KC Reporter

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri man and a Crowder, Mississippi man have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that included two murders.

Shawn Burkhalter, also known as “Deuce,” 35, of Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to life in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Joshua Nesbitt, also known as “T,” 30, was sentenced yesterday to life in federal prison without parole.

On Aug. 28, 2023, Burkhalter and Nesbitt were found guilty at trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of robbery, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and a drug-trafficking crime, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, one count of being felons in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to commit witness and evidence tampering, one count of murdering a potential witness and one count of evidence tampering. Additionally, Burkhalter was found guilty on an additional charge: witness tampering.

Burkhalter and Nesbitt participated in a decade-long conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana from 2008 to Feb. 20, 2018. Six more co-defendants pleaded guilty and have been sentenced for their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Trial evidence showed that on Sept. 10, 2015 Burkhalter and Nesbitt stole cocaine from Danny Lamont Dean; during the robbery they shot and killed Dean with a Rock River Arms AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.

On Oct. 4.,2015 Nesbitt stole marijuana from Anthony Dwayne Johnson; during the robbery he shot Johnson using the same AR-15 rifle under orders from Burkhalter who was detained at the time suspecting Johnson provided information about Dean’s murder.

Burkhalter and Nesbitt robbed another Kansas City business on Sept.8 using the same weapon according to trial evidence presented by prosecutors showing repeated staff assaults while awaiting trial for Nesbitt

Co-defendants Sharika Hooker & Autry Hines (Kansas City); Joslyn Lee aka Bless & Nickayla Jones (Blue Springs); Rachel Ryce (Raytown) & Anthony Peltier aka A1(Lawrence) all pleaded guilty previously sentenced

This case prosecuted Assistant US Attorneys David Raskin Patrick Edwards David Wagner investigated FBI KCPD