KANSAS CITY —After more than a year of investigation led by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office and the Kansas City Police Department, with the assistance of the Missouri Department of Revenue and the Leawood Kansas Police Department, a Grand Jury indicted a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on 13 charges stemming from the mishandling of evidence in criminal investigations and a corruption scheme involving towing companies in Kansas City, according to a statement from Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.
Charles “Nate” Bradley faces the following charges:
Ten Counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence
The defendant allegedly used his position as a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper to help towing companies profit from towing and storing stolen vehicles without proper law enforcement involvement, preventing proper evidence collection and investigation. The defendant’s conduct also delayed vehicle owners from retrieving their vehicles. The arrangement allowed towing companies to charge excessive storage and towing fees, forcing victims and their insurance providers to either pay thousands of dollars or forfeit their vehicles entirely.
One Count of Acceding to Corruption by a Public Servant
The defendant allegedly accepted gifts from a towing operator in exchange for giving the company access to stolen vehicles.
One Count of Stealing -- $25,000 or More
The defendant received a stolen necklace worth at least $25,000, taken during a jewelry store burglary. The defendant held the necklace in his personal possession, failing to follow evidence recovery procedures without notifying the investigating agency or the victim of the recovery.
One Count of 1st Degree Property Damage
In one instance, the defendant directed a tow truck driver to intentionally damage a stolen vehicle to disable it.
The defendant self-surrendered on Friday, May 15, and was released on a $30,000 (10%) bond.