KC Woman Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice After Forging Court Order for Release

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., woman who forged a court order to get another inmate released from prison, was sentenced in federal court today for obstruction of justice.

Margie P. Shephard, 53, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to three years and five months in federal prison without parole.

Shephard was incarcerated as an inmate at Federal Prison Camp-Bryan in Bryan, Texas, after being sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and identity theft, aggravated identity theft and obstruction of justice.

Shephard, who pleaded guilty on Aug. 3, 2017, admitted that, while incarcerated, she fabricated a document purporting to be an Amended Judgment in a Criminal Case for fellow inmate Leann Raejeana Turner of Blue Springs, Mo. Turner was also incarcerated at Federal Prison Camp-Bryan after being sentenced to three years in prison for her role in an $11 million mortgage fraud scheme. The fake court order, with a reduced sentence of 120 days of imprisonment for Turner (which would have resulted in her immediate release), included the forged signature of U.S. District Judge Greg Kays.

Shephard mailed the fake court order to her sister, who then faxed it to prison officials from a Sunfresh grocery store in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 9, 2014, and again on Nov. 28, 2014. The forged document raised suspicions because of the reduction of Turner’s sentence and typographical errors. Upon receiving the document, prison officials determined it was a forgery.

Shephard’s extensive criminal history includes 29 prior felony convictions (this offense is her 30th felony conviction) and 11 misdemeanor convictions, most of which involved fraudulent conduct. Twice while being held in lawful custody for a felony conviction, she escaped. Both times she was convicted of aggravated escape from custody.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes, IV. It was investigated by the FBI.