District of Kansas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Illegal aliens plead guilty to having fake Green CardsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two illegal aliens pleaded guilty to having federal immigration documents that were forgeries with information assigned to other people.
According to court documents, Santos Ramirez-Ramirez, 38, of Guatemala pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
Yolanda Mendoza-Emiliano, 32, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
On May 28, 2026, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal criminal search warrant at a house on South 16th Street in Kansas City, Kansas. Although agents repeatedly gave lawful orders in Spanish for the occupants to come out of the house, no one exited until agents went in through the back door.
Agents arrested Ramirez-Ramirez and Mendoza-Emiliano after finding counterfeit Lawful Permanent Resident cards, also known as Green Cards, and falsified Social Security cards.
Photos Source: Homeland Security InvestigationsThey had Green Cards with their names and photos, but with alien file numbers that belong to other people. The falsified Social Security cards had numbers that are invalid.
“Falsified federal documents often include information that belongs to an actual person,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Victims can have their lives turned upside down with the IRS, creditors, and other entities seeking money they don’t actually owe but are asked to pay because criminals are securing jobs, renting homes, and opening lines of credit using their information.”
“Counterfeit immigration documents are not harmless pieces of paper. They are tools used to undermine the integrity of our immigration system, conceal identities, and enable individuals to remain in the United States unlawfully,” said Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini. “HSI will aggressively investigate document fraud and work relentlessly with our federal partners to hold offenders accountable.”
Records show in April 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents in Arizona arrested Mendoza-Emiliano four separate times in a 10-day period for illegally entering the country. The first time she was detained, she was fingerprinted. In that instance, and each subsequent time she was allowed to voluntarily return to Mexico.
A third defendant was indicted in connection with this case for allegedly having false documentation, and those charges are still pending.
Agents arrested three other defendants at the house who were indicted for unlawful reentry after deportation. Returning to the U.S. without permission after deportation is a federal criminal offense.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the cases.
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Illegal alien accused of having forged immigration documentsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN.– A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging an illegal alien from Nicaragua for having forged government documents.
According to court documents, Rolando Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 33, was indicted on one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
Gonzalez-Gonzalez is accused of having a counterfeit permanent resident card that allegedly had his name and an invalid alien file number.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Alonzo Jerome Boyd Jr, 24, of Topeka was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Edwin Josue Franco-Amaya, 30, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Jose M. Patricio, 29, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former postmaster pleads guilty to fraudRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A former Kansas postmaster pleaded guilty to falsifying money orders in order to embezzle from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
According to court documents, Sierra Werth, 32, of Quinter pleaded guilty to one count of misappropriation of postal funds.
In January 2025, the U.S, Postal Service determined the post office in Quinter, Kansas, had a significant shortfall. The deficit was in missing deposits, deposit short in cash, errors on bank deposits, and money orders issued and voided on the same day but negotiated after being voided.
An investigation revealed Werth issued and voided at least 10 money orders on the same day. She issued seven money orders under her employee ID and included her name and address in the remitter section. There were three money orders issued under a different postal employee’s ID, but they had her name and address in the remitter section. Also, the name of someone associated with Werth was in the “pay to” section of the all the money orders. The records show the money orders were issued, voided, and cashed without USPS receiving payment, and that Werth had engaged in this activity since approximately October 2024. Law enforcement found an additional invoice the Werth created.
As part of her plea agreement, Werth must pay approximately $26,700 in restitution.
“As postmaster, it was Ms. Werth’s role to display good leadership qualities like sound judgment and moral character to the rest of the staff, but instead she abused her authority for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
“This guilty plea represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working alongside our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges in this mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees and those external subjects who collude with them.”
The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.
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Idaho man sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – An Idaho man was sentenced to 70 months in prison after being caught with packages of fentanyl that he was transporting cross-country.
According to court documents, Brian Hilario Delgado Mayorga, 24, of Burley, Idaho, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In May 2024, a Geary County Sheriff’s deputy stopped Mayorga on Interstate 70 after observing him make an unsafe driving maneuver. When the deputy asked Mayorga questions about his route, Mayorga said he was coming from Idaho and was on his way to visit his grandparents in Missouri. The deputy became suspicious partly because Mayorga didn’t know his grandparents’ address and because license plate readers placed him in California and Nevada on the previous day, not Idaho. Mayorga refused to allow the deputy to search his vehicle, and a K9 unit was dispatched to the scene. After the K9 detected the odor of narcotics coming from Mayorga’s vehicle, deputies had probable cause to search. Inside the vehicle, officers found several heat-sealed packages of narcotics that laboratory results later determined to be approximately 4,000 grams of fentanyl.
Mayorga was arrested and admitted he picked up the narcotics in the Los Angeles area. The defendant stated it was his second trip and that he was paid $8000.00 on the first trip. Officers also found a firearm and $1,419 in cash in the vehicle.
“The Midwest is often used as a corridor for drug traffickers transporting their products from one region of the country to another,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice is grateful to the Geary County Sheriff’s Office for its vigilance and attention to detail. Local law enforcement agencies are on the front line when it comes to foiling the plans of criminals on these road trips and seizing illegal narcotics. We are happy to stand beside them and prosecute these cases federally when warranted.”
“At the time of his arrest, Mayorga was traveling across the country with roughly 390,000 deadly doses of fentanyl,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “The sentencing is due in part to the astute work of the Geary County Sheriff’s Office and collaboration of federal and local resources. It’s because of partnerships like this that drug traffickers are dealt blow-after-blow in their attempt to turn profits in the Midwest.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Geary County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough prosecuted the case.
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Wichita men sentenced for bringing cocaine & meth from California to KansasRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 37 months in prison for attempting to transport illegal narcotics from the West Coast to Wichita.
According to court documents, Jonathan Umana, 29, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
In January 2024, Kansas Highway Patrol stopped Umana on in Ford County for speeding. After Umana gave illogical responses to questions, the trooper asked for permission to search the vehicle. Umana consented. The officer found approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and six pounds of cocaine in a backpack inside the car. Umana was arrested. An investigation revealed Umana had flown from Wichita to California to pick up the drugs then rented a vehicle to drive back to Kansas for intended distribution.
Text messages show that that Christian Abel Ruiz, 44, of Wichita arranged for Umana to pick up the drugs from a source in California by supplying Umana with an address and phone number and instructions of where to deliver the drugs upon returning to Kansas.
Ruiz pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
“The right to freely travel within our nation’s borders is central to the American way of life, but too often criminals exploit this easy access to bring in narcotics, weapons, and other unsavory elements that law abiding citizens don’t want in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We encourage Kansas law enforcement agencies confiscating narcotics they can prove crossed state lines to reach out to the Department of Justice. This is a federal offense, and a conviction may offer stiffer penalties for these offenses than at the state level.”
The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) investigated the case.
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Investiture ceremony marks Kriegshauser leadershipRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office -District of Kansas held an investiture ceremony at the Robert J. Dole Federal Courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas, for U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. Chief Judge John W. Broomes administered the oath.
Kriegshauser serves as the 43rd U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas. He began serving as Interim U.S. Attorney in July 2025 and was eventually confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2025. An investiture is a formal, ceremonial event to mark the appointment. Judges, former U.S. Attorneys, law enforcement, and community members attended the event on August 21, 2026.
Kriegshauser supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and litigation of all civil matters in which the U.S. has an interest. He leads a staff of attorneys, paralegals, and support professionals working in offices associated with the federal courts in Wichita, Kansas City, and Topeka.
“Nearly two-thirds of Kansas’ 420 law enforcement agencies have fewer than 10 full-time officers. We have been working with our partners to alleviate some of the strain on agencies feeling overwhelmed,” said Kriegshauser. “My goal is for the federal government to be a force multiplier in support of state and local officers. There are certain cases like transnational drug cartels and cybercrime that the federal government is in a unique position to bring criminals to justice.”
Through the first 10 months of the fiscal year, USAO-KS projects for 427 indictments, which is fifth among the 25 medium USAO districts (up from 10th last FY) and 29th among all 94 districts in the country (up from 48th last FY). This caseload reflects a projected 39 percent increase for USAO-KS year on year. In particular, violent crime indictments are projected to be up 50% compared to last fiscal year.
Here are some noteworthy sentencings, convictions, guilty pleas, and indictments since Kriegshauser took office.
FINANCIAL FRAUD
• Two former employees of the Wyandotte County District Court received prison sentences for using their positions in the accounting office to steal approximately $980,000 in taxpayer funds.
• A federal jury convicted union leaders of racketeering, fraud, and embezzlement in a scheme involving theft of union-member dues through the award of no-show jobs, lavish travel, unearned vacation payouts, and an unauthorized $7 million loan made to a union-related bank.VIOLENT CRIME
• Four defendants in a kidnapping received prison sentences in a crime where the victim was bound and blindfolded for approximately 10 hours.
• An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violently attacking a federal law enforcement agent, the maximum punishment allowed under the statute. The defendant assaulted and strangled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation officer.PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD
• A Kansas man was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after he directed a foreign national living in another country to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and send him the images.
• A Kansas man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he uploaded photographs of women and children he knew into a publicly available Artificial Intelligence platform. He then utilized AI to manipulate and merge their images into hundreds of depictions of child sexual abuse material.NATIONAL SECURITY
• The FBI arrested three men on charges that they conspired to provide support ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization. The defendants allegedly discussed violent attacks on U.S. servicemembers.
• An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty after lying to U.S. customs officials while attempting to board a flight to China with proprietary information belonging to his employer.FENTANYL & OTHER NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING
• An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to 20 years in prison as the ringleader of a drug trafficking ring supplied by a Mexican cartel. A Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation led to the convictions of more than a dozen defendants who either worked for or were clients of the operation.
• Fifteen defendants were sentenced to prison after the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) dismantled a Kansas City metro-based drug trafficking ring linked to Mexico. The smuggled cocaine was distributed in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.Ryan A. Kriegshauser
Kriegshauser began his legal career at a firm in Kansas City litigating constitutional claims, complex commercial litigation, and regulatory defense. Kriegshauser then led the Kansas Secretary of State's Office as Deputy Secretary of State for the Office of Legal Counsel and Policy before becoming General Counsel at the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner. In 2018, Kriegshauser entered private practice where his work included constitutional claims. election law, business litigation as well as other civil and criminal matters.
Kriegshauser received a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He continues to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Commander.
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Hutchinson man pleads guilty to producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, William “Bill” Bright, 58, of Hutchinson pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography.
In June 2025, Bright went to a Kansas truck stop for a sexual meetup with a 15-year-old girl with whom he’d been exchanging private messages. The “girl” was actually a law enforcement officer, and Bright was arrested. Officers obtained a search warrant for Bright's cellphone where they discovered CSAM images of two minor victims under 14 years old. Text messages indicate Bright requested the images from the victims and that he was aware the victims were minors.
Bright is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Repeat offender sentenced to prison for having firearms as a felonRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A convicted felon was sentenced to 137 months in prison after being repeatedly caught with firearms although he cannot legally possess guns.
According to court documents, Brandon Paul McFall, 34, of Topeka pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of firearm by a convicted felon.
In 2020, McFall was convicted in Bay County, Florida, for being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
In May 2023, a Shawnee County Sheriff's Office deputy stopped McFall for a traffic violation. Inside the vehicle, a deputy found a pistol and ammunition.
In November 2023, a Shawnee County Sheriff's deputy saw McFall racing around a roundabout on a stolen motorcycle. McFall fled from law enforcement before abandoning the motorcycle and running away on foot. Deputies tracked and located McFall using a canine. They also found a firearm within yards of the motorcycle that McFall left behind.
“Some people learn from their mistakes and don’t repeat the behavior that caused them to run afoul of the law. Mr. McFall is not one of those people. It surprises no one except him that his cycle of crime keeps resulting in the same outcome: him being locked up in a cell,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough prosecuted the case.
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Marine to serve prison time for child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 121 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to crimes related child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Gavin Onuffer, 28, of Haysville pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip concerning CSAM activity from an IP address connected to Onuffer’s home. While executing a search warrant on Onuffer’s cellphone, law enforcement found CSAM images depicting prepubescent girls subjected to sexual conduct.
“People who take pleasure in viewing, creating, or distributing images of little children being sexually exploited are a danger to our society and belong behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We ask the public that if you know someone who engages in this type of behavior to please make a report to law enforcement.”
The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Kansas man sentenced for drug and firearm possessionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man who led law enforcement on a high-speed chase across state lines was sentenced to 132 months in prison for illegal drug and firearms possession.
According to court documents, Marquis V. Bridgeman, 28, of Mission pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a machine gun and one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
In December 2024, Bridgeman committed a drive by shooting in Kansas City, Kansas, involving another driver. The other driver wasn’t injured. The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) traced the license plate to an apartment in Mission, Kansas, where they spotted the vehicle used in the shooting. Investigators saw Bridgeman exit the apartment and drive away in another vehicle. When a trooper attempted to stop Bridgeman, he led a high-speed chase across the state line and into Kansas City, Missouri. Eventually, law enforcement used tactical intervention to disable the vehicle and took Bridgeman into custody.
Inside the vehicle Bridgeman was driving during the chase, officers found keys to the other vehicle and two firearms, one of which was a Glock with a Glock-switch making it function as a machine gun. By comparing the casings recovered from the drive by shooting, investigators determined the Glock to be the weapon fired at the victim. Law enforcement searched the vehicle used in the drive by shooting and found a pistol and a bag with 140 grams in fentanyl. Inside Bridgeman’s apartment troopers found six firearms, approximately 98 grams of cocaine, 1,396 fentanyl pills, and approximately $50,000 in cash.
“While drug dealers with guns always cause grave concern, we are further alarmed seeing more criminals with firearms that are illegally converted into machine guns capable of firing more rounds and causing more destruction within a short time,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Some people apparently think these illegal machine gun conversion devices are fun to collect and use; however, they are likely committing federal crimes without being properly licensed and could end up spending a good amount of time in federal prison.”
The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel prosecuted the case.
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Man pleads guilty after leaving bag of fentanyl in daycare centerRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges after leaving behind a bag of fentanyl at a daycare center.
According to court documents, Courtney McGee Cannon, 43, of Topeka pleaded guilty to three counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On February 5, 2026, Cannon walked into the restroom at a childcare center in Topeka. While he used the restroom, Cannon dropped a baggie with a distribution amount of fentanyl on the floor. Cannon left without realizing he no longer had the baggie. An employee went into the restroom, found the fentanyl, and turned it over to security. Surveillance video showed Cannon as the only person to enter the restroom between the time it was cleaned and the employee found the baggie.
On February 12, 2026, while executing a search warrant, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office discovered a distribution amount of fentanyl on Cannon’s person. He confessed to law enforcement that he sells fentanyl.
On March 4, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Cannon and subsequently a warrant was issued for his arrest. When law enforcement arrested Cannon two days later, they again found distribution quantities of a fentanyl on him.
“It’s shocking that someone could be so uncaring and negligent as to take a substance as toxic as fentanyl into a childcare center,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Thank goodness an adult found the baggie instead of innocent children who might have mistaken it for candy, or this could have turned into a horrific tragedy.”
Cannon is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough is prosecuting the case.
Parsons man indicted for trying to create child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging Kansas man with attempting to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Tyller White, 24, of Parsons was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a child – attempted production of child pornography.
In July 2026, White is accused of attempting to surreptitiously create a CSAM depiction of a minor victim.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.OTHER INDICTMENTS
Jeremy M. Green, 42, of Stockton was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
Hugo Orora-Soto, 42, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Jose Luis Rauda-Diaz, 45, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after felony conviction. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Pedro Antonio Rosales-Gutierrez, 34, an illegal alien from Honduras, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Ildenfonso Sanchez-Estrada, 24, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Convicted sex offender sentenced for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man previously convicted of sexual exploitation of a child was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for charges related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, David Mark Jones, 35, of Shawnee pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
In February 2023, Jones was convicted in Johnson County District Court of sexual exploitation of a child. His sentence included lifetime post release supervision and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Between February and March 2024, Jones distributed CSAM including images involving a prepubescent minors under 12 years old.
“This case is an example of why the sex offender registry is so needed” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Because there are people monitoring sex offenders and checking to see that they are compliant with the rules once they are released, Mr. Jones’ crimes were detected, and now Mr. Jones is going back to prison.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Kansas Highway Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
USAO-KS files denaturalization case against man ordered deported then used a false identity to become a U.S. citizenRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas announced filing a denaturalization action against a man born in India who allegedly became a United States citizen under a false identity.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
On August 7, 2026, the United States of America filed a civil action in the District of Kansas against Harinder Singh, a.k.a. Harinder Singh Sanghera a.k.a. Rushpal Singh of Olathe to revoke his naturalized U.S. citizenship. The U.S. government alleges Singh procured his naturalization unlawfully, and that he willfully misrepresented and concealed material facts in applying to naturalize.
When the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) initially encountered the defendant in 1991 at JFK International Airport, he identified himself as Rushpal Singh. In August 1995, an immigration judge ordered him to be deported, a decision which was subsequently upheld by the Board of Immigration Appeals. The government has no record Singh ever left the U.S. pursuant to his exclusion and deportation order.
In June1996, Singh filed an application with INS for an immigration benefit under the name Harinder Singh. He also changed his date of birth, date of entry into the U.S., and the factual basis for his claim. INS granted the application. In October 2000, the INS approved Singh’s application for adjustment of status to a lawful permanent resident under the identity Harinder Singh. Eight years later he naturalized under the identity and immigration history of Harinder Singh. He did not disclose his prior immigration history under a different name.
The U.S. government brings this civil action to revoke and set aside the order admitting the defendant’s citizenship and to cancel his certificate of naturalization. Since Jan. 20, 2025, the Justice Department has filed approximately 123 civil denaturalization complaints, the most in recorded history.
The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Jury convicts Army veteran of embellishing health issues to defraud the VARead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN.– A federal jury convicted a U.S. Army veteran of defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of over $170,000 in caregiver benefit payments that he was not entitled to receive.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
According to court documents, James Bradford, 49, of Junction City was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of theft of public money, property, or records.
The VA operates the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). PCAFC provides monthly payments to individuals, typically family members, who care for qualified veterans and service members. The program is intended to compensate caregivers who spend substantial amounts of time providing care since that can limit their ability to work.
Between August 2014 and July 2023, Bradford and his caregiver knowingly provided false and fraudulent statements concerning the level of care Mr. Bradford required from his caregiver. Bradford and his caregiver reported he was unable to provide himself basic care such as medication management, organizing financial affairs, and transportation which required his caregiver to do on his behalf.
However, from May 2016 until approximately 2025, Bradford worked for the federal government. He was employed by U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) as a project manager in Topeka. His work duties included overseeing multi-million-dollar contracts between GSA and vendors.
“Safeguarding benefits for veterans is a priority, and our investigators work diligently to ensure that VA’s programs are not exploited for financial gain by fraudulent actors,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners who remain committed to hold accountable those who would defraud VA’s programs and services.”
“Fraud against a program designed to provide essential care to veterans is unacceptable,” said Special Agent in Charge Jorge Richardson of the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General Midwest Investigations Division. “We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to stop fraud and ensure federal programs operate with integrity.”
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) and U.S. General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Walton and Lindsey Debenham are prosecuting the case.
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Illegal aliens sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to 151 months in prison for drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Pedro Moreno-Duenas, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine.
In January 2025, a Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) undercover agent set up a meeting with Moreno-Duenas in Kansas City, Kansas to purchase methamphetamine. Moreno-Duenas told the officer he had firearms for sale. He removed a 9mm pistol from his waistband and offered to sell it for $350. After the undercover agent paid Moreno-Duenas for the firearm, Moreno-Duenas said he could sell him methamphetamine at a later date.
In February 2025, Moreno-Duenas and the undercover agent exchanged text messages to arrange a methamphetamine purchase. Moreno-Duenas quoted a price of $1,800 for a pound of methamphetamine and $200 for fentanyl pills. He also sent a photograph of a Glock pistol with two magazines for sale. The undercover agent met up with Moreno-Duenas and his associate. The associate handed the agent a plastic bag containing a crystal substance, later confirmed to be methamphetamine.
A KBI lab report showed the baggie contained approximately 452 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Marco Carillo, 55, an illegal alien from Mexico, was also charged in connection with this case. Carillo pleaded guilty to one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 37 months in prison.
“People coming into our country and engaging in drug and firearms trafficking should be deeply troubling to all Americans. Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to arresting and prosecuting dangerous illegal aliens and expelling them from our borders once they have served their sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Krug and Taylor Hines prosecuted these cases.
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Wichita man sentenced after caught with firearms and methamphetamineRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was sentenced to 84 months in prison after law enforcement found drugs and illegal firearms on his person and in his vehicle.
According to court documents, John Hicks, 39, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In January 2025, the Wichita Police Department was attempting to locate Hicks because of a felony arrest warrant for aggravated assault. Officers observed Hicks exit from a residence and drive away. They followed him to a second location where he was arrested.
While searching Hicks, officers found a baggie containing approximately 14 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition. Officers also searched his vehicle where they found two firearms, one of which had an extended 30-round magazine with 12 rounds of ammunition.
Hicks admitted to eating some of the methamphetamine just prior to officers arresting him.
“Drug trafficking and violence are often linked. Armed drug dealers put innocent people living in the community at greater risk of falling victim to gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The defendant in this case was found in possession of illegal narcotics and firearms, which is a recipe for disaster.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi prosecuted the case.
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Missouri woman pleads guilty to cyberstalking with threats of murderRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Missouri woman pleaded guilty to using the internet to stalk and terrorize a victim in Kansas with threats of rape and murder.
According to court documents, Julianne Grace Willis, 26, of Independence, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking.
In October 2022, a victim in Ulysses, Kansas, noticed a minor relative had received instant messages on a Roblox account from someone purporting to be a 24-year-old man named Chris. The messages were demeaning, and the victim blocked the account. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would later trace the phone number and IP address to Julianne Grace Willis.
After the victim blocked the Roblox account, Willis began harassing the victim through telephone calls, text messages, and social media messages with threats to rape and kill the victim and to murder the victim’s family.
Willis created a fake dating profile which caused men to show up at the victim’s home expecting romantic encounters. The victim changed jobs because of Willis calling the victim’s employment making derogatory statements. Willis also sent communications to the victim’s relatives with accusations of infidelity.
“The victim in this case endured a sustained and deliberate campaign of harassment by the defendant, whose repeated actions caused significant disruption to the victim’s daily life and well-being of their family. This conduct had a profound and lasting impact on the victim’s sense of security and quality of life. The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting victims, aggressively investigating those who engage in criminal harassment, and holding offenders accountable under the law,” said Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
Willis is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
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Kansas man pleads guilty to distributing AI-generated child pornographyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to distributing obscene AI-generated images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Michael Steven Podrybau, 43, of Alton pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of obscene visual representation of the sexual abuse of children.
Between March 2023 and April 2023, Podrybau used the online communication platform Wickr Pro to distribute computer-generated images that were obscene and depicted minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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U.S. Attorney's Office joins law enforcement, community leaders, and residents for National Night Out events in KansasRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas (USAO-KS) is again participating in National Night Out events alongside law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions of people take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities. The outreach events are held in August in most areas of the country.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritizes participation in National Night Out because these event are opportunities for meaningful interaction with the public that help foster trust and strengthen relationships,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “This year we will be in Derby and Topeka. In previous years, we’ve gone to Gardner, Wichita, Overland Park, and El Dorado where we enjoyed speaking one-on-one with some of our fellow Kansans.”
On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the USAO-KS staff took part in the Derby Police Department’s National Night Out event at High Park. The Outreach Team set up an information table and passed out brochures to visitors on topics like about how to spot and avoid financial scams, resources for victims of crime, and the dangers of fentanyl use.
USAO-KS will be at the 2026 City of Topeka National Night Out Community Resource Expo on Saturday, August 8, 2026.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization, administers the program.Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out brings police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, safety demonstrations, youth events, and more. National Night Out sends a message of unity that says by working together, neighbors can keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
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Man pleads guilty after sexual meetup with agent posing as 14-year-old girlRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri man pleaded guilty to crossing state lines to have sex with someone he thought to be a 14-year-old girl.
According to court documents, James D. Fishbaugh, 53, of Blue Springs, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
In August 2025, Fishbaugh used a social media account to communicate with an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) posing as a minor. During the online chat, the agent claimed to be 14 years old, to which Fishbaugh responded that he was 49.
Fishbaugh shifted the conversation to be sexual in nature and told the agent he “would love to meet you sometime”. On August 22, 2025, Fishbaugh drove from his residence in Missouri to a designated meeting place in Kansas, stopping for condoms along the way. Agents arrested him upon arrival. Fishbaugh told officers that he believed the undercover agent was a real 14-year-old girl and that he traveled to the residence to have sex with the minor.
Fishbaugh is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Former Kansas first responder pleads guilty to child pornography distributionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A former Kansas emergency responder pleaded guilty to sending and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online.
According to court documents, Dylan Jamescupp, 34, of Ottawa pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Between July 2021 and September 2022, Jamescupp uploaded and traded CSAM using social media platforms. Whenever a platform suspended or terminated his accounts, Jamescupp would create a new account to continue with his criminal activities. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received multiple cybertips about Jamescupp which were forwarded to the U.S. Secret Service.
In March 2024, federal agents executed a search warrant at Jamescupp’s home where agents seized electronic devices. A forensic analysis found CSAM including 2,306 photos and 369 videos. Jamescupp told investigators he’d viewed sexual exploitation images involving children as young as eight years old. His phone GPS information indicated that Jamescupp was sent CSAM images while at the Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department, where he worked as an emergency medical technician prior to the search of his home.
Jamescupp is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
USAO-KS spreads awareness about jury duty scamsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas (USAO-KS) continues to spread the word about government imposter scams. In the spirit of Elder Justice Coordinating Council’s (EJCC) Never EVER campaign, USAO-KS wants to raise awareness about a specific imposter scam, the jury duty scam. U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser is sharing information with the public about what they should Never EVER do after receiving calls or other types of solicitations claiming to be from federal or state court staff.
In recent months, law enforcement agencies in the Sedgwick County/Wichita area have notified USAO-KS about an increase in residents reporting being victims of or targeted by jury duty scams. Residents say individuals contacted them claiming to represent the U.S. District Court of Kansas or the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office. These individuals told residents that they had failed to show up for a jury summons and are facing possible arrest. The callers tell people they can avoid going to jail by immediately paying a fine that some victims report to be as high as $1,500. In some cases, references are made to a specific judge or a claim is that a hearing is set but would be cancelled if payment is made immediately. This is a scam!!
“These imposter scammers lie, and their lies are elaborate and try to mix small elements of truth to gain trust. They make up complicated stories designed to frighten you, so you’ll panic and act quickly before taking time to think about what to do or talk to someone you trust,” said Kriegshauser. “These scammers pretend to be someone they’re not to trick you into giving them money, access to your financial accounts, or get your personal information.”
Government imposter scams are a serious problem: in 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 375,000 reports about government imposters, with reported losses of $917 million. In many cases, that scammer will go to great lengths to convince you they’re with the government: fake caller ID or official-looking letters, for example.
To recognize and avoid a government imposter, you should keep these things in mind:
• Courts do not demand payment by telephone, text message, email, or mobile payment application to resolve jury-related matters.
• Courts do not instruct individuals to purchase gift cards, use cryptocurrency, or transmit funds to avoid arrest or penalties for jury service issues.
• Members of the public who receive suspicious communication should not provide personal or financial information and should independently contact the court at an official phone number listed on the court’s public website.Visit https://ejcc.acl.gov/imposters for more on imposter scams. And if you spot an imposter scam — or any other type of scam — report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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Topeka woman steals $49K of veteran father’s disability benefitsRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas woman is now a convicted felon after stealing approximately $49,000 that her relative received in veterans benefits to pay her own personal expenses.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
According to court documents, Lucretia Miller, 53, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of misappropriation by fiduciary. A federal judge sentenced her to five years of probation.
From October 2020 through April 2022, Miller served as fiduciary for her father who was unable to manage his financial affairs. Without authorization, Miller took funds her father received from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as part of his disability compensation and misappropriated the money.
“After men and women serve our county, one way our nation serves them is by providing VA benefits in their time of need,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Because Ms. Miller’s relative needed assistance, she was assigned to look after his finances. She lined her own pockets instead of using the funds for their sole intended purpose, which is for the care of her father.”
“VA benefits are earned through service, and anyone who exploits a veteran’s trust or steals those funds will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “The VA OIG is committed to protecting benefits intended for veterans.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Investigation (VA-OIG) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham prosecuted the case.
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Former USPS mail carrier stole mail meant for deliveryRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) admitted to stealing letters and parcels instead of delivering them to their rightful owners.
According to court documents, Amanda Tucker, 48, of Scott City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by a postal employee.
Tucker delivered mail for the Scott City Post Office. In August 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Tucker’s home. They found USPS letters and parcels in her home and her vehicle that were addressed to residents along her delivery route.
“Customers depend on the U.S. Postal Service for mail and packages which can contain anything from prescription medications to important documents,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The defendant showed little regard for how stealing letters and parcels could affect the people living along her route who rely on these deliveries.”
Tucker is scheduled to be sentenced on October 20, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kari Burks is prosecuting the case.
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Kansas man indicted for robbing a bank at gunpointRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank.
According to court documents, Daniel J. Young, 41, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on one count of bank robbery and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
In June 2026, Young is accused of brandishing a firearm while robbing a bank on Parallel Parkway in Kansas City, Kansas, and using intimidation to force an employee to give him money.
Photo created from bank surveillance.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Convicted felon indicted for firearm possessionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a man for allegedly having a pistol when he is prohibited from legally possessing guns because of a prior felony conviction.
According to court documents, Jey Lewis, 27, was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Juan Carlos Duron, 50, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously deported alien convicted of an aggravated felony. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
Michell Gonzalez-Diaz, 33, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Jose De Jesus Martinez-Chavez, 48, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Robert Moreno-Rodriguez, 46, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Kansas farmer pleads guilty to fraudRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to illegally selling crops that were collateral for a federal government loan.
According to court documents, Steven W. Porubsky, 49, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of conversion of mortgaged collateral.
Porubsky defrauded the Farm Service Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Porubsky is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.
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Haysville man instructed Australian to create and send him child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after he directed a foreign national living in another country to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and send him the images.
According to court documents, Ronald Waltrip, 62, of Haysville pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography.
Waltrip used a social media account to exchange messages with an adult male in Australia. The messages show that Waltrip asked about a six-year-old child who was in the man’s custody and directed him to engage in sexual acts with the child. The man complied and at Waltrip’s request, created images of the child sexual abuse. The Australian man sent CSAM recordings to Waltrip.
“Waltrip and his co-conspirator may be on different continents, but they share the same evil fantasies. Waltrip’s crime is so egregious that even after he gets out of prison, he will be under the supervision of probationary officers for the rest of his life,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Three Topekans going to prison for inside job robberyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – Three defendants received prison sentences in connection with an armed robbery at a Kansas business that an employee helped to orchestrate.
According to court documents, in October 2023, Aaron Elizabeth Fish, 35, Katelyn Nichole North, 34, and Mejia Jawon Pattillo, 50, all of Topeka planned a robbery of a cash advance business in Topeka. Fish worked at the business on Southwest 10th Avenue and provided details to her co-conspirators about the building layout and security. Fish also placed cash deposit requests to increase the amount of cash that would be on site at the time of the planned robbery.
On the morning of October 16, 2023, Pattillo approached an employee who was unlocking the door, placed a weapon that appeared to be a handgun at the back of the victim’s head, and ordered the victim to go inside. Pattillo forced the victim to disable the alarm and take him to the safe where Pattillo stole cash.
After Pattillo fled the scene, North helped Pattillo to hide the stolen currency and the vehicle used during the crime.
Pattillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and was sentenced to 140 months in prison.
Fish pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment.
North pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact to a Hobbs Act Robbery and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
“Aaron Elizabeth Fish and her co-defendants deliberately planned a robbery at her place of employment during a time she wouldn’t be at work. She had the gall to put her coworker in fear for their life but didn’t want to be there to witness their terror,” said U.S Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our office will use applicable federal statutes and every tool at our disposal to hold violent criminals accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Topeka Police Department investigated the case.
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Topeka woman sentenced for methamphetamine and fentanyl traffickingRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas woman was sentenced to 115 months in prison for drug trafficking which will be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Madeline R. Wagner, 40, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On multiple occasions between July 2024 to November 2024, Wagner and her co-conspirators were in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl that they acquired with the intention to sell.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough prosecuted the case.
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Kansas cousins sentenced for robbing & assaulting food truck ownersRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – Two Kansas men were sentenced to prison for robbing a food truck during which they violently assaulted a victim.
According to court documents, Deon Ikner, 21, and Aaron Whitehead, 25, both of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery.
Ikner was sentenced to 71 months in prison. Whitehead was sentenced to 71 months in prison.
In March 2024, Whitehead and Ikner robbed a couple at gunpoint while the victims were unloading their food truck in Topeka. Whitehead and Ikner struck the male victim with a handgun and threatened to shoot him if he moved. The defendants stole cash the business owners had earned from their sales that day. The owners were able to identify Whitehead and Ikner from mugshots.
“These defendants felt so entitled to money they didn’t earn that they violently accosted a husband and wife who had just finished a hard day of work,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Violently robbing a hardworking family is only going to earn you a hefty prison sentence.”
“By their own admission, these two defendants used a firearm and threats to rob a commercial food truck in Topeka. Make no mistake – if you participate in violent crime in Kansas, the FBI and its partners stand ready to hold you accountable,” said Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Topeka Police Department investigated the case.
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Half a dozen illegal aliens indicted for returning to the U.S. after deportationRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned separate indictments charging six previously deported foreign nationals with illegally returning to the United States.
According to court documents, the following defendants were indicted on one count of reentry by a previously removed alien:
• Rodrigo Alan Castro-Sosa, 21, an illegal alien from Mexico,
• Omar Alejandro Hernandez-Hernandez, 31, an illegal alien from Mexico,
• Jorge Luis Landin-Ramirez, 39, an illegal alien from Mexico,
• Joaquin Morales-Diaz, 43, an illegal alien from Guatemala,
• Lesvia M. Lopez-Pena, 31, an illegal alien from Guatemala, and
• Eber Reyes-Duarte, 44, an illegal alien from Honduras.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating all of the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Wichita man sold pipe bombs and drugs to ATF undercover agentRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was sentenced to 126 months in prison for after selling illegal drugs and explosive devices to an undercover federal agent.
According to court documents, Adam C. Garcia, 31, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy.
Between March 2024 and April 2024, an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) purchased cocaine, fentanyl, and pipe bombs either directly from Garcia or from a coconspirator acting under Garcia’s direction.
Analysis showed the total amounts sold to the agent as 316.05 grams of fentanyl, 67.59 grams of cocaine, and three explosive devices.
“Selling narcotics is pretty bad by itself but in combination with pipe bombs, this kind of criminal behavior could easily turn deadly,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Had these explosive devices ended up in the wrong hands and been detonated against law enforcement or civilians, it could have been a disaster. We can all rest easier knowing that ATF is working hard to keep these devices off the street.”
Federal prosecutors charged three other defendants in this case. Anthony Stephen Dennis, 27, of Wichita was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy.
Jonathan Scott Peacock, 42, of Wichita was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to making an explosive device.
Paola Michelle Sosa-Rios, a Mexican national living in Wichita, also pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to this case and is awaiting sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kari Burks prosecuted the case.
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Wichita brothers sentenced for drug trafficking crimesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Two Kansas brothers were sentenced to prison for offenses related to a drug trafficking ring that moved fentanyl across state lines into Kansas.
According to court documents, Raashad Robinson, 30, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy. He was sentenced to 300 months in prison.
Starting in March 2024, Raashad Robinson drove from Kansas to Arizona and back five times to obtain fentanyl for distribution in Wichita. While returning to Kansas in September 2024, he was stopped by officers in Stratford, Texas. Officers found fentanyl powder and fentanyl pills while searching the vehicle. Raashad Robinson admitted to law enforcement that he supplied fentanyl that he and his co-conspirators sold in Kansas.
A federal grand jury indicted seven other defendants in connection with the drug trafficking ring including Raashad’s brother Eddie Robinson, 31, of Wichita. Eddie Robinson was sentenced to 120 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Martel Costello, 30, and Jevante Oliver, 34, 22, both of Wichita pleaded guilty to crimes related to this case and are awaiting sentencing. Emmanuel Recinos, 27, and Lisandro Ruiz-Uzagarra, 28, both of Phoenix, Arizona, and James Wilkinson, 31, of St. Joseph, Missouri, pleaded guilty to crimes related to this case and are awaiting sentencing.
“Raashad Robinson and Eddie Robinson saw selling drugs as a way to make easy money. When Raashad Robinson decided to drive thousands of miles between Wichita and Phoenix to transport fentanyl, he didn’t know he was actually on the road to federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
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Leader of “delivery service” drug trafficking ring sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to 20 years in prison as the ringleader of a drug trafficking ring supplied by a Mexican cartel. A Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation led to the convictions of Jose Antonio Heredia-Chang, 34, and approximately a dozen defendants who either worked for or were clients of his operation.
According to court documents, Heredia-Chang pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In February 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched an investigation into a drug trafficking ring in the Kansas City metro area. Agents determined Heredia-Chang to be the leader of a network that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and other narcotics. Buyers/distributors in Kansas City placed orders with Heredia-Chang, then he dispatched drivers to deliver the narcotics.
Agents gathered evidence tying Heredia-Chang to illegal narcotics and firearm sales. Further evidence proved Heredia-Chang was communicating with collaborators in Sinaloa, Mexico, to acquire and transport methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, and that Heredia-Chang operated other distribution bases in Seattle, Washington, and Denver, Colorado.
“Thanks to the meticulous work of the Homeland Security Task Force, the Heredia-Chang delivery service is no longer importing poison like methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities and those involved in the organization are in prison, including a dangerous illegal alien” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Destroying these trans-national criminal organizations is at the core of why HSTFs were established. We applaud everyone involved in putting Mr. Heredia-Chang behind bars for the next two decades.”
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation that shed light on the cartel members lurking in the shadows of our communities, inflicting fear and intimidation while pushing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine around town,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “These actions will not stand, and the DEA remains committed to working alongside our partners to remove these threats from our streets.”
“Heredia-Chang ran a drug distribution network from the palm of his hand, dispatching drivers to deliver methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine across the country while arranging firearms deals by phone,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard “Butch” Hansen of the ATF Kansas City Field Division. “His operation stretched from Mexico to Kansas City, Denver, and Seattle. This 20-year sentence reflects the tireless work of ATF, DEA and our Homeland Security Task Force partners across multiple jurisdictions, along with the skilled prosecutors who built the case that ultimately held the man directing this organization accountable.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from FBI; HSI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
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Topeka sex offender sentenced for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A convicted sex offender was sentenced to 151 months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Joshua Craig Abel was also sentenced to five years in prison for a violation of supervised release. A federal judge ordered the sentences to run consecutive to one another.
According to court documents, a federal jury convicted Abel, 44, of Topeka of one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.
In April 2023, a person in the woods on private land found several storage containers covered with camouflage netting. Among the items in the containers were cellphones, computers, external hard drives, and mail addressed to Joshua Abel. Soon after the discovery, the contents were turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Forensic experts found over 28,000 images and 850 videos of CSAM.
Abel stood trial in December 2025, and a jury found him guilty.
Abel was previously convicted of distribution of child pornography in February of 2011 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He was found to have distributed approximately 3,900 CSAM images in that case.
“After previously being prosecuted for distributing CSAM, Mr. Able tried to hide his stash of perverse material in the woods not caring that it could be stumbled upon by anyone,” said U.S Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Thankfully, a responsible person did the right thing by reporting the discovery to the proper authorities so this illegal activity could be brought to justice. If you see something, please say something to law enforcement.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Criminal illegal alien sentenced for reentry into U.S. after deportationRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – An illegal alien from Honduras was sentenced to 24 months in prison for returning to the United States after previously being deported.
According to court documents, Jose Alfredo Galiano-Meza, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of reentry of a removed alien.
Galiano-Meza will be transferred to federal prison after he completes a sentence he is currently serving in the Kansas Department of Corrections. In November 2022, Galiano-Meza was sentenced in Kansas state court to 68 months of incarceration following a fatal automobile accident in Lawrence.“Mr. Galiano-Meza was deported in 2013 and again in 2018. That was years before his arrest for causing a crash that killed a child,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “If the U.S. government deports someone, that person is committing a federal crime and a felony by returning to our country without permission from the government.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
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Kansas man indicted for child pornography distributionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Colton Wiggins, 25, of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of child pornography. In February 2026, Wiggins is accused of using a computer to distribute CSAM.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.OTHER INDICTMENTS
Pedro Jose Lerma-Rivas, 37, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Miguel Mendez-Cisneros, 52, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of possession of ammunition by an illegal alien and one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Jose Cruz-Vasquez, 38, an illegal alien from Honduras, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Homeland Security Task Force shuts down Mexican cocaine smuggling operation leading to 15 prison sentencesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The last of 15 defendants was sentenced to prison after a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation dismantled a Kansas City metro-based drug trafficking ring linked to Mexico.
In December 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) launched an investigation into a drug trafficking ring headed by Santiago Gamboa-Saenz. Gamboa-Saenz, 39, is an illegal alien from Chihuahua, Mexico. His network of traffickers smuggled cocaine from Mexico into the United States, which was then transported and distributed in Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, Saint Louis, Chicago, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and Indiana.
Through investigation, agents tied the criminal network to houses on West 98th Street in Overland Park and South Montebello in Olathe. They also determined a mechanic shop on Kaw Drive in Kansas City, Kansas, was being used to outfit vehicles with hidden compartments to transport drugs and drug money.
Search warrants executed at these locations and others resulted in the seizure of over $733,000 and over 18.0 net kilograms of cocaine. Vehicle stops led to the discovery of hidden compartments with $533,780 in cash, more than 12.0 net kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and many drug ledgers. The drug ledgers alone document drug proceeds from cocaine sales in the amount of $48,783,269. The drug trafficking organization sold cocaine to its customers for $29,000 to $36,000 per kilogram.
“What may look like legitimate businesses from the outside can sometimes be criminal operations. These smugglers used a mechanic shop as a front in attempt to fly under the radar of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “They used the space to custom outfit vehicles with hidden compartments allowing them to move large amounts of illegal narcotics and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash at a time.”
“This operation demonstrates to Americans the vast reach of drug trafficking organizations within the Midwest, but more importantly, puts on display the impressive capabilities of combined law enforcement efforts,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “Cartel members and affiliates are not welcome here. The DEA and our many partners will not slow down or be deterred as we work toward dismantling the drug trafficking organizations terrorizing our communities.”
“Let this case serve as a warning: Homeland Security Investigations and our task force partners will relentlessly pursue and dismantle any criminal organization that dares to smuggle drugs, money, or violence into our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini. “We will not tolerate cartel operations in Kansas City or anywhere in the Midwest. Our agents are committed to rooting out traffickers, seizing their profits, and ensuring they face justice. The message is clear—if you threaten the safety of American families, HSI will find you, shut you down, and put you behind bars.”
Santiago Gamboa-Saenz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced to 276 months imprisonment.
Other defendants received the following prison sentences:
- Frank Gallo De La Cruz, 41, an illegal alien from Mexico, 108 months
- Dimas Simoes Calixto-Filho, 46, an illegal alien from Brazil, 108 months
- Efrain Garcia-Perez, 42, an illegal alien from Mexico, 104 months
- Juan Alvarez-Perez, 40, an illegal alien from Mexico, 96 months
- Bryan Eduardo Dominguez-Green, 24, an illegal alien from Mexico, 71 months
- Miguel Angel Vasquez-Rodriguez, 37, an illegal alien from Mexico, 64 months
- Maria Ileana Cota, 37, of Henderson, Colorado, 48 months
- Eduardo Ramirez-Ochoa, 36, a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico residing in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, 46 months
- Jaime De Jesus Ocampo, 62, of Kansas City, Kansas, 24 months
- Irlanda Areyim Grajeda, 37, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 22 months
- Jesus Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 41, an illegal alien from Mexico, 21 months
- Homero Baca-Marquez, 28, an illegal alien from Mexico, 21 months
- Jose Cera-Acosta, 40, of Kansas City, Kansas, 17 months
- Vladimir Blanco-Garciga, 54, a Cuban national residing in Riverside, Missouri, 4 months
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Zabel and Taylor Hines prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from FBI; HSI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
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Former nurse loses license after forging prescriptions for Percocet and Oxycodone using coworker’s padRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri woman’s crimes to get illegal access to prescription narcotics resulted in the loss of her nursing license and gained her a lifetime ban from working at any hospital that receives federal funding.
According to court documents, Brooke Haller, 41, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.
Haller previously worked as a registered nurse at a hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. She used her position to gain access to a nurse practitioner’s prescription pad and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) number. In March 2024, Haller began to use this information to write forged prescriptions for herself using the names of her relatives for Percocet and Oxycodone, which she filled and paid for at pharmacies in Kansas and Missouri.
An investigation was initiated in October 2024, after a pharmacy called the hospital to inquire about an Oxycodone prescription allegedly written by a nurse practitioner. The nurse practitioner advised she only writes electronic prescriptions. The victim indicated she had never spoken to Haller nor had she given Haller her prescription pad and DEA number.
When Haller realized her scheme was falling apart, she tried to cover up her crimes. She called the hospital several times pretending to be from the pharmacy indicating the pharmacy staff questioned the validity of the prescription by mistake. Haller spoofed the pharmacy’s phone number and used several vocal disguises, including pretending to be “Peter”, but the hospital staff recognized her voice.
Haller later admitted to DEA investigators that she fraudulently wrote 13 prescriptions. She obtained 90 Percocet tablets and 540 Oxycodone tablets from a pharmacy in Kansas and 1,350 Oxycodone tablets from a Missouri pharmacy.
U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said, “While this was a unique case, unfortunately, cases involving health care workers gaining unauthorized access to prescription narcotics are becoming more common. These professionals spent years studying and building their careers just to throw it all away, usually because of addiction. Health care professionals facing addiction need to seek help before it’s too late. Otherwise, we must make sure they are stopped for the safety of the patients they serve.”
“The diversion of pharmaceutical drugs is not a victimless crime,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “Brooke Haller took advantage of a system intended to assist patients and violated the trust of those truly in need. Our DEA investigators did a fine job building a case that showed the copious amounts of fraud committed by Haller. As a result, she will no longer be allowed to practice in Kansas.”
Haller was sentenced to three years of probation and must pay a $5,000 fine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.
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Illegal aliens indicted for having fake green cardsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned indictments charging three foreign nationals with having fake green cards.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2026, federal agents arrested a group of illegal aliens while executing a search warrant in Kansas City, Kansas. Three of the individuals were allegedly in possession of counterfeit immigration documentation in the form of forged permanent resident cards.
Mariano Jeronimo-Pacheco, 33, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
Yolanda Mendoza-Emiliano, 33, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
Santos Ramirez-Ramirez, 38, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was indicted on one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
During these arrests, law enforcement took four other defendants into custody who have since been indicted on immigration charges. They include:
• Zenon Garcia Basurto, 36, and Pedro Antonio-Perez, 30, illegal aliens from Mexico, were indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation.
• Gustavo Adolfo Guardado-Menjivar, 39, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation.
• Mario Perez-Morales, 48, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation.Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating all of the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case against Jeronimo-Pacheco.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case against Mendoza-Emiliano.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane is prosecuting the case against Ramirez-Ramirez.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Arisdel Adame-Molina, 33, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Francisco Becerra-Silva, 30, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Nefalty Sergio Chubaja-Chubaja, 26, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Deandre T. Irvin, 32, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on one count of possession of machine guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
Yoni Ernesto Larios-Garcia, 36, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Elder Gonzalo Lopez-Maderos, 35, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Julio Martin-Ramirez, 44, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was indicted on one count of unlawful entry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
Omar Pastor Mayorga-Munoz, 34, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Magdiel Villa-Martinez, 20, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Miguel Angel Rocha-Sanchez, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count to failure to register as a sex offender and one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Defendants plead guilty to posting threats to social media in separate casesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Two men from Wichita are now convicted felons after pleading guilty in separate cases involving posting threats on social media to murder federal officials.
According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure.
In January 2026, Wichita police officers learned Osborn had posted threats on his social media page saying he wanted to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He wrote, “I’m going to kill Ilhan Omar!”. He also posted a photo of himself holding an AR-15 style rifle in one hand and a 30-round magazine with live ammunition in the other hand. When officers went to Osborn’s residence to question him, he confirmed writing the posts. He said while he had no intention of personally harming anyone, he made the statements to “maybe provoke someone to handle business.” He advised officers that by “handle business” he meant to “take ‘em out”. He stated that by “take ‘em out” he meant “kill them”.
In a separate case, according to court documents, Joaquin Hernandez, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure.
In January 2026, Hernandez posted a social media video where he threatened to shoot Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents point blank if he saw them in Wichita. Hernandez admits to making the statements knowing that his threat against ICE wasn’t mere political argument or in a joking manner.
“Our country prides itself on being one where people can express their political views, but they must do so in a responsible manner. These two defendants crossed the line into criminality by making threats of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Threats of political violence are illegal and won’t be tolerated.”
“The First Amendment protects every individual’s right to free speech. However, it is not a shield for enticing violence or criminal activity. Anyone who advocates violence or communicates a credible threat against public officials, law enforcement, or any individual should expect swift and thorough response from the FBI. We will investigate these matters aggressively with assistance from our law enforcement partners and United States Attorney’s Office by pursuing every available legal avenue to hold offenders accountable," said Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
The Wichita Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating both cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case against Osborn.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case against Hernandez.
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Federal and local law enforcement disrupt methamphetamine ring tied to MexicoRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 300 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine as part of a drug trafficking network.
According to court documents, Ernest Lucas, 53, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
In 2022, Chaz Hicks, 27, of Kansas City, Kansas, sold methamphetamine to undercover officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department multiple times, often with a firearm in his lap. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began tracking Hicks’ movements and observed frequent visits to Ernest Lucas’ house on Ruby Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. Law enforcement noticed a travel pattern where the people stopping by Lucas’ house also went to a house on Mersington Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri.
ATF executed a search warrant at Lucas’ house and located 12 firearms, ammunition, over $11,000 in cash, and approximately 274 grams of methamphetamine. That same day, investigators searched the Mersington Avenue house and found approximately 102 pounds of methamphetamine, eight firearms, electronic scales and other drug paraphernalia.
Evidence downloaded from Lucas’ cellphone showed drug related conversations between him and Spencer Allen, 48, of Mound City and Jason Smith, 50, of Topeka.
“The Department of Justice is committed to eradicating transnational criminal organizations and their influence on American soil.” Said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “What may look like local gang and drug activity is often supplied by sources outside the country. The federal government is uniquely suited to stop networks like the one at issue in this case and disrupt international supply lines into our neighborhoods with the help from state and local partners. Additionally, the proceeds of this illegal activity can be forfeited to the U.S. Government under federal law as was the cash found in this case. This type of crime doesn’t pay and will ultimately land you in prison.”
"What began as a case on violence tied to the Southdale Blood Gang grew into a large-scale methamphetamine distribution investigation that wreaked havoc on Kansas City, Kansas," said Bernard "Butch" Hansen, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Kansas City Field Division. "Ernest Lucas was a prolific distributor supplied by sources in Mexico, moving hundreds of pounds of meth and dozens of firearms through this community, fueling violence and multiple overdose deaths. Lucas is a violent offender with a lengthy criminal history who chose to profit from addiction and bloodshed. The people of Kansas City should sleep well knowing this criminal will be behind bars for decades to come, and anyone considering the same path should be prepared to meet the same fate."
Hicks, Allen, Smith, and another codefendant, Abraham Gallegos, 46, of Olathe, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Hicks was sentenced to 200 months in prison. The other codefendants are awaiting sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case with assistance from the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD).
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Missouri man headed to prison for sex meetup with “minor” who was actually an FBI agentRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri man was sentenced to 120 months in prison after traveling across state lines to have sex with who he thought was an underage girl but was really an undercover federal agent.
According to court documents, Tommie Earnest Giles, 53, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
On July 23, 2025, and July 24, 2025, Giles, used a social media platform to chat with a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent posing as a 14-year-old female living in Kansas. When the agent purported to be 14 years old, Giles responded that he was 53. Giles then directed the conversation to become sexual in nature and attempted to persuade a person who he thought to be a minor to engage in sexual activity with him. When Giles traveled from his home in Kansas City, Missouri, to Kansas for a meetup with a “minor”, the FBI arrested him. Giles told law enforcement he had believed he was talking to an actual 14-year-old girl, and that he traveled to the residence to have sex with a minor.
“These undercover operations are proactive measures to find and arrest child predators,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Mr. Giles was thoroughly convinced he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl so it’s unsettling to think what could have happened had this been a child instead of an FBI agent. Parents need to be aware that child predators are lurking on the internet and should take measures to protect their children and know of their internet activity.”
“The unfortunate reality is predators exist within our communities. Operations like this one reflect the FBI’s commitment to ensuring we identify those who exploit children and make sure these predators face justice. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect children, purse offenders, and keep our communities safe,” stated Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Final defendant in Wichita drug trafficking ring sentencedRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 300 months in prison after a federal jury convicted him for his role in fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Marshall J. Green Jr, 46, of Wichita was convicted on eight counts including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Green was a part of a drug trafficking ring in Wichita headed up by Calvin L, Williams Jr, 45, of Wichita. In 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Wichita Police Department (WPD), identified two residences Williams and his co-conspirators used to store and distribute large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Williams didn’t live at either house but was paying the rent. While executing search warrants, ATF agents found more than 24 kilograms of fentanyl, more than 32 kilograms of methamphetamine, and multiple firearms at one of the homes. A search of the second location yielded pill presses, multiple pounds of binding powders used to manufacture pharmaceutical-type pills, dye stamps to imprint pills, pure fentanyl powder and more than six kilograms of finished pills later determined to contain fentanyl.
Williams pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy (fentanyl) and was sentenced to 240 months in prison.
Also convicted in connection to this case are the following defendants all of Wichita:
• Harold E. Hawkins Jr, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy (fentanyl) and was sentenced to 180 months in prison.
• Devon M. Love, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy (fentanyl) and was sentenced to 144 months in prison.
• Martin A. Marshall, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy (fentanyl) and was sentenced to 114 months in prison.
• Larry D. Triplett III, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy (fentanyl) and was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
• Chazare R. Oliver Jr, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
• Shantwon M. Hervey, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to three years of probation.
• Hannah R. English, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of use of a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to two years of probation.
• Janelle L. Bell, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of providing false information in connection with the purchase of a firearm and was sentenced to two years of probation.“The conclusion of this case finalizes the disruption of a significant drug trafficking ring,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Unfortunately, there is more work to do preventing this poison from infecting our communities and keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals involved in illegal activity. I am confident that through ongoing coordination between federal, state, and local partners, we will continue to make Kansas and the entire country safer.”
"Drug traffickers who arm themselves are a direct threat to our communities, and Marshall Green, Jr., was no exception," said Special Agent in Charge Bernard “Butch” Hansen, of the ATF Kansas City Field Division. "Not only did Green keep firearms close as a convicted felon, he used them to protect a supply of fentanyl and methamphetamine he was pushing into the community. In fact, this investigation found that Green and his conspirators sat on hundreds of pounds of excipient powders that could have easily produced millions of additional fentanyl tablets.”
Hansen said, “The disruption of their fentanyl manufacturing alone prevented the loss of countless lives. The 300-month sentence handed down will take this dangerous individual off our streets for years to come, and that result is a credit to our ATF Special Agents, the Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, DEA, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas, who all stood with us to hold him fully accountable."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
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Wyandotte County District Court bookkeepers sentenced to prison for nearly $1 million theftRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two former employees of the Wyandotte County District Court received prison sentences for using their positions in the accounting office to steal approximately $980,000 in taxpayer funds.
According to court documents, Julia Roberts, 65, of Leavenworth and Vicki Robinson, 63, of Bonner Springs, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy. A federal judge sentenced Roberts to 41 months in prison and Robinson to 27 months in prison.
Roberts was the accounting supervisor and responsible for collecting and depositing funds into the Wyandotte County District Court’s bank account. She acted as Robinson’s superior until her retirement in 2020. Roberts and Robinson stole incoming cash and concealed the thefts by generating checks and forging the clerk of court’s signature. They fabricated information on the memo lines to make the checks appear to be judgment disbursements or other legitimate court business. The checks functioned as a way to conceal the missing cash in the system.
During the time they were stealing money, Roberts had a significant amount of money transactions at a casino — over $1 million in 2017, $480,000 in 2018, and $251,000 in 2019. The amount dropped when she retired in 2020 to $30,000. Roberts also deposited more than $80,000 in cash into her personal bank accounts from 2018-2020. Robinson deposited $20,000 in cash into her bank account from 2021-2023.
In August 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) interviewed Robinson, and she admitted she stole money. She said Roberts showed her how to do it. Roberts told the FBI that she came up with the idea of stealing incoming cash. She said Robinson was involved from the beginning and at times they split the cash that was stolen.
Roberts’ and Robinson’s scheme resulted in a loss of $979,962 to the Wyandotte County District Court from 2018 to 2023. As part of their sentences, they are individually and collectively responsible for paying $979,962 in restitution.
“Roberts and Robinson worked together, stole together, and together conspired to cover up their crimes. They were as thick as thieves, and now the two thieves are headed to prison for stealing from the Wyandotte County District Court,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
“Public trust is the foundation of an effective government. When public servants betray that trust for personal financial gain, they compromise the integrity of the institutions they are sworn to serve. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: the FBI has zero tolerance for this. Anyone who exploits public office for personal enrichment will be thoroughly investigated, held accountable, and brought to justice,” stated Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and Michelle McFarlane prosecuted the case.
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Topeka man sentenced for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 90 months in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Joseph Donald Dube, 40, Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.
In December 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Dube’s home as part of an investigation into him possibly being in possession of CSAM. Police seized multiple electronic devices which contained images of minors under 12 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adults.
“It is horrifying that Mr. Dube possessed this material and interacted with children routinely in his work as a teacher,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Thankfully, he was brought to justice through the hard work of the KBI and Secret Service.”
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Colby woman accused of forging coworkers’ signatures to steal from employerRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman with using her position as head of the financial division to embezzle more than $750,000 from her employer.
According to court documents, Shania A. Shanahan, 39, of Colby was indicted on:
• 43 counts of bank fraud.
• 25 counts of money laundering, and
• Five counts of aggravated identity theft.According to court documents, Shanahan is the former controller at an agricultural cooperative in Colby that provides grain and fuel services to its members. She supervised the accounting department, and her duties included processing and making payments, reconciling bank accounts, and making entries into the general ledger for purchases and expenses.
Between January 2017 and November 2025, Shanahan is accused of forging 233 checks for approximately $753,575 from the co-op’s account and depositing the funds into her personal bank account. She allegedly used coworkers’ signatures without their knowledge or consent which is the basis for the identity theft charges. The defendant is accused of concealing the deception by falsifying records to make the fraudulent payments appear to be legitimate payments to herself and other third-party vendors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Ricardo Refujio Ortiz-Ortega, 45, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Ronnie L.J. Richard, 43, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
Chad W. Sunley, 45, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances -methamphetamine, four counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.
Arthur Waters, 46, was indicted on one count of escape from custody. The U.S. Marshal Service is investigating. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Baxter Springs man sentenced for enticing minor to produce and send him child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN – A Kansas man was sentenced to 222 months in prison for enticing a minor to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Garrett Gayoso, 25, of Baxter Springs pleaded guilty to one count production of child pornography.
Gayoso met the 16- year-old minor online. Evidence shows the victim was quickly forthcoming with Gayoso about her age. Gayoso groomed and convinced the victim to engage in sexually explicit activity, produce visual depictions of the conduct, and then send him the images via text messages. Between August 2024 and April 2025, Gayoso exchanged text messages with the minor that contained over 100 CSAM images.
“The defendant in this case was a law enforcement officer at the time this crime occurred. It’s deeply troubling that someone who took an oath to protect and serve the public would turn out to be someone from whom our society needs protection,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Child predators are master manipulators. Children should be taught that any time someone directs them to keep secrets from trusted adults that is not someone with whom they should be communicating.”
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) investigated the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.