District of Kansas

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.

“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."

“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”

In the District of Kansas, two individuals were arrested and charged with federal crimes, including:

• Diana V. Brown, 46, of Topeka was indicted on four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor – production of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.

• Reese Connor Pack, 25, of Ohio and formerly of Ottawa, Kansas, was arrested on a fugitive warrant after being previously indicted on two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a child – receipt of child pornography, and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.

“We have to protect the most vulnerable in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We will not stop pursuing justice for our children and fighting to end the scourge of child exploitation. This work will continue to be a major priority of my office.”

Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.

As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.

This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, including two from the District of Kansas and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders, including two from the District of Kansas.

The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.

These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging three men with a multitude of financial and securities fraud crimes resulting in a potential loss of tens of millions of dollars for victims.

According to court documents, Steve Parish, 54, formerly of Derby, Kansas, Richard Dean, 66, of Plano, Texas, and Joshua Owen, 39, of Derby, Kansas, were all indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. 

Parish is also charged with two counts of bank fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, 18 counts of securities fraud, and one count of wire fraud.

Dean was also indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and 18 counts of securities fraud. 

A grand jury also indicted Owen on two counts of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud. 

Parish was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Premier Global Corp, a company that offered investments and promissory notes to purportedly purchase factored invoices. Owen was an employee. Dean was the owner of DDI Advisory Group LLC.

Parish, Dean, and Owen allegedly orchestrated a scheme of falsifying records and misrepresenting payments to investors as profits but were making those payments using money that came from investors. Parish is accused of misappropriating investors’ deposits for his own personal expenses. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case with support from Kansas Department of Insurance, Securities Division and the Oklahoma Department of Securities.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Smith and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with multiple illegal firearms offenses.

According to court documents, Charles E. Colbert Jr., 26, of Wichita was indicted on one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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WICHITA, KAN. – An Arizona man was sentenced to 272 months in prison for his part in a drug trafficking ring that transported large amounts of fentanyl into Kansas.

According to court documents, Rafael Turner, 35, of Phoenix, Arizona, and formerly of Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Beginning on a date unknown and continuing through March 2023, Turner conspired with other people to distribute fentanyl. 

“Turner was part of a criminal organization that injected both fentanyl and illegal drug proceeds into our communities,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Special Agent in Charge William Steenson, St. Louis Field Office. “We’re more committed than ever to using our financial expertise to help disrupt these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”

Forty-five other individuals were prosecuted as part of this overall investigation, which included individuals in Kansas.  Across the country, individuals have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Included among them are Clifton Ray Weatherspoon, 33, and Antonio Dawayne Knight, 27, both of Wichita, who were each convicted of one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Weatherspoon was sentenced to 300 months in prison. Knight was sentenced to 150 months in prison. 

In February 2023, Weatherspoon and Knight traveled by plane from Wichita to Phoenix, Arizona, to purchase 300,000 fentanyl pills. They packed the pills into two suitcases, checked the luggage under their names, and flew back to Wichita. Pursuant to a federal search warrant, law enforcement officers seized one of the bags before it reached the baggage claim area. They x-rayed and searched the luggage and discovered 15 bags stuffed inside containing 150,000 fentanyl pills. Agents arrested Weatherspoon and Knight, who had by then retrieved the second suitcase from baggage claim. A search of that bag showed it also contained approximately 150,000 fentanyl pills.

“Over the past few years, the federal government has partnered with state and local governments as well as community groups to curtail the fentanyl crisis. The prosecution of this large drug conspiracy was part of that work. However, we are not done in these efforts. While we try to save lives by raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, criminals seek to undermine that hard work” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Fentanyl dealers have little to no regard for human life and are willing to let children get ahold of this poison in efforts to turn a profit. We are grateful to law enforcement agents whose investigations keep this toxic substance off our streets.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Barnett and Ola Odeyemi prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Wichita comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agency (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigative Division (IRS-CID) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
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WICHITA, KAN. – A Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violently attacking a federal law enforcement agent, the maximum punishment allowed under the statute.  

According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer. 

On February 28, 2025, Barron-Esquivel intentionally assaulted and strangled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation officer who was in Wichita performing his official duties, causing bodily injury to the officer.  

“Violence against law enforcement is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our society would cease to function without brave officers enforcing the law. We owe these officers our thanks and our respect. This sentence shows how egregious the conduct was in this case.”

“This sentencing is a victory for justice and a clear warning to anyone who thinks they can assault law enforcement officers without consequences,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We are grateful to the Honorable Judge John Broomes for handing down a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this crime. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten the safety of our officers and the rule of law are held accountable.”

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon prosecuted the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas accountant was sentenced to 48 months in prison for defrauding clients of his accounting firm, who were also his relatives, of more than $400,000.

According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.

As a certified public accountant (CPA), Flanagin used his status as a signatory on his clients’ business account and trust account to make unauthorized transactions. Between December 2021 and August 2022, he wrote checks and initiated wire transfers totaling $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch, a fictitious name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. He wrote false verbiage in the memo lines indicating the transactions to be payments for farm operations. Flanagin then used the stolen money to help pay for the construction on his new home.

In October 2022, after his victims noticed discrepancies and confronted him, Flanagin took several actions to conceal his crimes including removing Middle Finger Ranch from his personal account. Federal investigators later found a note Flanagin wrote stating that prosecutors couldn’t prove who input the check for processing and that he could likely feign innocence and say his company wasn’t monitoring the account.

“The name of Mr. Flanagin’s fictitious ranch speaks for itself. After stabbing his family in the back, Flanagin lied to their faces. When the victims directly questioned him about accounting inconsistencies, he fabricated convoluted flowcharts and blamed third parties for the fraudulent checks,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “In his hubris, Flanagin thought he could outsmart federal investigators and forensic accountants. He was wrong. My office will continue to use the full force of the federal government to prosecute financial crimes.”

“Mr. Flanagin was entrusted with a fiduciary duty to protect the financial interests of the victims in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Instead of acting with integrity and in the interest of his clients, the defendant used his position to personally benefit from the scheme. Today’s sentencing reiterates the severity of the case and the seriousness by which the FBI takes financial fraud schemes.”  

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas farmer for filing a crop loss insurance claim and receiving payment after allegedly failing to disclose the sale of thousands of bushels of wheat that he reported as ruined. 

According to court documents, David L. Mongeau, 54, of Holcomb was indicted on two counts of making a false statement and 17 counts of bank fraud/attempted bank fraud.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Edgar Cuellar-Ortega, 45, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

Miguel Modesto-Cesario, 26, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Lazaro Rodriguez-Hernandez, 35, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

Jose Guillermo Uribe Perez, 38, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.

Enrique Villareal-Varela, 53, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Kansas men made their initial appearances before a federal judge following indictments in connection with a $4 million retail sales investment scheme.

According to court documents, Baha Ibrahim, 21, and Jawad Albadawi, 21, both of Overland Park, were indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy, nine counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, six counts of money laundering, and seven counts of transacting in criminal proceeds. 

According to court documents, Ibrahim and Albadawi allegedly solicited money from investors by falsely claiming that their business would purchase merchandise wholesale and then sell the items online as individual retail sales, thereby yielding high returns. From March 2024 to August 2024, Ibrahim and Albadawi are accused of failing to purchase bulk items or sell them consistent with representations they made to investors.  They are accused of misappropriating investors’ funds for their own personal benefit, including the purchase of luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and lavish trips to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Greece, and Las Vegas. 

Ibrahim and Albadawi made their initial court appearances on November 24, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Andrew M. Amundsen, 33, of Leavenworth was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Florida businessman was sentenced to 46 months in prison for defrauding clients in Kansas, Missouri, Utah, and Ohio by inducing them to enter into loan agreements to finance construction projects and then causing more than $8 million in victim losses by misappropriating funds.

According to court documents, David Ingram, 73, of Bristol, Pennsylvania (previously of Sanford, Florida and Cornelius, North Carolina), pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. 

Ingram was founder and managing member of AltosGroups, LLC, which purported to have warehouse lines of credit with major international financial institutions. AltosGroups signed contracts with commercial real estate developers, agreeing to secure funding to finance construction projects. Ingram required that developers pay initial deposits to gain access to lines of credit he claimed his company maintained. In reality, AltosGroups had no such lines of credit.  Ingram told victims that their deposits would be kept in an account specifically dedicated towards funding their respective construction projects.  Instead, he diverted the money to accounts belonging to him or his wife and used it for personal expenses and other business purposes, including the transfer of $3 million to a Mexican financial institution.  The defendant failed to fund the loans and did not return the deposits to the victims.

“Schemes as shady as this one merit aggressive investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation,” said St. Louis Field Office Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Mr. Ingram caused a great deal of financial loss to the four victims all to fill his own bank accounts with their hard-earned money.  Now it’s time for him to be held accountable for his actions.”

IRS Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka prosecuted the case.

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TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for five counts of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, Jeremy Weber, 47, of Topeka uploaded photographs of women and children he knew into a publicly available Artificial Intelligence platform. He then utilized AI to manipulate and merge their images into hundreds of depictions of child sexual abuse material (or CSAM).  Weber also uploaded previously trafficked images of CSAM to the same platform. Weber morphed the original CSAM image with the face of the adult or minor female, creating a new image of CSAM. 

The investigation identified approximately 32 women whose images were used to produce the new CSAM.  In addition, Weber utilized the same AI program to produce adult pornographic images of 50-60 women without their consent.  

The investigation into Weber began after an IT professional observed criminal activity on Weber’s computer and reported it to local law enforcement.  A subsequent search warrant led to a search of Weber’s residence and the discovery of an encrypted hard drive containing a folder titled “AI Swap.” In the folder was a large number of files organized into folders named after women. Each of the named folders contained anywhere from a handful to hundreds of newly manufactured sexually explicit images of each individual.

“While it is still an emerging technology, I believe there can be many wonderful and beneficial aspects of artificial intelligence, but there is also a dark side. Unfortunately, child predators are using AI for twisted and perverse activities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The fact that Jeremy Weber was able to create realistic looking images of child pornography using the faces of children and adults should remind us that we are all vulnerable to this type of violation. Although the images were ‘fake’, the harm he inflicted on the victims and the consequences were very real.” 

“The FBI is grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, including the Topeka Police Department for their work in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “The sentencing reflects the severity of conduct the defendant has pled to and should send a message to anyone conducting this type of behavior: the FBI will not flinch to seek justice.”  

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Topeka Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara L. Walton prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal judge sentenced a former Kansas credit union manager to 63 months in prison for stealing more than $750,000 from her long-time employer and substantially jeopardizing the safety and soundness of the financial institution.

According to court documents, Rita Hartman, 71, of Atchison pleaded guilty to one count of false entries in federal credit union records.

For 30 years, Hartman was the manager of Muddy River Credit Union (formerly Atchison Casting Credit Union and Bradken Federal Credit Union), which served the employees of a foundry located in Atchison, Kansas. Hartman’s position gave her control over all aspects of Muddy River’s finances. Between 2007 and 2021, she abused the trust that Muddy River granted her to steal approximately $346,000 in customer cash deposits. Hartman also fraudulently credited approximately $430,000 in deposits and loan payments to her or her relatives’ accounts when no payments or deposits had been made. Hartman concealed her conduct by altering ledgers and records and by falsifying information submitted to Muddy River’s regulators.  She obstructed efforts to uncover her fraud by submitting fraudulent documents to regulators and delaying a mandated audit.  

The defendant’s embezzlement wiped out Muddy River’s capital and rendered it insolvent, ultimately forcing a merger into another credit union to continue operations. 

In 2013, the then-Governor of the State of Kansas appointed Hartman to the Kansas Credit Union Council, which advises the Kansas Department of Credit Unions on issues and needs of credit unions. Hartman is also a former mayor and city commissioner in Atchison. A federal judge ordered that during her imprisonment, all of Hartman’s state pension payments be directed towards the $778,361 in restitution she was ordered to pay as part of her sentence.

“For decades, Rita Hartman was a prominent, well-respected figure in Atchison, Kansas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Instead of living up to the high regard that people in the community had for her, she exploited their trust and used it to perpetuate her embezzlement scheme and line her pockets with stolen funds.” 

“The defendant was entrusted with the fiscal responsibility of the credit union’s members. In using the money for her personal benefit, the defendant’s actions were a betrayal of that trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s longstanding commitment to working financial fraud investigations and to hold individuals accountable for their actions.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and Michelle McFarlane prosecuted the case.

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Canyon Anthony Amarys, 28, of Alamogordo, New Mexico, was arrested on October 28 in connection with his indictment for the attempted violation of the Export Control Reform Act.  Amarys will make his initial appearance today in federal court in the District of Kansas at 1:30 p.m. Central Time.

According to the indictment, in February 2025, at an in-person meeting between Amarys and someone he believed to be a Russian intelligence agent, Amarys signed a one-page agreement in order to confirm his covert relationship with a Russian intelligence service.  In addition, as part of that relationship, Amarys agreed to photograph a military installation on Fort Riley, Kansas, and to procure a helicopter radio for use by the Russian military.

In March 2025, after purchasing the helicopter radio, Amarys traveled to Kansas in order to retrieve the radio and export it to a purported recipient in Romania.  In doing so, Amarys communicated with a person he believed to be a Russian intelligence agent, and confirmed his understanding that the radio would in fact be illegally diverted to Russia.

Pursuant to a court-authorized search, investigators recovered the radio that Amarys had sought to illegally export to Russia.  Under U.S. export laws and regulations, the export of this controlled item without a license from the U.S. Department of Commerce was unlawful.  Amarys understood that his shipment of the radio abroad was illegal, and told the person he believed to be a Russian intelligence agent that he had researched export regulations in anticipation of their meeting in February 2025. 

The FBI Kansas City field office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, the Kansas National Guard, the Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney David Ryan of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Latvian national, Oleg Chistyakov, aka Olegs Čitsjakovs, 56, pleaded guilty today for his role in a years-long conspiracy to circumvent U.S. export laws by filing false export forms with the U.S. government and, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continuing to procure and sell sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to customers in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

According to court documents, Chistyakov admitted that he conspired with U.S. citizens Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 62, and Douglas Edward Robertson, 58, of Kansas, to facilitate the sale, repair, and shipment of U.S.-origin avionics equipment to customers in Russia and in other countries that operate Russian-built aircraft, including the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). Buyanovksy and Robertson were charged and arrested in Kansas in March 2023 and have pleaded guilty.

Chistyakov also admitted that, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and despite additional U.S. economic countermeasures levied against Russia, Chistyakov and his conspirators continued to smuggle and export sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to companies in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Chistyakov further admitted that, while operating from Latvia and often through his Emirati company RosAero FZC, he worked with Buyanovsky and Robertson through their U.S. company, KanRus Trading Company Inc. (KanRus), to circumvent U.S export laws by purchasing avionics equipment from U.S. companies for customers in Russia.

Chistyakov admitted that he and his conspirators took numerous actions to conceal their illegal activities including creating false invoices, transshipping items through third-party countries, such as Laos and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using bank accounts in third-party countries, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the UAE, and exporting items to intermediary companies which then reexported the items to the ultimate end destinations. As part of his guilty plea, Chistyakov also agreed to the imposition of a personal forfeiture judgment against him.

As a result of today’s guilty plea, Chistyakov faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2026.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.

The FBI and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Ryan Huschka of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured the arrest and August 2024 extradition from Latvia of Chistyakov and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided substantial assistance. 

TOPEKA, KAN. A Kansas woman was sentenced to 293 months in prison for the murder of her husband, a U.S. Army soldier. 

On February 14, 2025, a federal jury found Margaret E. Shafe, 31, guilty of murder in the second degree for killing her husband, Greg Shafe, in February 2024 at their home on the Fort Riley military installation. Evidence presented at trial showed that Shafe shot her husband in the face while in the presence of two minor children. 

“Margaret Shafe deserves to go to prison. The evidence in this case showed she murdered her husband while the couple’s two young daughters were in the home,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Court heard brave testimony from Ms. Shafe’s own daughter who witnessed her mother shoot her stepfather in a fury.” 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, and Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Walton and Lindsey Debenham and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham prosecuted the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Daniel Reif, Inc., doing business as The Medicine Shoppe, a retail pharmacy in Kansas City, Kansas, entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government agreeing to pay $200,000 to resolve allegations the pharmacy violated the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

The U.S. Congress enacted the CSA to create “a closed system” of distribution for controlled substances in which the handling of the substances is subject to intense governmental regulation. Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that DEA registrants maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed, or otherwise disposed of by the registrant.  These requirements play a vital role in preventing the diversion and abuse of controlled substances.  The CSA is enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division.  Violations of the record-keeping requirements subject DEA registrants to civil monetary penalties.

The settlement resolves the government’s allegations that between December 31, 2021, through on or about February 23, 2023, the Medicine Shoppe violated the CSA and its implementing regulations by failing to maintain complete and accurate records and inventories of controlled substances and by failing to maintain certification records for retail sales as required by the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005.

“The Department of Justice scrutinizes pharmaceutical records for irregularities or suspicious patterns in how controlled substances are prescribed and dispensed. Without reliable data, we are immensely disadvantaged in our ultimate goal, which is to save lives by preventing the misuse of prescription narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “This settlement demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to enforcing these rules.”

“Failure to comply with laws and regulations set forth to protect the health of Americans comes with a hefty price tag,” Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Daniel Reif, owner and Pharmacist-in-Charge of Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, learned that lesson. Registrants are held to high standards and the DEA works to ensure that these individuals are held accountable for their actions.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Diversion Control Division, Kansas City Field Office conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Fleenor, Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator handled the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs office. 

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 
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The Justice Department announced it has reached a settlement with the Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) to enforce the rights guaranteed to Kansas Army National Guard Major Stephen W. Terry by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).

The settlement agreement resolves Major Terry’s claim that KCKCC violated USERRA when it terminated Major Terry’s employment as the Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Services at KCKCC following his return from military service. It includes the payment of lost wages to Major Terry and a requirement that KCKCC provide training to KCKCC management and human resources staff regarding servicemembers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities under USERRA.

“When servicemembers leave their families and civilian jobs to serve our nation, USERRA protects them from discrimination and wrongful termination,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department is committed to safeguarding servicemembers’ rights under USERRA to freely serve their country without fear of losing their civilian jobs.”

“As a Navy reservist myself, I know the cost imposed on servicemembers when they are called to leave their home and work to serve and protect this great country. I missed the birth of my youngest daughter while serving in Afghanistan” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “Now, it is my honor and our duty to make sure the employment rights of servicemembers are protected once they return home. My office will continue to vigorously defend the rights justly earned by those who serve our country, and we thank them for their service.”

USERRA protects the rights of uniformed servicemembers to reemployment in their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations and provides that servicemembers shall not be discriminated against because of their military obligations. The Justice Department prioritizes the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s website www.justice.gov/servicemembers as well as on the Department of Labor’s website at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal judge convicted a Kansas man of receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) after a bench trial.

Frank Castro, 50, of Kansas City, Kansas, was found guilty of one count of receipt of child pornography.

In September 2020, Castro used social media to exchange messages with Antonio Galicia of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Galicia offered to send Castro a video Galicia made of himself sexually abusing a young child. Galicia then used an app to send Castro the video file containing CSAM.  Castro knowingly accepted and viewed the video file containing CSAM.

Later while the Milwaukee Police Department was investigating Galicia for a series of child sex crimes, officers found evidence of the video transmission to Castro and passed the information on to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

Castro is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2025, and faces a penalty of five to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey McCormick and Scott Rask are prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. 
###

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging two former Wyandotte County District Court bookkeepers with stealing $900,000 from the Court.

According to court documents, Julia Roberts, 65, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Vicki Robinson, 63, of Bonner Springs were indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy as well as individual counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. 

As part of their duties, Roberts and Robinson were responsible for collecting and depositing funds into the Wyandotte County Clerk Office’s bank account. 

Roberts and Robinson are accused of devising a scheme to steal incoming cash between January 2018 and February 2023. They allegedly concealed the ongoing thefts by using the clerk of court’s signature on fraudulent checks that they generated without authorization. According to court documents, the fraudulent checks appeared to be facially valid and were drawn on and deposited into the county clerk office’s bank account, creating a corresponding debit and credit—which eliminated fluctuation in the deposit amount on the bank statements but concealed the stolen cash in the Court’s accounting system.  

Roberts and Robinson made their initial court appearances on September 3, 2025, and September 5, 2025, respectively, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and Michelle McFarlane are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
 

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with drug trafficking. 

Vicente Rodriguez, 45, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case. 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

John J. Hicks Jr, 38, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Robert D. Veales, 31, of Wichita was indicted on one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and two counts of prohibited person in possession of ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.

Jacob Navarrette, 34, of Wichita was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography. Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
 

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with making straw purchases of firearms. 

According to court documents, N’Darius Sullivan, 24, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on two counts of false statements during two separate firearm purchases. 

In 2024, Sullivan is accused of knowingly making false written statements to a licensed firearms dealer to obtain two Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber pistols. On two different occasions Sullivan allegedly lied by indicating he was not purchasing the firearms on behalf of another person. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case. 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Marcos Alvarado-Machorro, 44, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States, was indicted on one count of reentry of previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug is prosecuting the case.

Darryl James Bush, 46, of Clay Center, Kansas, was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton is prosecuting the case.

Keeno D. Collins, 31, of Edwardsville was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case. 

Meliton Garcia-Guillermo, 43, a Mexican national residing illegally in Olathe, was indicted on one count of reentry of previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting the case. 

Tommie Ernest Giles, 52, of Kansas City, Missouri,  was indicted on one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and attempt.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case.

Sohail Reza Ibrahimi, 27, of Kansas City, Missouri, was indicted on one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and attempt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case.

Jason Teeman, 46, of Raymore, Missouri, was indicted on one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and attempt. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick is prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 126 months in prison for distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). 

According to court documents, David M. Follett, 38, of El Dorado pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. 

On multiple occasions Follett used his computer to share child pornography with other users on a peer-to-peer filesharing network. Among the recipients was an agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). While executing a search warrant at Follett’s home, agents found evidence of child pornography activities on Follett’s laptop.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

###

WICHITA, KAN. – Two Kansas men have been charged through separate criminal complaints with charges related to drug trafficking following search warrants executed earlier this week.

Thomas Lewis Williams, 64, of Haysville is charged with one count of possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. 

According to court documents on August 6, 2025, a federal search warrant was conducted at Williams’ home on South Meridian Avenue in Haysville. Officers found firearms, U.S. currency, items used in the conversion process of methamphetamine, and suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl pills.

Oswaldo Gutierrez-Rodriguez, 29, of Wichita is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

According to court documents, on August 6, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a commercial building on North Mascot Avenue in Wichita. During a search, officers found acetone containers, ventilation fans, a propane tank hooked up to a hot plate, and other paraphernalia used to aid in conversion of methamphetamine. They also located a white crystal/powder substance that field tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.

Williams is scheduled to make his initial court appearance August 11, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gwynne E. Birzer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. 

Gutierrez-Rodriguez is schedule to make his initial court appearance August 11, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gwynne E. Birzer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. 

The Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and IRS Criminal Investigations are investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Barnett and Kari Burks are prosecuting the case.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###

WICHITA, KAN, – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to various charges related to defrauding clients of his accounting firm by falsely claiming money he had stolen was being used to pay business expenses. 

According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering. 

Flanagin, a certified public accountant (CPA), used his status as a signatory on the accounts of his clients’ business, Diamond M. Farms, to make unauthorized transactions between December 2021 and August 2022. He wrote multiple checks and initiated wire transfers totaling approximately $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch under the guise of being payments for farm operations. Middle Finger Ranch is a fictitious business name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. Flanagin actually used the illegally obtained funds to pay for the construction on his new home.

Flanagin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.

A federal judge in the District of Kansas sentenced defendant Kaaba Majeed, 51, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for forced labor and forced labor conspiracy. The court sentenced co-defendants Yunus Rassoul, 39, to five years of probation; James Staton, 63, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Randolph Rodney Hadley, 50, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, 44, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release; and Dana Peach, 60, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release for forced labor conspiracy.

In September 2024, after a 26-day trial, a jury convicted all six defendants of forced labor conspiracy and convicted Majeed of five additional counts of forced labor. Two other co-defendants, Etenia Kinard, 49, and Jacelyn Greenwell, 46 who previously pleaded guilty to the forced labor conspiracy, are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22.

“Labor trafficking of children is an egregious crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These sentences reflect our relentless pursuit of perpetrators and our determination to seek justice for survivors of human trafficking.”

“The defendants were entrusted to care for and nurture vulnerable children but instead chose to exploit and abuse them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “Although these crimes were committed many years ago and the children are now adults, the sentences handed down today reflect how the passage of time did not diminish the Department of Justice’s resolve to hold these human traffickers accountable and seek justice for their victims.”

“The FBI works closely with numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as non-governmental agencies and other nonprofits on the front lines to combat human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “This case highlights the value of those partnerships. The Kansas City FBI will continue to prioritize the safety of our community and thanks the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor for their invaluable assistance.”

As established at trial, all six defendants were former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) who assisted UNOI’s late founder Royall Jenkins in managing UNOI operations. Defendant Peach was also one of Jenkins’s wives. Jenkins represented himself as Allah, contrary to principles of the Islamic faith, and demanded compliance with strict UNOI rules. UNOI operated multiple businesses including restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, a laboratory, and a clothing factory.

For over 12 years from October 2000 through November 2012, the defendants conspired to enforce rules that required UNOI members to perform unpaid labor, using beatings, threats, punishments, isolation, and coercion to compel the unpaid labor of over a dozen victims, including multiple minors, some as young as eight years old. The defendants required the victims to work up to 16 hours a day performing unpaid labor in UNOI-owned and operated businesses in Kansas City, Kansas; New York, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia, and elsewhere. The defendants also required the victims to perform unpaid childcare and domestic service in the defendants’ homes. The evidence showed that the defendants lived comfortably while housing the victims in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions along with restricting their food and water.

As proven at trial, the defendants used false promises of education, life skills training, and job training to induce parents to send their children to Kansas. After isolating the victims from their families and making them wholly dependent on UNOI, the defendants required the victims to attend UNOI’s unlicensed, unaccredited school and used strict rules, isolation, punishments, humiliation, threats, and coercion to compel the victims’ unpaid labor. This included restricting and monitoring the victims’ communications with others along with their whereabouts.   

The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander, Maryam Zhuravitsky, and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll free at 1-888-373-7888, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Further information is available at www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 46 months in prison for drug trafficking stemming from an investigation into multiple fentanyl overdoses. 

According to court documents, Rayvon Porter, 33, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. 

While investigating the supplier in several fentanyl-related overdoses, Porter was identified as a suspect and law enforcement began to conduct surveillance. Investigators took him into custody while he was inside of a business. During a search of his car, they found a loaded Glock handgun, 1.32 grams of cocaine, 9.7 grams of fentanyl, and digital scales. 

“Illegal fentanyl is a blight on our community that causes death and destruction,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our office will do everything in its power to help eliminate it and stop its distribution.”

“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant narcotics investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and David P. Zabel prosecuted the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank. 

According to court documents, Darrel D. Gray, 65, of Benton was indicted on one count of bank robbery. 

Gray is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation in July 2025, to take money from Community National Bank & Trust in El Dorado, Kansas.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Daquinton Baker, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Andrusak and Matt Treaster are prosecuting the case.

Javier Estrada, 26, of Wichita was indicted on one count of escape from custody. The U.S. Marshal Service (USMS) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case.

Martin Alberto Guerra, 31, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Ruben Franco Peralta, 28, a Mexican national residing illegally in Kismet, was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
### 

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri woman with illegally obtaining controlled narcotics.

According to court documents, Brooke Haller, 40, of Kansas City, Missouri, is charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.

Haller, a nurse, allegedly obtained Percocet and Oxycodone through misrepresentation and fraud.

The defendant made her initial court appearance on July 25, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse materials while engaging in acts of voyeurism.

According to court documents, Clell Lacy, 78, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child (production of child pornography).

In May 2024, Lacy used closed-circuit recording devices to surreptitiously record two minor teenagers engaging in sexual acts. He then used the Secure Digital (SD) card from the camera to print images, which he stored at his home. In August 2024, these materials were discovered and reported to law enforcement.

The Wichita Police Department and Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

###

WICHITA, KAN. – A Georgia man was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered forever banned from hunting and fishing in Kansas after illegally hunting game. 

According to court documents, Matt Jennings, 35, of Bowdon, Georgia, pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal taking of a white tail deer in interstate commerce.

On November 11, 2022, Jennings killed an antlered deer near Florence, Kansas.  His antlered deer tag did not allow him to take a deer in this part of the state.  The next day the defendant drove to Oklahoma where he fraudulently registered the kill in Oklahoma using an Oklahoma electronic tag.  

On November 19, 2022, the defendant killed another antlered deer near Wakeeney.  Although he had a valid tag for that area of Kansas, killing of a second antlered deer in the same year is a violation of state law. He illegally exceeded the bag limit of one antlered deer per season.    

The defendant hosts a hunting show titled “The Game”.  These two illegal hunts were featured as part of his show.

A federal judge ordered Jennings to pay $15,000 in restitution to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, pay a $10,000 fine, and forfeit the antlers from the white tail deer he illegally hunted.

During his five-year probation, Jennings is prohibited from guiding, hunting, trapping, fishing, or being with anyone engaged in those activities in Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks investigated the case with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Missouri Department of Conservation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster prosecuted the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Tennessee man was sentenced to 71 months in prison after being convicted of running a $1.9 million Ponzi scheme.

According to court documents, Alcides Roman, 66, of Lebanon, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Roman defrauded victims in Kansas, New York, Texas, and in Canada by soliciting their participation in purportedly high-yield investment programs. In truth, these investment opportunities were fraudulent. Roman did not invest the funds and failed to redeem the investments upon the victims’ requests. Rather, he left the funds in bank accounts he controlled and used the money for his own and others’ benefit. Roman induced victims to make additional or larger investments by making payments to them, ostensibly as returns on investment. Those payments, however, were from the same victim’s prior principal investments or another victim’s investments.

Roman used funds from the scheme to pay for his personal living expenses, to buy vehicles and land, and to send money to numerous foreign and domestic companies. The total known loss to victims was $1,977,857.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka prosecuted the case.

###

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas tax preparer was sentenced to 36 months in prison for filing false income tax returns for his clients leading to a tax loss of more than $1.5 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

According to court documents, Hophine Bwosinde, 61, of Lenexa, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in fraud and false statements.

From 2018 through 2022, Bwosinde used his tax preparation business to file fraudulent tax returns on behalf of his clients. He either inflated legitimate business expenses or claimed losses related to fake businesses. Bwosinde also falsely reported negative income on clients’ returns. As a result, their incomes were significantly underreported to the IRS, which either reduced the amount of taxes clients owed or led them to receive refunds to which they were not entitled.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Former Trial Attorney Erika V. Suhr of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas prosecuted the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN.– A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Kansas man on drug trafficking and illegal firearms offenses.

According to court documents, Marquis V. Bridgeman, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, is charged with two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession of a machinegun, one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Jaylen Stallworth, 24, of Wylie, Texas, was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
 

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
 

TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with committing an assault on Tribal land.

According to court documents, Wesley Reel Bennett, 23, of Topeka was indicted on one count of assaults within maritime and territorial jurisdiction. 

In June 2025, Bennett is accused of assaulting and seriously injuring a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation within the confines of its Tribal territory. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police Department are investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Hector Alvarado, 55, of Topeka was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting is prosecuting the case. 

Kenneth Norman Baker, 41, of Baxter Springs was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
 

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas resident was sentenced to 30 years in prison for charges related to child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

According to court documents, Chloe Wade Gullotto, 25, of Leavenworth pled guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. 

From September 2023 to November 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a series of CyberTips about images and videos connected to a cloud account belonging to Gullotto. During an interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the defendant admitted to using a cellphone to download CSAM and to create CSAM images.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

###
 

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man has been charged through criminal complaint in Wichita, Kansas, on allegations related to child sexual abuse materials.  

According to court documents, Kenneth Norman Baker, 41, of Baxter Springs is charged with one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with a firearms offense.

According to court documents, Leonard Rrapaj, 61, of Topeka, is charged with illegal possession of a machinegun. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Debenham and Stephen Hunting are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Alejandro Espinosa-Hinostroza, 32, a Mexican national residing illegally in Topeka, Kansas, was indicted on one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and one count of reentry of a removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with drug trafficking. 

According to court documents, Jeffery Michael Roark, 56, of Fort Scott is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with defrauding the federal government, by selling crops that he used as collateral for a federal government loan.

According to court documents, Steven W. Porubsky, 48, of Topeka is charged with one count of conversion of mortgaged collateral.

Porubsky is accused of intentionally defrauding the Farm Service Agency, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), by converting to his own use agricultural products that were mortgaged to the USDA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Jesse J. Rivera, 43, of Topeka was indicted on one count of theft of government property. The Railroad Retirement Board is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman made her initial appearance in federal court after a grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging her with distributing child sexual abuse materials. 

According to court documents, Addilynn Jean Onuffer, 21, of Haysville is charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography for alleged actions that took place between June 2024 and July 2024. 

The defendant made her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks Severson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. 

The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC) and Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Colorado man for drug trafficking and illegal firearms. 

According to court documents, Russell Scott IV, 37, of Denver was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Chase Boyd, 39, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.

Jose Galan-Andrade, 39, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

Jose Louis Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 35, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Darius Isaiah Jackson, 25, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Greggory K. O’Neal, 41, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Park City Kansas Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case.

Guadalupe Rios-Edeza, 29, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Six people have been charged by criminal complaint in connection with an alleged multi-national drug smuggling operation that used a commercial charter bus to transport liquid methamphetamine from Mexico to Emporia, Kansas. 

According to court documents, the following defendants are charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine:

•    Omar Villa Carranza, 45, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Emporia, •    Tiburcio Ayala Rangel, 42, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Emporia, •    Troy Wagaman, 42, of Emporia, •    Jesus Cruz Rodriguez, 28, of Emporia, •    Moises Cervantes Sanchez, 67, of McAllen, Texas, and 
•    Elizabeth Benitez, 33, of Emporia.

Between March and April 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) noted a charter bus making multiple crossings into the United States from Mexico carrying few or no passengers. License plate reader information showed the bus travelling to Emporia on all trips before returning to Mexico. During one crossing, CBP officers conducted a secondary inspection and found several aftermarket anomalies, including bolts around the fuel tank that had been tampered with. Investigators learned the bus’s destination to be a rural property in the Emporia area. 

When the bus again arrived at the U.S. border on May 4, 2025, a canine alerted to the presence of controlled substances. CBP took a sample of a substance found in the gas tank that tested as liquid methamphetamine. The driver was allowed to proceed, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents followed the bus, which eventually arrived at the rural property.  The Emporia Police Department arrested Wagaman, Villa Carranza, Cruz Rodriguez, Cervantes Sanchez, and Ayala Rangel while the men were either at the property or shortly after leaving. Benitez, who lived with Villa Carranza, was also arrested at a different location. 

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the Emporia Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Hines are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging five former U.S. Postal Service employees with stealing mail. 

According to court documents, the defendants all charged with one count of conspiracy to steal mail and one count of theft of mail are: 

•    Terrence Luster, 49, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, •    Laura Dantzler, 64, of Kansas City, Kansas, •    Arthur Hook, 49, of Lathrop, Missouri, •    Craig Roland, 54, of Kansas City, Kansas, and 
•    Cheryl Wankum, 60, of Overland Park, Kansas. 

The defendants, who were employees at a post office on North 51st Street, are accused of stealing Amazon return packages, mail, and other items of value for their own personal use between early 2023 and mid-October 2023.

The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 151 months in prison for distributing child exploitation sexual abuse materials. 

According to court documents, Zachary Charles Hiskey, 27, of Hutchinson pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. 

In June 2021, Hiskey used his account on a messaging app called Kik to share videos depicting adult males engaged in sexually explicit activities with prepubescent children. Kik detected the videos and reported the account to law enforcement through a cyber tipline. This led to the discovery of other child exploitation sexual abuse materials connected to Hiskey’s email account and to IP logs at his home in Hutchinson. 

While executing a search warrant at Hiskey's home, investigators found an electronic device with an Internet browser thumbnail of recently viewed child exploitation sexual abuse materials. A forensic examination revealed the Kik account in question had been installed and then deleted on his cell phone.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman with illegally collecting more than $100,000 by defrauding a federal program aimed at helping people who lost their livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to court documents, Kylie Charles, 35, of Wichita is charged with 17 counts of wire fraud and 17 counts of aggravated identity theft. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provided financial relief to Americans dealing with the economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. The program expanded unemployment benefits to some people who would not typically qualify such as business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, those with a limited work history, and people who lost their business as a result of the pandemic.

Between May 2020 and August 2021, Charles is accused of stealing the identities of people she knew and using their information without their knowledge or consent to file false claims in multiple states for unemployment benefits under the CARES Act program. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Chad M. Abildgaard, 33, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigation the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case.

Nelson Agustin Gonzalez-Diaz, 74, was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.

Manuel Jacquez Ibarra, 45, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case. 

David Yitzhak Espinoza, 31, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for causing a $1.2 million loss to a company by submitting false invoices in connection a performance incentive rewards program.  The prison sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release, and Cummings is ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution.

According to court documents, Barry Cummings, 52, of Overland Park, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. 

An energy management company offered a performance-based rewards program as an incentive to non-employee resellers, contractors, and others to sell its products. Participants submitted information regarding sales to earn points they could then redeem for items like airline vouchers, hotel stays, gift cards, and electronic devices.

In 2017, a business in Lenexa, Kansas, hired Cummings, and he enrolled in the victim company’s rewards program through that affiliation. In his plea agreement, Cummings admitted to orchestrating a years-long scheme to defraud the victim company’s rewards program.  Cummings admitted to logging into the rewards site and submitting fraudulent sales claims, which falsely represented that he had sold the company’s products. Cummings admitted that he never sold a single one of the company’s products despite the thousands of sales claims he submitted representing that he did.  

After his termination from the Lenexa business in April 2018, Cummings continually logged into the rewards website to submit fraudulent invoices and redeem points, using the email he previously had at the Lenexa business. As an example, during a 12-hour period in November 2018, Cummings submitted 834 fraudulent invoices for which he received more than 2.8 million points. In 2019, he submitted 5,543 false claims for 22.5 million points. Cummings used point redemptions to receive more than 2,000 rewards at a value that caused a $1,233,024 loss to the victim company.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.  The victim energy company cooperated and provided invaluable assistance in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka prosecuted the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with a drug trafficking related offense.

According to court documents, Otis J. Newton, 58, of Kansas City, Missouri, was indicted on one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his involvement in manufacturing child sexual abuse materials. 

According to court documents, Taylor Mullen, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography.

Mullen is the fourth person sentenced in a case involving two separate conspiracies both led by Joel Womochil, 39, of Manhattan, Kansas. Womochil pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography. In March, he was sentenced to 720 months in prison.

In 2021, Mullen and his girlfriend Jessica Quave, 38, created videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit behavior with a child under six years old and sent the videos to Womochil. 

Quave pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child - production of child pornography. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Another conspiracy in 2019 took place between Womochil and Denise Renee Sandman, 40, of Indiana. After meeting Womochil online, Sandmann agreed to create images of a child under the age of five engaged in sexually explicit conduct and send the images to Womochil, which he saved to his hard drive. 

Sandmann pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography. She was sentenced to 720 months in prison.

“We are grateful to the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations for securing the overwhelming evidence against these child predators which led to guilty pleas and ultimately long prison sentences for their crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard.   

The Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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WICHITA, KAN. – An Arizona man was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting his victim at gunpoint as he transported her across state lines. A federal judge also sentenced the defendant to 95 years in prison for other related crimes, to be served concurrent with his life sentence.

Martin Brandon Gillen, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of transportation for criminal sexual activity, one count of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

In late 2021, Martin Brandon Gillen began an online relationship with a minor female who was then 17 years of age. He persuaded her to take and send him sexually explicit images and videos which he kept and later used to threaten the victim. Over the course of the online relationship, Gillen repeatedly made violent threats against the victim. In March 2024, Gillen traveled to Illinois to pick up the victim then transported her across state lines, from Illinois to Missouri to Kansas. During this trip, Gillen sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.

Gillen and the victim were found in Kansas by officers with the Iola Police Department. In his possession, Gillen had a firearm, multiple magazines, and zip ties. Gillen admitted to officers that his cell phone contained child sexual abuse materials. Subsequent examination by law enforcement revealed hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse materials on his cell phone, as well as sexually explicit images of the female from when she was 17 years old. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) also found images of Gillen sexually abusing an unrelated 4-year-old child from Utah on the phone.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Iola Police Department, the New Baden, Illinois Police Department, and the Illinois State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Tennessee man was convicted for running a Ponzi scheme that victimized individuals across the country.

According to court documents, Alcides Roman, 66, of Lebanon, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. 

While operating Remain in Control LLC, Roman defrauded a victim in Overland Park, Kansas, after offering investment opportunities and attractive returns.

From June 2020 to October 2020, the victim made multiple wire transfers into Roman’s company bank account and subsequently received “returns” that were in reality partial amounts from the victim’s own investment funds. When the victim stopped receiving payments and inquired, Roman made excuses and sought to lull the victim into a false sense of security. 

Other victims of Roman’s investment fraud scheme included individuals in New York, New York, Houston, Texas, and Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. 

The total known loss, based on victims identified to date, is $1,977,857.88. 

Roman used funds from his schemes to pay for his personal living expenses, buy vehicles and land, send money to numerous foreign and domestic companies, and to make purported “returns” to other victim investors. 

Roman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka is prosecuting the case.

If you believe you have been victimized by this defendant, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation by calling 816-512-8200 or visiting https://tips.fbi.gov/home.

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