Overland Park Woman Charged with Obstructing Justice

June 11, 2010 - KANSAS CITY, KS—Barbara Porter, 44, Overland Park, Kansas, has been charged with obstructing justice and other counts in connection with the arrest of her husband, Patrick Porter, on charges of attempting to coerce a minor to have sex with him.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday night in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas charges Barbara Porter with one count of aiding and abetting the interstate transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activities, one count of obstructing justice, and one count of harboring a fugitive.

Her husband, Patrick Porter, was charged June 7, 2010, with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of attempting to coerce a minor to have sex with him.

The criminal indictment alleges that when investigators attempted to locate and arrest Patrick Porter on June 7, 2010, Barbara Porter told them she did not know where he was. At the time, Barbara Porter was aware that Patrick Porter was facing federal charges of possessing child pornography and attempting to coerce a minor to have sex with him. Later, investigators learned that on the June 3, 2010, Barbara Porter and Patrick Porter had discussed the fact Patrick Porter was under investigation and a search warrant had been served on their home in Overland Park. They decided to let Barbara Porter’s daughter spend the weekend with Patrick Porter in violation of a court order placing Barbara Porter’s daughter in protective custody.

On June 3, 2010, Barbara Porter and Patrick Porter picked up Barbara Porter’s daughter and drove to the Wal-Mart at 159th and Metcalf in Overland Park, where they had parked Patrick Porter’s truck. After Barbara Porter and Patrick Porter switched vehicles, Patrick Porter and Barbara Porter’s daughter left together in a 2003 Ford Expedition. Barbara Porter saw that Patrick Porter had about $3,000 in cash and a duffle bag containing clothes.

On June 9, 2010, investigators learned that Patrick Porter had used a credit card at a Best Western Motel in Huntington Beach, Calif., on June 6, June 7 and June 8, 2010. Investigators also learned from phone records that Barbara Porter had received calls from the Best Western Hotel in Huntington Beach. Later that day, police in California took Patrick Porter and Barbara Porter’s daughter into custody.

Upon conviction, the crimes with which Barbara Porter is charged carry the following penalties:

• Aiding and abetting the unlawful transportation of a minor: Not less than 10 years and not more than life in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

• Obstruction of justice: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

• Harboring a fugitive: A maximum penalty and a fine up to $250,000.

• The Overland Park Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.