Theft

St. Louis Man Indicted for Burglarizing Over 20 Rural Schools and Businesses in Missouri and Iowa

Strategic Insights

Aug 20, 2025 — 1 min read

Curtis Lee Barton, 40, a man from Arkansas, has been accused of burglarizing multiple rural schools and businesses in Missouri and Iowa, with an estimated total haul of at least $50,000 between May 2023 and April 2025. The stolen funds included money set aside for impoverished children and the Special Olympics. Barton allegedly researched his targets in advance, breaking into schools under the cover of darkness to avoid detection.

Key Takeaways:

Curtis Lee Barton, 40, has been indicted for conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and three counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.
The indictment lists 20+ rural schools and businesses in Missouri and Iowa as targets of Barton's burglaries.
Estimated total stolen funds: at least $50,000 between May 2023 and April 2025.
Money stolen from schools was intended for impoverished children and the Special Olympics.
Specific targets include schools in Lewistown, Brookfield, and Shelbyville, Missouri, with thefts occurring on February 25, April 22, and April 26, 2025, respectively.
Barton researched sheriff's offices or police departments in the areas he targeted.
Charges are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt; every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The FBI and the Wapello County (Iowa) Sheriff's Office investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuting.

Statistics:

Estimated total stolen funds: at least $50,000
Number of rural schools and businesses targeted: 20+
Timeframe of burglaries: May 2023 to April 2025
Number of specific thefts mentioned in the indictment: 4 (Lewistown, Brookfield, Shelbyville)
Amount stolen from school in Lewistown on February 25, 2025: approximately $5,752
Amount stolen from school in Brookfield on April 22, 2025: approximately $13,000
Amount stolen from school in Shelbyville on April 26, 2025: approximately $4,000
Amount stolen from Adair County school on April 26, 2025: approximately $1,000

Sources:

United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District Of Missouri

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