Battlefield businessman indicted in $1.9M K2 conspiracy

A Willard man is facing a six-count federal indictment for his role in a $1.9 million conspiracy to distribute synthetic drugs through his Battlefield-based business.

A federal grand jury indicted John Waddell, 49, for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue in Greene County, from April 1, 2011, through Sept. 25, 2013; maintaining a place in Battlefield for the purpose of distributing a controlled substance analogue; possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy; one count of money laundering; and two counts of structuring a currency transaction to evade reporting requirements, according to a news release from the office of the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

The indictment alleges Waddell and his wife owned and operated Bilbo’s Earth Store, 4032 W. Lark, Ste. F, in Battlefield, under the company Johrri Enterprises LLC, for the purposes of distributing the synthetic drug known as K2 from April 1, 2011, through Sept. 25, 2013. As part of the drug trafficking conspiracy, Waddell was allegedly in possession of a Springfield Armory .40-caliber pistol, a Bersa 9mm pistol and a Springfield Armory 9mm pistol.

According to the release, the indictment also contains forfeiture allegations, which would require Waddell to forfeit to the government any property obtained from the proceeds of the alleged violations or any property used to commit the alleged violations, including:

• $1.93 million, the amount involved in the conspiracy;
• Waddell’s residential property in Willard;
• Waddell’s commercial property in Springfield;
• 83 electric, acoustic and bass guitars;
• a five-piece drum set;
• dozens of speakers and amplifiers;
• several guitar cases;
• three pistols;
• $32,271 seized from Waddell’s residence;
• a certificate of deposit in the amount of $100,000;
• $216,535 in the bank accounts of Johrri Enterprises LLC, dba Bilbo's Earth Store; and
• $1,323 in Waddell’s personal bank account.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Combined Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team, the Food and Drug Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, according to the release.