District of Kansas

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita business owner was sentenced Monday to two years on supervised release and ordered to pay $256,000 in restitution for withholding taxes from employee salaries that he failed to pay over to the government, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Michael J. Skladzien, 54, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of failing to pay over taxes. In his plea, he admitted that while he owned S&S Floor Maintenance he withheld approximately money from salaries of employees to pay federal taxes. Instead of paying the funds over to the government, he spent the money on personal expenses including gambling.

 

Beall commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man was sentenced Monday to 42 months in federal prison for lying to investigators in a 2016 interview following a stand-off between federal law enforcement officers and fugitive Orlando J. Collins, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

 

Quentin Kirk Lawton, 37, pleaded guilty in May to one count of making a false statement. In his plea, he admitted that on April 23, 2016, he visited Collins in a room at the Country Club Motel at 3732 S.W. Topeka Boulevard. Lawton left the motel shortly before a standoff between Collins and federal agents. When the FBI questioned Lawton about Collins’ whereabouts, Lawton denied he had been to the motel and seen Collins. In fact, Lawton was captured on video surveillance entering and leaving Collins’ room shortly before members of a federal task force attempted to arrest Collins.

 

When members of a task force tried to take Collins into custody he shot two U.S. Marshals and an FBI agent. A fire ignited from inside Collins’ room during the gunfight and spread throughout the motel. After the fire, Collins’ body was found in the motel room.

 

Beall commended the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Topeka Police Department, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Salina man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

 

Michael N. Rodenbeek, 54, Salina, Kan., was sentenced Aug. 11. He pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted using an iPhone camera to surreptitiously record videos focusing on the genitals of a 10-year-old victim and a 9-year-old victim. The recordings were made without the victims’ knowledge.

 

Beall commended the Wichita Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A former civilian hospital employee was convicted today on federal charges of attacking a woman who he set on fire and attacked with a straight razor, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

A jury found Clifford Currie, 55, Leavenworth, Kan., guilty on one count of assault with intent to commit murder.

 

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that on Sept. 7, 2016, Currie threw gasoline or some other inflammable liquid on his supervisor, Katie Ann Blanchard, lit her on fire and assaulted her with a straight edge razor and scissors. A co-worker came to the Blanchard’s aid when she heard screams and saw Blanchard on fire from the chest up. Currie was subdued by hospital employees and then arrested

 

Sentencing is set for Oct. 31. He faces a penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the U.S. Army Military Police investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ward are prosecuting.

 

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to drug trafficking and agreed to forfeit the building where his restaurant is located as well as other assets, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. Two co-defendants also entered guilty pleas.

 

Gerald Beasley, 62, Wichita, Kan., owner of Tiara’s Place, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

 

Also on Monday, co-defendant Terry Beasley, 63, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. Co-defendant Brandon Smith, 46, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

 

In his plea, Gerald Beasley admitted he stored cocaine and other narcotics in a residence in the 2400 block of North Piatt Street in Wichita, meeting with buyers both at the residence and the restaurant at 1339 N. Hillside. He carried a High Standard derringer handgun to protect himself during drug transactions.

 

In his plea agreement, Gerald Beasley agreed to forfeit his home in Andover, his restaurant, a number of real estate properties, more than $75,000 in cash and bank accounts with a value of more than $75,000, as well as other assets.

 

In his plea, Terry Beasley admitted he made money through the trafficking of controlled substances, illegal gambling and the illegal production and sale of false documents. He kept the proceeds hidden in a safe in a storage facility. The plea agreement calls for him to forfeit more than $67,000 in cash that was seized from him.

 

In Smith’s plea, he admitted he conspired to distribute marijuana. Investigators recorded calls in which he ordered drugs from Gerald Beasley.

 

Sentencing is set for Gerald Beasley on Oct. 30, for Terry Beasley on Nov. 6 and for Smith on Nov. 13. Both parties have agreed to recommend Gerald Beasley be sentenced to 108 months in federal prison and Terry Beasley be sentenced to a year and a day. Smith faces a sentence of up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

 

Beall commended the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal revenue Service, the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs for their work on the case.

 

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced Monday to 11 years in federal prison for a series of armed robberies, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Brandon V. Wells, 23, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty in April to five counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery.

 

In his plea, Wells admitted to the following robberies:

• Jan. 27, 2017, Circle K, 1250 S. Rock Road, Wichita.

• Jan. 28, 2017: O’Reilly Auto Parts, 4818 E. Lincoln, Wichita.

• Jan. 30, 2017: O’Reilly Auto Parts, 4636 S. Broadway, Wichita.

• Feb. 4, 2017: O’Reilly Auto Parts, 4130 W. Central, Wichita

• Feb. 5, 2017: O’Reilly Auto Parts, 3220 N. Rock, Wichita.

 

During the robberies, Wells and an accomplice threatened employees with a weapon and demanded money. The firearm charge is tied to a Feb. 6, 2017, robbery at O’Reilly Auto Parts, 3109 E. Pawnee.

 

Beall commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Wabaunsee County woman who pleaded guilty to fraud while serving as executor of her mother’s estate was sentenced Monday to two years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Julie D. Woodland, 56, Maple Hill, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of funds obtained by fraud. In her plea, she admitted she served as trustee of trusts set up by her parents, Stephen W. Dibble and Elaine R. Dibble. It was her parents’ intent that proceeds of the trusts be shared equally among Woodland and her siblings, Lance A. Dibble and Stan Dibble. Woodland also was executor of her mother’s estate.

 

Woodland sold a condo in Texas belonging to the trust for $270,000. She distributed half the proceeds to her brother, Stan Dibble, and she kept the rest. Her brother, Lance Dibble, requested an accounting of the trust funds, but she refused to provide the information.

 

Beall commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – The owner of a hunting guide company in Elk County pleaded guilty and was sentenced Wednesday for violating state and federal laws while taking clients on hunting trips, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Josh Hedges, 35, Grenola, Kan., owner of Eagle Head Outfitters, LLC, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and one count of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He was sentenced to five years on probation and ordered to pay $15,000 restitution to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Restitution Fund. In addition, he was forbidden to hunt, trap or guide for 12 years. Hedges also agreed to divest himself of the company.

 

Hedges admitted directing his guides to:

 

• Place corn, wheat and soybeans around ponds as bait for waterfowl.

• Help hunters to exceed their daily bag limits by offering to say they shot some of the birds the hunters shot.

• Fail to tag, process and transport birds as required by state and federal law.

 

In addition, Hedges admitted that he shot a hawk from his vehicle while sitting on a county road near Grenola.

 

Beall commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – Two Kansas men pleaded guilty Monday to taking part in a scheme to steal mail from Wichita mailboxes using a counterfeit mailbox master key, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Shalan D. Hiatt, 38, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail theft and one count of possession of a counterfeit mailbox master key. Jason A. Farner, 33, Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of mail theft.

 

In their pleas, they admitted they were members of a group of people in Wichita who stole mail containing checks and forms of identification by using stolen and counterfeited mailbox keys. They obtained checks and forged checks that they passed, or attempted to pass, at Wichita banks.

 

Hiatt admitted to using a counterfeit mailbox key to steal money orders from a mailbox at Pawnee and Elizabeth streets. The victim mailed money orders to pay for rent and other bills.

 

Farner admitted obtaining money orders mailed at a collection box at 2510 S. Elizabeth. He wrote his name over the payee’s name in order to cash the money orders.

 

Sentencing for both defendants is set for Oct. 19. Hiatt faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the mail theft count and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. Farner faces up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on both counts.

 

Beall commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S. for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - Two Kansans were sentenced Thursday for operating a synthetic drug business that generated $16 million in sales in less than two years, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Tracy Picanso, 61, Olathe, Kan., and Roy Ehrett, 59, Olathe, Kan., were sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. Picanso and Ehrett each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, one count of producing and selling misbranded drugs, one count of producing and selling counterfeit drugs and one count of conspiracy to launder money.

 

An indictment returned in 2014 alleged Picanso and Ehrett owned an Olathe-based business producing and selling dangerous controlled substances and controlled substance analogues of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and methcathinones (stimulants).

 

They sold products under exotic names including Pump It, Head Trip, Black Arts, Grave Digger, Voodoo Doll and Lights Out. Some of the drugs were manufactured in buckets with drill-powered immersion mixers and tried out on “testers” who helped tweak the recipes by reporting on the drugs’ effects.

 

The operation stretched from Kansas to Missouri, California, Texas, Georgia and Colorado, involving more than 15 companies with more than 40 financial accounts at more than 10 financial institutions. Businesses owned and operated by the defendants included Retailing Specialists, Innovative Products 4U, The Outer Edge, Lakeridge Holdings, Monster Warehouse, Monster Distribution, Monster, 3P Distribution and Life Source.

 

“Without FDA oversight, unapproved and counterfeit drugs that are produced and marketed outside the Federal system present the prospect of serious harm to the public’s health,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer E. Morrison, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “FDA-OCI appreciates the coordinated efforts of DEA and other law enforcement agencies to bring to justice all those who evade federal drug laws.”

 

Beall commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, the Overland Park Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Olathe Police Department, the St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway, and Michael Varrone, associate chief counsel at the Food and Drug Administration for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka tax preparer pleaded guilty Tuesday to filing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Maurice L. Stewart, 39, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to 13 counts of filing false tax returns causing a tax loss of $93,402.

 

Stewart filed returns in clients’ names, falsely claiming the returns were self-prepared. He fraudulently reported that clients had suffered business losses. He filed returns electronically using the IP address of a Topeka business where he formerly was employed as an online IT technical services coordinator. He prepared returns using an online program where he had opened an account using another person’s name.

 

Sentencing is set for Oct. 30. The parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of two years in federal prison and full restitution. Beall commended the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas City man was sentenced Monday to more than five years in federal prison for bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Terry Lovelady, 58, Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to 70 months. Lovelady pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. He admitted that on Aug. 24, 2016, he robbed the Central Bank of the Midwest at 4801 Town Center Drive in Leawood and fled in a getaway car driven by a co-defendant. The robbers led police on a high-speed chase, running red lights and cutting off other drivers. Eventually, the getaway car jumped a curb, rolled down a hill and came to a stop in a parking lot at St. Joseph Medical Center in Missouri. The robbers fled the car on foot and were soon arrested.

 

Co-defendant Chad English, 43, Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced in May to 52 months.

 

Beall commended the FBI, the Leawood Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A former Army soldier was sentenced Thursday to 17 years in federal prison for child abuse, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Eugene Cleaver, 30, Bonham, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he was stationed at Fort Riley where he lived with four minor females and their parents. He received free room and board in exchange for caring for the children and the house. After the children were removed from their parents’ home and placed in foster care, investigators learned that Cleaver had molested the children and warned them not to say a word or he would get into trouble.

 

Beall commended the U.S. Army, Criminal Investigation Division, the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney.

WICHITA, KAN. - A Kansas hunting guide pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday for routinely violating state and federal hunting laws while taking clients on $300-a-day hunting trips, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Jerad Stroot, 26, Colwich, Kan., an employee of Eagle Head Outfitters, LLC, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. In his plea, Stroot said his work included transporting hunters and their equipment to the field, directing hunters when to shoot, retrieving birds killed by hunters and keeping track of the number of birds killed by hunters and daily bag limits.

 

Stroot admitted:

• Placing corn, wheat and soybeans around ponds as bait for waterfowl.

• Helping hunters to exceed their daily bag limits by offering to say he shot some of the birds they shot.

• Failing to tag, process and transport birds as required by state and federal law.

 

Stroot was sentenced to five years on probation during which he may not hunt, trap or guide and a $5,000 fine

Co-defendant Josh Hedges, 35, Grenola, Kan., owner of Eagle Head Outfitters, is set for a change of plea hearing July 31.

 

Beall commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man who owned a Lawrence nightclub has pleaded guilty to a federal sex trafficking charge, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Frank Boswell, 43, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty July 21 to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. In his plea, Boswell admitted he and co-defendants employed female commercial sex workers who served clients in Kansas and other states. Boswell used the Internet, cell phones, texting and social media to keep in touch with conspirators, track the movements of sex workers and advertise sexual services.

 

Boswell’s organization looked for women who needed money and a place to live wherever they found them - including homeless shelters - to recruit as commercial sex workers. They targeted single mothers and women with drug problems. The conspirators used drugs well as the threat of violence to make the women compliant. The women turned the money they made over to Boswell and he paid for their rent, utilities and cell phones.

 

Sentencing is set for Oct. 23. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 51 to 63 months in federal prison.

 

Co-defendants include:

Barry M. Johnson, who was sentenced to 46 months.

Michaela Hekekia, who is awaiting sentencing.

Shannon Nelson, who is awaiting sentencing.

Sean P. Hall, who is awaiting sentencing.

Rachel Flenniken, who is awaiting sentencing.

 

 

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

WASHINGTON – John T. Booker Jr., 22, of Topeka, Kan., was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for attempting to detonate a vehicle bomb on the Fort Riley military base in Manhattan, Kan. On Feb. 3, 2016, Booker pleaded guilty to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and one count of attempted destruction of government property by fire or explosion.

 

Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Darrin E. Jones of the FBI’s sKansas City Division made the announcement.

 

“With this sentence, John Booker is being held accountable for his plan to kill U.S. military personnel on American soil in the name of ISIS,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “The National Security Division’s highest priority is countering terrorist threats and protecting American lives by bringing to justice those who plot to attack us. I want to thank the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who made this result possible.”

 

“Violent extremism is a threat to America and all its people,” Acting U.S. Attorney Beall said. “Our goal is to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from inspiring, financing or carrying out acts of violence.”

 

“The investigation leading to today's sentencing illustrates the FBI's commitment to disrupting acts of terrorism,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “If Mr. Booker had been successful in detonating a car bomb, the results could have been dozens, if not hundreds, of casualties. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting the citizens of the United States and thwarting acts of terrorism.”

 

In his guilty plea, Booker admitted he intended to kill American soldiers and to assist ISIS’s (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) fight against the U.S. His plan called for constructing a bomb containing 1,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate. Booker intended to trigger the bomb himself and die in the process, and filmed a video he intended Americans to see after his death.

 

“You sit in your homes and think this war is just over in Iraq,” Booker said in the video. “Today we will bring the Islamic State straight to your doorstep.”

 

Unbeknownst to Booker, the bomb that he constructed was made with inert materials, and the two men working with him were undercover informants for the FBI.

 

The FBI began investigating Booker in March 2014 after he posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to commit jihad. Booker admitted that he tried to enlist in the U.S. Army in order to commit an insider attack against American soldiers like the one at Fort Hood in Texas, but his deadly plans were thwarted when he was denied entry into the Army. In October 2014, Booker began communicating with an undercover FBI informant. He told the undercover FBI informant that he dreamed of being a fighter in the Middle East, and proposed capturing and killing an American soldier.

 

In March 2015, Booker was introduced to another FBI informant who he believed would help him plan an attack. Booker said he wanted to detonate a suicide bomb because he couldn’t be captured, all the evidence would be destroyed, and he would be guaranteed to hit his target. On March 10, 2015, Booker made a video filmed at Freedom Park near Marshall Army Airfield at Fort Riley in which he pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. That month, he rented a storage unit in Topeka where the bomb would be assembled.

 

On April 10, 2015, Booker and the informants drove to an area near Fort Riley that Booker believed to be a little-used utility gate where they could enter Fort Riley undetected. He was arrested when he made the final connections on the device that he believed would arm the bomb.

 

Mr. Boente and Mr. Beall commended the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force for their investigation of this case. They also thanked Assistant Trial Attorneys Josh Parecki and Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi of the District of Kansas, who prosecuted this case.

John T. Booker Jr., 22, of Topeka, Kan., was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for attempting to detonate a vehicle bomb on the Fort Riley military base in Manhattan, Kan. On Feb. 3, 2016, Booker pleaded guilty to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and one count of attempted destruction of government property by fire or explosion.

Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Darrin E. Jones of the FBI’s sKansas City Division made the announcement.

“With this sentence, John Booker is being held accountable for his plan to kill U.S. military personnel on American soil in the name of ISIS,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “The National Security Division’s highest priority is countering terrorist threats and protecting American lives by bringing to justice those who plot to attack us. I want to thank the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who made this result possible.”

 “Violent extremism is a threat to America and all its people,” Acting U.S. Attorney Beall said. “Our goal is to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from inspiring, financing or carrying out acts of violence.”

“The investigation leading to today's sentencing illustrates the FBI's commitment to disrupting acts of terrorism,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “If Mr. Booker had been successful in detonating a car bomb, the results could have been dozens, if not hundreds, of casualties. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting the citizens of the United States and thwarting acts of terrorism.” 

In his guilty plea, Booker admitted he intended to kill American soldiers and to assist ISIS’s (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) fight against the U.S. His plan called for constructing a bomb containing 1,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate. Booker intended to trigger the bomb himself and die in the process, and filmed a video he intended Americans to see after his death.

“You sit in your homes and think this war is just over in Iraq,” Booker said in the video. “Today we will bring the Islamic State straight to your doorstep.”

Unbeknownst to Booker, the bomb that he constructed was made with inert materials, and the two men working with him were undercover informants for the FBI.

The FBI began investigating Booker in March 2014 after he posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to commit jihad. Booker admitted that he tried to enlist in the U.S. Army in order to commit an insider attack against American soldiers like the one at Fort Hood in Texas, but his deadly plans were thwarted when he was denied entry into the Army. In October 2014, Booker began communicating with an undercover FBI informant. He told the undercover FBI informant that he dreamed of being a fighter in the Middle East, and proposed capturing and killing an American soldier.

In March 2015, Booker was introduced to another FBI informant who he believed would help him plan an attack. Booker said he wanted to detonate a suicide bomb because he couldn’t be captured, all the evidence would be destroyed, and he would be guaranteed to hit his target. On March 10, 2015, Booker made a video filmed at Freedom Park near Marshall Army Airfield at Fort Riley in which he pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. That month, he rented a storage unit in Topeka where the bomb would be assembled.

On April 10, 2015, Booker and the informants drove to an area near Fort Riley that Booker believed to be a little-used utility gate where they could enter Fort Riley undetected. He was arrested when he made the final connections on the device that he believed would arm the bomb.

Mr. Boente and Mr. Beall commended the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force for their investigation of this case. They also thanked Assistant Trial Attorneys Josh Parecki and Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi of the District of Kansas, who prosecuted this case.

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal marijuana trafficking charge, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Antoine Beasley, 37, Wichita Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances.

 

In his plea, Beasley admitted that he and co-defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization that imported marijuana and distributed it to buyers in Wichita. Wichita police seized more than $250,000, checks and drug paraphernalia during a search of Beasley’s home. They also seized marijuana and a DPMS model A-15 rifle from a stash house Beasley controlled.

 

Beasley is set for sentencing Oct. 4. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 63 months in federal prison.

 

Co-defendants include:

Gerald Beasley, 62, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.

Charlotte Akogun, 55, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.

Carlos Beasley, 43, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.

Terry Beasley, 63, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.

Herbert Jones, 56, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.

Stephen Smallwood, 69, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.

Brandon Smith, 46, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.

Helen Beasley, 59, Wichita, who is set for sentencing Sept. 11.

Larry Reed, 58, Wichita, who was sentenced to 24 months.

Gerald Wilson, 46, Wichita, who is set for sentencing July 19.

 

Beall commended the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal revenue Service, the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - An Olathe woman was sentenced Tuesday for a scheme to collect income tax refunds by creating companies that existed only on paper, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. In addition, a co-defendant in the case pleaded guilty Tuesday.

 

Raquel Odegbaro, 44, Olathe, Kan., was sentenced Tuesday to 75 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $894,000 in restitution. She had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of mail fraud.

 

Co-defendant Abdirizak Aden, 33, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

 

In their pleas, Odegbaro and Aden said they operated Cokeza Styles, an online business that sold hair products. They admitted creating a series of fictitious companies and filing tax returns in the names of so-called employees by providing false information about wages earned, amounts withheld and refunds due. The false tax returns directed the Internal Revenue Service to deposit refunds electronically to reloadable credit cards controlled by the conspirators. The individuals whose names appeared on the refunds never actually worked for the fictitious companies.

 

In addition, the conspirat ors used stolen Social Security numbers to apply for unemployment benefits from the Kansas Department of Labor. They created more than nine fictitious companies and registered them with the labor department. They filed false claims in the names of employees who purportedly were terminated without fault.

 

Aden is set for sentencing Oct. 2. The parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 18 months and restitution of approximately $541,000.

 

Co-defendants include Alexander Limihagati, 35, Overland Park, Kan., who is set for sentencing Aug. 14, and Zia Mkubi Kajanja, 42, Overland Park, Kan., who is awaiting trial.

 

Beall commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor and Racketeering and Fraud; the Kansas Department of Children and Families; the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; the Kansas Department of Labor; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.

 

 

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

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Salina man was sentenced Monday to 20 years in federal prison on drug and gun charges, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Jason Lars Sheets, 36, Salina, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of brandishing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. In his plea, he admitted he was a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in the Salina area in 2016. He admitted that he and his co-defendants jointly possessed 18 firearms including pistols and rifles.

 

Co-defendants include:

Seth Allen George, 26, Salina, who was sentenced in June to 18 years.

Tyler Lee Shea, 21, Salina, Kan., who was sentenced in June to 15 years.

Kyle Allen Palmer, 30, Salina, Kan., who was sentenced in April to 15 years.

 

Beall commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Salina Police Department, the Saline County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - An Overland Park man was sentenced Monday to 97 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography on the Internet while posing as a 46-year-old woman, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Frank Joseph Kurtz, 70, Overland Park, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that an investigation by the Israeli National Police first identified emails in which Kurtz used the alias “Lisayearning46” to send child pornography to another person. The FBI in Kansas tracked the emails to Kurtz, who registered with Yahoo under the name “Lisa Lewis” and used photos he found on the Internet as his profile picture.

 

Beall commended the FBI, the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - An Olathe man was sentenced Monday to a year and a day in federal prison for stealing more than $275,000 in merchandise while he was working for a store that catered to runners, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. In addition, he was ordered to pay back the full amount.

 

Craig W. Sullivan, 41, Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he worked for Garry Gribble’s Running Sports, which has five locations in the Kansas City area. Sullivan oversaw merchandise arriving at the main store in Overland Park. He was responsible for distributing merchandise to the other locations.

 

In his plea, Sullivan admitted he stole merchandise – primarily Garmin GPS devices – and sold them to a buyer in California via Craigslist. The buyer used PayPal to send Sullivan 51 payments totaling $275,780.

 

The crime was discovered when Garmin wrote a letter saying Gary Gribble’s Running Stores was being terminated as a retailer. Garmin said devices sent to the store had been sold on eBay for less than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

 

Beall commended the U.S. Postal Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A California man appeared in federal court today on charges he possessed more than 60 pounds of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Carlos Fernando Fernandez-Gonzalez, 28, Yucaipa, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 25, 2017, when the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped him in Russell County, Kan.

 

If convicted he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Kansas Highway Patrol investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough is prosecuting.

 

Find more information about fentanyl on the DEA’s website at https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/fentanyl.shtml .

 

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

 

WICHITA, KAN. - A Georgia man pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges he was part of an e-mail spoofing scheme that cost Sedgwick County more than $566,000, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

George S. James, 49, Brookhaven, Ga., pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

 

In his plea, James admitted that on Oct. 7, 2016, Sedgwick County sent approximately $566,088 to his bank account at a Wells Fargo bank in Georgia. James transferred part of the money he received from Sedgwick County to a bank account in Shanghai, China, and part of the money to an account at Deutsche Bank in Bremen, Germany. James also spent some of the money.

 

In his plea, James denied that the fraud scheme was his idea. He said that on Sept. 23, 2016, he was contacted by a person identified in court records as A.H., who asked to deposit some money into James’ account at Wells Fargo. James said he knew A.H. was engaged in fraud, but James denied knowing that Sedgwick County was the victim.

 

In his plea, James said it was A.H. – or someone working with A.H. – who sent an email to Sedgwick County on Sept. 23, 2016, purporting to be from Cornejo and Sons, LLC, and requesting the county send future payments to a new account number at Wells Fargo. On Oct. 7, 2016, the county sent $566,088 to James’ account at Wells Fargo. The county learned later that Cornejo did not request the change of account and did not receive the payment.

 

Sentencing is set for Sept. 21. He faces a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

 

Beall commended the FBI, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to robbing a bank in Kansas City, Kan., U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Andre U. Randle, 37, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on Feb. 1, 2017, he robbed the U.S. Bank at 10959 Parallel Parkway, in Kansas City, Kan.

 

According to court documents, he gave a clerk a note saying, “I have 2 guns. Don’t make me use them,” before leaving the bank with stolen cash in a purple pillow case. Officers of the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department stopped his car in the 6900 block of Troop and arrested him.

 

Sentencing is set for Sept. 11. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

 

Beall commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A federal grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging a former Kansas Highway Patrol trooper with violating an individual’s civil rights by using excessive force.

 

The indictment was announced by Thomas E. Wheeler, II, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Tom Beall, U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas and Darrin E. Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the Kansas City Field Office of the FBI.

 

The indictment alleges that James Carson, 43, Independence, Kan., while acting under color of law as a trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol, used excessive force amounting to punishment against a victim identified in court records as R.T. The indictment further alleges that Carson’s use of excessive force resulted in bodily injury to R.T. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 25, 2013, in Labette County, Kan.

 

If convicted on the civil rights charge, Carson faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

 

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag and Trial Attorney Rose Gibson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting.

 

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

Richard A. James, Jr., 26, an inmate in custody of the Bureau of Prisons, is charged with assaulting a BOP unit manager. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 1, 2017, in Leavenworth County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.

 

Joshua R. Sawyer, 27, who is in custody in the Shawnee County Jail, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction and one count of unlawful possession of a sawed off shotgun. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 9, 2017, in Topeka, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard is prosecuting.

 

Michael Louis Lipp, 63, Lawrence, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 25, 2016, in Lawrence, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $5 million. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard is prosecuting.

 

Michael Allen Carter, 29, Salina, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 30, 2017, in Salina, Kan.

 

 

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

WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of using stolen identities to obtain car loans, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Reu Charles Chamberlain, 30, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted he used a stolen identity at Eddy’s Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Wichita to qualify for a $48,902 loan to buy a 2016 Dodge Challenger. At Midway Motors in Wichita, he used a stolen identity to qualify for a $44,746 loan to buy a 2015 Dodge Challenger.

 

Sentencing is set for Sept. 11. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count, a fine up to $250,000 and restitution. Beall commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

 

WICHITA, KAN. - A Topeka man admitted Monday that he took part in a robbery while he was wearing a monitoring device, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Christopher Allen Bush, 26, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting a commercial robbery. In his plea, Bush admitted he picked up co-defendant Marsoleno Devon Ryland after Ryland robbed Casey’s General Store at 600 S.E. Rice Road.

 

At the time of the robbery, Bush was wearing a monitoring device because he was on post-release supervision in a criminal case in state district court. Data from the GPS device verified that Bush picked up Ryland just south of Casey’s General Store and drove him to the 2300 block S.E. Bellview, where police located the two men shortly after the robbery.

 

Sentencing is set for Sept. 25. Both parties have agreed to recommend Bush be sentenced to 36 months in federal prison. Co-defendant Ryland is set for sentencing Sept. 18.

 

Beall commended the FBI, the Topeka Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Lawrence woman who pleaded guilty to forging her ex-husband’s signature on official documents when she fled to Europe with her daughters was sentenced Tuesday to three years on probation including six months home confinement, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

 

Samantha C. Elmer, 34, Lawrence, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft. In her plea she admitted she forged her husband’s signature on a document giving her consent to take their two daughters to Europe. She filed the document as part of the process of getting passports for the girls.

 

Elmer was charged after she returned from Europe with the girls, who were 9 and 11 years old.

 

Beall commended the following agencies that worked on the investigation: the Lawrence Police Department, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, the Eudora Police Department, the Overland Park Police Department and the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office, as well as the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley.

WICHITA, KAN. - Six Wichita area residents were indicted Tuesday on federal identity theft charges, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

The indictment alleges the defendants used stolen mail to produce fraudulent documents including Kansas driver’s licenses, student ID cards and other forms of identification. The fraudulent IDs were used to pass forged checks at stores including Dillons and Walmart.

 

Named in the superseding indictment were the following:

 

Chanel K. Wiseman, 28, Wichita, Kan., four counts of possession of fraudulent documents, two counts of receiving stolen mail, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances.

John C. McMillan, 45, Wichita, Kan., one count of possession of fraudulent documents and one count of receiving stolen mail,

Shane A. Pitman, 31, Wichita, Kan., one count of possession of fraudulent documents, one count of receiving stolen mail, one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Brent A. Slover, 33, Wichita, Kan., one count of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of fraudulent documents and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances.

Keri A. Tunnell, 41, Wichita, Kan., one count of possession of fraudulent documents and one count of receiving stolen mail.

Raina N. Zeiner, 22, Belle Plain, Kan., one count of possession of fraudulent documents and one count of aggravated identity theft.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession of fraudulent documents: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Receiving stolen mail: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Wire fraud: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000.

Unlawful possession of a firearm: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

 

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

 

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

Abraham Xavier Lopez, 25, Chino Hills, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately eight pounds of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately 4.4 pounds of marijuana. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 25, 2017, in Minneola, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces not less than 10 years and up to $4 million in fines on the methamphetamine count and up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the marijuana count. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.

 

Maurice Pitman, 34, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred April 15, 2017, in Wichita, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million on each of the distribution counts, up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other firearm count. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

 

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

WICHITA, KAN. - A Topeka man pleaded guilty Monday to robbing a Casey’s General Store, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Maroleno Devon Ryland, 34, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to as charged to one count of commercial robbery. On Feb. 2, 2017, an employee of Casey’s General Store at 600 S.E. Rice Road in Topeka reported a man with a gun threatened to kill him unless he turned over store deposits he was taking to the bank. Soon after the robbery, a Topeka police officer saw Ryland and co-defendant Christopher Allen Bush, 26, Topeka, Kan., sitting in a vehicle together. Later, police stopped another car in which Ryland was a passenger. They arrested Ryland and seized cash from the robbery.

 

Co-defendant Bush is set for a change of plea hearing June 26.

 

Sentencing is set for Sept. 18. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Beall commended the FBI, the Topeka Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.

 

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

WICHITA, KAN. - A drug courier from California who was stopped on the highway with 117 pounds of cocaine was sentenced Monday to three years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Marco Antonio Aispuro, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was arrested Oct. 21, 2016, after the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped him on eastbound I-70 in Wabaunsee County. A search of his vehicle turned up 117 pounds of cocaine hidden in a rear quarter panel and a spare tire.

 

Beall commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas Highway Patrol and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A man who owned a medical imaging business was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in federal prison followed by six months home detention for health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today. He was ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution.

 

Cody Lee West, 39, Paragould, Ark., owner of C & S Imaging, Inc., pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. C & S Imaging was a mobile independent diagnostic testing facility that provided ultra sound diagnostic testing to health care providers.

 

West solicited chiropractors and told them he could provide equipment and an operator at no cost to them. West fraudulently billed Medicare for musculoskeletal exams and Doppler scans that allowed him to receive up to $410 per patient for services that were not ordered by a physician, not medically necessary, not performed or not documented. He also used fraudulent methods to attempt to provide documentation for some of his bills.

 

Beall commended the Department of Health and Human Services, the Kansas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. - A former mail carrier in Sheridan County pleaded guilty Friday to stealing mail he was supposed to deliver, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

James N. Stephenson, 25, Hoxie, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail theft. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he was employed at the Post Office in Hoxie, Kan. He stole mail containing cash, gift cards and prepaid debit cards. He said he looked for birthday and anniversary cards that were likely to contain items of value.

 

Sentencing is set for Sept. 14. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of a year and a day in federal prison. Beall commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Office of Inspector General and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for their work on the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Leawood woman was charged Friday with importing $194,000 worth of misbranded drugs, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Kathleen Stegman, 59, who owned Midwest Medical Aesthetics Center, Inc., of Leawood, Kan., was charged with obtaining Botox, Dysport, Restylane, Perlane and Sculptra from foreign sources. The drugs did not meet Food and Drug Administration labeling requirements. The crime is alleged to have occurred in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

 

In October 2016, Stegman was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for tax evasion.

 

If convicted, she faces up to three years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000 and forfeiture. The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway is prosecuting.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A former firefighter with the Kickapoo Volunteer Fire Department pleaded guilty Tuesday to concealing the fact that grass fires on the reservation were deliberately set, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

 

Arlene M. Negonsott, 35, Horton, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of concealing a felony. In her plea, she admitted that she did not tell investigators what she knew when they interviewed her about a series of fires on the Kickapoo Reservation in Brown County. She knew that fire chief and co-defendant Stephen D. Ramirez, Jr., arranged for the fires to be set and billed the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the Kickapoo Fire Department’s work putting out the fires.

 

Sentencing will be set for a later date. She faces up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

 

Co-defendant Ramirez is awaiting trial. The U.S. Department of Interior – Office of Inspector General, the Kickapoo Tribal Police and the FBI 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.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Cheyenne County man pleaded guilty Wednesday to producing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Brett Nolan Cico, 31, St. Francis, Kan., pleaded guilty as charged to three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor while registered as a sex offender. Two of the victims were 14 years old and the other victim was 15 years old.

 

Sentencing is set for Sept. 11. He faces a penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years on each production count and 10 years (consecutive) on the other counts. Beall commended the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - An Ottawa man was charged in federal court here Monday with attempted sex trafficking of a child, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Michael David Mitchell, 63, Ottawa, Kan., was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child, six counts of electronic solicitation, one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and one count of interstate travel for the purpose of having sex with a minor.

 

A criminal complaint and affidavit alleges Mitchell told undercover investigators he was looking for a mother and children to enslave for sex and he was willing to pay for it. In a text exchange with an undercover investigator posing as a woman with a daughter, he said: “I will take care of you, but it won’t be easy on either of you. I’m a sadist and enjoy inflicting pain. Neither of you will ever be allowed to say no to me.”

 

Mitchell agreed to a meeting at the Adams Mark Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. He was arrested when he arrived.

 

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years on the attempted sex trafficking count, up to five years on each electronic enticement count, not less than 10 years on the coercion and enticement count, and up to 30 years on the interstate travel charge. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. B A Kansas City, Kan., man was sentenced Tuesday to six months home confinement and 50 hours of community service for a bank robbery he blamed on a fight with his wife, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Lawrence John Ripple, 71, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. A criminal complaint in the case alleged that on Sept. 2, 2016, Ripple sat down in the lobby and waited for police after robbing the Bank of Labor at 756 Minnesota Ave. in Kansas City, Kan. He told investigators that after an argument with his wife he felt he would rather be in prison than go back home.

 

Beall commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - Two Salina men were sentenced Monday on federal drug and gun charges, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Seth Allen George, 26, Salina, Kan., was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of brandishing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

 

Tyler Lee Shea, 21, Salina, Kan., was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

 

In their pleas, both men admitted they were members of a drug trafficking organization operating in the Salina area in 2016.

 

Co-defendants include Kyle Allen Palmer, who was sentenced to 180 months, and Jason Lars Sheets, who is set for sentencing July 10.

 

Beall commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to two armed robberies, including one in which he fired a shot into the ceiling, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Gary L. Gillom, 30, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty two counts of armed robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on June 26, 2016, he brandished a firearm while robbing the Arby’s restaurant at 1187 Southwest Gage in Topeka. He ordered restaurant employees to hurry with the cash and fired a round into the ceiling of the restaurant.

 

Gillom also admitted that on June 27, 2016, he brandished a firearm when he robbed the Long John Silver’s restaurant at 2746 Southwest Fairlawn in Topeka.

 

Gillom was arrested on June 29, 2016, after investigators identified a car used in the robberies.

 

Co-defendant Darien E. Fulton, 25, Topeka, Kan., was sentenced to six years in federal prison.

 

Gillom is set for sentencing Sept. 11. He faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

 

Beall commended the Topeka Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.

 

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced the indictment of Adam W. Purinton, 52, of Olathe, Kansas. Purinton was indicted by a federal grand jury on hate crime and firearm charges for shooting three men—including two Indian nationals—at an Olathe bar on Feb. 22, 2017.

 

The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Wheeler, II, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and United States Attorney Thomas E. Beall of the District of Kansas.

 

Today’s indictment accuses Purinton of shooting and killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla because of Kuchibhotla’s actual and perceived race, color, religion and national origin. The indictment also accuses Purinton of attempting to kill Alok Madasani because of his actual and perceived race, color, religion and national origin.

 

A third count in the indictment charges Purinton with violating a federal firearms statute by discharging a firearm at Kuchibhotla, Madasani, and the third man, Ian Grillot, during those crimes of violence.

 

The indictment alleges that Purinton committed the offenses after substantial planning and premeditation, attempted to kill more than one person in a single criminal episode, and knowingly created a grave risk of death to others on the scene.

 

The statute  authorizes a maximum penalty of death or life in prison; the Justice Department will determine at a later date whether, in this particular case, it will seek the death penalty.

 

An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

 

Investigating agencies include the FBI and the Olathe Police Department. 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 CITY, KAN. - An Olathe man pleaded guilty Monday to stealing more than $8 million from a Turkish investor, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Nagy Shehata, 57, Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he was president of Premier Investment Group, a corporation registered in Missouri. During that time, Shehata formed a joint partnership with co-defendant Laura Lee Sorsby, a Texas resident who conducted business through a company called Can Am International.

 

The victim was a Turkish resident who was the founder of a hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. The defendants offered the victim the opportunity to invest in a project that started out as a plan to build a hospital in Syria and evolved into a plan to build a shopping mall in Iraq. Based on the defendants’ false statements, the victim transferred money to Shehata’s bank in New York. Shehata wired the money from New York to his bank accounts in Kansas.

 

The defendants did not use the money for the hospital or shopping mall projects. Instead, Shehata bought an $111,000 car and an $855,000 house.

 

Sentencing will be set for a later time. Shehata faces up to 20 years in federal prison and restitution of more than $8.2 million. Beall commended The FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

 

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka pizza shop owner and nine other people have been indicted on federal drug trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

 

A 35-count indictment unsealed Thursday alleges Adolfo Barragan-Rodriguez, owner of Pronto Pizza at 1121 SE 6th Ave. in Topeka, set up a trafficking organization that obtained methamphetamine from California and distributed it to buyers through a network of street dealers in Topeka.

 

The indictment alleges:

 

• Barragan-Rodriguez used his restaurant as a front for the drug trafficking organization. Investigators kept conspirators under surveillance as they came and went from Pronto Pizza with packages.

• Barragan-Rodriguez, who was known by the conspirators as Big Mike, managed the logistics of buying pounds of methamphetamine in California and shipping the drugs to Topeka, leaving other conspirators to handle street sales to users.

• Barragan-Rodriguez used Federal Express as a tool for his trafficking operation. For instance, a 4-pound package of meth and a package containing $14,900 in cash that were transported via Federal Express were seized during the investigation.

• Conspirators laundered drug proceeds through transactions at the Prairie Band Pottawattamie Casino north of Topeka.

• One of the defendants is charged with unlawful possession of 92 firearms.

• Some drugs were stored at a location within 1,000 feet of Mater Dei Catholic School.

   

Charges in the indictment include conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, interstate transportation in furtherance of drug trafficking, use of a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 of a school, money laundering and unlawful possession of firearms.

 

In addition to Barragan-Rodriguez, defendants named in the indictment include:

 

Michelle Belair, 34, Topeka.

Jose Medina-Benuto, 20, Topeka.

Michael Price, 42, Topeka.

Joseph Jones, 41, Topeka.

Linda Hardin, 48, Topeka.

Heather Hurley, 29, Topeka.

Daniel A. Rice, 57, Topeka.

Nicholas Casarona, 41, Topeka.

Jose Ruiz, 37, Topeka.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties (see attached indictment for details):

Counts 1, 10, 11, 30, 32: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.

Counts 7 and 20: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.

Counts 4, 6, 9, 13, 18 and 31: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.

Count 35: Not less than a year and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.

Count 12: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

Counts 2, 3 and 5: Up to 20 years and a fine of more than $500,000.

Count 8: Up to 10 years and a fine of more than $500,000.

Counts 14-17 and 21-29: Up to four years.

Count 34: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Count 35: Up to 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.

 

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Topeka Police Department with assistance from the Shawnee County Sherriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the ATF, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs is prosecuting.

 

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

WICHITA, KAN. – A Salina man was sentenced Wednesday to five years in federal prison for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

David Patrick Newcomer, 35, Salina, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. In his plea, Newcomer admitted that a Wichita police detective was able to download a movie containing child pornography from Newcomer’s computer using a file-sharing program. A forensic examination of Newcomer’s computer identified more than 19,000 images and videos of child pornography.

 

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Wichita Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A registered sex offender from Kansas pleaded guilty Wednesday to picking up a 16-year-old girl in Virginia and taking her across state lines to have sex with him, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

 

Logan Viquesney, 21, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity. In his plea, he admitted he communicated with the victim over the internet while she was staying with her grandparents in Virginia. On May 30, 2016, the victim was reported missing from her grandparents’ home. Investigators learned that Viquesney had driven to Virginia, picked up the girl, and taken her with him on a trip that took them from Virginia to Maryland, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. While on the trip, Viquesney had sex with the girl.

 

Viquesney was arrested after he arrived in Kansas City, Kan., with the girl.

 

Sentencing is set for July 31. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 15 years in federal prison.

 

Beall commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Lenexa Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – An Olathe man was sentenced Wednesday to time served (three years) for cashing millions of dollars’ worth of checks to pay undocumented workers for installing drywall, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Jose Torres-Garcia, 53, Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of harboring or encouraging aliens to reside in the U.S. unlawfully and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. In his plea, he admitted he cashed checks for construction crew leaders so they could pay themselves and their crews. Operating from his business at Boost Mobile, 1319 Santa Fe, Olathe, Kan., Torres-Garcia received checks made payable to “Jose R. Torres Drywall,” even though he was not in the drywall business. He deposited the checks and distributed cash back to the crew leaders for distribution among the workers. Investigators determined that approximately $14 million passed through Torres-Garcia’s account in two years.

 

Beall commended Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Texas woman was sentenced Tuesday to five years in federal prison for selling designer drugs manufactured in Kansas, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. She was ordered to forfeit $2 million in proceeds from the crime.

 

Michelle Reulet, 37, Montgomery, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Reulet and co-defendant Michael Myers owned a business in the Houston area called Bully Wholesale. They sold products that were purchased from co-defendants Tracy Picanso and Roy Ehrett in Olathe, Kan.

 

The products Reulet’s company sold designer drugs marketed under names such as Pump It, Head trip, Black Arts and Grave Digger. In her plea, Reulet admitted she knew buyers consumed her products to get high, despite labels making false claims that the products were safe and were not intended for human consumption. The products were marketed as incense, potpourri and shoe deodorizer. Their labels did not warn of possible harmful effects.

 

Reulet’s business had gross sales of more than $2 million.

 

Co-defendants include:

Tracy Picanso, 61, Olathe, Kan., who is set for sentencing June 15.

Roy Ehrett, 59, Olathe, Kan., who is set for sentencing June 15.

Michael Myers, 37, Montgomery, Texas, who was sentenced to time served (two years).

 

Beall commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, the Overland Park Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Olathe Police Department, the St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway and Michael Varrone, Associate Chief Counsel, Food and Drug Administration, for their work on the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita business owner pleaded guilty Friday to withholding more than $258,000 in taxes from employee salaries that he failed to paid over to the government, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Michael J. Skladzien, 54, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of failing to pay over taxes. In his plea, he admitted that while he owned S&S Floor Maintenance he withheld approximately $258,610 from salaries of employees to pay federal taxes. Instead of paying the funds over to the government, he spent the money on personal expenses including gambling.

 

Sentencing is set for Aug. 11, 2017. He faces up to five years in federal prison. Beall commended Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A St. Marys man was sentenced Thursday to five years in federal prison for tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said. He was ordered to pay more than $8.4 million in restitution.

 

David G. Pflum, 71, St. Marys, Kan., owner of Coil Springs Specialties, was found guilty in a jury trial in January on one count of tax evasion and one count of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service. During trial, the prosecutor presented evidence that Pflum submitted false documents claiming he had less than $475 in assets and his income was $470 a month. In fact, he owned more than $2 million worth of real estate and his income was more than $16,000 a month. He urged renters, buyers and other people indebted to him to ignore collection efforts by the IRS.

 

Beall commended the IRS and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.