KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A federal trial jury found a Kansas City, Missouri, man guilty of leading a cyberstalking conspiracy that led to the 2018 murder of Christopher Harris, Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri, outside an Independence home.
Lester E. Brown, 36, was found guilty on Friday of one count of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, one count of cyberstalking resulting in death and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
From Nov. 1, 2017, to March 19, 2018, Brown put multiple GPS devices on vehicles used by Harris and his associates to track their whereabouts.
Before his murder, Harris was sent Snapchat messages demanding payments to Brown of $10,000 per month and showing the GPS devices.
Harris' girlfriend was watched at her place of employment and was followed to her and Harris' home in January 2018. The next month, a GPS was placed on Harris’s black Nissan Altima, before a second was placed on his vehicle on March 12, 2018.
Brown, along with two defendants who plead guilty to their roles in the conspiracy, Michael Young, 32, and Ronell Pearson, 36, pinpointed Harris' location at a dance studio in Raytown, Missouri, on March 14, 2018.
The United States Department of Justice said the three men followed Harris while he drove his daughter to her mother's home in Independence from dance class. While outside the Independence home, Brown and Young fired into Harris' vehicle, causing him to yell "My daughter’s in the car!" multiple times.
Harris' daughter entered the home unharmed, but Brown continued to fire at Harris as he ran towards the residence, causing him to fall to the ground. The DOJ said that Brown stood above Harris and "fired two last rounds at him while he lay on the ground," using a Glock .45-caliber pistol that he illegally possessed because of a previous felony conviction.
The DOJ also presented evidence in the 2013 murder of Ryan Cobbins, who was a friend and associate to Harris.
Cobbins went missing on Oct. 24, 2013, after a haircut appointment. The next month, Brown accepted a $20,000 ransom payment for Cobbins' return after Brown claimed he could serve as a middleman between Harris and those who abducted Cobbins, according to a release from the DOJ.
Cobbins was found dead on Dec. 31, 2014, after suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
One threatening Snapchat message sent to Harris said “Man, you … are gonna end up like Ryan.”
The jury deliberated at the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Missouri, for three-and-a-half hours after evidence was presented, before finding Brown guilty.
Brown faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled after a presentence investigation is completed.
Young and Pearson both pleaded guilty to the cyberstalking conspiracy, and Young pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting cyberstalking resulting in death. Both men are in custody awaiting sentencing.
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