Clay County, Missouri Sheriff

09/01/2026

Two of Clay County's most wanted noncompliant s*x offenders have been arrested! Great work by deputies and U.S. Marshals.

WANTED DEFENDANTS FOUND

In the month of August, law enforcement officers apprehended two Most Wanted Defendants. John Mariner is charged with Failure to Register as a S*x Offender in State vs. Mariner 26CY-CR01974. Jeffrey Ray is also charged with Failure to Register as a S*x Offender in State vs. Ray 26CY-CR00143.

We thank the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff's Office for their work in arresting Mariner, and the U.S. Marshals for their work in arresting Jeffrey Ray. Due to their collaboration, the legal process can now move forward.

Public cooperation remains a critical part of helping law enforcement locate and apprehend alleged offenders. You can find the complete list and information about how to collect a $3,000 anonymous reward at claycountyprosecutor.com. As always, all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

08/31/2026

School Resource Deputies save lives, and most often they do so in ways no one will see. After we shared this year's roster of deputies assigned to North Kansas City Schools a week ago, the unit commander, Lt. Archer, received this message from a former student.

"I have wanted to reach out to you for many years to thank you for ultimately saving my life. I was a student many years ago while you were the School Resource Officer and I was experiencing abuse at home from my step-dad. I visited you nearly every day to discuss it. I just wanted to say, while the abuse still occurred at home, I was able to move in with my biological father and my life improved. So, thank you for all you did for me back then."

08/28/2026

From Kansas City Royals games to the North Kansas City Schools convocation, our Honor Guard has been busy lately representing the Sheriff's Office around the area. You can next see them at 8:34 a.m. Sept. 11 at the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony with City of Liberty, Mo. Government Fire Department and Liberty, Missouri Police Department in the courtyard of Clay County Circuit Court, at the corner of Water and Kansas streets in Liberty.

08/27/2026

A new twist on the "you missed court and we'll come arrest you" phone call scam perpetrated by fraudsters claiming to be Clay County deputies: Yesterday we heard from a local licensed clinical social worker who said someone claiming to be our deputy called her and said there was a warrant for her arrest because she didn't show up as an "expert witness" to court in a child abuse case. Given her profession, she initially thought it was real. The scammer directed her to a bank to withdraw thousands in cash so it could be deposited in a Bitcoin ATM, but she called us first.

We don't know for sure, but we suspect the scammers saw her on the web site of the business she works for and knew the "expert witness" tactic may work. We have seen the "expert witness" scam before, but not one so targeted at a person's real profession. We know scammers often check web sites like this because they use the names of real commanders members listed on our web site.

We've also had innumerable reports of the standard "you missed jury duty and have an arrest warrant" scam in the last couple of months. Someone lost $5,000 to this scam last week, actually.

With both, remember:

* We will NEVER call to tell you that you have a warrant.
* We will NEVER demand money over the phone.

Hang up and block the scam caller.

08/26/2026

What better day than International Dog Day to welcome the newest doggo to the Sheriff's Office? Meet K9 Draco! Members of our K9 Team selected him today from Creek Kennels - Premier Police Service Dogs in Pennsylvania. He will be partnered with Deputy Eslinger.

Draco is a 14-month-old Belgian Malinois who was chosen from the eight dogs the team tested. He really likes getting pets and sniffing things. He is named after the first recorded legislator in Athens, Greece, who established the ancient civilization's written legal system.

Draco and the human deputies will be heading back to Clay County soon, and we promise to share lots more pictures after they arrive!

08/26/2026

Thanks to Dutch Bros Coffee for hooking K9 Argos up with this sweet bandanna on International Dog Day!

08/25/2026

Great work by all involved holding this defendant accountable!

Sentencing for Burglary

Last week, Clay County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Alyssa Benjamin secured a 5-year sentence for Defendant Jessica Earwood for Burglary in the 2nd Degree.

The case started on November 1st, 2025 when deputies from the Clay County Sherriff’s Office went to the Village of Randolph because of suspicious activity on Randolph Road. While on their way, Deputies were informed by dispatchers that Earwood was attempting to break into vehicles and banging on doors of homes. When Deputies arrived at a home on Randolph Road, witnesses told them Earwood had entered the home through an unlocked door and asked for money. Earwood fled the scene after being confronted by the residents of the home and was later arrested by Clay County Sherriff’s Deputies.

This case serves as a reminder to lock vehicles and residences at all times and to keep valuables stored in a safe place, out of plain sight.

We thank the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff's Office for their hard work and collaboration, which allowed us to deliver justice to the victims.

State of Missouri v. Jessica Earwood
Case no. 25CY-CR03343-01

08/25/2026

Last week, Avive Solutions brought Deputy Vargas, Sheriff Will Akin and Clay County Resident Donlee McIntyre to their headquarters in San Francisco to share the story of how Deputy Vargas used their new AED device to help save Donlee seven months ago. (Kearney Fire & Rescue Protection District and Liberty Hospital also played critical roles.)

For the first time, here's the full story of what happened, complete with body cam footage:

08/24/2026

North Kansas City Schools students already know who their teachers will be when school starts tomorrow, and now they know who their school resource deputies will be, too.

The City of North Kansas City Police Department provides an additional SRO at North Kansas City High School, and Gladstone MO Police provide the Antioch Middle School SRO.

We're excited to get to know your kiddos this year and keep them safe!