Joplin Man Charged with Stealing from Alpha Air Center

The former general manager of a Joplin aviation service has been charged with stealing more than $50,000 from the company over a span of more than two years.

Joshua Ryan Crooker, 37, of Joplin, has been charged in Jasper County Circuit Court with stealing from Asbell Companies, the operator of Alpha Air Center located at the Joplin Regional Airport. Alpha Air, owned by Asbell Companies, is the airport's fixed base operator, providing aircraft services, pilots and pilot training.

According to the charge, multiple thefts took place between Jan. 1, 2017, and Sept. 29, 2019.

Court records show that a warrant was issued for Crooker on Dec. 16. Crooker surrendered two days later, and Associate Judge Joseph Hensley granted Crooker release on his own recognizance. An arraignment to formally inform Crooker of the charge is set for Jan. 15.

Crooker did not return a message left by telephone, and his attorney, Brian Glades, could not be reached Tuesday for comment. Globe efforts to obtain comment from Asbell Companies were unsuccessful.

In an affidavit supporting the filing of the charge, a Joplin police detective, Jason Francis, stated that Crooker was the general manager of Alpha Air and was responsible for the deposit of cash payments made to the business for services.

Investigators were told that an internal audit showed that Crooker failed to deposit $15,951.31 in 2017, $4,117.30 in 2018, and $9,065.66 this year.

In addition, it is alleged that Crooker improperly charged Alpha Air $14,030 for pilot services he performed. The company also discovered that there was $8,876.56 in unauthorized fuel charges allegedly made by Crooker for personal flights, the affidavit states.

Police contacted Crooker by telephone but said in the affidavit he declined to provide a statement regarding the allegations.

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