Three More Indicted for Armed Robbery Conspiracy

Fatal Shoot-out with Police Ended Crime Spree of 27 Robberies in Three Months

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that three more defendants have been indicted for their roles in a three-months-long conspiracy that included at least 27 armed robberies, culminating in the armed robbery of a Walgreens in Blue Springs, Mo., in which a suspect was fatally shot by law enforcement officers.

Kevin Thompson-Randell, also known as “Kilo Ali,” 22, and Demetrius Nelson, 24, both of Kansas City, Mo., and Frank Garner, Jr., also known as “Fonzi,” 23, of Grandview, Mo., were charged in a 36-count second superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. That indictment was unsealed and made public today; all of the defendants have been arrested.

The second superseding indictment replaces a superseding indictment that was returned on Aug. 10, 2016, and includes additional charges.

The second superseding indictment contains the original charges against Shannon R. Thomas, 27, of Shawnee, Kan., and Deonte J. Collins-Abbott, 22, and Parrise K. Black, also known as “Kilo,” 25, both of Grandview. Thomas, Collins-Abbott and Black have been in federal custody without bond since their arrests.

The federal indictment alleges that all six co-defendants participated in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies between Jan. 2 and March 24, 2016. According to court documents, conspirators participated in at least 27 armed robberies over a period of less than three months; 17 of those robberies are charged in the indictment.

New Charges Added in the Second Superseding Indictment

In addition to three new co-defendants, the second superseding indictment also contains new charges related to six additional armed robberies.

Thompson-Randell and Thomas are charged together in one count of armed robbery of Moonlight Adult Boutique, 8801 E. Truman Rd., Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 29, 2016. They are also charged together in one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Nelson and Thomas are charged together in four counts of armed robbery. They allegedly robbed Valero Express, 1331 E. Bannister Rd., Kansas City, Mo., on March 9, 2016; Sonic, 4520 Blue Parkway, Kansas City, Mo., on March 9, 2016; World of Wine and Spirits, 1722 W. 39th St., Kansas City, Mo., on March 10, 2016; and Phillips 66, 1509 W. 12th St., Kansas City, Mo., on March 10, 2016. They are also charged together in four counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of those crimes.

Thomas is charged with one count of armed robbery of Conoco, 4656 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, Mo., on March 15, 2016, and one count of brandishing a firearm in relation to that crime of violence. According to court documents, a victim was shot during this robbery.

Garner and Thomas are charged together in one count of armed robbery of a Conoco station, 4516 E. 39th St., Kansas City, Mo., on March 15, 2016. They are also charged together in one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. (Thomas was previously charged alone with the Conoco robbery.)

Fatal Shooting During Walgreen’s Robbery

Thomas and Collins-Abbott are charged together with the armed robbery of the Walgreens located at 9th and Duncan in Blue Springs on March 24, 2016. They are also charged together with possessing and brandishing a firearm in relation to that crime. Thomas is also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Thomas allegedly possessed a Springfield Armory semi-automatic pistol.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance that day on Thomas and Collins-Abbott as part of the investigation into a series of armed robberies at area businesses.

On March 24, 2016, according to the affidavit, Thomas, Collins-Abbot and Jermon Seals of Shawnee, Kan., confronted a Walgreens employee outside the business and forced the employee inside at gunpoint. Once inside, the affidavit says, one of the robbers placed a firearm to the back of the employee’s head and took money from the front register. The other two robbers went over the pharmacy counter and took prescription grade cough syrup at gunpoint from the pharmacist. They left the business but were confronted by law enforcement officers as they were walking back to the vehicle. They failed to comply with the officers’ commands, according to the affidavit, and turned towards the officers, pointing a gun in their direction. Officers returned fire and Seals was struck in the exchange. Collins-Abbott and Thomas were apprehended by officers after a short foot pursuit.

Previous Charges Continued in the Second Superseding Indictment

Thomas and Collins-Abbott also are charged together in one count of armed robbery of Phillips 66, 8111 E. 87th St., Raytown, Mo., on March 2, 2016. They are also charged together in one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of that crime of violdence.

Thomas and Black are charged together in one count of armed robbery of Shell, 3786 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo., on March 20, 2016, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of that crime of violence.

Collins-Abbot and Black are charged together in two counts of armed robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in relation to those crimes. They allegedly robbed QuikTrip, 16501 E. U.S. 40 Hwy., Independence, Mo., on Feb. 3, 2016; and Pour Boys, 2601 Chouteau, North Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 3, 2016.

Thomas also is charged with one count of armed robbery of Midwest Title Loan, 330 W. 85th St., Kansas City, Mo., on Jan. 19, 2016, and one count of brandishing a firearm in relation to that crime of violence.

Collins-Abbott also is charged with five counts of armed robbery and five counts of possessing and brandishing a firearm in relation to those crimes. Collins-Abbott allegedly robbed Worlds Liquor and Tobacco, 1901 NE Russell Rd., Kansas City, Mo., on March 7, 2016; Conoco, 4516 E. 39th St., Kansas City, Mo., on March 8, 2016; and Dollar General, 5100 Blue Ridge Cutoff, Kansas City, Mo., on March 21, 2016.

Larson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Caine and David Raskin. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the North Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service.