Casa Maria’s owner charged with arson now accused of impersonating elected officials, other restaurant owners
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
An owner of a south Columbia Mexican restaurant who was charged with arson in southeast Missouri has now been accused of impersonating elected officials and other restaurant owners.
Crystal Umfress, of Columbia, was charged last year with second-degree arson. That case was moved from Dunklin County to Butler County in January. A jury trial was scheduled for Feb. 3, 2025. She is accused of hiring another person to burn down Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant in Kennett.
A motion to revoke her bond was filed on Thursday after the new charges were filed. She was charged on Wednesday in Dunklin County with two counts of filing false documents and three counts of forgery. A warrant for her arrest was issued on Wednesday and no bond was set. The warrant includes an order to extradite within 2,500 miles.
A court date for the new charges has not been set.
The probable cause statement says that Umfress impersonated an elected official in emails and accusing other Mexican restaurant owners of crimes. Court documents say Umfress asked for information about the liquor licenses of “various” restaurants and falsely claimed hearings were scheduled for an investigation.
Court documents claim Umfress also attempted to pose as the owners of other Mexican restaurants in emails and asked for officials to revoke their liquor licenses.
According to the heavily redacted probable cause statement, officials requested information of several email addresses from Google, which allegedly showed the accounts belonged to Umfress on Sept. 11. The emails allegedly began on June 4, court documents claim.
Casa Maria’s Mexican Cantina in Columbia had its liquor license suspended this summer after the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control claimed a name was forged on the license and Umfress’ felony charge was not disclosed. The woman whose name appeared on the license had contacted the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control to say she had no affiliation with the restaurant.
Kerry Raymond was allegedly hired by Umfress to set fire to Lupita's Mexican Restaurant, court documents say. Raymond was also charged with second-degree arson and his case was moved to Stoddard County in November 2023. A case review is scheduled Feb. 13, 2025.
