A Missouri Republican state House candidate has been hit with federal charges for allegedly trying to plant cocaine and Adderall on his primary opponent in the weeks before the August election, according to court documents and news reports.
Thomas Ross, 37, of Joplin, defeated Louise Secker by fewer than three dozen votes in the August 4 Republican primary for the state House seat representing Missouri’s 161st District, which takes in most of Joplin, NBC reported. But that narrow victory now faces a federal criminal case that has state GOP leaders calling on him to drop out.
Federal Charges and Alleged Scheme
Authorities have charged Ross with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, accusing him of asking his former campaign manager to plant the substances on Secker, according to a probable cause statement signed by an FBI agent and cited in multiple news reports.
Ross did not respond to the Associated Press on Thursday when asked for comment on the charges filed mid-week. The federal public defender’s office assigned to the case also declined to comment on how Ross plans to plead.
The alleged plot, as described in court documents, involved Ross providing his former campaign manager with a black nylon glove containing a small plastic bag of white powder and a pink-and-white capsule. Ross allegedly instructed the manager to place it in Secker’s purse or vehicle while Ross was out of state on vacation.
Text messages recovered by federal investigators reportedly show Ross checking in from Myrtle Beach, at one point asking his campaign chief, “Any luck with the substance of the matter? I won’t be gone much longer.”
FBI Recording and Anonymous Tip Idea
The FBI also secretly recorded a conversation in which Ross allegedly suggested they call in an anonymous tip that Secker had drugs in her car, according to NBC, which cited the affidavit. “If you can pull it off, pull it off,” Ross allegedly said.
The criminal charge — conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance — carries serious federal penalties, though the case remains in its early stages and Ross has not yet entered a plea.
State GOP Calls for Withdrawal
Missouri Republican Party Chairman Peter Kinder issued a statement this week calling the allegations “serious and deeply troubling” and urging Ross to withdraw from the race.
Ross had not publicly responded to that call as of Thursday. The 161st District is heavily Republican, and the nominee is widely expected to win the general election in November, making the controversy especially consequential for the GOP as it seeks to hold the seat.
The case has drawn attention beyond Missouri because of the bizarre nature of the alleged plot — a political operative accused of trying to frame a rival with illegal drugs in the middle of a tight primary.
Secker has not publicly commented on the allegations, according to available reports. The Associated Press first reported on the charges and the probable cause statement, with NBC News adding details from the affidavit and recordings.
The federal investigation remains ongoing, and no trial date has been set.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/09/04/missouri-gop-state-house-candidate-charged-trying-plant-cocaine-adderall-primary-opponent/