A Missouri House candidate has appeared in court on a federal charge after prosecutors accused him of trying to frame his Republican primary opponent by planting cocaine and Adderall in her purse or vehicle.
Thomas Ross, 37, of Joplin, is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. The allegation relates to the weeks before the 4 August Republican primary, which Ross won by only a few dozen votes against Louise Secker.
Ross made his initial appearance in federal court on Thursday. The charge was filed on Wednesday, and there was no immediate indication of how he intended to plead.
According to an affidavit filed by an FBI agent, a former Ross campaign manager contacted police in late July over what was described as a possible public corruption matter.
The former staff member gave investigators a black nylon glove which allegedly had been supplied by Ross. Inside were a small plastic bag containing white powder and a pink-and-white capsule.
Testing indicated that the powder was cocaine, while the capsule was identified as 20mg of extended-release amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, commonly known as Adderall. Both are controlled substances under US federal law.
The former campaign manager told investigators that Ross had instructed him to put the drugs in Secker’s purse or vehicle while Ross was away on holiday. Court documents allege the plan was intended to damage her campaign shortly before the primary.
Investigators also reviewed text messages in which Ross and the staff member referred to “the substance” and discussed carrying out the plan before Secker attended a Republican women’s meeting at a restaurant in Joplin.
The FBI later equipped the former campaign manager with a concealed recording device for a meeting at Ross’s home on 31 July. During the conversation, the staff member allegedly said he still had “the bag and addies”.
According to the affidavit, Ross agreed that the scheme should go ahead when asked whether he still wanted it carried out, replying: “If you can pull it off, pull it off.”
There is no indication in the court documents that drugs were ultimately planted on Secker.
Missouri Republican Party chairman Peter Kinder has called on Ross to withdraw from the race, describing the circumstances of the arrest as “serious and deeply troubling”.
Ross is currently the Republican candidate for the state’s 161st House District. His Democratic opponent in the November general election is Aaron Metzger.
US Attorney R Matthew Price said voters should be able to trust the electoral process and that candidates were expected to campaign with “integrity, honesty, and respect for their opponents”.
Chris Ormerod, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the Kansas City field office, said the allegations were “substantial and serious”, while stressing that the case would proceed fairly and in accordance with the rule of law.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Joplin Police Department. The charge is an allegation, not a finding of guilt, and prosecutors must prove their case in court.
