Cass Politics

Allen Edmonds

A Peculiar man and two Freeman women are being held by Cass County Sheriff’s Office authorities in connection with the armed robbery of a 20-year-old Harrisonville man April 19 south of Belton.

Steven J. Tate, 21, was captured Friday night behind a North Scott business nearly a week after his two alleged accomplices were arrested.

Just before 8 p.m. on Friday, Cass County deputies observed a maroon 1992 Buick LeSabre stopped facing westbound at the intersection of Turner and North Scott, according Cpl. Kevin Tieman of the sheriff’s office.

Deputies recognized the Buick as the vehicle involved in the earlier robbery and recognized the driver, who had three active Cass County warrants – including one for the robbery.

The vehicle pulled into a business parking lot in the 800 block of North Scott and drove to the rear of the business. Deputies saw Tate and another unidentified male run from the vehicle. A third occupant, Brad L. Smothermon, 27, remained on scene and was arrested by deputies for unrelated outstanding warrants.

According to Tieman, deputies followed the trail to the rear of the business and spotted Tate behind a parked trailer. He was finally taken into custody in a shed on the property with the assistance of officers from the Belton Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The third occupant of the vehicle was never found.

Alexandra Siegenthaler, 20, and Christina Hubbard, 18, were each being held in lieu of $30,000 bond on identical charges of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action after their arrest on April 20.

According to sheriff’s office investigators, the victim of the robbery flagged down a motorist near the intersection of 195th and Peculiar Drive just before midnight April 19 after allegedly being robbed.

When a sheriff’s deputy arrived that night, the man reported that he had met and gotten into the car of a man and woman at the Belton Price Chopper and the three were “riding around” south of Belton when the male driver pulled a handgun on him, demanded his wallet and ordered him out of the car.

One of the female suspects in custody was in the car at the time, officers alleged. Investigators believe the second female suspect was involved in the plan, though she wasn’t present at the time of the incident.

Tate was being held in the Cass County Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond on charges of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action in connection with the original incident, plus additional charges of possession of a controlled substance and second-degree burglary.

He was arraigned Monday before Judge Thomas Campbell and was to appear Thursday for a case review. Siegenthaler and Hubbard were each due to appear in Cass County Circuit Court before Campbell on Thursday morning in connection with the case.