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Zachary Thompson Clay County Prosecutor

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Liberty, MO
Zachary Thompson Clay County Prosecutor

Strengthening the rule of law by protecting the community from lawbreakers, pursuing truth, seeking justice, and fighting for victims of crime.

This is the official page of the Clay County, Missouri Prosecutor's Office. The primary objective of this page is to disseminate information about the office to individuals who reside or work in Clay County or have an interest in the Prosecutor's Office. In addition, it serves as a platform for engagement with the office. The Community Engagement Specialist and other employees of the Clay

County Prosecutor's Office monitor and manage this page. This office is bound by ethical obligations under the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct when determining what material may be displayed. Prior to posting on this page, please review the terms and conditions. By posting on this page, you are consenting to the following terms:

• In case of an emergency or if police assistance is required, dial 911.
• Please refrain from using this page to report a crime. Instead, contact your local law enforcement agency.
• Posting information related to a crime on this page may result in your becoming a witness in court proceedings.
• The act of the Clay County Prosecutor's Office "liking" other organizations' or users' pages does not signify endorsement of that organization or individual's actions or comments.
• The comments made by others on the Clay County Prosecutor's page are not to be taken as the opinion of the Prosecutor's Office, nor does the Prosecutor's Office endorse any third-party comments on this page.
• The Clay County Prosecutor's Office retains the right to remove and/or block any individual who posts inappropriate content as determined by the office. Refer to the examples of inappropriate material below:
• The posting of photos or videos by individuals other than members of the Prosecutor's Office is not permitted.
• If you would like to share photos or videos on this page, please email them to [email protected]. The Clay County Prosecutor's Office values an individual's right to express their opinion and encourages posters to keep comments related to the content on this page. The office reserves the right to remove any comments that are inappropriate or offensive, including comments that:

• Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or violate the legal rights of others.
• Posts that include slander, threats, obscenity, violence, vulgarity, or s*xual content.
• Spam, advertise, solicit commerce, or promote or encourage illegal activity.
• Promote, foster, or perpetuate discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, national origin, gender or s*x, s*xual orientation, or disability.
• Contain personal information about another person or violate a person's privacy.
• Include copyrighted material that belongs to another person or entity or contain links to inappropriate websites.
• Contain confidential information or information that may compromise the safety or security of the public or any member of the Clay County Prosecutor's Office.

08/31/2026

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.

08/30/2026

Two Sentenced Following Reckless Pursuits

This week, we secured two prison sentences for separate defendants following dangerous, high-speed vehicle chases that put residents and law enforcement at risk. Thankfully, no one was hurt in either incident.

Joseph Pratt was sentenced to 2 years in prison after pleading guilty to Aggravated Fleeing (Valentine’s Law) from a January 17, 2026 traffic stop. After a deputy approached his black Mitsubishi Eclipse for an expired plate, Pratt fled and drove more than double the posted 25 MPH speed limit through several residential areas. His pursuit speeds reached up to 67 MPH on NE Winn Road and remained above 60 MPH on NE Russell Road, NE Drexel Road, NE Monterey Avenue, and NE 35th Street.

In a separate case, Giovanna Buchanan was sentenced to 3 years in prison for Resisting Arrest. Buchanan fled from a deputy attempting to conduct a traffic stop for a registration violation in a black Acura TL, traveling northbound on Antioch Road south of NE Vivion Road at 100 MPH in a 40 MPH zone. She continually failed to stay in her lane and ran multiple red lights until a trooper ended the pursuit using a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI). Buchanan attempted to flee a second time after spinning out onto the shoulder, but she was quickly blocked and taken into custody.

Fleeing from law enforcement is never a good idea and you risk turning a minor traffic stop into a severe felony conviction with prison time.

We thank the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Courts and our Assistant Prosectors for their work.

08/29/2026

Please welcome our newest Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Andrea Gurera!

Andrea is a Northland native who is already a familiar face around our office, having previously served as a Legal Intern with us in 2023.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Rockhurst University before graduating with her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Most recently, Andrea expanded her legal experience by working for a judge, bringing valuable courtroom insight to her new role.

We are thrilled to have her back on the team full-time to serve our community. Welcome aboard, Andrea!

08/28/2026

Missouri’s New Evie and Sophie’s Law Takes Effect Today

Starting today, August 28, 2026, a major child safety law called House Bill 2273, also known as “Evie and Sophie’s Law”, is officially in effect across Missouri. It completely rewrites how the state protects minors. Missouri was one of 36 states that did not define grooming by law.

Before today, Missouri law had a massive gap. The law completely ignored grooming, the slow process predators use to build trust and isolate kids over time. Law enforcement often had to wait until a physical act occurred to step in.

Today’s law closes that gap with these major updates:

• Grooming is now defined and criminalized: The law officially targets anyone who uses any means or pattern of conduct to persuade, solicit, coax, entice, or lure a minor. It makes it illegal to ENGAGE in behaviors with the intent to prepare, condition, manipulate, or cause a minor to engage in s*xual conduct, a s*xual performance, or a commercial s*x act.

• Protects all minors under the age of 18: The law explicitly protects everyone under 18 years of age from any person who is more than 4 years older than them.

• Mandatory prison time: Grooming is a felony carrying a prison sentence of 5 to 30 years. If convicted, an offender is completely ineligible for parole or conditional release for at least 5 years.

• Mandatory victim restitution: Courts can now order the offender to pay restitution to the victim. This will be determined by the Courts and can cover the costs of mental and physical rehabilitation, lost income, educational disruption, or housing and relocation assistance.

08/27/2026

Today, I announced formal charges against two Defendants following an incident that occurred shortly after midnight on August 26th that left a Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal seriously injured.

Erika Guerrero-Chavez faces a charge of class B Felony of Assault in the 2nd Degree and is currently being held on a $200,000 bond. Ashton Berry faces charges of class B Felony of Assault in the 2nd Degree and class D Felony of Possession of a Controlled Substance and is currently being held on a $200,000 bond.

According to the probable cause statement, the events leading up to the crash began when a Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal pulled over Erika Guerrero-Chavez for going 96MPH in a 55MPH zone. During the traffic stop, the Corporal began a DWI investigation and eventually attempted to arrest the Defendant. She allegedly resisted, but the Corporal was able to handcuff her and put her in his patrol car. The probable cause statement further alleges the Defendant slipped her handcuffs and tried to run back to her car. The Corporal was able to intercept her and get her back in his patrol car. The Corporal was securing the Defendant in the patrol car as she allegedly continued to struggle when he was hit by a Ford Focus being driven by the second Defendant in the case, Ashton Berry.

The second Defendant allegedly struck the Corporal and his patrol car, and police reports state that dash camera footage shows the second Defendant leaving the roadway at the time of the crash. According to the probable cause statement, crash data from the second Defendant’s car shows her exceeding the speed limit prior to the crash, and a subsequent search of her vehicle also uncovered about 1 gram of methamphetamine.

The Corporal suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where he continues to receive treatment.

My thoughts are with the Corporal, his family, and his law enforcement family during this very difficult time. I commend the investigators, emergency medical personnel, and everyone who assisted at the scene.

This case is a stark reminder of the importance of proceeding with caution and moving over, when possible, when there is an emergency vehicle on the side of the road. It also shows that resisting and running from law enforcement is never a good idea and can result in tragedy.

This case remains under investigation, and charges may be updated as more information becomes available. The charge of an offense is not evidence of guilt, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

08/26/2026

Chronic DWI Defendant Sentenced

Last week, our assistant prosecutors secured a 6-year prison sentence for Defendant David Garrett, for the Class C Felony of Driving While Intoxicated.

The sentence comes after a Kansas City, Missouri Police Officer saw a white GMC pickup truck speeding while traveling north on 169 Highway. The officer used a moving radar unit to determine the truck was going 76 MPH in a 60 MPH zone. The officer conducted a traffic stop, and noticed the Defendant’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his speech was slurred, and there was a strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle. The Defendant was arrested after refusing a Standardized Field Sobriety Test. The Defendant was then taken to a local hospital for a blood test, where he was determined to have a BAC of .104.

Clay County’s “No Refusal” policy supports law enforcement seeking search warrants for blood samples from those arrested for Driving While Intoxicated who refuse to submit to a breath test. This initiative combats intoxication-related incidents and makes our roads safer.

We thank the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, the Court, and our Assistant Prosecutors for their hard work.

State of Missouri vs. David Garrett
25CY-CR03293

08/25/2026

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

08/24/2026

Most Wanted Monday with $3000 Reward

We are continuing our series asking for the public’s help locating defendants who have arrest warrants for pending criminal cases and are currently on the Top Ten Most Wanted List. The goal is to locate individuals who are legally required to appear in court and have not, so the legal process can move forward.

The Court has issued an arrest warrant for Jordan Coppage in case 25CY-CR02754 where he is charged with Aggravated Fleeing (Valentine’s Law) and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Coppage, please contact Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip or contact your local law enforcement agency. To be eligible for the $3,000 reward, tips must be submitted through Crime Stoppers.

You can find the complete Clay County Top 10 Most Wanted List and information about how to collect the anonymous reward at claycountyprosecutor.com. Your information could help keep our community safe.

Please share this post to help us locate this wanted individual. Do not attempt to apprehend or contact this individual yourself. As always, all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

08/22/2026

Please join us in welcoming TWO new additions to our office this week!

Courtney Bridgford joins our team as a Child Support Caseworker. She joins us with an extensive background in client relations and a keen ability to manage a fast-paced environment. Her experience managing strict schedules while maintaining client confidentiality makes her a fantastic asset to our team!

Melissa Eckard is our newest Legal Assistant. She comes to us with over 2 decades of experience as a Paralegal. Melissa brings a wealth of legal knowledge and a proven track record of keeping cases on track and moving smoothly. Her attention to detail and sharp organizational skills are already proving to be a wonderful addition to our office.

We’re excited to have you both on board!

Address

Liberty, MO

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+18167368300

Website

https://www.claycountyprosecutor.com/

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