KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Authorities announced Friday a major break in their investigation of more than 100 non-residential burglaries across Kansas City since March 2024.
Early Friday, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office announced the names of two suspects who were charged for their role in the burglaries, including the ring's alleged leader, Idonnas Gavrilys. The second suspect's name released Friday morning was Dante Draper.
Later Friday, prosecutors continued to reveal charges against other suspects in the alleged ring.
Michael L. Hill was charged with six counts of 2nd-degree burglary and one count of 1st-degree property damage.
Prosecutors said two other members of the ring were previously arrested and charged for their alleged roles.
JaVaune Tucker was charged in March with six counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of felon in possession and one count each of possession of an unlawful machine gun and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle.
Last September, Kevin Ellison was charged with one count of 2nd-degree burglary.
Court documents allege the group is part of an organized group involving at least six suspects who are believed to be responsible for the burglaries.
Kansas City, Missouri, police detectives believe Gavrilys was the leader of the network. Earlier this week, prosecutors charged him with two counts of 2nd-degree burglary, four counts of 1st-degree burglary and four counts of armed criminal action. Draper faces 17 counts of 2nd-degree burglary, two counts of 1st-degree burglary, two counts of armed criminal action and two counts of stealing.
Gavrilys and Draper remained in custody Friday morning at the Jackson County Detention Center. They are being held without bond.
Prosecutors said Hill is also in custody without bond.
"I am incredibly proud of our newly expanded Crime Strategies Unit, and the collaborative work they've done alongside the Kansas City Police Department's Center Zone Property Crimes Unit to identify and prosecute these high-impact offenders," Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said in a release.
“The suspects followed a consistent modus operandi: they broke windows of local small businesses, entered, and then they stole, or attempted to steal, items like cash register drawers, and safes," court documents filed in support of the charges read.
Detectives were able to identify a phone number belonging to Gavrilys and develop a pattern of when and where the phone was located. Detectives also noticed at least three vehicles commonly used in the burglaries spotted in surveillance video.
One of the vehicles, a black Dodge Charger, was confirmed to be owned by Gavrilys.
Detectives allege that Gavrilys would either turn off his phone or put it in airplane mode during the time periods of the burglaries to conceal the location before turning it on once he was out of the area.
The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department posted about the pair's arrest on social media Friday afternoon. Police say businesses in the city's Waldo and Crossroads neighborhoods were among those hit.
Some members of a burglary ring responsible for more than 100 business burglaries in Kansas City, including the Crossroads and Waldo neighborhoods, are now behind bars.
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) June 6, 2025
Property Crimes detectives led a long, thorough investigation resulting in two arrests Thursday.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/D1oqCupExv
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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