District of Kansas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Leawood Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Leawood attorney admitted today that he concealed his assets and income in an effort to keep the Internal Revenue Service from collecting more than $132,000 in taxes he owed, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
David B. Mandelbaum, Leawood, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. In his plea, he admitted he owed more than $132,000 from the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 tax years. He concealed his assets and income from the IRS by setting up bank accounts under other identities and making false statements. He also kept personal money in a trust account that was supposed to include only funds belonging to clients, in order to hide that money from the IRS.
Sentencing is set for October 29. He faces a penalty of up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. He agreed to pay restitution of slightly more than $202,000, which includes penalties and interest. The Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.
Indictment: Woman Serving Fraud Sentence Walked Away from Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Texas woman was charged today with escaping from custody at a halfway house where she was serving a sentence for fraud, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Chrystal Rippey, 38, formerly of Marshall, Texas, is charged with one count of escaping federal custody. In May 2015, she was sentenced to five years in federal prison for wire fraud. She pleaded guilty to defrauding a Texas couple who gave her more than $22,000 as part of a plan to adopt her unborn twins. In fact, Rippey lied to the couple and she was not pregnant.
On July 17, 2018, Rippey turned up missing from the Grossman Residential Reentry Center in Leavenworth, Kan. She was arrested later in Monroe, La.
If convicted, she faces up to five 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.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Scott Joseph Skibo, 54, Chetopa, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with two new counts, including one count of growing marijuana and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. Charges remaining from an earlier indictment include one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Sept. 18, 2017, in Labette County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Manufacturing marijuana: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession with intent to distribute marijuana: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Labette County Sheriff’s Department and the Chetopa Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting
Carlos Jaquez-Terrazas, 33, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of possessing a firearm while in the United States unlawfully. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 18, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Jose Vincente Lira-Ramirez, 44, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 1, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Ignacio Hernandez-Mendez, 48, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found June 27, 2018, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.Pedro Carrera-Ramos, 27, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 12, 2018, in Johnson County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.
Carlos Ramirez-Reyes, 41, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 7, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Marco Antonio Cardenas-Rodriguez, 40, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 27, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett 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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Former Wichita Police Officer Pleads Guilty, Admits He Knew About Illegal GamblingRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former Wichita police officer pleaded guilty today and admitted he knew about illegal poker games, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Bruce Mackey, 46, Goddard, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony. Mackey admitted that while he was a police officer he knew and did not report individuals who were conducting a gambling business. During an illegal poker game in February 2014, Mackey told the organizers of the game that one of the gamblers was a Wichita police officer working undercover.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 26. He faces a penalty of up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst are prosecuting.
Wichita Woman Pleads Guilty to Gun Store TheftRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita woman pleaded guilty today to prying open a display case and stealing guns from a local store, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Chaelyn Nichole Aaron, 28, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty of one count of theft of firearms. In her plea, she admitted the crime occurred March 28, 2018, at an Atwoods store at 6235 N. Broadway. Aaron went into the store and used a small red crowbar to pry open a display case. She took seven handguns from the case and left the store.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 24. She faces a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. McAllister commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.
Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Buying Two Tiger PeltsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man pleaded guilty in federal court today to making a deal to buy two tiger pelts in violation of the federal Lacey Act, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Ret Thach, 38, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate sale or purchase of animals that are covered by the Endangered Species Act.
In his plea, Thach admitted he made an agreement to pay $8,000 for two tiger pelts to be delivered to him in Wichita. Thach also agreed to pay traveling expenses for a seller from Wisconsin to drive to Wichita to deliver the pelts. Thach did not know that the seller was an agent of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working undercover.
According to court records, the agent informed Thach that selling the pelts across state lines was “absolutely illegal.” Thach told the agent he already owned “a lion and a lot of bears” and wanted to go ahead with the deal to buy the tiger pelts. Thach said he wanted the pelts for his home office.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 26. Thach faces a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
Topeka Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in federal prison for possessing thousands of images of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Ryan J. Singleton, 36, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted emailing child pornography to a user who lived in Nashville. Investigators followed an electronic trail back to Singleton’s home in Topeka. They found more than 2,000 images and more than 6,000 videos of child pornography Singleton had stored on electronic devices.
McAllister commended Homeland Security Investigations and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
Man Sentenced for Smuggling Liquid Methamphetamine to KansasRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Mexican man was sentenced Monday to 12 years in federal prison for his role in smuggling more than 1,000 pounds of liquid methamphetamine into Kansas City, Kan., U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Fernando Chavez-Rodriguez, 43, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was arrested Jan. 13, 2017. Federal agents watched him and others at a business in Kansas City, Kan., unload liquid methamphetamine from a fuel tank on a semi-truck into five-gallon buckets. They loaded the buckets into a white Dodge Caravan.
McAllister commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City DEA Special Response Team, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work the case.
Kansas Man Sentenced to Life for Racially Motivated ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adam W. Purinton, of Olathe, Kansas, was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the February 2017 killing of Indian national Srinivas Kuchibhotla, and shooting of two other men – Indian national Alok Madasani and Kansas resident Ian Grillot – at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, announced Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas, and FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones.
Earlier this year, Purinton pleaded guilty in federal court to hate crime and firearm offenses arising out of the shooting. At his federal guilty-plea hearing, Purinton admitted in open court that he targeted and shot Kuchibhotla and Madasani because of their race, color, and national origin, and that he shot Grillot during an attempt to flee the scene of the crime. Purinton has also pleaded guilty in state court to charges of murder and attempted murder, and has been sentenced to a term of life imprisonment in state prison.
Sunayana Dumala, the widow of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, addressed Purinton in her victim-impact statement: “My husband was more than what you chose to address him as. Always kind, caring, and respectful to others. Srinu and I came to the United States of America full of dreams and aspirations. . . . Now, my American Dream – and that of Srinu’s – is broken. If you could have kept your anger inside and spoke to my husband softly, Srinu would have been more than happy to share his background and help you understand that not every brown skinned person is suspicious or evil, but kind, smart and contributing to America. Instead you chose to rage and bully in anger and when you were stopped, you decided to take their lives. . . . [U]se the time that is being given to you to educate yourself and inform others who are still out in the open and stop them from killing innocent people as you did - choosing violence over kindness.”
"The crimes at issue in this case are detestable," Attorney General Sessions said. "The defendant acted with clear premeditation in murdering one man, and attempting to murder a second man, simply because of their race, religion, and national origin. As a result, a promising young life has been tragically cut short, and other lives have been filled with suffering. Securing this sentence is important not only to the victims and their loved ones, but also to our justice system and our nation as a whole. I want to thank the FBI, our fabulous DOJ attorneys Tris Hunt, David Zabel, and Christopher Perras, as well as our partners at the Olathe Police Department for their hard work on this case. While we cannot undo the irreparable harm that this defendant has done, some measure of justice for the victims' families has been achieved. Such hateful crimes will remain a priority for the Department of Justice."
"No matter who you are, what you believe, or how you worship, you should be able to live without fear of becoming a victim of hate crimes. We hope today's sentencing brings some closure for the victims and their families," said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister for the District of Kansas.
"Today's sentencing speaks to the gravity of this senseless crime and reaffirms the FBI's continued commitment to bring those responsible to justice," said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones.
This case was investigated jointly by the Olathe (KS) Police Department and the Kansas City Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tris Hunt and David Zabel of the District of Kansas, and Trial Attorney Christopher J. Perras of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Indictment: Defendant Left Fingerprint While Robbing a Quik TripRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was indicted Wednesday on charges of robbing a Quik Trip, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Samuel L. Vliet, 25, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of committing a robbery at a commercial establishment. In court documents, investigators allege that on July 18, 2018, Vliet was wearing a red bandana over his mouth when he entered a Quik Trip at 110 S. Rock Road in Wichita. He told a store employee, “Give me all the money in the register.”
Later, police lifted fingerprints from a door that the store employee said the robber touched as he left. A forensic examination using the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) matched the fingerprint to Vliet.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Gregory Ojeda, 30, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with escaping custody. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 13, 2018, while Ojeda was serving home confinement at a residence in Kansas City, Kan., after being convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
If convicted, she faces up to five 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.
Venancio Santiago-Marcelino, 43, who is not a U.S. citizen and who has been living in Mission, Kan., is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after twice being deported. He was found July 12, 2018, in Johnson County Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Kansas City Area Laboratory Owner Convicted of Illegally Storing Hazardous WasteRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a federal judge found Ahmed el-Sherif, the owner, operator, and radiation safety officer for Beta Chem Laboratory in Lenexa, Kansas, guilty of illegally storing hazardous waste in violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister for the District of Kansas, and Jessica Taylor, Director of the Criminal Investigation Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Honorable Julie A. Robinson issued a written verdict following the trial, which took place in February 2018. El-Sherif wanted, and was permitted, to waive his right to a jury trial and the case was heard by Judge Robinson in what is known as a “bench trial.”
El-Sherif, a trained chemist of Leawood, Kansas, started Beta Chem in the mid-1990s after having worked at several other radioactive synthesis laboratories. He used radioactive Carbon-14 and solvents in his operation, under license by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). KDHE has assumed regulatory authority for these purposes from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission under the Atomic Energy Act.
After Beta Chem was unable to provide KDHE with the required financial assurances regarding decommissioning the lab in the event that it was closed, KDHE inspected Beta Chem and discovered extensive radioactive contamination throughout the laboratory, including some parts of the lab with levels so high their instruments could not accurately read them. The radioactive contamination extended to the laboratory furniture, the equipment, including refrigerators, and containers of chemicals that were supposed to be non-radioactive. The next day, KDHE issued an Emergency Order of Suspension of License.
EPA conducted a hazardous waste inspection the same month, and subsequently notified el-Sherif of hazardous waste violations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA also informed el-Sherif of his legal obligation to properly manage hazardous waste under RCRA. During the ensuing years, KDHE communicated with el-Sherif about the radioactive contamination at Beta Chem and they entered into a consent agreement in which he agreed to come up with a plan to remediate and dispose of the radioactive waste. While he engaged a number of consultants, el-Sherif never took any action to actually clean up the lab.
On October 4, 2013, after issuing an Emergency Order to Seize and Secure Radioactive Materials, KDHE took control of Beta Chem and secured the facility. EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, executed a search warrant at Beta Chem on January 22, 2014, where agents discovered numerous containers containing hazardous wastes and contaminated with radiation. EPA determined there to be 1,138 containers at the lab, of which 886 had intact manufacturer labels with no handwriting, which showed many of those to be hazardous. The other containers were field tested for hazardous characteristics before being disposed of. In total, EPA determined there to be over two hundred pounds of hazardous waste, some of which was acute hazardous waste. All of the containers tested were radioactive, and forty-five percent of the contents tested were radioactive.
EPA’s Superfund program spent over $760,000 to remove and dispose of the hazardous waste.
“The public expects and deserves that those in the business of using dangerous radioactive materials do so in compliance with law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This defendant breached that trust, deliberately disobeyed the law, and ignored requests by KDHE and EPA to bring his laboratory into compliance with statutes and regulations designed to protect the public and the environment.”
“For years, the defendant knowingly stored hazardous waste with no regard to the serious public health and environmental dangers it posed,” said Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program for the EPA Regions covering Kansas Jeff Martinez. “Even when told to stop his dangerous practice, Mr. el-Sherif continued to ignore the risks. Yesterday’s guilty verdict should send a clear message that EPA will hold accountable those who willfully violate the law.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood and U.S. Attorney McAllister thanked the U.S. EPA and the FBI for their work in this investigation. This case is being prosecuted by the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice. Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney John E. Arbab with the Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section in Washington, D.C., aided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mattivi, are in charge of the prosecution.
Topeka Man Sentenced for Driving Getaway CarRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison for driving the getaway car during an armed robbery, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Jermaine Tyrell Patton, 30, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting a commercial robbery and one count of aiding and abetting an armed robbery.
In his plea, Patton admitted taking part in a Nov. 5, 2016, robbery at Oakmark Convenience Store at 2518 N.E. Seward Avenue in Topeka. Patton’s accomplice, who was carrying a firearm, entered the store and demanded money. Patton was behind the wheel of a blue PT Cruiser when he and the robber fled the scene. When police stopped the car, both men fled on foot. Patton was quickly arrested.
The other man, Christopher Curtis Harris of Topeka, was arrested and charged in Shawnee County District Court with shooting Topeka Police Detective Brian Hill when Hill tried to arrest him. Harris was convicted and sentenced to life.
McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
Missouri Man Sentenced for Bonner Springs Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City man was sentenced today to 65 months in federal prison for robbing a bank in Bonner Springs, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Timothy Karpovich, 39, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. An affidavit filed in the case alleged that Karpovich robbed the KCB Bank at 13010 Commercial in Bonner Springs. He gave the teller a handwritten note that read, “This is a robbery.” After the teller complied with the demand, Karpovich took the money, and fled the bank on foot.
Police received a tip that the robber gambled regularly at Harrah’s Casino in North Kansas City, Missouri. Casino employees identified Karpovich from a bank surveillance photo. He was arrested without incident at the casino.
McAllister commended the FBI, the Bonner Springs Police Department, the Missouri Highway Patrol Gaming Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug for their work on the case.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Copyright InfringementRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A California man pleaded guilty today to unlawfully selling copyrighted aviation data updates, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Craig M. Vincent, 51, Stockton, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of criminal infringement of a copyright.
In his plea, Vincent admitted he used eBay to resell aviation navigational database updates in violation of Jeppesen Company’s licensing agreement for a trademarked product called NavData. Jeppesen is a Boeing subsidiary. Jeppesen’s NavData includes airport information, runway characteristics, waypoints, arrival routes, departure routes, terminal procedures and general information that a Global Positioning System or flight management computer needs to navigate an airplane to final destination.
Jeppesen sold NavData subscriptions to Kansas-based Garmin, Inc. Garmin received a commission from the sales of Jeppesen data sets. Doing business as Merlin Enterprises, Vincent sold NavData cards and required customers to return old data cards to him.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 15. He faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
Kansas Man Convicted of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Lindsborg, Kansas man who traveled to the Philippines and had sex with minor females there pleaded guilty to three counts of production of child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas made the announcement.
Anthony Shultz, 55, helicopter pilot, was charged by complaint in July 2016 and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Eric F. Melgren of the District of Kansas. Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2018.
According to admissions made in conjunction with the guilty plea, Shultz engaged in sex acts with minor females in the Philippines. He videotaped his sexual encounters with two minors and transported the videos to his home in Kansas. One of the girls was only 12 years old at the time; the other was 15 years old. In one of the videos, Shultz is seen giving the 15-year-old money after having sex with her. Shultz also produced child pornography of an 8-year-old girl in the Philippines by communicating on Skype with the child’s mother and directing the mother to expose the child’s genitals and live-stream it on web camera.
The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Lauren E. Britsch of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart of the District of Kansas prosecuted the case.
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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Kansas Man Convicted of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Lindsborg, Kansas man who traveled to the Philippines and had sex with minor females there pleaded guilty to three counts of production of child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas made the announcement.
Anthony Shultz, 55, helicopter pilot, was charged by complaint in July 2016 and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Eric F. Melgren of the District of Kansas. Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2018.
According to admissions made in conjunction with the guilty plea, Shultz engaged in sex acts with minor females in the Philippines. He videotaped his sexual encounters with two minors and transported the videos to his home in Kansas. One of the girls was only 12 years old at the time; the other was 15 years old. In one of the videos, Shultz is seen giving the 15-year-old money after having sex with her. Shultz also produced child pornography of an 8-year-old girl in the Philippines by communicating on Skype with the child’s mother and directing the mother to expose the child’s genitals and live-stream it on web camera.
The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Lauren E. Britsch of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart of the District of Kansas prosecuted the case.
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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Indictment: Man Behind Cyberattacks Was Working for Wichita LawyerRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita lawyer and a computer software engineer were charged today in a federal indictment alleging they were responsible for cyberattacks on web sites that posted information critical of the lawyer’s work, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Wichita Attorney Bradley A. Pistotnik, 62, and David Dorsett, 36, Wichita, Kan., are charged with five counts of computer fraud and two counts of conspiracy. In addition, Pistotnik is charged with three counts of making false statements to the FBI.
The indictment alleges Pistonik and Dorsett are responsible for cyberattacks on Leagle.com, Ripoffreport.com and JaburgWilk.com. The indictment alleges Dorsett filled the web site’s in-boxes with threats.
One of the emails read: “Remove this page and we stop” and “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 from leagle.com or leagle.com kills this page.”
The indictment alleges that when an FBI agent questioned Pistotnik he made false statements including:
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- Pistotnik claimed Dorsett told him about a negative posting on Riffoffreport.com and offered to remove it. In fact, Pistotnik told Dorsett about the negative posting and said to Dorsett, “tell me how to get rid of it.”
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- Pistotnik claimed that it was a week after Dorsett told him the negative posting had been removed that an attorney for Ripoffreport.com contacted him. In fact, the company’s attorney contacted Pistotnik during the attack and before Pistotnik paid Dorsett for his services.
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- Pistotnik claimed he received two emails from Dorsett relating to the attack on Ripoffreport. In fact, he received four such emails, including an invoice for the attack and one referencing the invoice as well as the method used to make the attack.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Computer fraud: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Conspiracy: Up to 10 years and a fine up to
$250,000.
Making false statements: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
In a superseding indictment that adds three new counts, Shane M. Gaskill, 20, Wichita, Kan., is charged with two additional counts of wire fraud and one additional count of making a false statement to the FBI.
On May 23, an indictment was unsealed charging Gaskill with count of obstruction of justice, one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice and one count of wire fraud. The indictment alleged co-defendant Casey Viner recruited co-defendant Tyler Barriss to make a false call to emergency dispatchers in Wichita aimed at “swatting” Gaskill. As a result, Wichita police responded to what they believed was an emergency involving a fatal shooting at 1033 McCormick.
The new counts allege that after police responded to 1033 McCormick, Gaskill sent two more messages to Barriss. One said: “Do you wanna try again?” In the other message, Gaskill gave Barriss an IP address Gaskill claimed Barriss could use to launch another swatting assault on him. The indictment alleges the IP address did not belong to Gaskill, and Gaskill knew it was not his IP address. Further, it is alleged that when Gaskill was questioned by law enforcement about daring Barriss to “try again” and giving Barriss an IP address, Gaskill falsely told the officer that the IP address was one of his “old” IP addresses. In fact, the IP address belonged to another person in Kansas.
Upon conviction, the new counts carry the following penalties:
Wire fraud: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Making a false statement to the FBI: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
The FBI and the Wichita Police Department investigated. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett are prosecuting.
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Michael D. Golightley, 34, Larned, Kan., is charged with seven counts of damaging a protected computer and one count of threatening to damage a protected computer. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March 2017 in Ellis County, Kan.
The indictment alleges Golightley hired an entity known as DDosCity to carry out a series of denial-of-service attacks against computers served by an internet service provider called Nex-Tec. Nex-Tec provided backup and monitoring Service for Ellis County’s Emergency Medical Service administrative voice lines, Russell County’s hospital voice lines, the Quinter hospital’s voice lines, the Grove County Sheriff’s administrative voice lines, the Russell County Sheriff’s administrative voice lines and the administrative voice lines for the police and fire departments of Russell County.
The indictment alleges Golightley sent an e-mail to Nex-Tec stating: “Take down my ad again when my description doesn’t violate copyright (and) I will violate this site by bringing it offline.”
If convicted, he faces up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the counts. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
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Christian Delgado-Lopez, 29, Dana Point, Calif., is charged with possessing with intent to distribute more than 29 pounds of methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 5, 2018 in Meade County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces 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 Kimberley Rodebaugh is prosecuting.
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In a superseding indictment, Bogdana Alexandrovna Mobley, 37, a citizen of Russia, is charged with four new counts alleging she made threats to her ex-husband in an attempt to extort money from him.
In October 2017 Mobley was indicted on a charge of international kidnapping. The indictment alleged her ex-husband had full legal custody of her two youngest children when she unlawfully took the children to Russia. According to court records, in Skype conversations with her ex-husband she told him to give her money if he wanted to talk to the children.
If convicted on the additional counts, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
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Nelson B. Tolentino-Alas, 41, a citizen of El Salvador, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found June 22, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Lilia Urquidez-Sanchez, 24, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found June 19, 2018, in Gray County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
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Elias Castro-Coj, 42, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found March 3, 2018, in Stanton County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
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Eric Staal, 23, Wichita, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The crimes are alleged to have occurred April 28, 2018, in Butler County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the methamphetamine charge and up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the marijuana charge. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.
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Daniel Wayne Woydziak, 33, Wichita, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in February and June 2018 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on the methamphetamine charge, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each firearm count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.
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Staci Holtsclaw, 34, Wichita, Kan., and Randy Southern, 22, Wichita, Kan, are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of unlawful possession of firearms following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 5, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, they face not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million on the methamphetamine charge and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each firearm count. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.
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Alfredo Nino-Cruz, 29, a citizen of Mexico, is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported (count one), three counts of bank fraud (counts two, four and six), three counts of aggravated identity theft (counts three, five and seven), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction (count eight), one count of unlawful possession of ammunition following a felony conviction (count nine) and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person unlawfully in the United States (count 10).
Upon conviction, crimes carry the following penalties:
Count one: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Counts two, four and six: Up to 30 years and a fine up to $1 million.
Counts three, five and seven: A mandatory two years (consecutive).
Counts eight, nine and 10: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
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Amanda Patrick, 32, Haysville, Kan., is charged with one count of theft by a postal employee. It is alleged she stole a gift card and cash from the mail. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in December 2017 and May 2018 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger 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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Topeka Man Sentenced for Gun Store Break-InRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced to two years in federal prison for a burglary at a gun store, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Darnell Tyree-Peppers, 19, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer. In his plea, he admitted that on July 23, 2017, he and another person broke into Integrity Gun and Pawn, 1949 SW Gage. Surveillance video showed two burglars wearing masks, hooded shirts and gloves smashed the front window of the store. They went straight to a gun case and grabbed eleven handguns before fleeing the scene. The stolen firearms included 9 mm pistols and 40-caliber pistols.
On Aug. 7, 2017, the Nevada Highway Patrol stopped a car in Nevada and seized a Walther .40-caliber pistol that was determined to be one of the stolen guns. Investigators later identified Tyree-Peppers and a juvenile as burglars.
McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the Nevada Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for their work on the case.
Topeka Man Sentenced for Escape from Custody, Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced today to nine years and two months in federal prison for escaping from federal custody and robbing a bank before he was recaptured, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Daniel Lee Dukewits, 40, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of escape from custody and one count of bank robbery. In 2010, Duke was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison for armed robbery. In 2017, he was living at the Mirror Inc. residential re-entry center in Topeka where the Bureau of Prisons had placed him. On Nov. 4, 2017, he turned up missing and his GPS tracking device was found in a trash can in his room.
On Nov. 15, 2017, Dukewits went into the Azura Credit Union at 3623 SE 29th Street in Topeka and demanded money. He was arrested within minutes of the robbery after a pursuit during which he rammed a police car.
McAllister commended the Topeka Police, the U.S. Marshals Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for their work on the case.
Jury Finds Wichita Man Guilty on Meth Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal jury on Thursday convicted a Wichita man on charges of distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Ashton B. Malone, 34, Wichita, Kan., was convicted on two counts of distributing methamphetamine. During trial, the prosecutor presented evidence that in May and June 2017 Malone twice sold more than 41 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover investigator.
The case was part of a yearlong, multi-county investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in south central Kansas.
Malone is set for sentencing Sept. 24. He faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. McAllister commended the Park City Police Department, the KBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst for their work on the case.
Kansas Men Charged with Distributing Child PornRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Kansas men were indicted Wednesday in separate cases on charges of distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Brian Fuchs, 48, Lawrence, Kan., is charged with one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges Fuchs used a peer-to-peer network to share child pornography with other users.
If convicted, he faces not less than five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution charge, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan is prosecuting.
Duane Allen, 54, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges Allen used a peer-to-peer network to share child pornography with other users.
If convicted, he faces not less than five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution charge, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge.
The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan is prosecuting.
Both cases are being prosecuted under the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative. For more information, see the PSC web site at https://www.justice.gov/psc
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Ricky Stevens, 29, Kansas City, Mo., is charged with two counts of stealing gift cards from the mail while he worked for the U.S. Postal Service. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2015 and 2016 in Johnson County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.
Diego Cesar Oyarzun Ruiz, 29, and Jonathan Sebastian Zuniga Contreras, 22, both citizens of Chile who are being held in the Johnson County Adult Detention Center, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In addition, Oyarzun Ruiz is charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. The indictment alleges they used stolen credit cards to buy electronic devices at retail stores, including a Best Buy in Overland Park, Kan.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the wire fraud charge and two years (consecutive) on the identity theft charge. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
Charles W. Ochlech, 46, who is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, is charged with assaulting another inmate at Leavenworth Penitentiary in April 2014.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug are prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Former Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Sentenced for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – Former Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper James Carson was sentenced today to nine months in prison for violating an individual’s civil rights by using excessive force, said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Carson pleaded guilty to one count of violating civil rights in his capacity as a law enforcement officer. In his plea, he admitted he used unreasonable force against a man he arrested, R.T. Carson conducted a lawful arrest and then transported R.T. to the Labette County Jail, where at least five other law enforcement officials were present. As Carson removed R.T. from the patrol vehicle and escorted him into the booking area, R.T.’s hands were cuffed behind his back. Without warning, Carson kicked the legs out from underneath R.T., causing R.T. to crash down on his back onto the floor. Carson admitted in court that he used force against R.T. for the purpose of punishment and not for a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
As part of the plea agreement, Carson agreed to surrender his law enforcement credentials and never again accept any employment related to law enforcement.
McAllister commended FBI, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag of the United States Attorney’s Office and Trial Attorney Rose Gibson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section for their work on the case.
Coffeyville Woman Pleads Guilty in $150,000 Mail FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Coffeyville woman pleaded guilty to stealing $150,000 from a customer at a bank where she worked, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Phyllis Lanning, 61, Coffeyville, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. She admitted that while she worked for Condon National Bank in Coffeyville, Kan., she created and mailed falsified documents in order to conceal the fact she stole $150,000 from a customer’s account. She diverted legitimate monthly statements to a postal box in Bartlesville, Okla., that she controlled. She prepared counterfeit statements and mailed them to the owner of the account. The theft was discovered after the owner of the account died and family members took control of the account.
Sentencing is set for September 24. She faces a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.
U.S. Attorney to Open Human Trafficking Conference in ManhattanRead the Press Release
MANHATTAN, KAN. – U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister will open the 2018 Human Trafficking Conference July 10 in Manhattan, Kan.
McAllister will speak at 8 a.m. Tuesday at the Manhattan Conference Center, 410 S. 3rd Street in Manhattan, to begin the two-day event. About 200 victim service providers, prosecutors, healthcare professionals, educators and law enforcement officers from across the state are registered to attend. The U.S. Attorney’s office is co-sponsoring the event with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, the Riley County Attorney’s Office, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and the Wichita State Midwest Criminal Justice Institute.
“What we all have in common is our desire to prevent human trafficking, to prosecute traffickers and to help survivors reclaim their lives and their freedom,” McAllister said.
The keynote speaker on Tuesday morning will be Peter Qualliotine of King County, Washington, where he is director of Men’s Accountability, Organization for Prostitution Services. He will describe his work with men who buy sex in a 10-week sex-buyer intervention program called Stopping Sexual Exploitation: A Program for Men.
In a presentation on the federal response to human trafficking, speakers from the Human Trafficking Unit of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will discuss working with trafficking victims.
There is a $50 charge to attend and participants must register in advance. For more information, call Kim Reese at 316-617-2734.
Minnesota Man Charged with Kidnapping Kansas GirlRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Minnesota man was charged Monday with kidnapping a 13-year-old Kansas girl and taking her to St. Paul, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Dechon White, 23, St. Paul, Minn., is charged with one count of kidnapping. Documents filed in the case allege White and the victim met online in February 2018. On July 1, White came to visit the victim at her home in Lenexa, Kan. He told the victim’s mother he was 16 years old. During his stay in Lenexa, he had sex with the victim.
On July 4, White and the victim told her mother they were going to a shopping mall. Instead, they went to a Greyhound bus station in Kansas City and took a bus to St. Paul.
After the victim’s mother reported her missing, police found White and the victim at his residence in St. Paul.
If convicted, White faces a penalty of not less than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Lenexa Police Department, the South St. Paul Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Flannigan and David Zabel are prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Former Kansas CPA Ordered to Pay Costs of His Own ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A former Kansas CPA was sentenced Monday to a year and a day in jail and ordered to pay the cost of his imprisonment, which could be an estimated $34,000, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, the accountant was ordered to pay $106,055 in restitution for unpaid taxes.
Robert M. Purinton, 70, Fountain Hills, Ariz., pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement on his 2009 tax return by under-reporting his income. He agreed to make restitution for taxes owed in 2009 and 2010. During those years, he was a CPA with an accounting firm in Overland Park.
McAllister commended the Internal Revenue Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton for their work on the case.
Federal Prosecutors Targeting Violent Crime in Wichita, Garden CityRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Federal prosecutors are teaming up with local and state law enforcement agencies to target violent crime in Wichita and Garden City, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative will prioritize federal prosecutions of repeat offenders and convicted criminals who carry firearms in the two cities, where violent crime rates are higher than average for Kansas.
“Violent crime rates are on the rise in both cities,” U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. “By working together, we can size up the problems and concentrate our resources where we get the best results. Our goal is to make both communities safer.”
Drug trafficking, gang activity and other factors drive violent crime rates and make each city’s problems unique, McAllister said. The PSN program is aimed at directing federal resources – including federal prosecutors as well as investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other agencies – to support the work of local police departments, sheriffs and district attorneys.
Both Garden City and Wichita have reported increased gang activity that fuels violent crime. Law enforcement officials in both cities, McAllister said, have been very receptive to working with the U.S. Attorney’s office on the PSN program.
According to the KBI’s most recent report, the violent crime rate for Kansas is 3.7 per 1,000 people. That compares to a rate of 5.1 in Garden City and a rate of 10.6 in Wichita, according to the KBI report, which was based on 2016 figures.
In Wichita, a PSN Task Force will be formed, including two agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster and Assistant District Attorney Mandee Schauf from the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, as well as officers from the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department.
McAllister said a federal prosecutor and an assistant district attorney will meet regularly to review cases and discuss prosecution strategies.
In Garden City, PSN prosecutors are targeting gang members, repeat offenders and known drug traffickers.
McAllister said he recently received authorization from the Justice Department to hire two new federal prosecutors in Kansas to concentrate on violent crime cases. Those prosecutors will work with the PSN 2.0 program, as well as tackle violent crime in Topeka, which also has suffered a surge in violent crimes recently.
The new PSN initiative is based on a 2001 program of the same name that proved successful in reducing violent crime, McAllister said. One of the keys to the program is targeted enforcement. U.S. Attorneys in collaboration with their partners are working to identify the most violent locations in their districts and to concentrate enforcement there.
The PSN program also calls for prosecutors to work with local communities to prevent crime by supporting programs to engage teenagers in constructive ways that promote respect for law enforcement and steer them away from crime, as well as programs that reduce recidivism.
Olathe Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Trafficking in MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ANSAS CITY, KAN. – An Olathe man was sentenced Tuesday to 18 years in federal prison for trafficking in methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
David C. True, 32, Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted he was a member of a drug trafficking organization that distributed meth in the Johnson County area. He admitted to regularly handling up to 10 pounds of methamphetamine a week, acting as both a buyer and a seller. In addition, he possessed firearms, which he was prohibited from doing because of a previous felony conviction.
McAllister commended the Miami County Sheriff’s Office, the Olathe Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Secret Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ward for their work on the case.
Indictment: Developer of Oread Hotel Collected $400,000+ in Fraudulent Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – The developer of the Oread Hotel and his bookkeeper were indicted Wednesday on federal charges of scheming to collect more than $400,000 in fraudulent tax refunds from the City of Lawrence.
Thomas S. Fritzel, 52, Lawrence, Kan., and Keela Lam, 46, Lawrence, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the city and one count of interstate transportation of stolen funds. Also named as defendants are companies controlled by Fritzel including Oread Construction LC, Oread Wholesale LC, Oread Inn LC and R6 LC.
The indictment alleges that in 2008 Fritzel signed an agreement with the City of Lawrence to develop the Oread Hotel in Lawrence, a seven-story hotel with restaurants, bars and a gift shop.
The city set up a Tax Increment Financing District and a Transportation Development District around the hotel and agreed to reimburse Fritzel for his development costs. The funds to pay Fritzel were to come from property tax and sales taxes collected inside the redevelopment district.
The indictment alleges Fritzel and Lam conspired to defraud the city by seeking reimbursement for hundreds of transactions that were not generated within the redevelopment district. The indictment alleges the defendants fraudulently sought refunds for taxes paid on furniture and appliances, work on houses Fritzel owned in Lawrence and Colorado, landscaping materials, party tent rentals, car batteries, equipment for a car wash and other items.
A separate indictment alleges Fritzel and others violated the requirements of the Clean Air Act for disposal of asbestos.
The indictment charges Fritzel, Casey Stewart, 38, Lawrence, Kan., Wesley Lynch, 60, Lawrence, Kan. and Tucker Fritzel, 25, Lawrence, Kan., with one count of conspiracy (count one), one count of failing to notify the Environmental Protection Agency of the removal of asbestos materials (count two), one count of failing to wet materials that contained asbestos during demolition (count three) and one count of failing to dispose of asbestos waste in leak-tight containers (count four).
Also named as defendants in the second indictment are DFC Company of Lawrence, LC; Eagle 1968, LC of Lawrence and R&R Supply Company, LC of Lawrence.
The indictment alleges the defendants conspired with Fritzel to violate federal laws for handling asbestos in order for Fritzel to save money on demolition and renovations at the Alvamar Country Club in Lawrence.
In the first indictment, upon conviction, the defendants face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the conspiracy count, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the count charging interstate transportation of stolen funds.
In the second indictment, upon conviction, the defendants face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on count one, up to two years and a fine up to $250,000 on count two and up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on counts three and four.
The FBI and the Lawrence Police Department investigated the Oread Hotel indictment. The Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division investigated the other indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway is prosecuting both cases.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Alan J. Haag, 53, Wichita, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 13, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Kasey A. Haag, 25, Wichita, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 13, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Anthony Hervey, 36, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 13, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI 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.
Shawnee Man Sentenced for Armed Bank Robbery in Overland ParkRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Shawnee man was sentenced today to 85 months in federal prison for robbing an Overland Park bank at gunpoint, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Mamoudou U. Kaba, 22, Shawnee, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the robbery. In his plea, he admitted he brandished a handgun on Sept 22, 2015, when he robbed U.S. Bank at 9900 West 87th in Overland Park, Kan.
He pointed a gun a 9 mm Ruger at a clerk and customers before fleeing the bank with stolen cash.
McAllister commended the Overland Park Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel for their work on the case.
Kansas City, Kan., Man Sentenced for Meth, Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City, Kan., man who was arrested with methamphetamine, heroin and $67,000 in cash was sentenced today to 164 months in federal prison for drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Juan Lopez, 23, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted he drove away from a residence on the 3400 block of Georgia Avenue when the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department came to serve a search warrant there. He abandoned his car near West 42nd Avenue and Thompson Street and he ran into a wooded residential area carrying two bags.
Police recovered one of the bags with more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine and more than half a pound of heroin. When residents of the 4100 block of Lloyd Street reported a prowler in their garage, police found Lopez hiding there with the second backpack, which contained $67,000 in cash. When police searched the residence on Georgia Avenue, they found firearms, including three assault rifles, a pistol grip shotgun, a Mac-10 and two bulletproof vests.
McAllister commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton for their work on the case.
Indictment: Three Wichita Men Paid for Athletic Shoes with Counterfeit MoneyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Three Wichita men were indicted Tuesday on charges of making counterfeit money and using it to pay for athletic shoes, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Douglas D. Blocker, 21, Wichita, Kan., Cornelius D. Wilson, 22, Wichita, Kan., and Traevon A. McGairty, 22, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of counterfeiting and one count of passing counterfeit currency. In addition, Blocker is charged with another count of passing counterfeit currency.
The indictment alleges the defendants used a photocopy machine to make counterfeit $20 bills. In one count, Blocker is alleged to have met a victim at the Towne West shopping center and paid him $480in counterfeit bills for four pairs of Jordan athletic shoes. In another count, the three defendants are alleged to have met another victim at Towne West and paid him $520 in counterfeit bills for three pairs of athletic shoes.
If convicted, they face a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Zoanna Bohrer, 44, Erie, Kan., is charged with 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement. The indictment alleges she stole an amount exceeding $5,000 from the company where she worked, Professional Insurers of Erie, LLC. She made unauthorized wire transfers from the company’s account to pay her personal credit card bills.
If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the wire fraud counts and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the embezzlement count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Jackson Lee Andrews, 33, Coffeyville, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (count one), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction (count two), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count three) and one count of distributing methamphetamine (count four). The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2017 in Allen County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on counts one and four, up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on count two, and not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on count three. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Craig Harms, 29, Bel Aire, Kan., is charged with two counts of making false statements to the FBI and one count of falsifying a document with intent to impede an FBI investigation. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in September and October 2016 in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charges of making false statements and up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of falsifying records in a federal investigation. The FBI, the Wichita Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Santos Larios-Ajualat, 32, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Dec. 29, 2017, in Seward County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated.
Agustin Gaona Serrano, 34, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found in November 2017 in Montgomery County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated.
Leonel Delgado-Jaquez, 47, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported (count one) , one count of misusing a Social Security number (count two), one count of using false information to obtain a driver’s license (count three) and one count of aggravated identity theft (count four). He was found June 18, 2018, in Saline County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on count one, up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on count two, up to 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on court three, and a mandatory two years (consecutive) on count four. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
David Hernandez-Rueda, 34, a citizen of Mexico, is charge with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found June 11, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Josue Asael Barron-Rivera, 19, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 24, 2018, in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to
$250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Topeka Man Sentenced for Robbing Health ClubRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for robbing a health club, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
George Bernard Phelps, III, 31, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on Nov. 24, 2017, he and another man robbed the Genesis Health Club at 2909 Southwest 37th Street in Topeka.
A Genesis employee came upon the two defendants in the lobby of the business while they were attempting to pry open a box used for money deposits by members of the club. Phelps told the employee the robbers did not want trouble and instructed him to wait in an adjacent room. Phelps stood in the doorway of the room with his hand in the waistband of his pants as if he had a gun. The defendants removed cash and checks from the box and then fled.
When police arrived, an employee told officers that one of the robbers resembled a former employee of the business. Investigators identified co-defendant Lesley Jamar Terrell, Jr., 34, Topeka, Kan., a prior employee of the club who worked as an overnight maintenance worker. Terrell pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
Wichita Man Charged with Buying Two Tiger PeltsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was charged in federal court today with making a deal to buy two tiger pelts in violation of the federal Lacey Act, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Ret Thach, 38, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate sale or purchase of animals that are covered by the Endangered Species Act.
In court documents, investigators allege Thach reached an agreement to pay $8,000 for two tiger pelts to be delivered to him in Wichita. Thach also agreed to pay traveling expenses for a seller from Wisconsin to drive to Wichita to deliver the pelts. Thach did not know that the seller was an agent of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working undercover.
According to court records, the agent informed Thach that selling the pelts across state lines was “absolutely illegal.” Thach told the agent he already owned “a lion and a lot of bears” and wanted to go ahead with the deal to buy the tiger pelts. Thach said he wanted the pelts for his home office.
If convicted, Thach faces a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Indictment: Kansas City, Kan., Men Arrested with Two Pounds of HeroinRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two men from Kansas City, Kan., were indicted today on charges of possession with intent to distribute more than two pounds of heroin, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Hugo Miguel Lopez-Erazo, 30, Kansas City, Kan., and Cesar Donai Bautista, 38, Kansas City, Kan., are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. In addition, Lopez-Erazo is charged with two counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of distributing heroin. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in July and August 2017, and January and May 2018 in Wyandotte County, Kan.
According to court documents, in May 2018 investigators working undercover arranged to buy two pounds of heroin from the defendants. Investigators met the defendants in a parking lot on South 18th Street in Kansas City, Kan., where they seized the heroin and arrested Lopez-Erazo and Bautista.
Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties:
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute heroin: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million on each count.
Distribution of heroin: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ward is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Bryan K. Quinley, 37, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with drug trafficking. The charges include two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March and April 2018 in Leavenworth and Johnson counties in Kansas.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
Possession with intent to distribute cocaine: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $150,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.
Alex They Maya-Dimas, 37, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of transporting aliens who were unlawfully in the United States and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 16, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the transportation charge, and up to two years and a fine up to $250,000 on the unlawful re-entry charge. Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Juan Diaz, 42, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the country after being deported. He was found April 10, 2018, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforce (ICE) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.
Jose Luis Avila-Merino, 22, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 16, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Jose Juan Hernandez-Vasquez, 19, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 16, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Gregorio Omar Laredo-Terrones, 34, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 16, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Erik Adan Luis-Rojas, 29, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 16, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Jose Luis Rodriguez-Vazquez, 45, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 16, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) 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.
Two New Federal Prosecutors in Kansas Will Join New Prosecutors NationwideRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two new federal prosecutor positions will increase resources to combat violent crime in Kansas, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
In the largest increase in decades, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced today the Department of Justice is allocating 190 new Assistant United States Attorneys nationwide to increase prosecutions for violent crime. From that nationwide allocation, the District of Kansas will receive two new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions dedicated to fighting violent crime.
“The addition of two Assistant United States Attorney to prosecute violent crime in Kansas will make an immediate and significant impact on our efforts,” U.S. Attorney McAllister said. “The timing of these new prosecutorial resources could not be better. Our office is in the early stages of implementing Project Safe Neighborhoods 2.0, an initiative that targets communities where violence is a particular problem for additional federal investigations and prosecutions. We will do everything in our power to take the most violent offenders off the streets of Kansas communities. I thank the Attorney General and the leadership of the Department of Justice for providing these important prosecutorial resources to the District of Kansas.”
Attorney General Sessions said: “Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis — and today we are sending in reinforcements. We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades.”
Indictments: Five Massage Parlor Operators Were Engaged in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – Three indictments were unsealed today alleging massage parlors in Topeka and Lawrence were fronts for prostitution, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Five people were charged in federal grand jury indictments alleging prostitution businesses generated millions of dollars in revenue. Charges included conspiracy, interstate racketeering, bank fraud and money laundering.
Defendants charged include:
Ma Li Vanskike, 67, operator of ABC Massage (formerly Naima Therapy) in Lawrence is charged with one count of interstate racketeering and five counts of money laundering. An indictment alleges she laundered more than $1 million in revenues over a period of five years at Harrah’s Casino in North Kansas City, Mo.
Weiling Nielsen, 53, and Erik Nielsen, operators of Jasmine Massage in Topeka, Naima Asian Massage in Lawrence and Serenity Health Spa in Lawrence, are charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of bank fraud, five counts of money laundering, and one count of racketeering. An indictment alleges they bought and sold California real estate worth millions of dollars while falsely representing themselves to lenders as restaurant managers in Lawrence.
Lian Hua Li, 55, and Michael Mills, 61, are charged with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of interstate racketeering and four counts of money laundering. An indictment alleges Li operated Sunflower Massage (formerly Jasmine Massage) in Topeka and S-Therapy in Salina, and that Mills worked with her. The indictment alleges Mills transported female sex workers from the airport to massage parlors and assisted Li in laundering cash proceeds of prostitution. The indictment alleges some of the money was laundered through casinos in Kansas.
Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy: Up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Racketeering: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Money laundering and money launder conspiracy: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $500,000.
Bank fraud: Up to 30 years and a fine up to $1 million.
The FBI investigated with the assistance of the Douglas County Sherriff’s Office, the Topeka Police Department and the Salina Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Federal Charge Filed in Topeka Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A man who is in jail in Vermont was indicted today on a charge that he robbed a Topeka bank, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
A grand jury indictment alleges that on April 26, 2018, Mark Triolo, 46, robbed the Alliance Bank at 3001 Southwest Wanamaker in Topeka.
Triolo was arrested May 4, 2018, in Vermont.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the Topeka Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Dwayne M. McCoy, 28, who is in custody, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 19, 2018, in Shawnee County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
Timothy Hoggan, 32, who is in custody, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 19, 2018, in Shawnee County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Federal Robbery Charges Filed Against Two Wichita MenRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Two Wichita men were charged today with a robbery at a local Wichita liquor store during which one of them was shot, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Raquan Hill, 18, Wichita, Kan., and Jamaryus Moore, 19, Wichita, Kan., were charged with one count of robbery. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court alleges that on May 22 Hill and Moore robbed the F & K Liquor store at 902 S. Woodlawn. A store employee gave the robbers money in a plastic bag and they left the store.
The store employee saw the two men standing outside the store after the robbery and feared they would return to shoot him. When one of the robbers turned back towards him, the store employee fired two rounds from his own gun, striking Hill in the leg. While Moore fled, the store employee held Hill at gunpoint until police arrived. Moore was arrested later after police identified the car he was driving.
If convicted, they face a penalty up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Federal Charges Filed in Deadly Wichita Swatting CaseRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal indictment unsealed here today charges three men in a “swatting” incident where false reports to police and emergency services set off a chain of events that led to a Wichita man being shot and killed, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
The indictment alleges the defendants are responsible for hoax calls to Wichita police on Dec. 28, 2017, that ultimately led to the death of Andrew Finch. The following men are charged:
Tyler Barriss, 25, Los Angeles, Calif., making false/hoax reports to emergency services (count 1), cyberstalking (count 2), making interstate threats (count 3), making interstate threats to harm by fire (count 4), wire fraud (counts 5 through 11) and conspiracy to make false/hoax reports (count 12).
Casey Viner, 18, North College Hill, Ohio, wire fraud (counts 5 through 11), conspiracy to make false/hoax reports (count 12), obstruction of justice (count 13), and conspiracy to obstruct justice (count 16).
Shane Gaskill, 19, Wichita, Kan., obstruction of justice (count 13, 14 and 15), conspiracy to obstruct justice (count 16), and wire fraud (count 17).
The indictment alleges the incident began when Viner in Ohio and Gaskill in Wichita, Kansas were playing a Call of Duty game online as teammates and got into an argument.
Viner later asked Barriss to “swat” Gaskill at an address provided by Gaskill. Viner did not know that the address Gaskill provided – 1033 W. McCormick in Wichita – was an old address where Gaskill no longer lived, but Gaskill did and Gaskill also kept giving the old address to Barriss.
Barriss made and received a series of calls from California in which he talked to the Wichita Police Department’s Security Desk in City Hall and the 911 emergency dispatcher for Sedgwick County. Barriss disguised his phone number to make it appear he was calling from the 316 Wichita area code.
Barriss falsely claimed there was an emergency at 1033 W. McCormick in which he (Barriss) had shot and killed his father, that he (Barriss) was holding his mother and little brother at gunpoint in a closet, that he (Barriss) was considering suicide, and that he (Barriss) has poured gasoline all over the house and was considering lighting it on fire. Wichita police thus responded to the address believing they were dealing with a shooting, a hostage situation, a suicidal gunman, and the possibility of arson.
The indictment further alleges that, after Mr. Finch was shot and the defendants realized the result of the “swatting,” they talked about (in online conversations and direct messages) deleting their electronic messages and communications to protect themselves from prosecution. Defendant Viner wiped and factory reset his iPhone.
If convicted, the defendants face the following penalties:
- Making a false/hoax report to emergency services resulting in death of another: Up to life in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
- Cyberstalking resulting in death of another: Up to life and a fine up to $250,000.
- Threatening to kill a person or damage property by fire: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
- Making a threat in interstate communications: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
- Wire fraud: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
- Conspiracy to make a false report: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
- Obstruction of justice: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
- Conspiracy to obstruct justice: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The FBI, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Wichita Police Department investigated. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister will prosecute along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Wichita Gang Member Indicted on Federal Drug, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A member of the Insane Crips gang in Wichita was indicted today on federal drug and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Charles L. Hervey, 21, Wichita, Kan., was charged in a superseding indictment with two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances and one count of maintaining a residence in the 3100 block of South Pallisade.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each count.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Maintaining a premise in furtherance of drug trafficking: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $500,000.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Alfredo Nino-Cruz, 29, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition following a felony conviction and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person not legally in the United States. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2016, 2017 and 2018 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Unlawful possession of a firearm or ammunition following a felony conviction: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person illegally in the United States: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Raul Castro-Aguda, 53, a citizen of Mexico, is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported, one count of misusing a Social Security number, one count of making a false claim of citizenship, and one count of possessing a false Social Security card. He was found Jan. 4, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Unlawful re-entry: Up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Misusing a Social Security number: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Making a false claim of citizenship: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Possessing a false document: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Justin Ware, 30, Cushing Okla., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. In addition, Victoria Celso, 25, Cushing, Okla., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in May 2018 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Upon conviction, both counts carry a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Kansas City Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery in Overland ParkRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City man who used his smart phone to pass a note to a teller was sentenced Tuesday to 37 months in federal prison for robbing a bank, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Ryan Michael Cothern, 41, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to committing a robbery Oct. 3, 2017, at US Bank at 9900 W. 87th Street in Overland Park, Kan. Prosecutors said Cothern handed a teller his cell phone with a message that read, “Put the 100s, 50s and 20s in the bag.” When the teller hesitated, Cothern said, “Don’t do anything you shouldn’t do.” The teller put cash and a GPS monitoring device in the bag before pulling the alarm. Cothern was arrested near the 8300 block of Melrose Street.
McAllister commended the Overland Park Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania for their work on the case.
Pennsylvania Outfitter Sentenced for Violating the Lacey Act in KansasRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Pennsylvania man who owns a company called Horseshoe Hill Outfitters was sentenced to five years on probation, banned from doing business in Kansas and fined $30,000 for violating the Lacey Act, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Robert P. McConnell, 48, Slippery Rock, Penn., pleaded guilty to four counts of importing deer into Kansas in violation of the Lacey Act, which regulates the trade in wildlife, fish and plants that has been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold. Horseshoe Hill Outfitters advertises what it calls “trophy North American big game hunting adventures” in Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Ontario.
In two counts, McConnell admitted importing deer that were not from an accredited heard, were not officially identified and did not have a certificate of veterinary inspection. In two other counts, he admitted importing domesticated deer.
McAllister commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work on the case.
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime ChargesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Adam W. Purinton, of Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty today in federal court to hate crime and firearm charges for shooting Indian nationals Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani and Olathe resident Ian Grillot at Austins Bar & Grill in February 2017.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister, Acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio of the Department of Justice and Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights John Gore. Purinton previously pleaded guilty to state charges for murder and attempted murder arising out of the shooting. He was sentenced earlier this month to life in state prison.
”Nothing we do can provide complete comfort and solace to the victims of this tragic crime and their families,” U.S. Attorney McAllister said. “But our office hopes that the federal life sentence which Mr. Purinton has agreed to request and accept will give them some measure of closure.”
Purinton admitted in his plea today that the following is an accurate recitation of the facts supporting the crimes for which he pleaded guilty.
A few weeks before the shooting, Purinton was sitting by himself in the bar area at Austins Bar & Grill when, coincidentally, Kuchibhotla and Madasani happened to be having a drink on the patio. Noticing the two men, Purinton commented to a regular sitting at the bar, “Did you see the terrorists on the patio?”
On Feb. 22, 2017, Purinton drove to Austins Bar & Grill and sat by himself at a table on the enclosed front patio. Sitting at the table to his left were Ian Grillot and several other patrons. Sitting at the table to his right were Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani.
At approximately 6:40 p.m., Purinton approached Kuchibhotla and Madasani, and demanded to know where they were from and how they entered the country. Purinton poked Kuchibhotla in the chest, called him a “terrorist” and an epithet disparaging persons of Middle Eastern descent, and shouted, “Get out of my country!” Ian Grillot and another patron interceded, told Purinton that he needed to leave, and escorted him out of the bar.
Purinton drove home and retrieved one of his guns: a Taurus PT111 Millennium Pro nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol with serial number TEW13121. To disguise his identity, Purinton changed into a different shirt and grabbed a blue-and-white scarf.
At approximately 7:12 p.m., Purinton returned to Austins Bar & Grill. He wrapped the scarf around his face to disguise his identity and exited his truck carrying his semi-automatic pistol. Purinton walked over to the enclosed front patio, opened the door, aimed his semi-automatic pistol at Kuchibhotla and Madasani, and fired eight rounds—at least four of which struck Kuchibhotla, who died from his injuries, and one of which struck Madasani, who was injured, but survived. Hours after the shooting, Purinton stated over the phone to a friend, and later in person to a bartender, that he had just killed some Iranians.
Purinton admitted that he shot Kuchibhotla and Madasani, attempting to kill both men, because of their race, color, religion, and national origin.
After shooting Kuchibhotla and Madasani, Purinton ran out, and Ian Grillot chased after him. As Grillot caught up to him, Purinton turned around and shot Grillot, who was injured but survived.
Purinton faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, which is the sentence that the prosecution and defense are jointly requesting. Sentencing is scheduled for July 2.
“Hate crimes are acts of evil, and the Department of Justice has prioritized their zealous prosecution,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio. “In this case, the defendant embarked on a murderous rampage with clear premeditation to kill on the basis of race, color, religion, and national origin. It was a hate crime, and he is being brought to justice. While we cannot ameliorate the irreparable harm to the victims and their families, we hope that securing this guilty plea brings them some measure of closure. And this prosecution sends a message across the nation: hate crimes will not be tolerated.”
“Although Purinton has already been convicted of murder in the State of Kansas, and sentenced to life in prison, today’s plea in federal court speaks to his motive,” said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones. “By his agreement to today’s plea, Purinton acknowledges that his actions were motived by his hatred of the victims’ race, religion, color and national origin. This type of hatred will never be tolerated. I think it’s important for the community to see and understand that the FBI is committed to aggressively protecting and preserving the civil rights of all of our communities.”
This case was investigated jointly by the Olathe (KS) Police Department and the Kansas City Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tris Hunt and David Zabel of the District of Kansas, and Trial Attorney Christopher J. Perras of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Kansas U.S. Attorney Honors National Police WeekRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – National Police Week is a time for all Kansans to stop and remember the federal, state and local law enforcement officers who do the difficult and dangerous work of keeping making our communities safer, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said today.
“Law enforcement officers don’t run from danger – they run toward it,” McAllister said. “I want to commend them for their courage, skill and professionalism. They make sacrifices to benefit us all, sometimes the ultimate sacrifice. The excellent men and women in blue deserve our support and gratitude.”
McAllister called on Kansans to join him in honoring the memories of the law enforcement officers fallen in the line of duty and to pray for their families. According to the FBI’s national statistics, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2017.
In October 1962, Congress passed, and President Kennedy signed, a joint resolution declaring May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
During Police Week, which is being observed this year from May 13 through May 19, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
Last week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions made a statement to law enforcement officers.
“My goal is to support you, to empower you, and to unleash you and your law enforcement partners to apply the good and lawful policies that are proven to make our communities safer,” Sessions said. The attorney general went on to talk about the need to focus on proven policies that reduced crime all over this country: community-based policing, incarcerating serious repeat criminals, new technologies, more officers, and more prosecutors.
Man from Texas Charged with Taking Kansas Teenager Across State Lines for SexRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A man from Texas was charged in federal court here today with taking a Hutchinson, Kan., girl across state lines for sex, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Juan Carlos Carmona, 36, Houston, Texas, is charged with one count of traveling from Texas to Kansas to have sex with a minor and one count of transporting a minor from Kansas to Texas to have sex with her.
The complaint alleges the investigation began May 6 when a 15-year-old girl living in Hutchinson was reported missing. Investigators learned that in April 2018 Carmona drove from Texas to meet the girl and have sex with her. He rented a room in Hutchinson at a local hotel where he and the girl met. After returning to Texas, Carmona came back to Kansas in May, picked up the girl and drove her back to Houston, where the two had sex.
If convicted, Carmona faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the first count and not less than 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the second count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Indictment: Mexican Nationals Possessed Hundreds of False IDsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Mexican nationals were indicted Wednesday on charges of possessing hundreds of false identification documents, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Sergio Alberto Torres Adame, 37, and Lilia Ivonne Jaquez Arratia, 35, both of Juarez, Mexico, are charged with one count of unlawful possession of identification documents.
In court documents, it is alleged the two were carrying hundreds of false documents when a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper stopped them for speeding on Highway 54 in Liberal, Kan. In the car, the trooper found:
- An envelope with 30 counterfeit Social Security cards in numerous names and 30 counterfeit birth certificates in numerous names and states including Colorado, Texas, Nevada and California.
- An envelope with 31 counterfeit birth certificates and 32 Social Security cards.
- An envelope with 30 counterfeit birth certificates and 30 Social Security cards.
- An envelope with 29 counterfeit social security cards and 29 counterfeit birth certificates.
- An envelope with 15 genuine Social Security Cards and 12 possibly counterfeit state birth certificates.
- An envelope with 100 blank counterfeit Social Security cards.
If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Kansas Highway Patrol and U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Three Wichita men are charged with possessing firearms that were stolen from a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
Travis Keller, 38, Wichita, Kan.; Arthur Mannie, 38, Wichita, Kan., and Justin Winger, 36, Wichita, Kan., were charged with one count each of possessing stolen firearms, one count of possession of a rifle with a short barrel and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, the investigation began April 19 when a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s officer found three windows broken out of his unmarked vehicle and three firearms missing. The stolen firearms included a Remington shotgun, a Bushmaster M4 rifle and a Glock 9 mm pistol.
Investigators used surveillance footage to identify a car driven by Keller when he is alleged to have broken into the Sheriff’s vehicle. Investigators learned Keller and co-defendant Justin Winger took the stolen firearms to co-defendant Arthur Mannie for sale.
Upon conviction, the defendant faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
Eric Staal, 23, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 28, 2018, in Butler County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.
Alejandro Esquivel, Jr., 45, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of making a false statement on a passport application and one count of misrepresenting himself as a United States citizen. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 28, 2016, in Johnson County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the passport charge and up to three years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. Defense Security Services investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct
Topeka Man Sentenced for McDonald’s Restaurant RobberyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was sentenced today to 12 years and 10 months in federal prison for robbing a McDonald’s restaurant, U.S. Attorney Stephan McAllister said.
Brendon R. Thompson, 31, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of aiding and abetting another robber who brandished a firearm during the robbery.
In his plea, Thompson admitted that on July 10, 2017, he and another man robbed the McDonald’s restaurant at 1100 South Kansas Avenue in Topeka. Thompson went behind the counter and took money from the registers while the other robber brandished a firearm. The robbers fled when police arrived. Thompson was arrested near the restaurant, while the other robber got away.
McAllister commended the FBI, the Topeka Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Supplying Heroin That Caused OverdoseRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas City woman pleaded guilty today to selling heroin that caused a user’s near-fatal overdose, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Loretta Gilliard, 34, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. The investigation began when a user from Overland Park, Kan., bought heroin from Gilliard and then overdosed and lost consciousness. Emergency medical technicians responded and saved the user’s life by administering an opioid reversing agent called Narcan. Investigators learned that Gilliard had sold heroin to the user more than 100 times, usually two to four times a week. Investigators made controlled buys from Gilliard.
Sentencing will be set for a later date. Both parties have agreed to recommend 84 months in federal prison. McAllister commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania for their work on the case.
Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Obtaining Government ContractsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri man pleaded guilty today to committing fraud to obtain millions of dollars in government contracts, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Joseph David Dial, Jr., age 53 of Belton, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of major program fraud and one count of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted he falsely claimed that United Medical Design Builders, LLC was eligible to receive set aside contracts under the federal Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program. Because of Dial’s false representations, the company received contracts from the Department of Defense including an $8.2 million contract to build healthcare facilities at Hanscom Air Force Base.
No sentencing date has been set yet. Dial faces up to 10 years in federal prison on the program fraud count, and up to 20 years on the wire fraud count.
McAllister commended the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, General Services Administration-Office of Inspector General, Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, and Army CID Major Procurement Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt for their work on the case.
Federal Fraud Charges Filed Against County Commissioner O’DonnellRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O’Donnell is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
A federal indictment unsealed here today alleges O’Donnell took money from his campaign accounts to put into his personal account and to give to his friends and covered it up by making false reports electronically to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.
Michael B. O’Donnell, II, 33, Wichita, Kan., is charged with five counts of wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud and two counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges O’Donnell provided false information in five reports he emailed to the state ethics commission in 2016 and 2017. At issue are a series of transactions that the indictment alleges O’Donnell falsely represented as payments made for campaign-related expenses. They include:
A $1,000 check O’Donnell wrote from his “Michael for Kansas” campaign account to a person identified as C.R. The indictment alleges that after C.R. cashed the check, O’Donnell deposited the $1,000 into his personal checking account.
A $1,000 check O’Donnell wrote from his “Michael for Kansas” campaign account to a person identified as J.D. After receiving the check, J.D. allegedly wrote a $1,000 personal check to O’Donnell and O’Donnell deposited the $1,000 check into his personal account.
A total of 12 checks from the “Michael for Kansas” campaign account O’Donnell wrote to a friend identified as D.J., totaling $5,650.
Three checks O’Donnell wrote from his “Michael for Sedgwick County” account to D.J. totaling $750.Six checks O’Donnell wrote from his “Michael for Kansas” account to a friend identified as J.M. totaling $2,100.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Wire fraud: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Bank fraud: Up to 30 years and a fine up to $1 million.
Money laundering: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $500,000.
Special Agent Chuck Pritchett of the FBI and Detective Jon Gill of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst are prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.