For Immediate Release
Sept. 17, 2019
A defendant in the March 2017 robbery that resulted in the shooting of an Independence police officer in March 2017 has been sentenced to prison, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.
Donald Nussbaum, dob: 5/22/1965, pleaded guilty in July to robbery and armed criminal action. A Jackson County judge sentenced him on Tuesday to 18 years on the Robbery conviction and 18 years on the Armed Criminal Action conviction. The judge set each sentence to run concurrently.
On March 29, 2017, Independence Officer Thomas Wagstaff was shot in the head after he responded to a burglary in the 3600 block of South Delaware Avenue.Two other men tied up the 82-year-old homeowner up, beat him and held him at gunpoint while searching his house. They fled when police arrived. Outside the home, shots were fired and the officer was struck.
Nussbaum and another man, James McChan, drove the other two men to the home. McChan, 59, pleaded guilty in February to first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and armed criminal action.He will be sentenced next week. Joseph Wyatt, 30, was sentenced to 40 years in prison. A fourth man, Ronar Santiago-Torres was sentenced to 22 years in prison earlier this month.
Wagstaff, some family members and supporters attended today's sentencing.
For more information, contact:
Michael Mansur
Director of Communication
Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office
Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor
Work : (816) 881-3812
Mobile: (816) 674-3954
mmansur@jacksongov.org
http://jacksoncountyprosecutor.com
*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.