District of Kansas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom to Speak at Hutchinson Community CollegeRead the Press Release
HUTCHINSON, KAN. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom will speak during Constitution Day on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Hutchinson Community College.
Grissom’s speech will be titled, “The Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Beyond.” The presentation will begin at 10:20 a.m. in the Shears Technology Center on the Hutchinson Community College campus, 1300 N. Plum in Hutchinson.
Constitution Day is an annual event recognizing the signing of the U.S. Constitution in September 1787.
Grissom was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2010. The U.S. Attorney has three offices in Kansas – Kansas City, Kan., Topeka and Wichita – and a staff of approximately 100 employees, including about 50 Assistant U.S. Attorneys.Former Union President Pleads GuiltyTo Embezzling Funds from VA EmployeesRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - The former president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local Union 906 pleaded guilty Monday to embezzling more than $51,000 from union members in Topeka and Waco, Texas, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Timothy Sanchez, 40, Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement. In his plea, he admitted the crimes occurred while he was president of the labor union, which represents approximately 200 active members who are employed at the Veterans Administration Health Resource Center in Topeka and Waco.
While Sanchez served as president, he embezzled funds from the union by making unauthorized debit card charges for expense reimbursements, writing unauthorized checks for his own benefit, and filing false meeting minutes and annual financial reports with the Department of Labor to conceal his embezzlement.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 25. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway is prosecuting.
Law Enforcement, Victim Service Providersgather in Kc for Annual EventRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, and Barry R. Grissom, United States Attorney for the District of Kansas, announced that law enforcement officers and victim service providers from throughout a multi-state region are in Kansas City, Mo., this week to attend the 11th annual Protect Our Children Conference at the Airport Hilton in Kansas City, Mo., from Sept. 10 to 12, 2014.
The Protect Our Children provides training for those who are in the trenches combating Internet crimes against children, child exploitation, child sexual assault, and child abduction. Dickinson, Grissom and Kansas City Police Chief Darryl Forte welcomed conference attendees this morning.
The three-day conference, which is hosted by United States Attorneys in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, and Indiana, rotates among cities each year. The event provides a multi-disciplinary approach for law enforcement, medical and mental health and victim service providers. Experts and practitioners present a comprehensive strategy to protect children and seek justice on their behalf.
The overall goal of the 11th Annual Protect Our Children Conference is to increase community awareness, improve investigative and prosecutorial practices, and provide resources to all participants. This year’s conference showcases presenters from across the country specializing in the investigation and prosecution of crimes against children and the treatment of child victims.
A special keynote address will be presented by Christopher Baughman, host of MSNBC’s new series on human trafficking, at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, 10, 2014.
Prior to Baughman’s retirement, he headed up the Pandering Investigation Team (PIT) and Human Trafficking Task Force for the Las Vegas Police Department, where his team arrested and convicted several of the city’s wealthiest and most violent criminals. He teaches pandering investigations to other departments across the nation, including members of the FBI, IRS, and Federal Parole and Probation Agencies. He is also author of the best-selling true crime human trafficking series, “Off The Street.”
At 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, closing keynote speaker Derek Clark will share his compelling personal testimony of the childhood trauma he endured and overcame, which has inspired thousands of people to overcome their own adversity. A published author and well-known expert in working with troubled children and youth, he will also share insight and training to equip us for dealing with young victims.
Plenary speakers will address such topics as “Trauma and Recovery,” “Neurobiology of Trauma,” and “Cyberbullying.” Sixteen workshops feature separate tracks with experts and topics that are specifically relevant to law enforcement, health care/medical, or victim providers. Special elective workshops will also be offered on a diverse range of topics.
Most of the conference sessions are open to the media. More information about the Protect Our Children Conference can be found online at http://www.pocconference.com.
U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom's Statement on the Shooting Death of Cpl. Jason HarwoodRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom released the following statement Tuesday on the shooting death of Cpl. Jason Harwood of the Topeka Police Department, who was the third Topeka officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty in the past 21 months.
“Our hearts go out to the family of Cpl. Jason Harwood and to the men and women of the Topeka Police Department.”
“The tragic fact is that every year dozens of police officers in this nation are killed by gunfire. The FBI’s preliminary statistics for 2013 show that 27 officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in 2013. Offenders used firearms in 26 of the 27 deaths.”
“In many cases, officers are killed by armed felons. That is one reason our office will continue to put a top priority on the federal prosecution of convicted felons who possess firearms. If we can save one life, the effort will have been worth it.”
Man Who Managed Chinese Restaurant Pleads Guilty to Harboring Foreign WorkersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A man who managed a Chinese restaurant in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to harbor workers who were in the United States illegally, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Quan Liu, 26, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens who were unlawfully in the United States. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he was the manager of Wei’s Super Buffet #2 at 7531 Wornall Road in Kansas City, Mo. The restaurant was owned by a company based in Olathe, Kan., which was headed by co-defendant Wei Liu.
When investigators served a search warrant at a three-bedroom apartment that Quan Liu leased near the restaurant they found six illegal aliens residing there. One had overstayed a B-2 visa, one previously had been deported, one previously had been found unlawfully in the United States and had returned to his country voluntarily, and three others were illegally present in the United States.
Co-defendants include:
Wei Liu, who is awaiting trial.
Xiang Liu, who is awaiting trial
Jin Hui Liu, who is set for a change of plea hearing Sept. 12.
Huiming Liu, who is awaiting sentencing.
Bin Liu, who is awaiting trial.
Huiqing Liu, who is awaiting trial.Quan Liu will be set for a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask for their work on the case.
Indictment: Keebler Employees Filed False Reports to Receive Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Federal indictments were returned Wednesday charging that 16 people who worked for Keebler Company in Kansas City, Kan., fraudulently received unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.
The indictments allege that while working for Keebler each of the defendants received unemployment benefits by submitting false reports to the Kansas Department of Labor.
Defendants, who are charged in separate indictments with one count each of theft of government funds and one count of bank fraud, include the following:
Angie Raffurty, 43, Blue Springs, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $10,488 in benefits.
Bobby Grant, 49, Kansas City, Kan., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $31,466.
Darrell Haywood, 32, Kansas City, Kan., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $10,564.
Debbie Gleghorn, 55, Kansas City, Kan., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $10,633,
Durail Bailey, 36, Kansas City, Kan., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $12,693.
Herman Callands, Jr., 46, Kansas City, Kan., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $13,766.
James Mango, 50, Kansas City, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $17,893
Julian Emery, 38, Blue Springs, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $15,788.
Maxine Nelson, 44, Kansas City., Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $12,795.
Randy Laughlin, 55, Blue Springs, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $27,388.
Rodney Taylor, 44, Kansas City, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $15,598.
Rodrigo Diacono, 35, Lenexa, Kan., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $10,168.
Tina Cooper, 48, Kansas City, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $18,796.
Donald Barnett, 42, Independence, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $11,490.
Edith Clark, 53, Kansas City, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $12,820.
Kaven Daniels, 43, Kansas City, Mo., who is alleged to have fraudulently received $12,633.If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the theft of government funds, and a maximum penalty of 30 years and a fine up to $1 million on the bank fraud charge. The Kansas Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Labor Employee and Benefits Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
K. Kevin James, 57, Lenexa, Kan., and his son, Charlie M. James, 35, Desoto, Kan., are charged with wire fraud and other counts.
K. Kevin James is charged with 10 counts of bank fraud, eight counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Charlie M. James is charged with four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, three counts of tax evasion and one count of bankruptcy fraud.The indictment alleges the crimes were committed while the defendants were owners of KC United, LLC, a holding company for five construction companies that was located in Kansas City, Kan. One of the companies owned by KC United was Miller Paving and Construction.
The indictment alleges that K. Kevin James and others obtained business loans from Bank of Blue Valley by hiding and falsely representing the failing financial condition of KC United. The fraud resulted in a loss to the bank of more than $877,382. The bank received federal funds from the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The indictment also alleges the defendants diverted prevailing wage fringe benefit payments for employees for other purposes.
“The Bank of Blue Valley suffered losses on the loans and was unable to repay TARP or their quarterly TARP dividend, and eventually sold the loans at a loss of $877,000,” said Christy Romero, Special Inspector General for Tarp (SIGTARP).”
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Bank fraud: A maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each count and a fine up to $1 million.
Wire fraud: A maximum penalty of 20 years on each count and a fine up to $250,000.
Conspiracy to defraud the United States: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Tax evasion: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Bankruptcy fraud: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.The Internal Revenue Service and Special Investigator for the Troubled Asset Relief Program investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.
Charles R. Waits, 53, Lenexa, Kan., is charged with one count of bank fraud. The crime is alleged to have occurred in 2010 in Johnson County, Kan.
The indictment alleges that while Waits was the managing member of a corporation that operated the Kansas City Sports Grill he provided false financial information to the Community America Credit Union in order to obtain $605,000 in business loans.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
Damon Harlin, Jr., 35, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 20, 2014, in Kansas City, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Timothy R. Whittington, Jr., 34, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 16, 2014, in Kansas City, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 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 Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Christopher S. Virgil, 42, formerly of Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 27, 2012, in Leavenworth, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 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 Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Co-owner of Defunct Company Admits Defrauding Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business ProgramRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - The co-owner of a defunct Missouri construction company pleaded guilty Wednesday to defrauding a federal program that set aside contracts for businesses owned by service-disabled veterans, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Michael J. Parker, 40, Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States, one count of major program fraud and one count of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted that he and his father, co-defendant, Warren K. Parker, made false claims in order for their company, Silver Star Construction LLC of Blue Springs, Mo., and Stilwell, Kan., to obtain more than $6.7 million in contracts from the Veterans Administration and more than $748,000 in contracts from the Department of Defense. The contracts were awarded under the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program.
After an extensive investigation, federal agents determined that in fact Warren Parker never was classified as a service-disabled veteran by the Veterans Administration or the Department of Defense.
Sentencing will be set for a later date. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 51 months in federal prison and restitution.
Co-defendants include:
Grissom commended the Small Business Administration's Office of Inspector General; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division and the General Services Administration's Office of Inspector General; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt for their work on the case.
Warren K. Parker, who was sentenced to 87 months.
Mary Parker, who is set for jury trial Oct. 6.
Thomas Whitehead, who is awaiting sentencing.
Silver Star Construction, LLC, which is set for trial Oct. 6.Topeka Man Pleads Guilty to Robberies in Topeka, ManhattanRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man on Tuesday pleaded guilty to committing robberies at businesses in Topeka and Manhattan, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Christopher James Wilhoite, 26, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial robbery and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of a robbery. In his plea, Wilhoite admitted that on March 29, 2014, he robbed a clerk at Car Toyz, 5849 S.W. 21st in Topeka. The store sells mobile audio, video and vehicle security systems.
Wilhoite entered the store, browsed for a few minutes, and told the clerk: “I know what I want – the money.” He took money from the register and from the clerk’s wallet before loading some electronic items into a bag. When he noticed a surveillance camera, he forced the clerk to show him the recorder and threw that in the bag, too. Then he fled the store. Investigators later found his fingerprints in the store.
Wilhoite also admitted that on April 16, 2014, he robbed the Dollar General at 2321 Tuttle Creek Boulevard in Manhattan, Kan. He pointed a gun at a clerk and said: “Hey, I need money.” He put the clerk and another employee in a bathroom at gunpoint and told them to count to 200 while he fled the store.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 21. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 12 years in federal prison.
Grissom commended the Topeka Police Department, the Riley County Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas City man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison in a federal drug trafficking case, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Christopher Craig, 32, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana, and two counts of using a phone in furtherance of drug trafficking. He admitted that he was part of a drug trafficking ring that operated from January 2006 to December 2012 in Kansas City, Kan.
Prosecutors argued for a longer sentence on the grounds that Craig planned and participated in an attempted robbery on Aug. 14, 2012, that resulted in the shooting death of one of the robbers. Officers were called to Research Medical Center when a shooting victim was dropped off at the emergency room entrance. The victim died of three gunshot wounds to his upper body.
Investigators learned that Craig had planned the robbery. He had taken the victim and another man to a south Kansas City location where a large sum of money and drugs were kept. During the robbery, the target of the robbery shot the victim. Craig was a member of the MOB street gang.
Grissom commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Career Criminal Squad, the FBI, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug for their work on the case.
Federal Indictment: Jewelry Store Owner Knowingly Purchased Stolen JewelryRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. - The owner of a Topeka jewelry store appeared in federal court Thursday on charges of knowingly buying stolen jewelry that he melted and sold for more than $430,500 as scrap gold, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
John O. Dasher, 53, Silver Lake, Kan., is charged with one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and 32 counts of money laundering. The indictment alleges that while he owned and operated The Diamond House at 1801 S.W. Gage Boulevard in Topeka he knowingly purchased stolen jewelry from individuals who committed home invasions in and around Topeka.
He purchased the jewelry at a fraction of its actual value and melted it down to sell as gold scrap. He sent the gold through the U.S. Postal Service to precious metal wholesalers including Pop Gems International, Gold Empire and Coinex, Inc. From November 2008 to April 2013, the companies paid Dasher a total of more than $430,500 for scrap gold.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of interstate transportation of stolen goods, and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000 on each money laundering count.
The Topeka Police Department and the FBI 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.
Indictment: Two Topekans Robbed Wendy'sRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – Two Topeka residents were indicted in federal court Wednesday on robbery charges, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
George Christopher Walton, Jr., 37, who is in custody in the Shawnee County Jail, and Tashjaun Desanic Walton, 18, who is in custody in the Shawnee County Jail, are charged with one count of robbery. In addition, George Walton is charged with one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 4, 2014, in Topeka, Kan.
The indictment alleges that on Aug. 4, 2014, the defendants robbed the Wendy’s restaurant at 728 Southwest Topeka Boulevard in Topeka. The indictment alleges that George Walton brandished a firearm during the robbery.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Robbery: A maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Brandishing a firearm: A penalty of not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Topeka Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.OTHER INDICTMENTS
James W. Duke, 51, currently of Converse, Texas, is charged with three counts of aggravated abuse of a child, two counts of sexual abuse of a minor, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of transporting child pornography across state lines. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from January 1997 to December 2000 on the Fort Riley military installation.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Aggravated sexual abuse of a child: A maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Sexual abuse of a minor: A maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Sexual exploitation of a child: Not less than 10 years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Transporting child pornography: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham are prosecuting.
Alfredo Rodriguez, 31, Kansas City, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and one count of attempting to intimidate a witness in a federal criminal case. The drug trafficking crime is alleged to have occurred from April 2011 to December 2012 in Wyandotte County, Kan. The other crime is alleged to have occurred July 7, 2014.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $10 million on the conspiracy charge, and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other counts. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.
Kevin Smith, 31, Richmond, Kan., Justin Ingram, 29, Ottawa, Kan., and Elizabeth Diane Lewis, 33, Ottawa, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Ingram and Lewis are charged with one count of maintaining a residence at 707 S. Ash in Ottawa, Kan., in furtherance of drug trafficking; and Ingram is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from Jan. 1, 2014, to Aug. 12, 2014.
The defendants initially were charged in a criminal complaint filed Aug. 13, 2014, in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan. The complaint alleged that during the investigation Ingram told another person that he had Semtex explosives and wanted to blow up a house where the mother of a detective with the Ottawa Police Department lived.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $10 million.
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Maintaining a drug involved premises: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.
Noe Beltran, 33, Wichita, Kan., Cecilia Gomez, 49, Wichita, Kan., German Fernandez-Hernandez, 52, Wichita, Kan., and Ramona Gomez-Hernandez, 43, are charged with drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2014 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Beltran is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 21 pounds of methamphetamine.Gomez is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, count of possession with intent to distribute 21 pounds of methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to distribute two pounds of methamphetamine.
Fernandez-Hernandez is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute two pounds of methamphetamine and five counts of distributing methamphetamine.
Gomez-Hernandez is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 21 pounds of methamphetamine.Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
Possession with intent to distribute 21 pounds of methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million.
Distribution of methamphetamine: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million; or a penalty of at least five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million, depending on the quantity.The Drug Enforcement Administration 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.
Former Technology Director for City of Lenexa Charged with Wire Fraud, TheftRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - The former technology director for the City of Lenexa appeared in U.S. District Court here Monday on charges of wire fraud and theft, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Andrew L. Davey, 44, Overland Park, Kan., is charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government funds. The indictment alleges that Davey used city funds to buy electronic devices that he then sold on e-Bay. The indictment alleges Davey was responsible for stealing more than $98,800 worth of merchandise from the city including digital cameras and Apple MacBook computers.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each wire fraud count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the theft charge. The Lenexa Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
Massage Parlor Owner Sentenced for Harboring, Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - The former owner of a Wichita massage parlor was sentenced Friday to five years in federal prison for harboring an undocumented Chinese woman and threatening to harm a law enforcement officer, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Gary H. Kidgell, 45, Waltham, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of harboring an alien who was illegally in the United States and one count of attempted obstruction of justice. In his plea, Kidgell admitted that in January 2011 he interviewed a Chinese woman to work at a massage parlor he owned in Wichita. Kidgell spoke to the woman through an interpreter because she did not speak English. He made the Chinese woman stay at his residence and pay rent while she was working at his massage parlor.
In January and February 2014 while Kidgell was in custody in the case he told other inmates at the Butler County Jail that he intended to harm a law enforcement officer who investigated the case unless his case was resolved the way he wanted.
Co-defendants include:
Yan Zhang, 50, Wichita, Kan., who was sentenced to time served and five years supervised release.
Xinqing Tian, 45, who was sentenced to time served and two years supervised release.Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Indictment: Kansas Man Created False Identities in Scheme to Re-sell DVDs and Blue-ray MoviesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Derby, Kan., man has been indicted on federal charges of creating dozens of false identities in order to qualify for discounts on the purchase of DVD and Blue-ray movies by joining the Disney Movie Club and Columbia House DVD Club and then re-selling the movies, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Harvey C. Self, 45, Derby, Kan., is charged with nine counts of mail fraud, one count of money laundering and two counts of tax fraud. The indictment alleges Self resold DVDs and Blue-ray movies on eBay and Amazon and collected payments using PayPal.
The indictment alleges the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has identified 28 different mailing addresses Self created at post offices or commercial carrier boxes in Derby, Kechi, Andover, Haysville, Peck, Benton, Winfield, Valley Center, Udall, Oxford, Clearwater, Mulvane, Wichita, Augusta and Goddard. The list of false names he is alleged to have used incudes Michael Wittman, Jamie Davis, Stephanie Vogel, Jossalyn Hanna, Phil Scott, Scott Philips, Greg Clark, Joe Green, Jimmy Jackson, John Foster, Will Enos, Kevin Griffin, Travis Powell, Jennifer Lewis, Kami Anderson, Savannah Clayton and Jessie Hannaself.
The indictment alleges that investigators seized 2,833 DVDs and Blu-ray discs when they served a search warrant at Self’s home in Derby.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of mail fraud, a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000 on the money laundering count and a maximum penalty of three years and a fine up to $100,000 on each tax fraud count. The FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Chrystal M. Scherbarth, 30, Altoona, Kan., the former city clerk of the City of Altoona, is charged with three counts of bank fraud. The crimes are alleged to have occurred from June 2011 to November 2013 in Altoona.
The indictment alleges Scherbarth used her access to the city payroll system to embezzle money from the city. The indictment alleges she overpaid herself by raising her own salary, issuing unauthorized checks to herself and paying herself for vacation and sick leave she had not earned. The indictment also alleges the City of Altoona identified more than $36,000 worth of unauthorized charges on a credit card used by Scherbarth.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Melchor Ramirez-Romero, 39, a citizen of Mexico who has been living in Liberal, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 31, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Auner Gumercindo Vail-Lucas, 30, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Aug. 7, 2014, in Allen County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Teresa Magna, 51, Spring Valley, Calif., is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 6, 2014, in Russell County, Kan
If convicted, she faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on the distribution charge, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
Brandi Meadows, 31, Oklahoma City, Okla., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 11, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million on the possession count and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Crystal Zoe Amarillas-Norzagaray, 23, Tuscon, Ariz., and Pilar Angel Leon-Beltran, 35, Tuscon, Ariz., are charged in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute 103 kilograms of marijuana and one count of possession with intent to distribute 103 kilograms of marijuana. In addition, Leon-Beltran is charged with one count of aggravated illegal re-entry and one count of interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking. In addition, Amarillas-Norzagaray is charged with one count of interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Dec. 30, 2013, in Ellis County, Kan.
Upon convictions, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
Aggravated re-entry: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Hector Manuel Briceno, 25, Paramount, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 17, 2014, in Sherman County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and fine up to $4 million on the possession charge, and a maximum penalty of 5 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Wichita Area Man Sentenced to 9+ Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A Wichita area man was sentenced Monday to 110 months in federal prison for trading files over the Internet with a Missouri man who was producing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Jaime Menchaca, 34, Kechi, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that on Sept. 13, 2013, he sent an email containing child pornography to a Missouri man.
At sentencing, prosecutors argued that Menchaca knew the Missouri man was actively producing child pornography and he was hoping to swap for access to more of it. According to court records, Menchaca’s email said: “Would love to see more of (victim’s name withheld) and anything else you may have. Here are some pics and vids I hope you enjoy.”
Grissom commended Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Wichita Police Department, the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Registered Sex Offender in Hamilton County Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Porn ChargeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A registered sex offender from Hamilton County, Kan., pleaded guilty Monday to a federal child pornography charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Wade H. Dewey, 47, Syracuse, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that on Aug. 2, 2013, in Syracuse he was found in possession of images and videos depicting child pornography. He obtained the child pornography via the Internet.
Dewey previously was convicted in 1999 in Pueblo, Colo., on a charge of criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a child.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 3. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 20 years.Grissom commended the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Man Sentenced in Wichita Mortgage Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A Wichita man was sentenced Monday to six years in federal prison for mortgage fraud, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. He also was ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution.
Manjur Alam, 47, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. In his plea, he admitted he led co-conspirators in a scheme to submit mortgage loan applications containing false statements, thereby defrauding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In some cases, Alam submitted false verification of rent for nominal buyers. In other cases he submitted a false letter of credit for nominal buyers. In each loan, Alam and the co-conspirators falsely represented that the homes would be a primary residence. In truth, they did not intend to live in the homes.
U.S. District Judge Monti L Belot determined the actual loss totaled more than $485,000. The judge also noted that at the time of the crime Alam was on federal probation for a similar offense and his realtor license had been suspended.
Co-defendants included:
Christopher Ginyard, 28, Wichita, who was sentenced to two years supervised release and $40,000 restitution.
Henry Pearson, Jr., 29, Wichita, who was sentenced to two years supervised release and $56,000 restitution.
Henry Pearson, Sr., Wichita, who was sentenced to two years supervised release and $55,180 restitution.
Bruce Dykes, 46, Wichita, who was sentenced to two years supervised release and $14,872 restitution.
Janice Young, 27, Wichita, who was sentenced to five years supervised release and $60,332 restitution.
Steven Pelz, 40, Wichita, Kan., was sentenced Monday to two years federal probation and $31,924 restitution.Grissom commended the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Housing Finance Agency - OIG, the Internal Revenue Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.
Kansas City Area Business Owner Indicted on Federal Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. A Kansas City area business owner has been indicted on federal bank fraud charges, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Brenda Wood, 45, Leavenworth, Kan., was indicted Wednesday on five counts of bank fraud, one count of theft from an employee benefit program, and four counts of willful violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
The indictment alleges the crimes took place while Wood owned several businesses including one in Kansas City, Mo. -- Professional Cleaning and Innovative Building Services, Inc. (PCI) -- and three in Bonner Springs, Kan. -- Action Real Estate Services, LLC; G&W Investments, LLC, and Riverview Crossings, LLC.
The indictment alleges Wood obtained loans for herself and her companies through Farmers Bank in Overland Park, Kan., by making false representations and submitting falsified documents to the bank. Among the allegations in the indictment are these:
- Wood obtained a loan on behalf of Riverview Crossings to purchase property in Bonner Springs in part by forging the signature of a second mortgage holder releasing the deed.
- Wood submitted falsified invoices totaling more than $100,000 to support fraudulent draws on the Riverview Crossings loan.
- Wood obtained a loan on behalf of PCI to buy property in Basehor, Kan., in which she fraudulently inflated the purchase price to make it appear the loan met the bank’s loan-to-value ratio requirements.
- Wood obtained a $350,000 line of credit in part by fraudulently representing to the lender that her company, PCI, was awarded a contract to provide cleaning services at an Internal Revenue Service building in Kansas City, MO. In fact, her company was not even a finalist for the contract.
- Wood diverted more than $200,000 from an escrow account for PCI to her personal account.
- Wood set up a 401(k) plan for PCI and embezzled more than $30,000 from the plan.
- Wood failed to file annual financial reports for the PCI 401(k) plan.
Farmer’s Bank received $12 million from the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program. In November 2012, the bank paid the U.S. Treasury approximately $11.4 million to redeem the funding, resulting in a shortfall of more than $500,000.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each of the bank fraud charges, a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of theft from an employee benefit program, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of violating ERISA. The Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, the Special Investigator General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration and the FBI 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.Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A Wichita man pleaded guilty Tuesday to bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Craig E. Applebee, 59, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. Charges filed in May in federal court in Wichita alleged that on May 15, 2014, he robbed the Credit Union of America at 212 S. Ridge Road. He gave the teller a note demanding money. After the teller put the money in a white plastic trash bag, Applebee fled the bank.
Police used a GPS tracking device hidden in the money stolen from the bank to locate Applebee’s car. They stopped the car and arrested him in the 3800 block of West Central.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 23. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Topeka Man Pleads Guilty to CarjackingRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man pleaded guilty in federal court in Topeka Monday to a carjacking charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Shaun Lee Kendall, 29, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking. In his plea, Kendall admitted that on Jan. 29, 2014, he and a co-defendant threatened a driver with violence in order to steal a 1999 Dodge Dakota truck.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 27. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
Co-defendant Michael Richard Wilkins is awaiting trial.
Massage Parlor Manager Sentenced in Federal Sex Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - The former manager of a Wichita massage parlor was sentenced Monday to five years on federal supervised release for transporting a woman from China to work as a prostitute in Wichita, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. She also will be required to register as a sex offender.
Yan Zhang, 50, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution. In her plea, she admitted that in 2009 she induced a Chinese woman to move to Wichita to work in a massage parlor and engage in prostitution.
In her plea, Zhang said she was married in 2004 to co-defendant Gary Kidgell. During the marriage, she worked at massage parlors in San Francisco and Phoenix, where she became familiar with the operation of massage parlors as fronts for prostitution. In 2009, she and Kidgell moved to Wichita to establish their own massage parlor. She worked giving massages and served as a manager because she was able to communicate with Chinese women who worked at the massage parlor.
Co-defendants are:
Gary Kidgell, who is set for sentencing Aug. 22.
Xinqing Tian, 44, who was sentenced to two years supervised release.Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Johnson County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Bank of Blue ValleyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Johnson County man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to taking part in a fraud scheme that cost the Bank of Blue Valley more than $877,000, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Timothy P. Fitzgerald, 56, Leawood, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crime took place while he was chief financial officer of KC United, LLC, which was a holding company for five construction services companies located in Kansas City, Kan.
KC United was a loan customer of the Bank of Blue Valley. In 2008, KC United was losing money. Fitzgerald and other conspirators knew that KC United needed to show a profit in order to maintain its bank and bonding relationships. So Fitzgerald and others manipulated KC United’s quarterly financial statements to falsely reflect a profit. Fitzgerald delivered the falsified reports to the Bank of Blue Valley, which relied on the false information to renew the company’s line of credit. Fitzgerald and other conspirators also prepared annual financial statements that contained falsified profits and a cover letter falsely stating that an outside accounting firm had reviewed the statement. They placed the cover letter on the letterhead of an outside accounting firm.
On April 28, 2011, three of the companies owned by KC United filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Bank of Blue valley sold its position in the remaining outstanding loan to KC United, sustaining a loss of more than $877,000.
Blue Valley Ban Corp., the holding company for Bank of Blue Valley received more than $21 million in funding from the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
“Bank of Blue Valley did not repay TARP and missed 18 quarterly dividend payments totaling $4.9 million, money owed to taxpayers as a result of the bank holding TARP funds,” said Christy Romero, Special Inspector General for TARP (SIGTARP).
“Treasury sold its TARP investment in the bank at a principal loss of nearly $500,000, a loss in addition to uncollected TARP dividend payments,” Romero added.
Sentencing will be set for a later time. Fitzgerald faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million. Grissom commended the U.S. Department of Labor – OIG, the U.S. Department of Labor – EBSA, IRS Criminal Investigations, the FBI, the Special Investigator General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program investigated and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.Former Insurance Agent Pleads GuiltyTo Stealing from His ClientsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A former insurance agent in Wichita pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing from his clients, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Jason Matthew Pennington, 42, Bel Aire, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of attempted bank fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crimes occurred while he was an agent working for State Farm Insurance.
WIRE FRAUD (Count Two)
In 2000, Wendell and Marita Hill, who had purchased insurance policies from State Farm, became clients of Pennington after their former State Farm agent retired. In Nov. 2004, the Hills purchased a life insurance policy through Pennington valued at more than $3.4 million. The policy was issued by Phoenix Life Insurance Company, an insurance provider affiliated with State Farm Insurance.
In 2008, Pennington devised a scheme to defraud the Hills and Phoenix. On Feb. 29, 2008, he sent a fax to Phoenix Life Insurance Company requesting a loan of $105,000 on the Hills’ life insurance policy. The loan contained the forged signature of Brent Hill, who was trustee of the Hill Family Trust. Brent Hill did not make the request for the loan.
WIRE FRAUD: (Count Four)
In 2006, Marlene Brown, who had retired following a 37-year career with the Wichita Public Schools as a teacher, coach and school administrator, purchased a State Farm life insurance policy through Pennington. The policy was valued at $1.3 million.
In September 2009, Pennington contacted State Farm and changed the address for Marlene Brown’s insurance policy to his business address. He then sent a fax to State Farm making a withdrawal of $278,250 on the policy. Pennington forged Brown’s signature and requested the withdrawal without her knowledge.
When State Farm called him to ask why the money was to be sent to his office instead of Brown’s home, Pennington lied and told them Brown was his mother-in-law.
Marlene Brown died Oct. 27, 2009.
ATTEMPTED BANK FRAUD: (Count 45)
In February 2010, Pennington applied for a line of credit from State Farm Bank. In order to qualify for the credit, he did not report to the bank that he was required to pay $5,000 a month in child support and alimony to his first wife. He also falsely reported that his second wife was receiving an annual salary as an employee of his insurance office.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 3. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 42 months in federal prison.
Grissom commended the FBI, IRS - Criminal Investigation Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.
Two Dodge City Residents Indicted in Alleged Document Fraud RingRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Two Dodge City residents – one from Mexico and the other a United States citizen – have been indicted by a federal grand jury here for allegedly selling birth certificates and Social Security cards to undocumented aliens, and then driving them to Oklahoma to obtain state-issued ID cards, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Thursday.
The two, Ronald Davila-Vega, 34, a Mexican national, Sindy [cq] Herrera-Pacheco, 54, a U.S. citizen, were indicted Wednesday on one count of document fraud, one count of transporting illegal aliens, one count of aiding the unlawful production of identification documents, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Davila-Vega is scheduled to make a first appearance here at 11 a.m. Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. Humphreys. Herrera-Pacheco is being held in the Ford County jail and is expected to be transported to Wichita for a court appearance next week.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, Davila-Vega, himself a person who previously had been deported to Mexico, sold sets of documents for $1,000 to other undocumented aliens in the United States unlawfully so they could obtain employment at southwest Kansas meat packing plants. For another $1,000, Vega and Herrera-Pacheco would drive the buyers to driver’s license offices in Oklahoma so they could obtain a photo ID card. Many of the plants now require a photo ID for new hires, Grissom said.Grissom said investigators and his office are working with Oklahoma officials in the case and to address the problem of fraudulently-obtained ID cards.
The case is being investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations in cooperation with the Dodge City Police Department. At least two of the persons who allegedly bought documents from Davila-Vega were teenagers from Central America.
The identification documents sold relate to United States citizens. The investigators are in the process of identifying those persons and notifying them that their identities have been compromised, he said.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 15 years on the document fraud charges, 5 years on the transporting of aliens charges and a mandatory two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft charges. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson.Former Employee Sentenced for Stealing Garmin GPS DevicesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A man who worked for the Garmin Company in Olathe, Kan., has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for stealing boxes of GPS devices from the company, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. He also was ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution.
Terrence M. Heathington, 32, formerly of Olathe and currently of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced Tuesday. In his plea to one count of mail fraud, he admitted that the crime was committed from March to September 2008 when he worked in Garmin International, Inc.’s warehouse in Olathe as a material handler. He shipped a large quantity of Garmin GPS devices to his personal address and the address of high school friends living in Atlanta. He and his friends sold the devices on eBay and to other individuals.
The thefts were discovered when a person who bought one of the stolen devices contacted the company. An audit revealed that boxes of GPS devices had been shipped to Heathington’s home in Ottawa and to addresses in Georgia, where Heathington had lived.
Grissom commended the Overland Park Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Three Men in Drug Trafficking Case in LawrenceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury today convicted three men for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed millions of dollars’ worth of marijuana in the Lawrence area, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today. The government is seeking a money judgment of more than $16.9 million against the traffickers.
The men were found guilty on charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and other drug trafficking counts. The defendants are:
Los Rovell Dahda, 32, Lawrence, Kan.
Roosevelt Rico Dahda, 32, Lawrence, Kan.
Justin Cherif Pickel, 34, San Lorenzo, Calif.During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that starting in 2008 law enforcement agencies began receiving information that Los Dahda was distributing marijuana in the Lawrence area. When Roosevelt Dahda was released from prison in November 2010, he joined his brother Los in the trafficking organization.
Prosecutors presented evidence that during the early days of the conspiracy the Dahdas bought marijuana from Mexico to sell in Lawrence. Over time, they turned to California for their supply. They purchased marijuana in California for $1,800 to $2,800 a pound and they sold it in the Lawrence area for $3,500 to $4,800 a pound. It is estimated that the traffickers distributed more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana from 2005 to 2012.
The Dahdas used a business they owned in Lawrence, Gran-Daddy’s BBQ at 1447 West 23rd Street, as well as other properties to receive, store and process marijuana for distribution.
Pickel worked for the Dahdas transporting marijuana from California to Lawrence. On April 25, 2012, he was stopped on Interstate I-80 in Nebraska. Investigators found 38 pounds of marijuana concealed in a false compartment in a toolbox/fuel tank. Pickel also set up an indoor marijuana grow operation in California that he maintained for the Dahdas. On June 13, 2012, investigators executed a search warrant at Pickel’s residence in California and seized more than 100 marijuana plants.
The defendants were convicted on the following counts:
Los Rovell Dahda: Conspiracy (count 1), maintaining Daddy’s BBQ at 1147 W. 23rd in Lawrence in furtherance of drug trafficking (count 31), distributing marijuana (counts 26 and 36), using a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking (counts 38, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46), possession with intent to distribute marijuana (counts 43, 49, 73, 85, 88 and 73.
Roosevelt Rico Dahda: Conspiracy (count 1), using a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking (counts 42, 45, 53, 55, 70) possession with intent to distribute marijuana (counts 43, 49, 73) possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of Holcomb Sports Complex in Lawrence (count 56).
Justin Cherif Pickel: Conspiracy (count 1),using a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking (count 70).
Sentencing will be set for a later date. The crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million. On this count, Roosevelt is facing a minimum of 20 years because of his prior convictions.
Agencies involved in the investigation and the arrest of defendants include the Douglas County Sheriff=s Office, the Johnson County Sheriff=s Office, the Lawrence Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Postal Service, the Alameda County, Calif., Sheriff=s Drug Task Force, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Lenexa Police Department, the Overland Park Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and the Hayward, Calif., Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Maintaining a house or building in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Distributing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school or playground: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $500,000.
Distributing marijuana; possession with intent to distribute marijuana: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Using a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of four years and a fine up to $250,000.
Taking part in an ongoing criminal enterprise: Not less than 20 years and a fine up to $2 million.Butler County Couple Indicted on Charges of Stealing $1.5 Million from Presbyterian ManorsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Butler county couple was indicted Wednesday on federal charges of stealing more than $1.5 million from Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, a Wichita-based company that owns assisted living centers in Kansas and Missouri, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
In Kansas, the company has facilities in Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, Olathe, Lawrence, Emporia, Salina, Dodge City, Fort Scott, Parsons, Arkansas City, Newton, Sterling and Clay Center.
Brent A. Shryock, 43, Augusta, Kan., and his wife, Lori A. Shryock, 50, Augusta, Kan., are charged with four counts of mail fraud. The indictment alleges the crimes occurred while Brent Shryock was employed as information systems director for the company. He was in charge of all computers, telephones, video information and electronic equipment, including the purchase of new or replacement equipment for PMMA, Presbyterian Manor, Aberdeen and Ashfield facilities.
The defendants are alleged to have created four fictitious companies: LGR Technology, Innovative Software Solutions, DT Solutions and Microtech Solutions. The indictment alleges the initials in LGR Technology stood for “Let’s Get Rich.” The defendants used the fictitious companies to submit fraudulent invoices to PMMA, Presbyterian Manor, Aberdeen and Ashfield.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Thomas F. Fee, 53, Hutchinson, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun and one count of unlawful possession of a silencer. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 4, 2014, in Reno County, Kan. Fee was arrested after a standoff with Hutchinson police.
If convicted he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the machine gun count and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $10,000 on the other count. The Hutchinson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.
James Paul Bettes, Jr., 47, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 16, 2014, in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution count, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession count. Homeland Security Investigations and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Marla R. McDonald, 25, Garden City, Kan., is charged with one count of Social Security benefit fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of mail fraud and 11 counts of wire fraud. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2011 and 2012 in Finney County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Social Security benefits fraud: A maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years to run consecutive to the underlying sentence.
Mail fraud: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Wire fraud: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Jonearl Smith, 35, is charged with one count of possessing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 12, 2014, in Wichita, Kan.If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life, consecutive to any other count, and a fine up to $250,000 on the first count; and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the other counts. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Diedra N. Sanders, 43, Wichita, Kan., who was a civilian employee at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, is charged with one count of theft of public money and three counts of submitting false reports to the federal government to cover up the theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2013 at McConnell Air Force Base.
The indictment alleges Sanders committed the crime while she was employed as a deputy dispersing officer. The indictment alleges the largest amount stolen at one time was $4,000.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Air Force investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Coley R. Logan, 19, Fort Scott, Kan., is charged with one count of theft of mail from the U.S. Postal Service. The indictment alleges Logan was employed as a highway contract route driver and the crimes occurred in March and May 2014.If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Alexander J. Pauler, 26, Wichita, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a misdemeanor conviction for a crime of domestic violence. The crime is alleged to have occurred March 30, 2014, in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Darrell E. Finney, 24, Wichita, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 19, 2014, in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 The Wichita Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is investigating.
Kim Householder, 53, Tribune, Kan., is charged with unlawfully possessing a silencer attached to a Ruger SR-22 rifle. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 4, 2014, in Tribune, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 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 Michelle Jacobs is investigating.
Kenneth E. Weaver, 58, Denver, Colo., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 11, 2014, in Allen County, Kan.
The government is seeking a money judgment against Weaver of $1.4 million, which represents the proceeds of the crime.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
James Michael Post, 53, is charged with failing to register as required by Sex Offender Registration Notification Act. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 28, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Juan Trejo-Martinez, 54, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 5, 2014, in Finney County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Juan Lopez-Morales, 40, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 6, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Pedro Garcia-Cordero, 40, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 7, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Israel Santamaria-Rodriguez, 32, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 10, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Kent Misak, 58, Wichita, Kan., is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 15, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Ivan Bustamente-Zazueta, 30, Park City, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 15, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million on the methamphetamine charge, and a penalty of not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Adan Zazueta-Zambada, 35, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 15, 2014, Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million on the drug charge and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the immigration charge. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Jose Oscar Arciniega-Soto, 37, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of unlawful possession of firearms following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 15, 2014, in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on the methamphetamine count; not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other firearm count. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Jose Maria Santa Cruz, 29, Tucson, Ariz.; Jonatan Jimenez, 20, a citizen of Mexico; Olivia Luisa Aguilar, 31, Tucson, Ariz;and Shalita Dontae Black, 26, Tucson, Ariz., are charged one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of traveling from Arizona through Kansas in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 17, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million on the methamphetamine count, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration 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 Chiropractor Pleads Guilty in Health Care Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Wichita chiropractor pleaded guilty Monday to defrauding health care insurers of more than $1.3 million, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.
Jeffrey D. Fenn, 33, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of tax evasion. In his plea, he admitted that from March 2011 to October 2013 he executed a health care fraud scheme through his businesses, including Wichita Health and Wellness, Fenn Chiropractic, P.A. and Wichita Pain Associates, P.A. Fenn submitted false claims to Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas and Coventry Health Care of Kansas, Inc., and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
Chiropractors have a limited scope of practice. They are not allowed to perform injections, dispense drugs or supervise ARNPs and physicians. Fenn developed what he called an “integrated practice,” hiring physicians, advanced registered nurse practitioners and physical therapists and ostensibly having them perform procedures he was not qualified to perform. He misrepresented to the Kansas Board of Healing Arts that medical doctors had an ownership in his clinic. He used the names of physicians he employed to submit false claims for services.
Fenn fraudulently billed for nerve conduction tests, nerve block injections, subcutaneous infiltrate proceedings, fine needle aspirations and ultrasound procedures.
He also made fraudulent claims for business and personal income taxes. For example, he claimed a $9,400 business expense for purchasing a server. In fact, he spent the money to make a down payment on a residential lot in Wichita. He claimed a $15,100 expense for advertising. In fact he used the money to make a down payment on a ski boat.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 20. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of five years in federal prison and restitution totaling more than $1.8 million.
Grissom commended Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, the FBI, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway for their work on the case.Kansas City, Kan., Man Gets 15 Years in Federal Prison in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man who was part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed more than $1.6 million’s worth of cocaine, crack and marijuana in the Kansas City, Kan., area was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison.
Rahmann Easley, 35, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy. In his plea, he admitted that he was a member of a drug trafficking organization headed by co-defendant Gregory Moore that operated in the Kansas City metropolitan area from 2006 through 2012. Easley and his brother, co-defendant Charles Easley, purchased cocaine from Moore. On March 27, 2012, a search of Easley’s car turned up 29.5 grams of cocaine, 24.6 grams of crack and 31.5 grams of marijuana.
Easley agreed to a money judgment against him of more than $1.6 million, which represents the proceeds of the crime.
Co-defendants who have been sentenced include:
Damian Mays: 220 months.
Frank Sharron Piper, III, 24, Kansas City, Kan: 135 months.
Charles Easley, 38, Kansas City, Kan.: 121 months.
Christopher Holliday, 26: 114 months.
Brenton Bassett, 38, Kansas City, Kan.: 84 months.
Michael D. Davis, 33, Kansas City, Kan., 40 months.
Johnie Mitchell, 60, Kansas City, Kan.: 35 months.
Oudre Durham, 40, Kansas City, Kan.: 30 months.Grissom commended the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department Career Criminal Squad, the Social Security Administration, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades of the Western District of Missouri for their work on the case.
U.S. Attorney's Statewide Civil Rights Symposium Set for Aug. 13, 2014 at Wichita State UniversityRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A report on racial profiling produced by Wichita State University will lead off the U.S. Attorney’s Fourth Annual Statewide Civil Rights Symposium Aug. 13 at WSU, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Michael Birzer, Director of WSU’s School of Community Affairs will speak on racial profiling during the day-long symposium, which is expected to draw civil rights advocates and law enforcement officers from across the state. Earlier this month, Birzer reported the results of a study for the City of Wichita showing that during a six-month period African-Americans accounted for 22 percent of the people receiving traffic violations in Wichita. African-Americans make up about 11 percent of the city’s population.Grissom said he looks forward to a frank discussion about what the results of the study mean and how law enforcement can work more cooperatively with the community.
“Protecting public safety and protecting civil rights are compatible goals,” Grissom said. “We can do both.”
“Our office is committed to the principle that all persons are equal in the eyes of the law,” he continued. “We should work together to address anything that might undermine the trust and confidence that people have in our law enforcement.”
The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in WSU’s Metropolitan Complex at 5015 E. 29th North. It is free and open to the public, but enrollment is required. Registration forms are available online at the U.S. Attorney’s Web site: http://www.justice.gov/usao/ks/
The symposium also will include:
- A look at the federal Community Relations Service, which provides mediation, facilitation and training on federal civil rights issues.
- A presentation on hate crimes by the FBI.
- A civil rights panel discussion moderated by U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.
The U.S. Department of Justice is responsible for upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans. It enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.
Sponsors for the symposium include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Midwest Criminal Justice Institute at WSU, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, the School of Community Affairs at WSU and the Regional Policing Training Institute at WSU.
For more information, call Jim Cross, public information officer, at 316-269-6552.Leavenworth Woman Sentenced for Failing to Report Inmate's EscapeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. A woman who worked at the Grossman Center in Leavenworth has been sentenced to two years on federal probation for failing to report that she knew it when an inmate left the facility to avoid a drug test, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Jessica Wilmer-Davis, 34, Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of misprision, or failing to report a federal crime. In her plea, she admitted that while she was a contract employee working as a cook she began an intimate relationship with Joshua Spurgeon, an inmate at the facility. Spurgeon was allowed to leave the facility only to go to work or approved medical appointments.
On Dec. 8, 2013, Spurgeon told Wilmer-Davis he was going to leave the facility without permission because of an upcoming drug test. On Dec. 9, when Spurgeon turned up missing, Wilmer-Davis was asked if she knew anything about his disappearance. She did not disclose that he had told her he planned to escape.
Grissom commended the U.S. Marshals Service, the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.
Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A Wichita man pleaded guilty Monday to filing a false tax return and agreed to pay $34,510 in restitution, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
James L. Pennington, 66, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return. In his plea, he admitted his federal income tax return for calendar year 2006 made false claims of expenses for a consulting business. The tax return also failed to report income from the consulting business.
Pennington is a co-defendant with his son, Jason Matthew Pennington, 42, Bel Aire, Kan., who is awaiting trial on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The indictment alleges Jason Pennington stole money from the trust of Marlene M. Brown after her death.
James Pennington is set for sentencing Oct. 6. Both parties have agreed to recommend a year of supervised release in addition to the restitution.
Grissom commended the FBI, IRS - Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Robbery in Franklin CountyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to helping to rob a Franklin County Bank, U.S. Attorney Barr Grissom said.
Robert Martin, 39, Quenemo, Kan., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., to one count of bank robbery. In his plea, he admitted he took part in the March 19, 2014, robbery of Goppert State Service Bank at 118 East Franklin Street in Pomona, Kan. He said he drove to the bank with co-defendant Caleb Jeffcoat. He gave Jeffcoat a mask and BB gun that had been altered to make it look more like a real gun. Jeffcoat entered the bank and robbed a teller.
Investigators used video surveillance from a Dollar General store and a gas station in Pomona to identify the robber.
Co-defendants are:
Caleb Jeffcoat, 26, Quenemo, Kan., who is awaiting sentencing.
Christel Collins, 37, Quenemo, Kan., who is awaiting trial.Sentencing will be set for a later date. Martin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Ottawa Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, the Franklin County Attorney’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask 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.
Former Bank Employee in Neosho CountySentenced for Embezzling More Than $278,000Read the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A former employee of a bank in Neosho County was sentenced Monday to a year and a day in federal prison for embezzling more than $278,000 from the bank and two customers, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Sherrie Landell, 42, Erie, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a bank employee. In her plea, she admitted that from September 2007 to May 2013 she embezzled from Exchange State Bank.
Landell worked in the bank’s branch in St. Paul, Kan. She was responsible for maintaining the bank’s general ledger account and an account designated for accounts receivable on certificates of deposit. Money she stole included interest due on certificates of deposit. She fraudulently altered the bank’s records to conceal the crime. The shortage was discovered during a bank regulatory exam and subsequent audit by an independent accounting firm in 2013.
Grissom commended the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.
Two Kansas City Men Indicted in Overland Park Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Kansas City men were indicted today on a federal bank robbery charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Dale Williamson, 34, Kansas City, Mo., and Robert Robinson, 40, Kansas City, Mo., were charged with one of count bank robbery in connection with the May 22, 2014, robbery of the Bank of America, 15811 Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park, Kan.
The men initially were charged in a criminal complaint filed June 14 in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan. It is alleged that Robinson, wearing a baseball cap and a hoodie, walked into the bank holding a cellular telephone to his ear. He showed a clerk a note saying, “I have a gun. I will kill you.” He tucked the money from the robbery into a folder and walked out of the bank.
After investigators released surveillance photos from the robbery, they identified Robinson as the bank robber and Williamson as an accomplice who planned the robbery and drove the getaway car.
If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the Overland Park Police Dept. investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting .
OTHER INDICTMENTSGary A. Schutza, Jr., 56, Prairie Village, Kan., is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2013 in Johnson County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge, and a penalty of not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of receiving child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.
Dacco Shane Muth, 27, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a sawed off shotgun. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 15, 2014, in Bonner Springs, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the firearms charges and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on the drug charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bonner Springs Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Tomasic 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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Overland Park Hotel Owners Plead Guilty to Employing Undocumented WorkersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - Theowners of an Overland Park hotel pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge of employing undocumented workers, who they paid less than other employees, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Munir Ahmad Chaudary, 53, and his wife, Rhonda R. Bridge, 41, both of Overland Park, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens for personal gain. In their pleas, they admitted employing undocumented workers at two hotels they owned: A Clarion Hotel at 7000 W. 108th in Overland Park, and a Clarion Hotel at 11828 NW Plaza Circle in Kansas City, Mo. Chaudary and Bridge lowered their hotels’ operating costs and put themselves at a competitive advantage by not paying Social Security, Workers Compensation and unemployment insurance for the undocumented workers.
“Unscrupulous employers are the driving force behind illegal immigration,” U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom. “This case should send a message that they are not above the law.”
According to court records, the investigation began in December 2011 when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) received information that the owners of the hotels were employing foreign nationals who not lawfully present in the United States. In June 2012, an undercover agent posing as an undocumented worker got a job at the Overland Park Hotel. He was hired even though he told his employers he was not authorized to work in the United States.
In 2011 and 2012 the defendants filed false and fraudulent Quarterly Wage Reports and Unemployment Tax Returns with the Kansas Department of Labor in which they under-reported the number of employees at the Overland Park hotel, the amount of total wages paid and the amount of unemployment taxes due.
Sentencing will be set for a later date. The defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. In addition, the government is seeking the forfeiture of any funds or property derived from the defendants’ illegal activities.
Grissom commended Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR), the Overland Park Police Department, the U.S. Department of Labor and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson for their work on the case.
Junction City Man Sentenced on Child Porn ChargeRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. A Junction City man was sentenced Monday to 63 months in prison on a federal child pornography charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Scott Deppish, 43, Junction City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of accessing child pornography with intent to view. In his plea, he admitted that that on Feb. 12, 2013, investigators served a search warrant and seized his desktop computer and two lose hard drives. They found images depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexual conduct. They also found images of a known victim in what is referred to as the “Abby” series, which were taken in the state of Idaho. They depict a very young prepubescent female engaged in sexual conduct with an adult male.
Grissom commended the Junction City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
Garden City Man Sentenced to 13 Years on Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
GARDEN CITY, KAN. A Garden City man was sentenced Monday to 13 years in federal prison on a federal firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Anthony J. Reyna, 24, Garden City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. In his plea, he admitted that on Nov. 13, 2012, he sold a handgun to an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who was working undercover. The two met near a Home Depot store in Garden City. Because Reyna had a prior felony conviction he was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
Grissom commended the Garden City Police Department, the ATF and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch for their work on the case.
Kansas City, Kan., Man Indicted on Charge of Robbing Credit Union in LawrenceRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A man from Kansas City, Kan., has been indicted on federal charges of robbing a credit union in Lawrence, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Antonio P. Gaitan, 35, who is currently in federal custody, is charged with one count of bank robbery. The indictment alleges that on April 5, 2014, he robbed Truity Credit Union, 3400 West 6th Street in Lawrence, Kan.If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI and the Lawrence Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Warner is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Darrian Michael Stewart, 20, currently in the Shawnee County Jail, is charged with two counts of robbery. The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2014, he robbed a BP gas station at 1401 S.W. Huntoon in Topeka, Kan. The indictment also alleges that on June 11, 2014, he robbed Cali Smoke Stop and Gas at 2701 S.E. California Avenue in Topeka.If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI and the Topeka Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
Shu-Ying Sun, 44, who has been living in Overland Park, Kan., and Mark Andrew Garlock, 49, Overland Park, Kan., are charged in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and one count of making a false statement on a passport application. The crimes are alleged to have taken place from 2005 to 2009 in Douglas County, Kan.
The indictment alleges that Sun, who is a foreign national, entered into a marriage contract with Garlock for the purpose of evading immigration laws. She had the assistance of Quong Bow Low, who offered to assist aliens in the pursuit of lawful status. He charged fees for services such as coaching defendants on how to answer questions during immigration interviews so officials would believe the couple had entered into a valid marriage.
Low pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and is set for sentencing Aug. 14.
If convicted, Sun and Garlock face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the conspiracy count, and a maximum of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The Department of Homeland Security investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting.
Nestor D. Duenas-Vasquez, 26, Glenpool, Okla., and Kyndal N. Upson, 24, Owasso, Okla., are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute more than a pound of heroin. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 26, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
They initially were charged in a criminal complaint filed June 30, 2014. It is alleged Wichita police discovered the heroin when they stopped the two for a traffic violation June 26 near I-135 and 21st street.
If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Ronnie Davone Matthews, 20, who is in custody in the Shawnee County Jail, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 6, 2014, in Shawnee County, Kan.If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Topeka Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
Nolberto Medina-Campos, 36, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 18, 2014, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
Daniel Floyd Jenkins, 20, is charged with failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The crime is alleged to have occurred starting in April 2014 in Shawnee County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Topeka Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated. 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.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years for Sending Obscene Material to A MinorRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A registered sex offender was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Monday for sending obscene material to a minor while he was a patient at Larned State Hospital, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Christopher M. Case, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of transferring obscene material to a minor. In his plea, he admitted that he resided in the Sexual Predator Treatment Program of Larned State Hospital when he committed the crime. In mid-2011 he obtained access to a smartphone, which he shared with other residents. In December 2011 and January 2012 he learned that another resident of the program was using the smartphone to communicate with a 13-year-old female via email and chat. The girl was in Montana.
On January 16, 2012, Case used the smartphone to send the girl video of himself masturbating.
Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department=s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart and Assistant Attorney General Steve Karrer of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office for their work on the case.Former Employee Sentenced for Stealing $289,000 from A Wichita BankRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. A former employee was sentenced Monday to 21 months in federal prison for stealing at least $289,000 from a Wichita bank, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Lisa Marie Evans, 43, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement. In her plea, she admitted that from 2011 to 2013 she stole the money while working for Southwest National Bank in Wichita. She was responsible for balancing the bank vault on a daily basis. A surprise audit in April 2013 revealed the theft. Investigators examined security footage of the vault that showed Evans taking money from the vault and hiding it on her person.
Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for their work on the case.
Indictment: Wichita Woman's Business Was Front for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal indictment unsealed here today alleges a Wichita woman ran a prostitution business with as many as 20 escorts who accepted credit cards and offered discount coupons to loyal customers, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Saundra J. Lacy, 60, Wichita, Kan., is charged with 27 counts of racketeering in promotion of prostitution. The indictment alleges Lacy operated an escort service called Jessie’s Primetime Entertainment at 304 S. Laura.
Lacy, whose business was licensed by the City of Wichita as an escort service, required escorts to carry condoms and to engage in sexual acts if a customer requested. She typically charged customers $160 for half an hour with an escort and $185 for an hour. She typically paid an escort $75 to $85 for a half hour date and $90 to $100 for an hour. Escorts who had a current escort license from the City of Wichita were paid more than those who had no license.
She also distributed discount coupons to escorts that entitled customers to a $10 discount at their next date and kept track of the serial numbers on the coupons in a coupon book.
She accepted payment for escorts’ services by cash, credit card and, occasionally, by check. She accepted MasterCard, Visa and Discover Card. Charges would appear as “massage therapy” provided by “Prime Time.” Credit card deposits into the Prime Time Account at Bank of America totaled approximately $39,189 in 2009, $25,601 in 2010, $40,851 in 2011and $32,770 from Jan. 1, 2012 to Aug. 27, 2012.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI and the Wichita Police Department 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.
Former Bank Employee in Crawford County Stole More Than $2.5 Million from BankRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former employee of a bank in Crawford County has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $2.5 million from the bank, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Cynthia Bright, 55, Girard, Kan., pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of bank fraud. In her plea, she admitted she stole the money over a period of 10 years while working as operations supervisor at Girard National Bank.
Bright used several different methods to steal the money. In some cases, she wrote checks on her own accounts and altered electronic bank records so the checks would clear but the money would not be taken out of her account. In other cases she removed paper checks and altered records to post checks to other accounts. She diverted funds from the bank’s accounts to her own accounts, and she wrote large counter checks to conceal losses.
Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
She is set for sentencing Sept. 15. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 70 months in federal prison and an order of restitution for the full amount of the thefts.Banker in Johnson County Admits Making False Statements on Loan ApplicationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Johnson County man pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to make false statements on a loan application while he was working as a senior vice president of a bank in Overland Park, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Michael W. Yancey, 55, Olathe, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements on a loan application. In his plea, he admitted the crime took place while he was working as a senior vice president and commercial lender at Farmers Bank & Trust, N.A., in Overland Park. Farmers Bank is headquartered in Great Bend, Kan.
Yancey conspired with another person to obtain and maintain a business loan of $850,000 from Farmers Bank for two companies by falsely representing the terms of a real estate purchase in Basehor, Kan. He falsely represented to the bank that the property’s purchase price was $1.1 million when in fact it was $850,000. The false information made it appear the loan conformed to a maximum 75 percent loan-to-value ratio when in truth the loan was approximately 97 percent of the purchase price. He also falsely stated that the loan involved a seller carryback of $150,000 and a borrower equity injection of $125,000.Sentencing will be set at a later time. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended SIG-TARP (Office of Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program), the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.
Wichita Gang Member Indicted on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita gang member was indicted Tuesday on a federal firearms charge that resulted from an investigation into a shooting incident, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Jermall Campbell, 32, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of ammunition following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 14, 2014, in Wichita, Kan.
Campbell initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed June 27 in U.S. District Court in Wichita. It is alleged Wichita police were called June 14 to a report of a shooting at 7007 E. Harry in Wichita. They found shell casings in the parking lot. Witnesses reported seeing Campbell, who is a documented member of the Neighborhood Crips street gang, carrying a gun when he tried to enter the club before the shooting and wrestled with a security guard. Police served a search warrant at Campbell’s residence.Campbell was convicted in a federal racketeering case filed in 2007 and sentenced to 64 months. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTSSteven J. Meisel, 47, Wellington, Kan., is charged with one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in May and June 2014 in Sumner County, Kan.
Meisel initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed June 19 in U.S. District Court in Wichita. It is alleged that a Wichita police detective working with the Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force identified child pornography on Meisel’s computer. It was being shared over a peer-to-peer network.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution charge, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge.
The Wichita Police Department, the Exploited and Missing Child Unit, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Wellington Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Clint W. Cook, 30, Augusta, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 13, 2011, in Butler County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Steven Lee Fritts, 39, Wichita, Kan., is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 15, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
Angel Ivan Venegas, 20, Newton, Kan., and Lisa Ann Vela, 29, Newton, Kan., are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine. In addition, Venegas in charged with one count of carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of distributing methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in April and June of 2014 in Harvey County, Kan.
If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on each of the possession and distribution charges, and he faces a penalty of not less than five years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Newton Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
In a superseding indictment, Ernesto Romo, 48, Wichita, Kan., Christian Lopez, 26, Phoenix, Ariz., Baldomero Villa, 25, Laveen, Ariz., Andrew Crane, 34, Wichita, Kan., Shawn Keevan, 34, Cassville, Mo., and Michael Carter, 53, Kansas City, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, they face other counts including distribution of methamphetamine, interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking, unlawful use of a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from Feb 2013 to May 2014 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy: Not less than five years in federal prison and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.
Distribution, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years in federal prison and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on each count.
Interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Unlawful use of a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of four years and a fine up to $250,000.The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.
Ernesto Ortiz, 22, San Elizario, Texas, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 14, 2014, in Lyon County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million. The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
William McManaman, 33, Wichita, Kan., and William McGreevy, 30, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, McManaman is charged with conspiracy to distribute 50 pounds of marijuana. The crimes are alleged to have occurred beginning prior to 2011 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000. The other charge carries a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Gerardo Guerrero-Arizmendi, 51, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 29, 2014, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Enforcement and Removal Operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Arturo Garcia-Olivas, 24, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Feb. 18, 2014, in Pratt County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Enforcement and Removal Operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Rene Urena-Cerrillo, 41, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of identification documents, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of misusing a Social Security number. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March and June 2014 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession of identification documents, a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence on each count of aggravated identity theft, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of misusing a Social Security card. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Jackson G. Nyambane, 31, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of identification documents, one count of making a false statement to Homeland Security and one count of counterfeiting a Social Security card. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in October 2011 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the unlawful possession of an identification charge, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the other counts. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Tomas Serrato-Jaimes, 31, Las Vegas, Nev., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 20, 2014, in Hays, Kan.If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million on the methamphetamine, and a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on the cocaine charge. The Kansas Highway Patrol 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.
Former Lawrence Resident Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former resident of Lawrence was sentenced Tuesday to 87 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Christian Curtis, 27, Hays, Kan., pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that investigators found more than 1,000 images of child pornography on his computer.The investigation began in March 2010 when an FBI agent in New York used a peer-to-peer file sharing network to downloaded child pornography from Curtis’ computer. Investigators followed an electronic trail to Curtis’ apartment in the 3100 block of Ousdahl Road in Lawrence. An examination of the computer showed Curtis had been chatting online, posing as a teenage girl. While posing as a girl, he solicited young boys to perform sexual acts.
His sentence will be followed by eight years on supervised release. He also was ordered to pay an $3,000 fine.
Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin for their work on the case.
Anderson County Woman Sentenced in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyThat Ended in A HomicideRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – An Anderson County woman was sentenced today to 162 months in federal prison for taking part in a drug trafficking conspiracy that ended in a killing, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Tracy Rockers, 24, Greeley, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In her plea, she admitted she was present Dec. 17, 2010, at a residence in Eudora, Kan., when traffickers killed Gregory Price for failing to pay drug debts and disposed of his body by hiding it in a refrigerator.
According to court documents, an investigation began in March 2010 when the Gardner Police Department and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office began investigating traffickers who were selling methamphetamine in Gardner. In August 2011 the Kansas Bureau of Investigation identified Rockers as one of the traffickers. Working undercover, they made the first of several methamphetamine purchases from Rockers at a location in Eudora, Kan., on Aug. 24, 2011. Over a period of months, investigators identified more than a dozen traffickers.
According to court documents, on Dec. 17, 2010, several of the traffickers confronted Gregory Price at a residence in Eudora, Kan., about $800 they said he owed them. When Price refused to pay, the traffickers decided to take him to a rural location outside Desoto, Kan. They grabbed Price and attempted to pull him out the front door, but he resisted. Then they threw him into a door, causing him to collapse and begin “making gurgling noises,” according to court records. Rockers watched Price while the traffickers installed a camper shell on the back of a pickup they would use to transport Price. At some point, while lying on the floor, Price died. The traffickers put Price’s body inside a refrigerator and took it to the rural location near Desoto. More than a year later – April 19, 2012 – law enforcement found the refrigerator with Price’s body inside.
Co-defendants include:
Michael C. Redifer, 37, who was sentenced to 30 years.
Steven M. Hohn, 34, Gardner, Kan., who was sentenced to 30 years.
Michael C. Quick, 33, Eudora, Kan., who was sentenced to 20 years.
Ronnie D. Morlean, 30, Olathe, Kan., who was sentenced to 216 months.
Kerry Lee Randall, 43, who was sentenced to 180 months.
Keith Arney, 29, Fulton, Mo., who was sentenced to 173 months.
Robert Baitey, III, 39, Desoto, Kan., who was sentenced to 150 months.
Daniel Reynoso, 25, who was sentenced to 135 months.
Gregory L. Renft, 40, who was sentenced to 10 years.
Rebecca L. Zehring, 39, Desoto, Kan., who was sentenced to 105 months.
Jordan R. Noble, 24, Eudora, Kan., who was sentenced to five years.
Dustin Cook, 39, who was sentenced to 52 months.
Danny Marlin, 42, who was sentenced to four years.Grissom commended the Gardner Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead for their work on the case.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Marijuana Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty Friday to a federal marijuana trafficking charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Michael D. Landsness, 27, Lawrence, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. In court papers, Landsness admitted he was one of the distributors for a marijuana trafficking organization in Lawrence. The organization was the target of a federal investigation that began in November 2012. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized about 44 pounds of marijuana and more than $193,000 in cash from the traffickers.
On April 3, 2013, investigators working undercover arranged to buy a pound of marijuana from Landsness for $3,000. The next day, officers stopped Landsness and found half a pound of marijuana in his car.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 12. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Charged as co-conspirators are:
Benjamin Johnson, 33, Lawrence, who is set for trial Sept. 9.
Dominick A. Howard, 20, Lawrence, Kan., who is awaiting trial.
Senator J. Christopher Hood, 26, Lawrence, who is set for jury trial Aug. 19.Grissom commended the Lawrence Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work on the case.
$20,000 Methamphetamine Deal Sends Wichita Man to Federal Prison for 10+ YearsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man who sold an undercover buyer a pound of methamphetamine for $20,000 was sentenced Thursday to 121 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Patrick C. Hains, 39, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In his plea, Hains admitted he was arrested Jan. 14, 2014, at Pelican Point Apartments, 2150 N. Meridian, after a Wichita police officer working undercover paid him $20,000 cash for a pound of methamphetamine. Investigators searched Hains’ residence in the 500 block of South Woodchuck and seized a shotgun that he kept behind the front door to protect himself during drug transactions.
Co-defendants include:
Wyatt Leedy, 35, Wichita, who is awaiting trial.
Jose Ramon Montelongo-Castrejon, 28, Wichita, is set for sentencing Aug. 1.Grissom commended the Wichita Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Lawrence Man Pleads GuiltyTo Filing A False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. A Lawrence man pleaded guilty Tuesday to filing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Bradley Stoneking, 30, Lawrence, Kan., pleaded guilty to making false statements in his income tax return for 2010. He falsely claimed federal tax withholdings on gambling winnings in the amount of approximately $330,000. In fact, the federal tax withholding on his gambling winnings was $300.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 8. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Internal Revenue Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask for their work on the case.