A Missouri candidate for state legislature has been charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and Adderall to plant on his political opponent, prosecutors said Thursday.
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Thomas Christopher Ross, 37, of Joplin is running for Missouri’s House District 161 after narrowly winning the Aug. 4 Republican primary against Louise Secker by just 33 votes.
Ross did not immediately reply to an overnight request for comment.
An affidavit filed Wednesday details how a former campaign manger for Ross, who is not identified, contacted Joplin police alleging he was asked by Ross to plant the drugs in Secker’s purse or car while Ross was out of state.
Ross provided a black nylon glove containing a bag of cocaine and an Adderall capsule, the campaign manager alleged. Investigators also reviewed text messages and a covert audio recording where Ross and the campaign manager appeared to discuss the alleged drug plot, the affidavit added.
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Missouri Republican Party chairman Peter Kinder called on Ross to withdraw his candidacy and step down as the Republican nominee in a statement Wednesday.
“Our citizens deserve to know that the election process is done with transparency and fairness,” Chris Ormerod, FBI agent in charge of the Kansas City field office, said in a statement, adding that the allegations were “substantial and serious.”
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