in conversation with men who asked to meet them for sex. When they arrived at the designated meet-up spots, deputies arrested them.

“We know human trafficking increases around large events like the World Cup, so we wanted to help disrupt that,” said Sergeant Jeremy Fahrmeier, supervisor of the Special Victims Unit. “But we also know this danger exists right here at home, with the majority of those arrested residing in the metro area.”

The arrests are:

Marvin R. Carillo-Muñoz, 45, of Kansas City, Kan.
Charge: Felony attempted enticement of a minor

Charles A. Farmer, 63, of St. Joseph, Mo.
Charge: Felony attempted enticement of a minor

William C. Grandi, 45, of Kansas City, Mo.
Charge: Felony attempted enticement of a minor

Reginald J. Pittmon, Jr., 23, of Shawnee, Kan.
Charge: Felony attempted enticement of a minor
Additional charges may be forthcoming. Pittmon is a registered Kansas sex offender for sexual exploitation of a minor and fourth-degree child molestation. He also is on probation in Jackson County for possession of child sexual abuse material.

Phillip E. Rivera II, 37, of Kansas City, Mo.
Charge: Felony attempted enticement of a minor

Donald D. Robinson, 60, of Glenmora, La.
Charges: Felony attempted enticement of a child and misdemeanor furnishing pornographic images to a minor

Steven S. Taylor, 48, of Raytown, Mo.
Charges: Felony attempted enticement of a minor and felony second-degree drug trafficking
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is committed to protecting children and holding accountable those who would try to harm them. The Special Victims Unit launched March 1 to further this goal. The Unit primarily investigates sex-based offenses and internet crimes against children.

KPGZ News - Sarah Boyd contributed to this story.

Man Charged After Pursuit and Alleged Box Cutter Attack

An Independence man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit early Sunday morning and then tried to stab a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy with a box cutter after the chase ended.

Scott K. Adkins, 59, is being held in the Clay County Detention Center on charges of second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action and aggravated fleeing from law enforcement under Valentine’s Law. His bond has been set at $200,000.

The incident began at 3:52 a.m. Sunday, July 12, when a deputy saw a vehicle speeding and changing lanes without signaling on Interstate 435 near Shoal Creek Parkway, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Dispatchers also confirmed the vehicle’s license plate was registered to a different vehicle.

When the deputy tried to stop the vehicle, the driver fled. Authorities said the vehicle continued at high speed, swerving between lanes and at one point leaving the roadway before striking a yield sign and a low-hanging tree. The vehicle returned to I-435 and continued fleeing until a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper used a tactical vehicle intervention near Cookingham Road to bring it to a stop.

After the pursuit ended, Adkins refused commands to get out of the vehicle, authorities said. Deputies said he was acting erratically and reaching around inside the vehicle, causing officers to fear he may have been trying to find a weapon. Law enforcement attempted to negotiate with him, but he refused to surrender and told officers they would have to kill him.

When Adkins was briefly distracted by his phone, a Clay County deputy broke a vehicle window in an effort to remove him. Authorities said Adkins first swung a bag of mini donuts at the deputy, then thrust an extended box cutter toward the deputy. The deputy was able to avoid being struck, and officers backed away while a Highway Patrol trooper continued negotiations.

During the standoff, authorities said Adkins began drifting in and out of consciousness and then started stabbing himself in the abdomen. A Platte County Sheriff’s Office deputy deployed a Taser, temporarily immobilizing him. Clay County deputies then removed Adkins from the vehicle and took him into custody.

Adkins was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where officials said medical staff determined his self-inflicted wounds were superficial. Deputies later found six box cutters inside the vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Office said additional charges for driving while intoxicated could be possible pending lab results, because Adkins’ behavior during the incident indicated he may have been impaired by illegal narcotics.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Gladstone Man Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography

A four-month-investigation culminated with the arrest of a Gladstone man yesterday for possession of child sexual abuse material.

Sheriff’s Office deputies and Special Victims Unit detectives served a search warrant yesterday at the residence of 51-year-old Cecil Cameron, Jr. He has been charged with two felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The Court set his bond at $50,000. The investigation is ongoing, and more charges may be warranted based on analysis of evidence seized from the home, which included electronic devices and apparent narcotics.

Special Victims Unit investigators received an Internet Crimes Against Children tip in this case in March 2026. They have worked through several legal processes over the last several months to gather evidence, culminating yesterday in Cameron’s arrest and the search warrant of his house in the 200 block of NE 77th Street, Gladstone, Mo.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program. It is a network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing more than 5,400 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to internet crimes against children.

This case was a result of a tip to the Cyber Tipline, the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. It is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Those tips are routed to local law enforcement like the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for investigation.

KPGZ News – Sarah Boyd contributed to this story.

First Top 10 Most Wanted Suspect Arrested in Kearney

The Clay County Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest of Kristen Hailee Wood, who had been featured on Clay County’s Top 10 Most Wanted list. Wood is with delivery of a controlled substance.

On May 28, Clay County Sheriff’s deputies, assisted by the Kearney Police Department, took her into custody without incident in Kearney, Missouri. Sheriff’s Office Officials said the arrest came just one day after the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office publicized its Top 10 Most Wanted list.

The Sheriff’s Office said an anonymous tip helped investigators locate Wood outside a Kearney hotel, underscoring the role of community information in locating wanted suspects. The case also reflects cooperation among the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Kearney Police Department, Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office.

The anonymous tipster in the case is expected to receive a $3,000 reward from the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers. Authorities thanked community members who shared information and said public cooperation remains a critical part of helping law enforcement locate and apprehend alleged offenders.

Law enforcement agencies involved in the arrest said the coordinated effort helped safely take a wanted suspect into custody and reinforced the value of regional partnerships in keeping local communities safe.

Wood is currently being held at the Clay County Detention Center pending further court proceedings.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.