A former Missouri Department of Transportation supervisor has been federally indicted after prosecutors accused him of using government credit cards for approximately $50,000 in personal purchases and taking nearly $30,000 worth of agency equipment.
Artemus Jamal “AJ” Jackson, 37, of Florissant was indicted September 16 on four counts of mail fraud. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, he worked at MoDOT’s Normandy maintenance facility and was promoted to maintenance supervisor in October 2022.
Prosecutors say Jackson made about 248 unauthorized purchases between December 2022 and July 2026 and later took two newly purchased mowers and a trailer from the department.
MoDOT terminated Jackson on July 24. The indictment contains allegations rather than findings of guilt, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Prosecutors Say Altered Invoices Disguised Personal Purchases
The state-issued cards were allegedly used for electronics, watches, clothing, shoes, cologne and equipment or accessories for Jackson’s Yamaha Raptor ATV, Suzuki motorcycle and GMC Sierra 1500.
Prosecutors accuse him of editing vendor invoices to make those transactions appear to be legitimate MoDOT expenses. He allegedly signed off on the purchases himself before submitting the paperwork to his supervisor for approval.
The spending surfaced during an ongoing statewide review of government purchasing cards. The Missouri State Auditor’s Office launched the audit in February to examine roughly $100 million in taxpayer-funded purchasing-card spending each year and said its staff identified Jackson’s transactions before referring the information to MoDOT.
Two New Mowers Were Allegedly Taken and Hidden in the Woods
The indictment describes another episode involving two mowers purchased with department money in May 2026. One cost $9,954 and the other $13,959 before both were delivered to the Normandy facility.
Jackson allegedly removed the machines on May 17 and staged a burglary to make it appear that someone else had stolen them. Investigators say he initially concealed the mowers in a wooded area.
After MoDOT began investigating, prosecutors say Jackson moved the equipment to the shoulder of Interstate 70 near Hanley Road and left a handwritten note on one mower reading, “NORMANDY! MOWERS! MODOT!!!”
He is also accused of using a disguised voice to make an anonymous call reporting their location and later claiming that a local elected official had provided the information.
A Missing Trailer Was Found Blocking a Highway Lane
Investigators questioned Jackson on May 28 about a 14-foot Big Tex trailer and accessories that had been purchased with $5,411 in MoDOT funds in 2025.
Jackson allegedly claimed the trailer was stored at a department facility in Bellefontaine Neighbors even though prosecutors say he had concealed it elsewhere.
The following day, he allegedly towed the trailer with his personal truck and left it on Missouri Highway 367, where it blocked a traffic lane. Bellefontaine Neighbors police recovered it.
Surveillance footage showed Jackson arriving with the trailer attached to his truck and later driving away without it, according to the indictment.
The State Purchasing Card Audit Is Still Underway
Jackson began working for MoDOT in December 2013 and became a maintenance supervisor about two months before the alleged card misuse began.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and MoDOT’s Audits and Investigations Division investigated the federal case with cooperation from the State Auditor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting it.
Each mail fraud count carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if Jackson is convicted. Any sentence would ultimately be determined by the federal court.
The Missouri auditor said its broader review of state purchasing cards remains in progress and will include additional findings when the audit is completed.
Missouri Residents Can Report Suspected Misuse of Public Money
The Missouri State Auditor’s Office operates a confidential whistleblower hotline for information involving suspected fraud, waste or mismanagement in government.
Reports can be made by calling 800-347-8597, emailing moaudit@auditor.mo.gov or using the state’s online reporting system. Under Missouri law, people making reports may choose to remain anonymous unless they later consent to disclosure of their identity.
The auditor recommends providing specific allegations, relevant dates, the names of people involved and any supporting documentation. Purchasing-card statements, invoices, receipts, approval records, emails and photographs can help investigators compare authorized government spending with the goods or services actually obtained.