District of Kansas

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man pleaded guilty today to two armed robberies at local hotels, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Darrell E. Black, 26, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on May 27, 2017, he robbed the Extended Stay America at 9450 E. Corporate Hills, and on May 29, 2017, he robbed the Days Inn and Suites at 7321 E. Kellogg, both in Wichita.

In both robberies, he held a clerk at gunpoint while demanding money from the hotel cash drawer.

Sentencing is set for May 1. Black could face a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. – Harcros Chemicals, Inc., of Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty today to violating a federal clean air law in connection with a toxic chlorine gas cloud that formed over Atchison, Kan., in 2016, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

According to the company’s plea agreement, Harcros is expected to pay a $1 million fine. The co-defendant in the case, MGP Ingredients, Inc., of Atchison pleaded guilty in November in the same case. That company also is expected to pay a $1 million fine.

Harcros pleaded guilty to negligently violating the federal Clean Air Act. In its plea, the company admitted that on Oct. 21, 2016, a greenish-yellow chlorine gas cloud formed when 4,000 gallons of sulfuric acid were mistakenly combined with 5,800 gallons of sodium hypochlorite. The Atchison County Department of Emergency Management ordered community members to shelter in place and to evacuate in some areas. Approximately 140 individuals including members of the public, first responders, employees of MGP Ingredients and Harcros Chemicals sought medical attention.

“The chemicals involved in this case posed serious public health and environmental dangers,” said Assistant Director Justin Oesterreich of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Kansas.  “EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to holding responsible parties accountable for actions that put an entire community at risk.”

Harcros is set for sentencing May 27.

McAllister commended the Environmental Protection Agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.

Victims can get more information on US v. Midwest Grain Products, Inc., by visiting https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/victim-witness and filling out a victim questionnaire, leaving a message on a designated phone line at 913-551-6543 or emailing questions to [email protected]

 

WASHINGTON– Twenty-one rural American communities that have borne the brunt of the opioid epidemic will receive $14.8 million in funding to develop tailored and innovative responses to gaps in prevention, treatment and/or recovery services for individuals involved in the criminal justice system.

          The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic Initiative is co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Justice Institute (SJI).

          The new initiative will integrate public safety and public health approaches and blend interagency expertise and funding to address the epidemic. It will enable rural areas to implement evidence-based solutions and promising practices in a way that utilizes the unique assets of their communities. Its goal is to reduce opioid overdose deaths in high-risk rural communities, and to support and promote a shared understanding of the patterns and characteristics of local opioid use.

          “While no corner of the country has gone untouched by the opioid epidemic, rural America has been hit particularly hard. A challenge of this magnitude requires a response in kind, one that marshals resources, data and innovative approaches in the service of the most effective local responses. The Rural Responses Initiative enables these 21 rural communities to take control of their individual battles against opioid use disorder,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan.

          Each site will receive up to $750,000 to establish or enhance public safety, public health and behavioral health collaborations. Sites may also leverage funding to expand peer recovery and recovery support services.

         The 21 sites, selected as a result of a competitive, nationwide grant process, represent several regions of the country:

• Arkansas Rural Health Partnership (AR)
• County of Rio Arriba (NM)
• Ellenville Regional Hospital (NY)
• Franklin County Sheriff's Department (MA)
• Grays Harbor Public Health & Social Services (WA)
• Marcum and Wallace Hospital (KY)
• Marshall University Research Corporation (WV)
• Memorial Regional Health (CO)
• Mohave Substance Treatment Education & Prevention Partnership (AZ)
• Northern Kentucky University (KY)
• Northumberland County (PA)
• Porter-Starke Services Inc. (IN)
• Portsmouth City Health Department (OH)
• Prisma Health–Upstate (SC)
• Project Lazarus (NC)
• Reno County Health Department (KS)
• SMA Healthcare, Inc. (FL)
• Mary's Regional Health Center (MN)
• Upper Cumberland Human Resources Agency (TN)
• WestCare Tennessee, Inc. (TN)
• Whitley County Health Department (KY)

          The Rural Responses Initiative is the latest demonstration project supported by BJA’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program (COAP), which supports effective local, state and tribal responses to the opioid epidemic.

          BJA’s other demonstration projects, which may be found at https://www.coapresources.org/Program/DemoProjects, are:

• ODMAP Statewide Expansion and Response Initiative
• Partnerships to Support Data-driven Responses to Emerging Drug Threats Initiative
• Planning Initiative to Build Bridges Between Jail and Community-Based Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

          BJA, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, helps to make American communities safer by strengthening the nation's criminal justice system. Its grants, training and technical assistance, and policy development services provide state, local and tribal governments with the cutting edge tools and best practices they need to reduce violent and drug-related crime, support law enforcement and combat victimization.

          The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the leading national public health institute in the United States, and part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

          The State Justice Institute, a non-profit corporation, was established by federal law in 1984 to award grants to improve the quality of justice in state courts and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common issues faced by all courts.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to a fraud in which a Lenexa company he worked for spent more than $685,000 to buy electrical and wire cable that the man sold to another company and pocketed the money, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

 Coe Downing, 48, Charlotte, N.C., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crime took place while he worked as a project manager for Lenexa-based Wachter, Inc. Downing placed orders for electrical and wire cable from Anixter, Inc., one of Wachter’s suppliers. Wachter paid for the materials by sending a check to Anixter in Texas. Meanwhile, Downing sold the cable to another company, Cabling Systems Supply, Inc. (CSSI) and kept the money.

In the plea agreement, Downing agreed to pay restitution of $25,000 to Wachter, Inc., and $660,323 to Wachter’s insurer, Federal Insurance Company.

Sentencing is set for April 21. He could face a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Office of Inspector General, investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.

WICHITA, KAN. – A grand jury in Wichita returned two indictments today charging federal gun crimes under the Justice Department’s new initiative called Project Guardian, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

“We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute gun crimes as part of Project Guardian,” U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Project Guardian calls for strict enforcement of federal firearms laws, as well as improved information sharing on denials of firearms transfers in an effort to disrupt potential mass shootings. Project Guardian also emphasizes the use of modern intelligence tools and technology such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to investigate and prevent gun crime.

More information about Project Guardian is available at https://www.justice.gov/ag/about-project-guardian

Today’s firearms indictments include the following:

          

           Rigoberto Ferrel Jr., 27, Garden City, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 20, 2019, in Finney County, Kan.

          If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 and not less than five years and a fine up to $5 million on the drug charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

 

           Vario Jesus Portillo-Salinas, 26, Liberal, Kan., is charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in July and August 2019 in Seward County, Kan.

          If convicted, he could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on each of the drug counts, not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

Gonzalo Sandoval-Vizcaino, 45, Oxnard, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 2, 2019, in Ellis County, Kan.

If convicted, he could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting.

 

Miguel Angel Ramirez, 29, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Dec. 2, 2019, in Seward County, Kan.

If convicted, he could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

 

Kimberly A. Kirchner, 37, Atlanta, Kan., is charged with embezzling funds from the U.S. Postal Service while she was an employee. The crime is alleged to have occurred during a period from Sept. 23, 2019, to Jan. 3, 2020, in Cowley County, Kan.

If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

 

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Salina man who was charged with posting a threat against the president on social media is now facing child pornography charges, too, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Aaron McDowell, 24, Salina, was charged in a criminal complaint today with one count of presenting and distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. In the earlier case, McDowell faces one count of making a threat against the president. A criminal complaint filed Jan. 21, 2020, alleges McDowell posted on his Facebook page, “I’m going to kill Trump in the white house tomorrow at 7 p.m.”

In the new case, an agent’s affidavit alleges that while investigating the threat case investigators found child pornography on McDowell’s cellular phone containing children performing sex acts. A total of 152 files of child pornography were found on the phone.

Further searches found 2,800 child pornography images in McDowell’s account on Mega, a cloud storage and file hosting service. Investigators also found chats in which child pornography was distributed. McDowell is alleged to have sent a link to another user on a messaging application called Chatous that connected to child pornography in online storage.

If convicted, the defendant could face not less than five years and not more than 20 years on the presenting and distributing count and up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charged. The U.S. Secret Service, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

 

WICHITA, KAN. – A woman from Mexico who was stopped in Kansas with 21 pounds of methamphetamine was sentenced today to 85 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Maria Alonso-Espinoza, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Kansas Highway Patrol stopped her car on Feb. 26, 2019, on Interstate 70 near Russell, Kan. Her brother was driving and she was riding as a passenger. She was the registered owner of the car.

Troopers found 21 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the driver’s side rear quarter panel. Investigators learned Alonso-Espinoza was taking the methamphetamine from Colorado to Wichita for distribution.

McAllister commended the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to importing and selling misbranded pharmaceutical-grade erectile dysfunction drugs from China and marketing them as herbal remedies for men, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Rick Shepard, 60, Overland Park, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to import misbranded drugs. In his plea, he admitted he was doing business as Epic Products when he sold a product called Euphoric to adult novelty stores in multiple states. He marketed Euphoric as “all natural herbal supplements for male enhancement.” In fact, the product contained prescription drugs Tadalafil and Sildenafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis. Shepard purchased the drugs from a supplier in China. He repackaged the capsules, applied his own labels and distributed them to stores in Kansas, Missouri and Colorado.

Sentencing is set for April 20. He could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Food and Drug Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.

WICHITA, KAN. – A former cruise line service representative pleaded guilty today to threatening a customer over the phone, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Allison C. Dixon, 32, Wichita, Kan. pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting a threatening communication. Dixon worked for Celebrity Cruise Line as a customer service representative in a call center in Wichita. In April 2018, she took a call from a Celebrity customer in Illinois who became dissatisfied with her service and hung up on her. About three minutes later, Dixon called the customer back. Dixon told the customer she knew where the customer lived and she intended to come to Illinois and kill the customer and the customer’s family.

Sentencing is set for April 10. She could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch for their work on the case.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that Thong Cao and his wife, Mai Cao, will be obligated to pay $160,000 in damages and civil penalties to resolve a Fair Housing Act lawsuit alleging that Thong Cao sexually harassed numerous female tenants since at least 2009 at residential properties he owned or operated in Wichita, Kansas. Mai Cao is named as a defendant in this lawsuit because she owned or co-owned certain rental properties at which harassment took place.

Under the consent order in United States of America v. Thong Cao, et al., which was entered today by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, defendants are required to pay a total of $160,000, which includes $155,000 in monetary damages to eleven former tenants who were harmed as a result of the sexual harassment, and a $5,000 civil penalty. The consent order also bars the defendants from participating in the rental or management of residential properties in the future. 

“Sexual harassment of women in their homes is indecent, destructive, and illegal,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The Fair Housing Act protects the right of women and their families to live in peace and security and without the fear that deviant people will intimidate and bully them for sexual favors. This department will continue tirelessly to pursue landlords and others who abuse their authority by preying upon vulnerable women.” 

“Access to fair housing is every person’s right,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister for the District of Kansas. “Landlords, property managers and their employees are legally prohibited from making sexual favors a condition of obtaining or maintaining a place to live.”

The department’s lawsuit, filed in 2017, arose from two complaints that former tenants filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The lawsuit alleged that Thong Cao sexually harassed multiple female residents at the rental properties from at least 2009 to 2014. According to the complaint, Thong Cao engaged in harassment that included, among other things, making unwelcome sexual advances and comments, engaging in unwanted sexual touching, and terminating the tenancies of women who refused to engage in sexual conduct with him.

In October 2017, the Justice Department launched a new initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. In April 2018, the Department of Justice announced the nationwide rollout, including three major components:  an outreach toolkit to leverage the department’s nationwide network of U.S. Attorney’s Offices, a public awareness campaign, including the launch of a national Public Service Announcement, and a new joint Task Force with HUD to combat sexual harassment in housing.

Since launching the initiative, the Department of Justice has filed 13 new lawsuits alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing. The Justice Department has filed or settled 18 sexual harassment cases since January 2017, and has recovered over $2.7 million for victims of sexual harassment in housing.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination can call the Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected], or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or through its website at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

TOPEKA, KAN. – Two Topeka men were sentenced today on federal carjacking charges, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Chauncey Elliott Lyles, 20, Topeka, Kan., was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison. Co-defendant Mathdaniel Squirrel, 23, Topeka, Kan., was sentenced to 72 months. Both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking.

In their pleas, the defendants admitted that on Jan. 30, 2019, in Topeka, they threatened the driver of a 2007 Cadillac SUV and stole the driver’s vehicle.

McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita woman pleaded guilty today to federal firearms and drug charges, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Wendy L. Scearce, 36, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

In her plea, Scearce admitted she was in her residence in the 300 block of North Seneca when Wichita police served a search warrant. Police found a .380-caliber Beretta handgun in the house. In the garage, police found 20 pounds of methamphetamine and 11 firearms. Scearace admitted she kept the gun to protect herself while she was engaged in drug trafficking.

Sentencing is set for April 6. She could face a sentence of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the drug charge and not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge.

McAllister commended the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Feng “Franklin” Tao, 47, of Lawrence, Kan., was charged today in a superseding indictment with two counts of wire fraud and one count of program fraud. The indictment alleges Tao concealed from University of Kansas officials work he was doing for China while employed full time as an associate professor at KU’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis. Some of Tao’s research at KU was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The superseding indictment elaborates on an indictment a grand jury returned in August 2019. It describes how China offered competitive salaries, state-of-the-art research facilities and honorific titles to researchers who joined talent programs and urged them to recruit others.

 

If convicted, the defendant could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the wire fraud counts and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the program fraud count.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the assigned judge.

The University of Kansas cooperated and assisted in the FBI’s investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi and Nathan Charles, trial attorney for the Counterespionage and Export Control Section (CTS) of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, are prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

Lance Ashley is charged with four counts of failing to pay over employment taxes. The crimes are alleged to have occurred during 2014 through 2017.

Ashley owned Ashley Home Care Services, LLC, which was a Kansas corporation with a registered office in Overland Park. It is alleged he withheld employment taxes from employees’ paychecks without fully paying those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. The indictment alleges he failed to pay more than $13,386 for tax year 2013, $48,847 for 2014, $63,933 for 2015 and $78,055 for 2016.

If convicted, he could face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.

 

Roberto Gallegos-Garcia, 43, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Dec. 19, 2019, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he could face up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Department of Homeland Security, Enforcement and Removal Operations, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

 

Leo Carlos Pacheco-Santos, 20, Passaic, N.J., is charged with failing to appear for a court hearing on charges including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He failed to appear in federal court in Kansas City, Kan., on Oct. 7, 2019.

If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.

 

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

WICHITA, KAN. – A woman from Los Angeles pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to transporting 60 pounds of methamphetamine to Kansas, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Maria Alvarez-Buenrostro, 46, Los Angeles, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In her plea, she admitted that the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped her car Feb. 12, 2019, in Ellis County, Kan. A trooper found the methamphetamine in heat-sealed bags hidden in a real quarter panel and in both rear doors.

Sentencing is set for April 16. She could face a sentence of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million. McAllister commended the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to committing an armed robbery at a Family Dollar in south Wichita, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Toney D. Williams, 25, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on Oct. 1, 2019, he displayed a handgun when he robbed a Family Dollar at 2301 S. Seneca.

Sentencing is set for April 13. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 84 months in federal prison.

McAllister commended the FBI, the Wichita Police Department, the Safe Streets Task Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man pleaded guilty today to driving the getaway car in a series of commercial robberies, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Shaiquille Harris, 26, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In his plea, Harris admitted participating in robberies at the following stores:

• Kwik Shop, 710 W. 29th, Wichita, Kan.
• Kwik Shop, 3959 S. Hydraulic, Wichita, Kan.
• Kwik Shop, 3601 E. 47th South, Wichita, Kan.
• QuikTrip, 2821 E. 31st South, Wichita, Kan.

 

Harris admitted that in each case he drove and a co-defendant entered the store to commit the robbery.

 

Co-defendant Brelen VonFange, 28, Wichita, Kan., is awaiting trial.

 

Sentencing for Harris is set for April 13. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each robbery count and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. 

 

McAllister commended the FBI, the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A contract mail truck driver for the U.S. Postal Service was sentenced today to two years on federal probation for stealing money from the mail, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, he was ordered to pay more than $3,000 restitution.

David A. Logan, 51, Fort Scott, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of mail theft. In his plea, he admitted stealing money from pieces of mail on his route. In one count, he admitted stealing two pieces of mail containing $50 and $675. In the other count, he admitted stealing three pieces of mail containing $100, $130 and $70. The crimes occurred in Chanute, Kan.

McAllister commended the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. – Two men were indicted Wednesday on federal charges arising from an armed bank robbery at a Topeka bank in December, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Shawn Lamar Whitmore Jr., 21, Topeka, Kan., was charged with one count of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the robbery. Mylus Michael Oneal Jr., 36, Topeka, Kan., was charged with one count of accessory after the fact and one count of possessing stolen money.

One indictment alleges Whitmore brandished a firearm on Dec. 28, 2019, when he robbed Intrust Bank at 1035 Southwest Topeka Blvd. The other indictment alleges Oneal became an accessory after the fact to the robbery and on Jan. 2, 2020, was found with money stolen from the bank.

If convicted, Whitmore could face up 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the robbery charge and not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on the brandishing charge. The Topeka Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Antonio Duane Simpson, 43, currently in custody in Missouri, is charged with one count of count of carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm during the crime. The indictment alleges that on Dec. 3, 2018, in Topeka, Kan., Simpson stole a 2013 Toyota Tacoma from the owner.

If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the carjacking charge and not less than 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. The FBI and the Topeka Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.

 

Sergio Martinez-Carlos, 21, Monahan, Ariz., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute almost 32 pounds of methamphetamine. The defendant initially was charged Dec. 27 in a criminal complaint alleging the Kingman County Sheriff’s Office stopped the defendant’s vehicle and discovered the drugs hidden in speakers in the vehicle.

If convicted, the defendant could face a sentence of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Kingman County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Andrusak is prosecuting.

 

Adrian Vargas-Ramirez, 38, of Paramount, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct., 17, 2019, in Ellsworth County, Kan.

If convicted, the defendant could face a sentence of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting.

 

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas building contractor pleaded guilty today to conspiring to deprive the city of Lawrence of sales tax revenues in connection with the development of a seven-story hotel adjacent to the University of Kansas campus.

          Thomas S. Fritzel, 54, Lawrence, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of criminal conspiracy. Fritzel, part owner and manager of Oread Inn LC, was a party to an agreement with the city to finance the more than $40 million hotel project, including $11 million worth of street repairs and a public parking garage.

Oread Inn LC was to pay all costs up front and to be repaid $11 million for public improvements. The money to repay Oread Inn LC was to come from an incremental increase in property tax, a sales tax and an additional 1 percent tax on sales within a portion of the redevelopment district.

          In his plea, Fritzel admitted that he and others caused false monthly Kansas sales tax returns to be submitted to the state of Kansas. The reports classified certain sales as occurring within the redevelopment district when in fact they occurred outside the district. As a result, the city of Lawrence lost a portion of sales taxes it was due.

          The city of Lawrence filed a civil lawsuit against Fritzel seeking the lost revenue and the parties settled that case in 2017.

          Sentencing in the criminal case is set for May 4. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 12 months and a day in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the Lawrence Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway prosecuted.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita computer programmer was sentenced today to three years federal probation and a $2,000 fine for threatening cyberattacks against two web sites that posted criticism of Wichita lawyer Brad Pistotnik, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

David Dorsett, 37, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of making extortionate threats via the internet. In his plea, Dorsett admitted he contacted Pistotnik in September 2014 offering reputation management services. Pistotnik met with Dorsett and showed him postings on the internet that Pistotnik wanted removed, including a Kansas Supreme Court disciplinary opinion for Pistotnik and a negative consumer review. Email communications between Dorsett and Pistotnik showed Postnik saying, “Any luck removing that bad website I showed you?” and “tell me how we get rid of it.”

Dorsett sent a barrage of emails to two web sites, leagle.com and RipoffReport.com demanding they remove information critical of Pistotnik. The emails read in part, “If you don’t remove it we will begin targeting your advertisers and explain that this will stop happening to them once they pull their ads…” Dorsett billed Pistotnik for sending the threats and Pistotnik paid him by check the same day.

Co-defendant Pistotnik was sentenced in October 2019 to pay a $375,000 fine and $55,200 in restitution.

McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A retired city clerk of Caney, Kan. was sentenced Thursday to three years on federal probation for embezzling city funds, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. The defendant also was ordered to pay more than $150,000 in restitution.

Carole Sue Coker, 70, Oronogo, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Coker, who served as city clerk for about 40 years, admitted she took money from payments made to the city in the form of cash and checks.

In some cases, she did not deposit cash payments from customers into the city’s accounts. In other cases, she deposited only a portion of payments made in the form of checks.

McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced today to 71 months in federal prison for a robbery in which more than 75 cell phones were stolen from a Sprint store, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Xavier Lopez, 26, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, he admitted he served as a lookout while co-defendant Camarin McPherson, 26, Wichita, Kan., robbed a Sprint store at 530 S. West St. in Wichita. McPherson brandished a firearm and hog-tied a clerk with zip ties before taking 54 Apple iPhones and 24 Samsung Galaxy phones with a total estimated value of more than $60,000.

The robbers were arrested after a chase ended in a wreck at Kellogg and Meridian.

McPherson was sentenced last month to 162 months in federal prison. McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty today to robbing a bank, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Jeremy Vos, 21, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on July 23, 2019, he robbed Intrust Bank at 5500 E. Harry. He gave the teller a handwritten note saying, “This is a robbery. No (dye) bags. I have a gun.” Police arrested Vos the same day as the robbery.

Wichita police reported Vos had made a false report to 911 shortly before the robbery.

Sentencing is set for March 6. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Jason Hart for their work on the case.

WASHINGTON – A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to murdering his longtime girlfriend during a cruise from Florida to the Bahamas in January 2018.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Rachel L. Rojas of the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office made the announcement.

Eric Duane Newman, 55, of Topeka, Kansas, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson of the District of Kansas to one count of murder in the second degree for killing Tamara Tucker with malice aforethought.

According to the admissions made in connection with the plea, Newman and Tucker boarded the Carnival Elation cruise ship on Jan. 18, 2019, in Jacksonville, Florida, to take a round-trip voyage to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Newman and Tucker were staying together in a cabin room on the 13th deck of the cruise ship.

Before midnight on Jan. 18, Newman became involved in a verbal argument with Tucker inside their cabin room. At approximately 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 19, Newman physically attacked Tucker, and strangled her by placing both of his hands around her neck. In the process of strangling her, Newman pushed Tucker over the cabin room balcony railing causing her to fall to her death onto the 11th deck. Ms. Tucker died from blunt force trauma as a result of the fall. At the time, the cruise ship was sailing on the high seas in international water, approximately 30 nautical miles from New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Sentencing has been scheduled for March 18, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson.

The FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI’s Topeka Field Office. Trial Attorney Rami S. Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine E. Kenney of the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Office of the Attorney General also provided assistance.

A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to murdering his longtime girlfriend during a cruise from Florida to the Bahamas in January 2018.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Rachel L. Rojas of the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office made the announcement.

Eric Duane Newman, 55, of Topeka, Kansas, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson of the District of Kansas to one count of murder in the second degree for killing Tamara Tucker with malice aforethought.

According to the admissions made in connection with the plea, Newman and Tucker boarded the Carnival Elation cruise ship on Jan. 18, 2019, in Jacksonville, Florida, to take a round-trip voyage to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.  Newman and Tucker were staying together in a cabin room on the 13th deck of the cruise ship.

Before midnight on Jan. 18, Newman became involved in a verbal argument with Tucker inside their cabin room.  At approximately 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 19, Newman physically attacked Tucker, and strangled her by placing both of his hands around her neck.  In the process of strangling her, Newman pushed Tucker over the cabin room balcony railing causing her to fall to her death onto the 11th deck.  Ms. Tucker died from blunt force trauma as a result of the fall.  At the time, the cruise ship was sailing on the high seas in international water, approximately 30 nautical miles from New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Sentencing has been scheduled for March 18, 2020, before Chief U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson.

The FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI’s Topeka Field Office. Trial Attorney Rami S. Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine E. Kenney of the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Office of the Attorney General also provided assistance. 

Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the launch of Operation Relentless Pursuit, an initiative aimed at combating violent crime in seven of America’s most violent cities – including the combined metropolitan area of Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas - through a surge in federal resources.

“Americans deserve to live in safety,” said Barr. “And while nationwide violent crime rates are down, many cities continue to see levels of extraordinary violence. Operation Relentless Pursuit seeks to ensure that no American city is excluded from the peace and security felt by the majority of Americans, while also supporting those who serve and protect in these communities with the resources, training, and equipment they need to stay safe.”

Joined at a press conference in Detroit, Michigan, by ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo, DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and U.S. Marshals Service Director Donald W. Washington, Barr pledged to intensify federal law enforcement resources in Kansas City, Albuquerque, Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Memphis, and Milwaukee – seven American cities with violent crime levels several times the national average.

U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister in Kansas and U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison in the Western District of Missouri, along with the federal law enforcement heads based in the Kansas City metropolitan area, announced their participation immediately following the Attorney General’s press conference.

“I am excited about this opportunity for the Kansas City metro area to take part in a program that will provide us more manpower and more money to fight crime,” McAllister said. “Relentless Pursuit will help us reach our goal of making everyone in our community safer. As the name of the operation indicates, we won’t stop until we achieve the goal of reducing violence in Kansas City.”

“Kansas City, which has been wracked by too much violence for too long, is participating in this national initiative to focus more federal law enforcement resources where they are needed most,” Garrison said. “Operation Relentless Pursuit will deploy more agents and officers with additional resources to confront the epidemic of violent crime in our community. The very name of this operation – Relentless Pursuit – is a warning to violent criminals: We will not stop until you are behind bars.”

“Driven by crime-gun intelligence, including the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, firearms tracing data and our experience and expertise in investigating violent gun crime, ATF, as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit, will continue to identify and hold accountable the trigger pullers and firearms traffickers that expose our neighborhoods to violence,” said Marino Vidoli, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Kansas City Field Division.

“This operation will allow the DEA to enhance our existing forces in an effort to disrupt and dismantle violent drug trafficking organizations operating in the Kansas City metro area,” said Special Agent in Charge William Callahan. “These traffickers - including cartels and street gangs - will stop at nothing to turn a profit, often using violence and intimidation to expand their network.”

“The FBI remains committed to combatting violent crime throughout our city,” said Timothy R. Langan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Kansas City Division. “Through Operation Relentless Pursuit we will enhance existing forces to direct additional manpower and resources to target the hierarchy of criminal gangs and enterprises. Along with our federal, state and local partners we remain steadfast in our pursuit to dismantle and incapacitate the worst offenders responsible for violence in our community.”

“The U.S. Marshals Service will provide focused relentless pursuit of the most violent fugitives impacting the greater Kansas City area,” said U.S. Marshal Mark James of the Western District of Missouri. “We appreciate Attorney General Barr’s commitment of resources to help us in this fight.”

“Reducing violent crime in Kansas City will take a partnership involving law enforcement and the community,” said U.S. Marshal Ron Miller of the District of Kansas. “The U.S. Marshals Service is proud to work with our community every day, removing the most violent criminals from our streets.”

Operation Relentless Pursuit will involve increasing the number of federal law enforcement officers to the selected cities, as well as bulking up federal task forces through collaborative efforts with state and local law enforcement partners. The surge in federal agents will be complemented by a financial commitment of up to $71 million in federal grant funding that can be used to hire new officers, pay overtime and benefits, finance federally deputized task force officers, and provide mission-critical equipment and technology.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Shaun Salazar, 59, Bonner Springs, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Dec. 15, 2018, in Wyandotte County, Kan.

According to documents filed in court, when Bonner Springs police attempted to stop the defendant’s car officers saw several objects being thrown from the car. Items recovered included a ziplock bag of methamphetamine, a .45-caliber handgun and a magazine containing ammunition. Inside the car, officers found a .380-caliber pistol and two baggies of methamphetamine.

If convicted, he could face not less than five years and not more than 40 years on the drug charge, not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession by a felon. The Bonner Springs Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

         

Jesus Labrado, 27, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 16, 2019, in Wyandotte County, Kan.

If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania is prosecuting.

 

Joshua A. Chase, 35, is charged with escaping from federal custody at the Grossman Community Corrections Center in Leavenworth, Kan. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 13, 2019.

If convicted, he could face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt is prosecuting.

 

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

 

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WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced Monday to 70 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Jason E. Silcott, 30, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a sawed off shotgun and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In his plea, he admitted that on May 27, 2018, Wichita police stopped him with a short barreled shotgun in his vehicle. The shotgun was not registered as required by federal law. On Dec. 5, 2018, Wichita police stopped him and found a .380 caliber handgun in a glove compartment of his vehicle. Because of a prior felony conviction, Silcott was prohibited from having a firearm.

McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. - A Cherryvale, Kan., man pleaded guilty today to federal charges of sexually exploiting minors, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Austin Ballew, 21, Cherryvale, Kan., pleaded guilty to five counts of sexually exploiting a child and three counts of sex trafficking of a minor. In his plea, Ballew admitted he used Facebook to pose as an African-American teenager or young man to communicate with minor females in southeast Kansas towns. An investigation began when a victim’s parents contacted the Independence (Kansas) Police Department. Investigators learned that Ballew, calling himself Deandre Johnson, was soliciting other minor females for sex acts and child pornography.

Ballew offered victims money and marijuana to send him sexually explicit videos of themselves. He also threatened victims that he would make their videos public unless they kept cooperating with him.

Sentencing is set for March 23. The parties have agreed to ask the court for a sentence somewhere in a range of 15 years to 25 years in federal prison. McAllister commended the Independence Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A former vice president of the First National Bank of Harveyville, Kan., pleaded guilty to a federal charge of embezzlement, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today. The defendant also agreed to make restitution of approximately $107,175

Debra Kay Converse, 60, Harveyville, Kan., pleaded guilty Monday to one count of embezzlement. In her plea agreement, Converse admitted that in April 2019 the president of First National Bank reported to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff that he believed Converse had embezzled from the bank while she was vice president. The bank’s investigation focused on what Converse claimed were glitches in software. On March 29, 2019, Converse resigned from the bank and the bank initiated an audit. The bank also learned that Converse, while serving as City Treasurer for Harveyville wrote $5,700 in checks payable to First National Bank for processing residents’ utility payments. Rather than crediting the revenue to the bank, she cashed the checks.

Sentencing is set for March 9. She could face up to 30 years in federal prison. McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - An Overland Park woman is scheduled to appear in court this week on a federal interstate prostitution charge, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.

Chunqui Wu, 61, Overland Park, Kan., is charged with one count of transportation with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. An indictment alleges Wu owned or operated three massage parlors: Alpha Massage at 116 S. Clairborne, #A, in Olathe, Kan.; A Plus Massage at 527 N. Mur-Len Road, in Olathe, Kan.; and King Spa at 13104 State Line Road in Leawood, Kan.

Documents filed in federal court say investigators worked with an undercover confidential source who contacted Wu and asked for a job working in Wu’s massage parlors. An investigator’s affidavit alleges Wu made statements indicating she allowed her employees to perform sexual services for tips. Other investigators working undercover confirmed that employees in Wu’s massage parlors were offering sexual services to customers.

Wu was arrested when she went to the Kansas City International airport in Kansas City, Mo., to meet the undercover confidential source and transport her back to Kansas to work in one of Wu’s massage parlors.

Wu is scheduled for an arraignment Dec. 20 in federal court in Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, Wu could face up to 10 years in federal prison. The Olathe Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

WICHITA, KAN. - A grant from the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs will support the drug court program in Ellis County, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.

Ellis County will receive $406,366 as part of more than $333 million in Justice Department grants announced today to fight the opioid crisis across the nation.

“Drug courts are proven to reduce recidivism and increase the likelihood of rehabilitation,” McAllister said.

Funding for the grant to Ellis County comes from the Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program, Category 2. The grant supports enhancement of fully operational drug courts that incorporate the evidence-based principles included in the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ Adult Drug Courts Best Practice Standards.

Kansas received a total of $30.9 million in grant awards from OJP in fiscal year 2019.

Information about the programs and awards announced today is available here. For more information about OJP awards, visit the OJP Awards Data webpage .

KANSAS CITY – A new Kansas City Metro OCDETF Strike Force is targeting drug traffickers and violent criminals on both sides of the state line, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister in Kansas and U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison in the Western District of Missouri announced today.

McAllister and Garrison held a joint press conference to announce that local, state, and federal law enforcement officers are working together on Strike Force cases.

“The Strike Force already is conducting investigations and filing charges against the criminals who are poisoning our community with drugs and violence,” McAllister said. “Crime does not stop at the state line and neither does the Strike Force.”

“This new Strike Force presents a united front against drug trafficking and violent crime throughout the metropolitan area,” Garrison said. “We are marshaling agents and officers from both Missouri and Kansas under the same roof and equipping them with additional investigative resources to better protect our community from the violent scourge of drug trafficking.”

The Strike Force, which launched in April 2019, is targeting drug trafficking organizations that are making the streets of metro Kansas City less safe and more violent by importing large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs from Mexico and elsewhere.

 

JOINS OCDETF STRIKE FORCES NATIONWIDE

The Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) oversees the Strike Force initiative. Kansas City joins OCDETF Strike Forces in major cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, North Texas, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, San Juan, Southeast Michigan, and Tampa.

 The OCDETF Strike Force in metro Kansas City includes members from the FBI, DEA, and ATF, as well as the police departments in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Kansas and the Western District of Missouri will prosecute the Strike Force’s cases in federal court.

MISSION: DISRUPT, DISMANTLE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS

The goal of the Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations, including gangs, cartels, and others that are trafficking in drugs and firearms, or engaging in money laundering.

Participating agencies have agreed to assign full-time personnel to the Strike Force. Police officers, federal agents, and prosecutors are working together under one roof. For security reasons, the location will not be made public.

An FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge manages the Strike Force’s three teams: a major crime squad, a major threat squad, and a fugitive squad. A Strike Force Executive Council, whose members include both U.S. Attorneys, will oversee the Strike Force.

CASES FILED

As an example of the work of the Kansas City Metro OCDETF Strike Force, an investigation across state lines resulted in separate indictments being brought in both Kansas and Missouri last month.

In Kansas City, Kansas, the Strike Force investigated a case (U.S. v. Jose Manuel Delgado-Hernandez, et al.) that resulted in federal drug conspiracy charges against six men who are accused of distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl that came to Kansas through a pipeline that begins in Mexico.

The indictment alleges the organization’s distributors at the street level were operating within 1,000 feet of Kensington Park playground and Wyandotte High School.

During the investigation, law enforcement seized 19 pounds of methamphetamine, 66 pounds of marijuana, and firearms, including handguns and a military style rifle.

In Kansas City, Missouri, the parallel Strike Force investigation resulted in a case (U.S. v. Christie D. Holloway, et al) that included federal drug conspiracy charges against four defendants who are accused of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. One of the defendants is accused of illegally possessing a firearm

Other Strike Force cases include:

• U.S. v. Luis Martinez-Carrango, et al.: Agents seized more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine when they served a search warrant at a house in Kansas City, Kansas. Fourteen defendants were charged in a 33-count grand jury indictment. During the investigation, the agents also seized approximately 140 gallons of liquid methamphetamine being transported from Douglas County, Kansas, to Lees Summit, Missouri.

• US v. Lionel Simpson: In November, Simpson was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to selling crack cocaine to undercover agents during meetings in grocery store parking lots and gas stations in Kansas City, Kansas. He was arrested with a backpack containing gloves, a mask, a gun, and a 50-round magazine. He said he kept it in case he ever ran into a rival gang member who was responsible for the death of his sister.
• U.S. v. Jovanny Medina, et al.: Medina was indicted Oct. 23, 2019. The indictment alleges he was arrested during the unloading of 35 pounds of methamphetamine from a car hauler truck in the parking lot of a Dollar General in Kansas City, Kansas.
• U.S. v. Ladele D. Smith, et al.: Twenty defendants were indicted for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Approximately 200 federal agents and local law enforcement officers were involved in an Oct. 2, 2019, operation in which most of the defendants were arrested. During the operation, officers seized 23 firearms, heroin and other illegal drugs, and $75,000 in cash. The indictment alleges the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute at least a kilogram of heroin, as well as cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone, codeine, and marijuana.

 

The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

 

STATEMENTS FROM PARTNERS

 

Agency officials who are working with the Strike Force made the following statements:
 

• Timothy Langan, FBI Special Agent Charge, Kansas City Division: “The creation of the KC Metro OCDETF Strike Force provides a collaborative effort, serving as a force multiplier to effectively protect the public, by targeting the command structure of major international and interstate drug organizations.  We have already seen success with the establishment of this task force locally, through the recent indictment and arrest of multiple subjects in an ongoing drug conspiracy investigation in the Western District of Missouri.  That investigation, as well as future investigations, will aim at dismantling, disrupting and prosecuting the hierarchy of these organizations through a concerted effort of federal, state and local law enforcement.”
• Erik Smith, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge: “The DEA Kansas City District Office is pleased to collaborate with our federal, state, and local partners in this Strike Force endeavor. The prevalence of drugs and violence is a threat to this community, and a concerted focus on addressing these threats is required from all federal, state, and local law enforcement. We are committed to doing our part.”
• Marino Vidoli, ATF Special Agent in Charge: “ATF’s unique expertise in using crime gun intelligence to identify those involved in gun crime and our experience in investigating how firearms are acquired by violent criminals in our communities, allows us to be an integral part of the Strike Force efforts to find, and hold accountable those responsible for violent crime. The Strike Force strengthens ATF’s long standing tradition of partnering with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to reduce violence and make our communities safer.”
• Richard Smith, Chief of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department: “Drugs and violence have no boundaries in Kansas City or the metropolitan area. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Strike Force to combat violence and provide a safer community for all. Working together provides additional tools and resources to identify violent offenders and remove them from our streets.”
• Michael York, Chief of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department: “The Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department is looking forward to working with our federal partners and local agencies with the hopes of reducing violent crime not just in our city but the entire metropolitan area. The new Metro Strike Force will be a force multiplier for agencies that are dealing with violent crime such as homicides and drive by shootings. We have already experienced success in the short time that Strike Force has been operational.”
• Ron Miller, U.S. Marshal of the District of Kansas, and Mark James, U.S. Marshal of the Western District of Missouri: “The U.S. Marshals Service looks forward to combining its fugitive targeting expertise with the overall significant drug and violent crime investigations pursued by the KC Metro OCDETF Strike Force. Together, we are a stronger force against criminal organizations impacting the Greater Kansas City area.”
• Paul Shade, U.S. Postal Inspection Service: “Our agency will assist in any matters that involve criminal activity while using the USPS to further their crimes. This includes but is not limited to the trafficking of narcotics and narcotics related U.S. currency being shipped through the mail.”
• Karl Stiften, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge: “IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI) is a proud participant of the KC Metro OCDETF Strike Force.  CI special agents contribute our financial investigative skills to track and seize proceeds of illegal activities from the criminals involved. Pooling the skills and resources of each agency makes a formidable team.”

 

The prosecutions announced in this release were brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s OCDETF Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led, co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime.

 

OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s illicit drug reduction strategy.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

 

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A second Florida man who planted credit card skimming devices on ATMs in Kansas was sentenced today to two years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Anderson Eduardo Seijas Chavez, 30, Miami, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud. Last week, co-defendant Carlos Alberto Campos Rojas, 29, Summerfield, Fla., was sentenced to 24 months after pleading guilty to the same count.

In his plea, Chavez admitted placing skimming devices and pinhole cameras on ATMs in Overland Park and Olathe. A corporate security officer notified local police, who did surveillance to identify a rental car that visited the ATMs on a daily basis. They followed the car back to a hotel in Kansas City, Mo.

McAllister commended the Overland Park and Olathe police departments, the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas City, Kan., who barricaded himself in an apartment when police responded to a call of a domestic disturbance, was sentenced today to 94 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Nikko D. Pike, 38, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In his plea, he admitted that on April 2, 2017, he was involved in a domestic disturbance with a woman. During the argument he discharged a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson that required the victim to seek treatment in an emergency room at University of Kansas Medical Center.

When officers arrived, they saw Pike with a gun protruding from his pocket. Pike barricaded himself in an apartment before surrendering to police. Police found the pistol hidden a child’s bedroom closet.

At the time of the crime, Pike was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a prior felony conviction. He was convicted in Wyandotte County District Court in 2009 on a charge of aggravated battery.

McAllister commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. - A jury today found a known gang member in Wichita guilty on a federal firearm charge, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Emanuel E. Goines, Jr., 30, Wichita, Kan., was convicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

During, trial prosecutors presented evidence that the investigation began June 22, 2019, following the fatal shooting of Justin Green. Officers learned Goines was present at the homicide, along with Quantezz Butler, another known gang member. On June 25, 2019, Wichita police were looking for Butler to question him when they saw live video clips on social media showing four men in a Trailblazer who were attending the funeral of Freddy Trezvant, another known gang member. Officers tried to stop the Trailblazer, which pulled away. During a pursuit, Goines was seen jumping out of the car and running behind a house at 1528 N. Belmont. He appeared to be carrying a gun.

Police lost sight of Goines until they saw him walking hurriedly near 14th and Broadview, where they arrested him. They recovered a handgun from the backyard of 1528 N. Belmont.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 24, 2020. Goines could face up to 10 years in federal prison. McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - Kansas is receiving more than $2.6 million in federal grants to enhance public safety, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.

The money is part of more than $376 million in awards announced today by the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs.

“We’re working with our state and local agencies to make Kansas safer,” McAllister said. “These grants are designed to give Kansas law enforcement the flexibility to spend the money based on the needs in their own communities.”

The executive office of the state of Kansas has been granted more than $1.94 million from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. The funds can be used for a variety of purposes including multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces, crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, justice information sharing initiatives and other programs aimed at reducing crime or enhancing the safety of the public and law enforcement officers.

Other grants include:

$23,873: Leavenworth Police Department In-Car Upgrade Project.

$388,020: Sedgwick County, JAG Public Safety Modernization Program

$98,777: Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, Leadership Training, ALPR/EOD and SOU Equipment.
$19,427: Riley County, Portable Communications Implementation.

$71,199: City of Topeka, JAG grant.

$22,101: City of Hutchinson, Emergency Response team rifles and accessories.

$14,240: Emergency Communication Equipment Upgrades.

$30,123: City of Lawrence, Digital Multimedia Evidence Acquisition and analysis.

$71,071: City of Olathe.

“Crime and violence hold families, friends and neighborhoods hostage, and they rip communities apart,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These programs help restore the health and safety of crime-ravaged communities by supporting prevention activities, aiding in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators, facilitating appropriate sentencing and adjudication, and providing communities and their residents the means for recovery and healing.”

The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.

 

 

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Florida man who planted credit card skimming devices on ATMs in Kansas was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Carlos Alberto Campos Rojas, 29, Summerfield, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud. In his plea, he admitted placing skimming devices and pinhole cameras on ATMs in Overland Park and Olathe. A corporate security officer notified local police, who did surveillance to identify a rental car that visited the ATMs on a daily basis. They followed the car back to a hotel in Kansas City, Mo.

McAllister commended the Overland Park and Olathe police departments, the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A man from Houston was sentenced today to four years in federal prison for driving a load of methamphetamine to Kansas, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Osiel Armando Siquerios, 28, El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted police in Lawrence, Kan., stopped his car Feb. 26, 2017, on the Kansas Turnpike in Douglas County. Officers found approximately 12 pounds of methamphetamine in a compartment hidden beneath the back seat of the car. Siqueiros was taking the drugs to Kansas City.

McAllister commended the Lawrence Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man who said he killed another man in self-defense was indicted today on federal firearm and drug charges, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister

 

Dalton Patterson, 26, Wichita, Kan., was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and two counts of unlawful possession of firearms by a user of controlled substances.

 

          On October 18, 2019, Wichita police reported that Patterson shot and killed Charles Cunningham during a fight. Police said Cunningham physically attacked Patterson and Patterson shot him.

 

          The federal charges allege that on the day of the shooting Patterson possessed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment also alleges that while Patterson was a user of controlled substances he unlawfully possessed a 9 mm Ruger handgun on Nov. 1, 2019, and a .380 caliber Cobra handgun on Nov. 8, 2019.

 

          If convicted, he could face a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison on the drug charge, not less than five years on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and up to 10 years on each count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.

         

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

          Jesus Lora-Ramirez, 21, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Nov. 22, 2019, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

 

          If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison. Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

 

          Terry DeShawn Bennett, 32, Wichita, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances and one count possession of cocaine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 29, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

 

          If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison on each of the firearm charges and up to a year on the drug charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

 

          Jorge Contreras, 42, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 10, 2018, in Chase County, Kan.

 

          If convicted, he could face up to two years in federal prison. Homeland Security Investigations (ICE) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

 

 

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

 

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WICHITA, KAN. - The former operator of the water system in Garden Plain, Kan., was sentenced today to a year on federal probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine for falsifying a report on the quality of the city’s drinking water, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Arthur Wolfe, 64, Norwich, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of a making a false statement in a report to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment that was required by the Environmental Protection Agency. Wolfe certified a bacteriological report that falsely represented water samples taken at the water treatment plant as samples taken at other locations.

McAllister commended the Environmental Protection Agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to swindling the buyer of an online pharmacy business, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Jeffrey P. Wilson, 37, Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In his plea, Wilson admitted he placed an ad on Craigslist offering to sell Medx1.com, an online pharmacy business he claimed used a fulfillment pharmacy in India. When a man from Texas responded, Wilson made false statements and sent him fabricated bank records for the business. Wilson claimed the business was generating gross revenues of $15,000 to $40,000 a month, which was not true.

After paying Wilson $120,000, the victim learned the business had virtually no revenue and the website for the business had been shut down because Wilson failed to pay for monthly maintenance and hosting.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 18. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - An Arizona man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for trafficking in heroin and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Devonte Jemell Starks, 30, Phoenix, Ariz., was convicted in a jury trial in April 2019 on count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

During trial, the prosecutor presented evidence that Starks was one of four people in a car that the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped on Sept. 17, 2018, in Shawnee County. Troopers found more than 8 pounds of heroin and 4 pounds of fentanyl in the car.

McAllister commended the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man was convicted in a jury trial in federal court today on drug trafficking and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Dennis Dean Neff, 63, Topeka, Kan., was convicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Holton Middle School (count one), one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count two), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon (count three) and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Meadows Elementary School in Topeka (count four).

During trial, the prosecutor presented evidence that on Nov. 27, 2018, Neff was found at a residence in Holton. He possessed 73.8 grams of methamphetamine and a 9 mm Bersa pistol. On Feb. 12, 2019, he was arrested with 18 grams of methamphetamine and $6,327 in cash.

Sentencing will be set for a later date. He could face not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on count one, not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on count two, ten years and a fine up to $250,000 on count three, and not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on count four.

McAllister commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced today to 162 months in federal prison for robbery, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Camarin McPherson, 26, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on April 25, 2019, he brandished a firearm and held a clerk at gunpoint at the Sprint store at 530 S. West Street in Wichita. He hogtied the clerk and stole 54 Apple iPhones and 24 Samsung Galaxy phones.

McAllister commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case. This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Justice Department initiative to reduce violent crime.

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty today to a federal gambling charged and agreed to forfeit $97,600 derived from gambling proceeds, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. He was sentenced today to 12 months on supervised federal probation.

Johnny Steven, 41, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to the unlawful transmission of wagering information. In his plea, Steven admitted he acted in cooperation with co-defendant Daven Flax, who was conducting illegal private poker games in Wichita.

Participants were notified via text messaging about the games. The texts also contained information about payments or collections of money. After games, Steven concealed the involvement of Flax and others by hiding handwritten ledgers or computerized records detailing gambling credits, earnings and obligations of the gambling business.

McAllister commended the FBI, the Wichita Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison for cyberstalking and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Blake Adam Austin, 35, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking, one count of possessing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.

The investigation began when a middle school teacher in Topeka reported receiving emails from males who wanted to meet her. The males were responding to a Craigslist ad in which someone used the victim’s identity to post sexual content. The problem continued for years until an investigator identified an account Austin was using to post sexual content along with the victim’s contact information.

The victim recognized Austin as someone she had worked with at a coffee shop. He had attempted to initiate a relationship but she had not been interested.

Investigators learned Austin used images of an adult porn star and the victim’s contact information to post ads. He also used images of the victim and her contact information to place half a dozen ads on Craigslist.

On Austin’s laptop, investigators found images of him having sex with a 17-year-old girl. Investigators also learned that Austin uploaded sexually explicit photos of a girl under 15 years old on Skype.

McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A convicted felon who was arrested with firearms and drugs after fleeing from Salina police was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Jason Briscoe, 42, Minneapolis, Kan., was convicted during a jury trial in May on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (count one), one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count two), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count three), two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon (counts four and five), and four counts of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon (counts six, seven, eight and nine).

According to court records, officers of the Salina Police Department encountered Briscoe while they were conducting surveillance of the Red Coach hotel. When police stopped Briscoe’s car, Briscoe ran from the car carrying a handgun in his right hand. During the chase, Briscoe dropped the gun and a bag that contained methamphetamine and a second firearm.

McAllister commended the Salina Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Justice Department initiative aimed at reducing gun violence.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man pleaded guilty today to an attempted robbery at a liquor store, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Joseph Bryant Toole, III, 36, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery of a commercial business. In his plea, he admitted that on Nov. 2, 2018, he and a juvenile male attempted a robbery at Lynn’s Liquor, 3335 SW Gage Blvd. in Topeka. However, the door was locked and they were unable to enter the business. They were wearing blue bandanas over their faces and carrying what appeared to be a handgun.

Investigators were able to identify a vehicle that led them to the defendant.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 24. He could face a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. McAllister commended the FBI, the Topeka Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A California man who was arrested on his way to Kansas City pleaded guilty today to smuggling heroin and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Allan Bryan DeJesus, 39, Bakersfield, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. In his plea, he admitted he was on his way to Kansas City on Jan. 5, 2019, when the Kansas Highway Patrol pulled him over on I-70 in Thomas County. In DeJesus’ vehicle, a trooper found two pounds of heroin and 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 3, 2019. He could face a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $5 million. McAllister commended the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind for their work on the case.