SW Missouri man sentenced to 30 years for multiple crimes

A man from southwest Missouri’s Rogersville has been sentenced 30 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to separate charges of wire fraud, illegal firearm possession, and sexual exploitation of a child. 

57-year-old Roy Harris, Jr, was initially investigated and charged with wire fraud for soliciting more than 920-thousand dollars from investors, spending the money instead on himself. 

After pleading guilty to that crime, he was found to be in possession of 12 rifles and 7 pistols, which is also a felony because of his wire fraud conviction. 

And during the investigation of that crime, images on two cellphones were discovered showing him sexually assaulting a minor and other images of child pornography. 

Prosecutors say Harris also tried to hire someone to kill several witnesses in an attempt to avoid a lengthy prison sentence.