Cole County Grand Jury hands down 4 indictments

The Cole County Grand Jury handed down several indictments this week, finding there was enough evidence to send cases to the circuit courts for possible trial.

• Among those indicted was a Jefferson City man facing multiple charges in connection with several thefts in Cole and Boone counties.

Nicholas Veltrop, 37, is charged in Cole County with possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, second-degree burglary, felony stealing and fraudulent use of a credit device.

Veltrop was found in early January at Comfort Inn Suites on Country Club Drive, according to Cole County Sheriff’s Department probable cause statements. When taken into custody, he first admitted to stealing a pair of boots from a store in Columbia, saying they could be found at his RV parked on Heritage Highway.

As authorities continued their questioning, Veltrop talked about other crimes he had committed. He admitted to being a methamphetamine addict and said authorities could find meth in a bag in the room he had at the hotel.

Deputies went to the hotel and found a small amount of meth and a loaded .45 handgun in the bag. Veltrop is a three-time felon and is not allowed to possess firearms.

Veltrop gave consent to search his RV, where deputies found multiple tools he had purchased with a stolen credit card.

Further investigation found Veltrop had stolen the credit card while asking for financial assistance from an employee Dec. 22 at First Presbyterian Church on Madison Street.

Veltrop used the card to purchase the tools online, valued at more than $1,900. He had the tools delivered to the address of the church employee whose credit card he had used. On Dec. 30, the employee reported someone had broken into her home and taken the shipment of tools.

Veltrop confessed to taking the credit card, ordering the tools, breaking into the home and having his girlfriend pawn some of the tools for money.

Veltrop has three prior stealing-related offenses in Cole County he has been found guilty of.

• Also indicted was a Jefferson City man charged after a mid-December domestic violence incident.

Brendan McKay, 22, was charged with one count of child abuse or neglect following a Dec. 16 incident involving him, his child and the child’s mother.

Prosecutors allege McKay struck the child with a belt and threatened to beat up and shoot the child’s mother. McKay also allegedly broke a dresser owned by the mother by hitting it.

• Also indicted was a Holts Summit man charged after Cole County Sheriff’s Department deputies investigated three residential burglaries in October.

Christopher Council, 28, of Vienna, was charged with second-degree burglary, stealing and second-degree property damage.

The first burglary was reported in the 6700 block of Loesch Road, the second in the 5500 block of Buffalo Road and the last in the 5200 block of Route D, according to sheriff’s department reports.

A deputy went to the first burglary on Loesch Road and was told by a witness he had seen a man near the residence prior to finding the residence had been broken into. The back door was kicked in and broken.

A deputy later saw a vehicle in the 5700 block of Loesch Road with a man matching the witness’ description. The deputy stopped the vehicle and arrested Council. His arrest led to the recovery of stolen items and linked the him to all three burglaries.

Council stole items such as an Xbox 360, a 9mm pistol, jewelry and several hundred dollars’ worth of change.

His arrest also led authorities to more stolen property seized, three cars impounded and one search warrant served in the 3200 block of Cassidy Road.

• Also indicted was a woman from Arkansas who was charged after allegedly making multiple purchases with fraudulent credit cards at furniture stores across Missouri, including Jefferson City.

Trenise Boston, 26, of Arkansas, has been charged with one count of felony fraudulent use of a credit device, as well as one count of felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

Officers responded in January to Furniture Factory Outlet on Missouri Boulevard, according to Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statements. Store management told officers Boston had made more than $8,700 in fraudulent purchases at the store. They also learned Boston had made a fraudulent $18,000 purchase at an FFO store in Sedalia and a fraudulent $12,000 purchase at an FFO store in Warrensburg.

Boston had provided law officers and store officials with a false name, and it took fingerprint identification to reveal she had a warrant for her arrest from Arkansas.

Boston was found to be in possession of 43 Visa pre-paid credit cards, some of which did not have a maximum spending limit.

Officers searched the U-Haul that Boston had been traveling in and found a bag containing sales receipts from each of the FFO stores signed with an alias Boston was known to have used. There also was a bag of what was believed to be ecstasy pills and marijuana.

Video from the FFO store in Warrensburg shows Boston looking at furniture, authorities said.