KANSAS CITY, MO — A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper has been indicted in Jackson County after a more than yearlong investigation into what prosecutors describe as a towing corruption scheme. Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said Charles “Nate” Bradley was charged by a grand jury with multiple felonies tied to stolen vehicles, evidence handling and alleged abuse of his authority.
Bradley faces 10 counts of tampering with physical evidence, one count of acceding to corruption by a public servant, one count of stealing and one count of first-degree property damage. Prosecutors said he self-surrendered on May 15 and was later released on a $30,000 bond.
How prosecutors describe scheme
According to investigators, Bradley used his role as a trooper to help certain towing companies make money from stolen vehicles. Prosecutors allege that he improperly stored stolen vehicles without normal law enforcement involvement, which prevented evidence collection and allowed towing companies to charge high fees.
That arrangement allegedly left victims with a painful choice: pay thousands of dollars to recover their vehicles or give them up. Johnson said the scheme also involved one case in which Bradley allegedly told a tow truck driver to damage a stolen vehicle in order to disable it.
Alleged gifts and evidence mishandling
Prosecutors also say Bradley accepted gifts from a towing operator connected to the scheme. In another allegation, he received a stolen necklace valued at at least $25,000 after a jewelry store burglary and kept it in his possession instead of following evidence recovery procedures, Johnson said.
The allegations focus in part on how evidence was handled after thefts and burglaries. Prosecutors say that failure to follow proper procedures helped shield stolen property from normal review and recovery steps.
Patrol places trooper on leave
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Bradley joined the agency in July 1997 and is assigned to the Division of Drug and Crime Control as a criminal investigator in Troop A. In a statement to KMBC 9, the patrol said its Professional Standards Division has been notified and that Bradley is on administrative leave without pay, effective May 5, 2026, while the internal review continues.
The agency did not expand on the criminal allegations in its statement, but said it was following policy while the matter is reviewed. The indictment and administrative action come as the case remains under criminal and internal scrutiny.
Background and investigators
Bradley had previously been recognized for his work on auto theft cases. In January 2023, a Missouri state representative introduced a resolution honoring him for helping recover more than 300 stolen vehicles in the Kansas City metro the year before, and the patrol had also praised his investigative work on social media.
The North Central Regional Chapter of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators lists Bradley as a past president. Prosecutors said the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, Kansas City Police Department, Missouri Department of Revenue and Leawood, Kansas, Police Department all assisted in the investigation.
CLS Gator Prints keeps Illinois and the Heartland in the know.
