The search for a pair of escapees from the Cass County Jail is intensifying and up to $15,000 is being offered by federal officials for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the pair.
Trevor Scott Sparks, 33, of Kansas City, and Sergio Perez-Martinez, both in federal custody, escaped Dec. 5 from the jail. A third man, Steven Lydell Williams, Sr., 64, of Kansas City, was arrested and has been charged with a single count of aiding or assisting in the escape.
According to Major Kevin Tieman of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the pair were discovered missing the morning of Dec. 6. They had been in the local jail since June.
The arrest warrant issued for the pair outlined some of the events as reported by the FBI:
“On Dec. 6, 2022, the United States Marshals Service for the Kansas City office was notified by the Cass County, Missouri Jail that Sparks escaped from confinement and was seen leaving the facility at approximately 10:22 pm. Upon further review, it was identified that Sparks and another inmate Sergio Perez-Martinez, forcibly escaped from the Cass County Jail and fled east.”
The report continues that phone calls made by the two on Dec. 5 were made to Williams, and he was told to meet them at the Casey’s on West Mechanic Street. Other calls outlined the details for the time of the pickup and other details.
The report continued, “Dec 5, 2022, at approximately 9:45 p.m., Sparks called Williams and Williams said he was there.”
Sparks responded “they” should be there about 10 or 10:15 p.m.
The report continued, “Sparks said he would call back before lockdown. Sparks said even if he does not get to call back for Williams to not leave. Williams asked if ‘they’ were “white folk” in a black truck and Sparks confirms. Investigators know that Sparks is white, Williams is black and Perez-Martinez is Hispanic. Sparks described the black truck as a bigger, newer truck. Sparks said, ‘they are just going to give it to you.’”
Williams was arrested at about 11:50 a.m. on Dec. 6. He was arrested driving a 2001 white Mercedes SUV bearing a California license plate registered to Eugene Michael Williams from Wilmington, California. Williams was driving the same vehicle during a September property damage accident reported to the Kansas City Police Department.
When the trio got together at the Casey’s, they drove back into Kansas City. They were seen on videotape entering an apartment complex, believed to be where Williams resided.
The criminal complaint noted the “charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.”
Immediately following the escape, the U.S. Marshall’s Service placed a $5,000 reward for information. On Tuesday, the FBI added an additional $10,000 to the reward purse. Originally it was believed the escapees left the area, but the FBI is placing several wanted billboards around the Kansas City area.
According to Tieman, their location is still not determined, the only thing fairly certain is they have left Cass County.
Sparks, 33, is described as a white male, blue eyes, 185 pounds with multiple tattoos, to include a tattoo on his abdomen that says “northeast” and full sleeves on both the arms. He was convicted on Nov. 7 of leading a criminal conspiracy linked to two murders, multiple violent assaults, and distribution of narcotics.
Martinez, 43, is described as Hispanic male, brown eyes, 130 pounds with several tattoos. He pled guilty on July 11 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of these individuals should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Members of the public are cautioned not to confront these individuals, but to contact law enforcement immediately as they should be considered armed and dangerous.
As for the escape, Tieman said criminal and internal investigations are going on between the Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshalls and the FBI. He said information would become available when the investigations are complete and they are sure releasing the information will not affect ongoing investigations.