Approximately two months after an immigration raid in Dunklin County, Missouri made some news, some details of what local, county, state, and federal officials were investigating have trickled out.
On January 13, 2026, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office put out the following press release.
Today, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Homeland Security, the Kennett Police Department, and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force (SEMO DTF), assisted Missouri Department of Revenue investigators with the execution of a search warrant and several knock-and-talks at multiple residences throughout Dunklin County.
These actions were conducted as part of an ongoing investigation related to fraudulent identification documents. During the operation, investigators followed up on leads and gathered information relevant to the case.
It is important to note that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took no part in this investigation.
This investigation remains active, and additional details will be released as they become available.
Little else was released, however, Republican Dunklin County Sheriff Nick Darter answered some questions about it. That interview is below.
Sheriff Darter explained that it was his understanding that for now this was a one-time event. The investigation was led by the Missouri Department of Revenue (MDR). He also explained that it was not Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, but from another part of Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
I asked because Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is the only investigating agency I know within DHS, HSI is a part of ICE.
I sat back down with Adam Squires, one of the citizens within Dunklin County who has been trying to expose the ring.
He said that Sheriff Darter’s answers matched what he understood about the investigation.
MDR and DHS did not respond to an email for comment.
The information provided by Sheriff Darter also matches with documents I received.
Back in 2023, MDR was hot on the trail of a Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) employee named Misty Glass.
An MDR agent named Adam Mathias wrote a probable cause statement, providing evidence that Glass was making ID’s and sending them to addresses.
The ID’s were made for illegal immigrants, Adam told me. Glass, he said, was later terminated.
Because MDR did not respond to an email for comment, I could not confirm that with them.
Agent Mathias was part of the Compliance Tax and Investigative Bureau, which, “conducts complex investigations in the area of sales, withholding, and income taxes. It also investigates property tax credit fraud and political candidate affidavit complaints. The Bureau serves as the Department's liaison to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in its areas of responsibility,” according to its website.
Adam said Glass was never indicted or arrested, however, there was more activity on January 13, 2026, with another CTIB agent.
This probable cause statement was written by CTIB Special Agent Charles Howard, and it was made against Michel Cantu, who also has several aliases.
“On January 13, 2026, I participated in a search and seizure of evidence, subsequent to a search warrant at the residence known to be that of Cantu. During a search of the residence, evidence in the form of seven Missouri Non-driver licenses with varying names (sealed in DOR envelopes), a Puerto Rico birth certificate and a United States social security card in the name of ‘Julius Evan Ortiz Virella’, and a notebook bearing the name ‘Michel Parreno’ which contained inscriptions of names and addresses consistent with those associated with known fraudulent Missouri Non-Driver Identification.” Agent Howard stated in his probable cause statement.
This would match the information about the raid in the January 13, 2026, press release.
Cantu, unlike Glass, was arrested.
Adam said both actions were part of investigations into schemes that involve one or more people who work within the DMV. Real ID’s are provided, for a price, to illegal immigrants.
One person who could shed more light on the situation is Deonna Perkins. According to Agent Mathias probable cause statement, one ID was sent to her home address without Perkins permission.
I left a voicemail on her cell phone, but she did not respond.
Adam said he did communicate with her but was not surprised that she didn’t respond to me.
“That woman is scared for her life,” he told me.
Those who take on this ring find trouble, he told me.
Adam has been sued.
One person who provided testimony to a legislative committee in 2024 told me in an email, “Afterwards I started receiving threats that my family would be hurt in Mexico if I didn’t shut my mouth.”
“They {the ring} will put you in jail,” Adam told me.
Hick Christian described how local business owners who spoke up found their businesses set on fire.
This ring fixes criminal cases for illegal immigrants, provides them with liquor licenses, and with real ID’s…probably much more. Check out the end of the interview as I discussed this with Adam.
Post-Script
Check out the new fundraiser for more stories on the Dunklin County illegal immigrant ring, and here are the previous stories in the series: story one, story two, and story three.
