District of Kansas

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging two Kansas men with engaging in an alleged healthcare fraud scheme which resulted more than $3.7 million in payments from Medicare and Tricare over a three-year period.

Between 2017 and 2019, Bradley Eck, 54, and Todd Eck, 58, both of Wichita are accused of allegedly creating several businesses and misrepresenting the ownership of the enterprises in documents, submitting false billing for medical services not administered to patients, using a physician’s provider number without his authorization, and falsifying the physician’s electronic signature indicating on documents that he performed medical procedures he did not.

The Eck brothers are charged with:

•    One count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud;  •    Two counts of false statements related to healthcare matters;  •    One count of healthcare fraud;  •    Three counts of aggravated identity theft;  •    Two counts of money laundering; and 
•    One count of money laundering conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard of the District of Kansas made the announcement.

The U.S. Department of Defense- Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Defense Contract Audit Agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury – Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith 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 federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with child pornography crimes.

Walter Haskin, 27, of Cottonwood Falls of was indicted on one count of attempted distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. According to a criminal complaint, the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force launched an investigation after Dropbox submitted a tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children hotline indicating the file sharing service said it had detected child pornography uploaded to an account.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Gordon and Jason Hart are prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab "Resources."

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Christopher Cavanaugh, 56, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Edward Cavanaugh Jr., 57 of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Tremayne Darkis, 44, of Parsons was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Alexis Ibarra, 23, of Garden City was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.

Kelly Peng, 45, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of distribution of controlled substances – methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances – methamphetamine, 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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating 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 jury convicted a Kansas veteran of wire fraud and theft of government funds in charges related to a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) out of disability benefits.   

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bruce Hay, 53, of Greeley, a U.S. Army veteran and former Osawatomie resident, fraudulently misrepresented and exaggerated the extent of symptoms related to a purported conversion disorder diagnosis to receive VA disability benefits to which he was not entitled. Specifically, Hay claimed he had constant jerking movements, tremors, head-bobs, could walk only with the use of a walker, and could not engage in basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, toileting, dressing, and eating.  During VA examinations, he faked and exaggerated physical symptoms—displaying a significant limp, muscle spasms, head bobs, and jerking movements. Immediately before and after these examinations, he used a walker that he didn’t normally use outside of VA facilities. The VA found that Hay was 100% disabled based on those fraudulent misrepresentations.  

Information collected through surveillance, video footage, photographs, testimony from community members, and other evidence showed Hay’s claims of mobility limitations as false. He, without assistance, engaged in residential construction, threw hay bales on the back of moving trucks, hunted deer, drove regularly, and hauled more than a million pounds of scrap metal.

As a result of his misrepresentations, Hay fraudulently received more than $450,000 in VA benefits. A jury found Hay guilty of six counts of wire fraud and 10 counts of theft of government funds.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson. Hay faces a maximum of penalty of 20 years in federal prison.  

The Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of the Inspector General and the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and D. Christopher Oakley are prosecuting the case. 

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Mexican national was sentenced to 100 months in prison in connection to an international drug ring that distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana from Mexico in the Kansas City area.

According to court documents, in January 2021, Aron Rodriguez- Posada, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 
In October 2019, the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped a car hauler in Meade, Kansas, to conduct a vehicle inspection. With consent to search, a trooper located approximately 35 pounds of methamphetamine in the gas tank of one of the vehicles utilizing a scope. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) then conducted a controlled delivery of the methamphetamine. Federal agents arrested Rodriguez-Posada as well as Jovany Medina, 24, of Kansas City after the men took possession of the vehicle. 

In July 2022, Medina was sentenced to 144 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

Rodriquez-Posada also pled guilty to one count of unlawful reentry subsequent to removal after admitting to returning to United States after being removed for illegal entry in 2014.

U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard commends the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the DEA for their collaborative investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania who prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The Kansas City Metro Strike Force’s mission also includes targeting violent street gangs and cartel members operating in and around the metropolitan area that are engaged in violent offenses and firearms offenses.

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TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with one count of criminal conversion, one count of forgery of United States obligations or securities, and one count of false statement to a federally insured bank. 

According to court documents, Blaine Schurle, 26, of Barnes as operator of Double S Cattle Company, LLC is accused of allegedly selling approximately 400 head of cattle valued at more than $400,000 without authorization from the Farm Services Agency although FSA guidelines prohibit the sale of collateral in which the federal government agency has security interest without prior approval. Schurle is also accused of allegedly attempting to deposit a $13,452 check into his bank account that was issued to both him and FSA despite the check not being endorsed by FSA. A grand jury additionally indicted Schurle for allegedly failing to report his debt obligations to FSA while securing a bank loan for $45,450.

The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance July 21 at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenny 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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The Justice Department today announced a complaint filed in the District of Kansas to forfeit cryptocurrency paid as ransom to North Korean hackers or otherwise used to launder such ransom payments. In May 2022, the FBI filed a sealed seizure warrant for the funds worth approximately half a million dollars. The seized funds include ransoms paid by health care providers in Kansas and Colorado.

“Thanks to rapid reporting and cooperation from a victim, the FBI and Justice Department prosecutors have disrupted the activities of a North Korean state-sponsored group deploying ransomware known as ‘Maui,’” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco today at the International Conference on Cyber Security. “Not only did this allow us to recover their ransom payment as well as a ransom paid by previously unknown victims, but we were also able to identify a previously unidentified ransomware strain. The approach used in this case exemplifies how the Department of Justice is attacking malicious cyber activity from all angles to disrupt bad actors and prevent the next victim.”

According to court documents, in May 2021, North Korean hackers used a ransomware strain called Maui to encrypt the files and servers of a medical center in the District of Kansas. After more than a week of being unable to access encrypted servers, the Kansas hospital paid approximately $100,000 in Bitcoin to regain the use of their computers and equipment. Because the Kansas medical center notified the FBI and cooperated with law enforcement, the FBI was able to identify the never-before-seen North Korean ransomware and trace the cryptocurrency to China-based money launderers.

Then, as a result, in April 2022, the FBI observed an approximately $120,000 Bitcoin payment into one of the seized cryptocurrency accounts identified thanks to the cooperation of the Kansas hospital. The FBI’s investigation confirmed that a medical provider in Colorado had just paid a ransom after being hacked by actors using the same Maui ransomware strain. In May 2022, the FBI seized the contents of two cryptocurrency accounts that had received funds from the Kansas and Colorado health care providers. The District of Kansas then began proceedings to forfeit the hackers’ funds and return the stolen money to the victims.

“Reporting cyber incidents to law enforcement and cooperating with investigations not only protects the United States, it is also good business,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The reimbursement to these victims of the ransom shows why it pays to work with law enforcement.”

“These sophisticated criminals are constantly pushing boundaries to search for ways to extort money from victims by forcing them to pay ramsons in order to regain control of their computer and record systems,” said U.S. Attorney Duston J. Slinkard for the District of Kansas. “What these hackers don’t count on is the tenacity of the U.S. Justice Department in recovering and returning these funds to the rightful owners.”

“The FBI is dedicated to working with our federal and private sector partners to disrupt nation state actors who pose a critical cyber threat to the American people,” said FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran. “Today’s success demonstrates the result of reporting to the FBI and our partners as early as possible when you are a victim of a cyber attack; this provides law enforcement with the ability to best assist the victim. We will continue to pursue these malicious cyber actors, such as these North Korean hackers, who threaten the American public regardless of where they may be and work to successfully retrieve ransom payments where possible.”

“Today’s announcement reiterates the FBI and Justice department’s continued commitment to working with our critical infrastructure and private sector partners to identify and dismantle cyber threats, including new and emerging ransomware variants,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Division. “Because of swift reporting by the victim medical center, action was taken to lessen the loss to the victim company, as well as identify the malware deployed, preventing additional cyber-attacks. The relationship between the FBI and our private sector partners are critical to discover, disrupt and dismantle cyber threats to our nation’s infrastructure.”

On July 6, 2022, based on information obtained during the Department’s investigation, the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of the Treasury issued a joint cybersecurity advisory regarding the North Korean threat to U.S. health care and public health sector organizations, which included indicators of compromise and mitigation advice.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Duston J. Slinkard for the District of Kansas; Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office; and Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Guatemalan   national with one count of possession of a false social security card/number.

According to court documents, Isabel Xorxe Tay, 35, is accused of using the name and security number of another person to apply for and obtain employment at a company in Dodge City, Kansas, under the guise of being a United States citizen.

The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Michele Bonham aka Michele Williamson, 39, of Wichita was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Jonathan Bonilla, 26, was indicted on three counts of possession of counterfeit currency. The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting the case.

Ethan Bray, 22, of Wichita was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Gordon and Jason Hart are prosecuting the case.

Jesse James Edwards, 41, of Fort Scott was indicted on count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Gordon and Jason Hart are prosecuting the case.

Danny Griffin, 37, of Wichita was indicted on one count of fentanyl and heroin conspiracy. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case.

Wayne Howard Hunter, 59, of Geneseo was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.

Toreon Jenkins, 21, of Wichita was indicted on one count of use, carry, and possess a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and one count of collection of extortionate extensions of credit. Wichita Police Department, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Debra Barnett and Alan Metzger are prosecuting this case. 

Deon B. Lacey, 36, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, and Anthony E. Brown, 39, of Washington, D.C., were indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

Karl Williams Jr., 31, of Wichita of was indicted on one count of possession of counterfeit obligations 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 Alan Metzger 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 144 months in prison for his role in an international drug trafficking ring. 

Back in April 2022, Jovanny Medina, 24, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Medina took part in a conspiracy to traffic illegal narcotics sourced from his family in Mexico in the Kansas City metro area. His primary role in the operation was to import and distribute multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, collect drug debts, and transport bulk United States currency from Kansas City to Mexico. 

“As long as drug smugglers infiltrate our borders and peddle poison into our communities, the Department of Justice will remain vigilant in arresting and prosecuting offenders with the deliberate intention of dismantling these criminal enterprises,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard.  

U.S. Attorney Slinkard commends the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for their collaborative investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania who prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The Kansas City Metro Strike Force’s mission also includes targeting violent street gangs and cartel members operating in and around the metropolitan area that are engaged in violent offenses and firearms offenses.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man has been sentenced to a total of 295 months in prison for drug trafficking crimes. 

According to court documents, in March 2022, a federal jury convicted Travis Vontress, 45, of Wichita of the following charges:

• one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin;
• one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine;
• one count of maintaining a drug involved premises;
• two counts of use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking crime;
• 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 FBI, Wichita Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Barton County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Service, Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Marshall Service, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Nebraska State Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A California man was sentenced 36 months in prison following a jury conviction in March 2022 on one count of mail fraud and one count of making a false representation in a bankruptcy proceeding.

According to court documents, in January 2018, Nana Baidoobonso – Iam, 69, engaged in a scheme in which he mailed an Involuntary Petition in Bankruptcy to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas.  The defendant signed the Involuntary Petition in Bankruptcy under the penalties of perjury and falsely claimed that an individual owed him $630,000 and owed a second person $1.26 million. 

The U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Trustee Program investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger prosecuted the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a man with one count of bank robbery. 

According to court documents, Roland K. Vandenberg, 55, allegedly robbed Emprise Bank on South Broadway Street in Wichita on June 2, 2022.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Erice Salsbery,63, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of counterfeit currency, and 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 Matt Treaster 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 for the attempted robbery of a Kansas City, Kansas convenience store in which a clerk was shot in the face. Jakel Webster, 26, of Kansas City was sentenced to 212 months in prison.

On April 28, 2020, Webster and Jorden Brownlee, 22, of Lenexa entered a Quick Shop on Metropolitan Avenue. After Brownlee unsuccessfully tried to breech the enclosed cashier area with a baseball bat, Webster fired an apparent SKS-style rifle, striking the clerk. Webster admitted he fired a second shot at the clerk before he and Brownlee fled the scene without any stolen goods and leaving the clerk bleeding on the floor.

The injured clerk was taken to the hospital in critical condition. He has had multiple surgeries due to problems stemming from his gunshot wounds. As part of sentencing, a federal judge ordered Webster to pay approximately $318,000 in restitution, primarily for injuries sustained by the clerk.

Codefendant Jorden Brownlee was sentenced to 97 months in prison for attempted robbery.

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask prosecuted the case.

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TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka indicted a U.S. Army service member for allegedly participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $149,476 from at least 25 individuals.

According to court documents, Innocent N. Ugwu, 24, of Fort Riley, Kansas, is charged with five counts of wire fraud, five counts of laundering monetary instruments, and one count of procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully. From an unknown date until January 2021, Ugwu is accused of conspiring with others to defraud money from individuals in the United States using false pretenses and promises, and the omission of material facts to carry out romance, advance fee and other fraudulent schemes.

The U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.

Special U.S. Assistant Attorney Robin Graham and U.S. Assistant Attorney Christine Kenney are prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Daniel Cardiel-Ramirez, 31, of Wichita is charged with one count of possession with intention to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case. 

Chelsea Pulse, 27, of Junction City is charged with one count of embezzlement of the mail, two counts of theft of the mail, and one count of delay of mail. The U.S. Postal Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton is prosecuting the case. 

Jeremias Sanchez, 27, an inmate of U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, is charged with one count of possession contraband in prison. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough is prosecuting the case. 

James Shaughnessy, 20, is charged with one could of sexual exploitation of a minor- production of child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton 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 pleaded guilty in connection to a scheme to defraud her former employers of millions of dollars.  

According to court documents, Nancy Martin, 77, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aid or assist filing a false tax document. Martin admits to defrauding her employers Mid-Kansas Wound Specialists and Emergency Services P.A. She worked for the businesses as a bookkeeper, business manager, and chief operating officer. An audit revealed that from 2012 to 2017, Martin embezzled approximately $3.1 million by fraudulent obtaining money from her employers’ banks. She used funds to pay for personal expenses, travel, and investments then made false accounting entries to disguise the embezzlement as payments or transferred funds between entities.

From 2013 to 2016, Martin either filed tax turns or caused tax returns to be filed to the Internal Revenue Service that omitted income, therefore, causing a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $670,000.

“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unravelling the most complicated embezzlement and tax schemes,” said William Steenson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation.  “Ms. Martin’s guilty plea shows IRS-CI’s commitment to protecting the healthcare system and all those who work tirelessly to promote the welfare for all.”

Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on August 17 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for bank fraud and a maximum of three years in prison for aid or assist filing a false tax document. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging an Oklahoma man with two counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. 

According to court documents, Darrell E. Black, 28, of Midwest City allegedly committed armed robberies at the Extended Stay America hotel in Wichita on May 27, 2017, and at the Days Inn and Suites hotel in Wichita on May 29, 2017.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Tommy Anderson, Sr., 50, of Wichita, Kan. is charged with ten counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of prohibited person in possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, two counts of using or maintaining drug premises, and one count of prohibited person in possession of ammunition. The Wichita Police Department is investigating the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting the case.

Jaidyn Irving, 22, of Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case.

Bradley Wicks, 39, of Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute 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. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is prosecuting the case.

Alberto Vasquez, 48, of Tucson, Ariz., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance-fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

Ever Quintana-Lopez, 31, of Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 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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WICHITA, KAN. – The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas fined a recidivist violator of statutory and regulatory federal livestock laws under the Packers and Stockyards Act. 

The District Court also entered a lifetime ban against trader, John Rife, of Oswego, Kansas, for his violations of federal law and for breaching prior injunctive orders previously entered by the federal court. 

Rife did not substantively defend allegations filed by the United States of numerous violations of federal law. The violations include:

•    operating on a dealer basis of cattle transactions with a suspended registration; •    operating without an adequate bond; •    failing to maintain records and make records available to the federal inspectors; and
•    violating the federal court’s prior 2012 and 2017 orders imposing penalties and injunctive relief against Rife for similar conduct.

During a hearing on the matter, the United States argued that Rife’s operation as a cattle dealer and market agency without registering, bonding, or maintaining records potentially jeopardizes the financial integrity of the cattle markets. The United States also contended Rife’s failure to comply with federal law impairs the government’s ability to investigate and prevent the spread of disease.  

The District Court ordered Rife to pay the United States 15% of $1,799,168.50 in new and reinstated penalties, equaling $269,875.27. The remainder is set in abatement in case of future violations. The District Court further entered a lifetime ban against Rife, barring him from engaging in any further business within the USDA’s jurisdiction for which registration and bonding are required.   

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Packers and Stockyards Division investigated the case against Rife.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Brookreson and Christopher Allman brought the enforcement action on behalf of the United States.

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TOPEKA, KAN. – A Nebraska man pleaded guilty to one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to court documents, in February 2021, Cody Deichen, 26, of Hastings, Nebraska, admitted to aiding and abetting in the brandishing and use of a home built .223 caliber AR-15 style rifle during a bank robbery at Guaranty State Bank on South Main Street in Burr Oak, Kansas.

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 July 27.

The FBI and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton is prosecuting the case.

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WICHITA, KAN – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging two men with various drug trafficking related offenses. 

Jose Rodriguez-Cardenas, 46, and Felix Rodriguez-Flores, 42, of Wichita, are both charged with one count of heroin conspiracy, one count of fentanyl conspiracy, and one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

Rodriguez-Cardenas is also charged with four counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and one count of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute.

Rodriguez-Flores is charged with six counts of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of possession of fentanyl with intention to distribute. 

The FBI and the Wichita Police Department are investigating the case.

Special 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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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of one count of bank robbery and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to court documents, and evidence presented at trial, Davonte Chaney, 30, of Kansas City was found guilty of robbing Truity Credit Union, 2221 West 31st Street, in Lawrence. In September 2021, Chaney entered the bank, pointed a semi-automatic gun at the employees, and instructed them to get down on the ground.

“Chaney’s criminal actions in order to get money subjected people who were making an honest living to a violent, terrifying ordeal,” said Duston Slinkard, U.S. Attorney. “The strong evidence collected by law enforcement investigators along with the convincing arguments prosecutors put before the jury, secured a conviction so that the victims’ suffering will not go unpunished.” 

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for August 16.

The Lawrence Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S.  Attorneys Trent Krug and Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.

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TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of 31 counts of bank fraud, one count of making a false statement in connection with a Small Business Administration guaranteed loan, and one count of making a false statement in a loan or credit card application.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Tyler Gillum, 51, of Plainville owned and operated Plainville Livestock Commission Inc. from 2006 until 2019. Between January 2015 and August 2017, Gillum wrote checks and made wire transfers between various accounts under his control at various banks in a scheme commonly known as check kiting. This is when checks are continually written back and forth to fraudulently inflate account balances tricking banks into honoring checks written with insufficient funds. Gillum’s scheme resulted in losses of more than $10 million to the banking system.

Gillum also applied for and obtained a $1,500,000 loan, secured by the U.S. Small Business Administration, and a $500,000 line of credit from Almena State Bank, while concealing he’d previously signed an approximately $6.1 million promissory note to TBK Bank of Dallas, Texas. 

“Because of the defendant’s crimes, banks suffered millions of dollars in losses. These fraudulent acts should be of concern to everyone, because the stability our nation’s banking system is vital to the financial health of this country,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard, District of Kansas. 

The FBI, U.S.D.A. Office of Inspector-General, S.B.A. Office of Inspector-General, and F.D.I.C. Office of Inspector-General investigated the case.

U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard commends the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Walton and the late Richard Hathaway in preparing and prosecuting the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas woman pleaded guilty today to federal charges of wire fraud and filing a false tax return related to a scheme to embezzle money from the Johnson County District Court in Olathe, Kansas.   

According to court documents, Dawna Kellogg, 61, of Williamsburg—while employed in the accounting department at the Johnson County District Court—stole at least $776,691.50 in cash from her employer between January 2010 and June 2017. Kellogg’s legal name was Dawna Brandt at the time.

As the Accounting Supervisor for the Court, Kellogg managed the accounting department, collected funds from each separate county system, recorded funds collected, processed daily reports, and deposited the collected funds into the Court’s bank account. The Court utilized a case management system named the Justice Information Management System (JIMS), which had an accounting function to maintain the Court’s financial transactions.

Kellogg stole cash that the Court received, such as bail bond payments, and either spent or deposited the embezzled proceeds into her personal accounts. Kellogg concealed the stolen cash by two primary means: (1) manipulating an unclaimed property account and (2) creating an open payable in the JIMS system and then issuing a check that was both drawn on and deposited into the Court’s bank account, which created a corresponding debit and credit and thus no increase or decrease in the amount under deposit.
Kellogg pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. As part of her plea agreement, Kellogg agreed to not contest that the total loss resulting from the scheme to defraud was $1,135,988.13, which consists of $359,296.63 from 2007 through 2009 and $776,691.50 from 2010 through June 2017.  

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for August 16 at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Holly L. Teeter.  

“The defendant knowingly defrauded the public for personal financial gain over a prolonged period of time.  When someone in a position of public trust redirects incoming cash payments for city bonds, fines, and court costs to their personal bank account it threatens the very core of our government institutions. Today’s agreement underscores the importance of holding those whose criminal actions degrade the public’s trust accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub, FBI Kansas City.

“Ms. Kellogg’s attempt to conceal her embezzlement by making fraudulent accounting entries and filing false tax returns was no match for IRS Criminal Investigation”, said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation.  “IRS-CI will aggressively pursue those who threaten to defraud the very court system which provides justice to all.”

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and D. Christopher Oakley are prosecuting the case.

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WICHITA, KAN.– A Kansas man pleaded guilty to one count of failure to pay over payroll taxes.

According to court documents, Jesus Perez-Aguayo, 39, of Wichita as owner and operator of two companies, JLP Construction and JP Remodeling, has a responsibility to collect employee payroll taxes then forward the funds to the Internal Revenue Service. Between 2014 and 2019, Perez-Aguayo admits he didn’t pay the full amount due to the IRS, creating a tax loss of approximately $286,049. He also admits to using his business bank account for his personal expenses. 

“Mr. Perez-Aguayo’s guilty plea shows that IRS Criminal Investigation will aggressively pursue those who commit employment tax fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation.  “When business owners collect and then fail to pay over employment taxes, it not only hurts the government but all of the honest and hardworking employees as well.”

After pleading guilty to failure to pay over payroll taxes, Perez-Aguayo faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

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

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A former University of Kansas (KU) professor was today convicted by a federal jury on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements after he deliberately concealed that he was also employed by a government-affiliated university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), while working on U.S. government funded research at KU.

Feng Tao, aka Franklin Tao, 50, of Lawrence, Kansas, worked as a full-time professor at KU. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2018, Tao accepted a position with Fuzhou University in China that designated him as a Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor. The position’s guidelines required him to be a full-time employee of Fuzhou University.

The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) required faculty to file annual reports to notify of any outside employment that did or could impact duties as a conflict of interest. Tao didn’t seek permission from KU before entering the agreement with Fuzhou University, didn’t notify KU about the employment, and lied to conceal the employment. In December 2018, the defendant moved to China to work full-time at Fuzhou University, while falsely telling KU administrators that he was in Europe.

As a KU faculty member, Tao conducted research under contracts between the KU and two U.S. government agencies, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Tao caused KU to submit to DOE and NSF hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursement requests for expenditures associated with the grants. Tao repeatedly certified electronic documents indicating he read and understood the federal government and KU’s policies and that he had made all necessary disclosures.

Tao faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 for wire fraud, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the program fraud counts.

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section (CES) are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Deputy Chief Benjamin Hawk of CES.

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted two Wichita men on charges related to an inmate-run drug trafficking ring headquartered from a prison cell in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.  

Following the presentation of court documents and evidence at trial, a jury found Kevin Lewis, 58, and Travis Vontress, 45, guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute heroin, conspiracy to distribute cocaine powder, maintaining drug involved premises, and unlawful use of a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking,

A jury also convicted Lewis of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Vontress was also found guilty of possession with intent to distribute powder cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Both men are scheduled for sentencing June 22. 

Twenty-one defendants pled guilty to charges related to this case. They include Travis Knighten, 49, and Armando Luna, 43, both inmates at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Knighten served as the brains of the operation and while in prison, used cell phones to direct co-conspirators in Wichita in the distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and other illicit drugs. Knighten is serving a 90-year sentence for killing a prison guard in 1993. The other defendants, all of Wichita, are Richard Adams, 29, David Bell, 48, Frederick Collins, 49, Byron Fitchpatrick, 47, Eric Goodwin, 55, Dorzee Hill, 42, Santoria Hill, 53, Orlando Hogan, 46, Derek Hubbard, 46, Mario Ponds, 41, Otis Ponds, 43, Robert Richmond, 50, Kimberly Schmidtberger, 40, Shamtus Smallwood, 48, Kevin Walker, 56, Tia Ward, 42, Eddie Washington, 62, Trevor Wells, 41, and Dallas Williams, 40.

“This sophisticated criminal organization went to great lengths to conceal their illegal activities from law enforcement such as using code words for various narcotics and street names instead of actual names. These court convictions show that as criminals work to evade the law, there are prosecutors and law enforcement agencies working just as hard to bring them to justice,” said Duston Slinkard, U.S. Attorney – District of Kansas.

The FBI, Wichita Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Barton County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Service, Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Marshall Service, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Nebraska State Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal judge ordered a Kansas businessman to pay approximately $215,000 in restitution and serve one year of probation as part of his sentence for failing to pay over payroll tax collections to the Internal Revenue Service. In 2018 Charlie James, 43, of De Soto pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

According to court documents James was the co-owner of KC United, LLC which operated several subsidiary infrastructure and utility contractor companies. In April 2011, three of the subsidiaries filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in U.S. District Court in the District of Kansas. Under the terms of the bankruptcy, Charlie James was required to continue to withhold payroll taxes from the employees then forward the funds to the IRS. Instead, from the time of the bankruptcy filing through April 2012, James took part in a conspiracy in which $214,305 was not paid to the IRS. 

“When dishonest business owners conspire with others to carry out schemes to defraud the United States, all taxpayers pay the price,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Charlie James went to great extremes to hide assets from the IRS, and that behavior brought him to the attention of IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and the Department of Justice.  We have a duty to protect the integrity of the nation’s tax laws and will take aggressive actions to do so.”

The IRS- Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble prosecuted the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for tax fraud and ordered to pay $40 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. 

In November 2021, Scott Tucker, 59, of Leawood pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false or fraudulent tax return. According to court documents, Tucker owned a professional auto racing business called Level 5 Sports. On a 1040-tax return in 2010, Tucker reported that Level 5 had approximately $18,251,000 in gross receipts and approximately $17,514,000 in expenses. Tucker admitted in a plea agreement Level 5 never operated as an intended for-profit business, and he admitted to submitting false information on the 1040 form to try to disguise the amount of tax due and owing.

A federal judge ordered Tucker’s 36-month prison sentence to be served concurrent with a previous conviction in the Southern District of New York. In 2018, Tucker was sentenced to 200 months in prison for operating a nationwide $3.5 billion internet payday lending enterprise that systematically evaded New York state laws.

“Taxes are due on all earned income, even income earned by ripping people off,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI will always pursue the interests of the public. Mr. Tucker spent decades defrauding others through payday lending schemes and now a $40 million tax bill is due. In addition to the time he’s already serving, he’s now being held accountable for cheating the U.S. government and honest taxpayers.”

The IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Chris Oakley prosecuted the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a pharmacist with one count of tampering with a consumer product, one count of possession of Tramadol by deception and subterfuge, one count of possession of Zolpidem by deception and subterfuge, and one count of possession of Oxycodone Hydrochloride by deception and subterfuge.

According to court documents, from July 2020 to October 2020, Benjamin Dandurand, 34, of Shawnee Mission is accused of allegedly using his fingerprint at a pharmacy in Lenexa to remove Oxycodone Hydrochloride from a safe. He allegedly removed the controlled substance from the bottle and replaced it with an alternate liquid substance before returning the bottle to the safe. Dandurand also allegedly took Tramadol, Oxycodone Hydrochloride, and Zolpidem from the pharmacy between September 2020 and October 2020.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane 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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The Justice Department announced today that Colton Donner, 27, pleaded guilty in federal court to threatening an African American man with a knife because of the man’s race, and in order to intimidate and interfere with the man’s right to fair housing.

According to documents filed in connection with the plea, on Sept. 11, 2019, Donner was driving through a residential area of Paola, Kansas, when he saw the victim, an African American man, walking on the sidewalk. Donner stopped, got out of the car, and approached the victim while brandishing a knife. Donner threatened the victim, yelled racial slurs, and told the victim that Paola is a “white town.”

“Using racially motivated threats of violence to drive someone out of their home or community is a deplorable crime, and the Justice Department stands ready to use our nation’s hate crimes laws to hold perpetrators accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racially motivated hate crimes have no place in our society today. All people deserve to feel safe and secure living in their communities, regardless of race, color or national origin.”

 “Any attempt to deny someone an opportunity to live where he or she chooses based on race, color or national origin is wrong and a violation of that person’s civil rights,” said U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard for the District of Kansas. “It is the responsibility of the Justice Department to prosecute such offenses to ensure the equal protection under the law to which we all are entitled, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”

“Every individual has the right to occupy a home free from racial discrimination, yet the defendant targeted the victim for no other reason than the victim’s race,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “The defendant’s actions directly undermined the victim’s right to reside in a community in Paola, Kansas, and to enjoy the protections afforded under the federal civil rights act. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, have no tolerance for this type of fear and intimidation and are committed to protecting residents regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, national origin or familial status.”

Donner faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the civil rights offense.

The case was investigated by the Paola, Kansas Police Department, and the Kansas City Field Office of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tristan Hunt of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN.–  Five people have now been sentenced to prison terms in connection with an armed robbery at a Kansas City, Kansas cell phone store in which victims were bound. 
•    Mario Lambert, 39, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 61 months; •    Sir Love, 36, of Knoxville, Tenn. was sentenced to 35 months; •    Domonique Walker, 30, of Rockford, Ill. was sentenced to 145 months;  •    Sharod Pitts, 40, of Chicago, Ill. was sentenced to 100 months; •    and Terry Curtis, 38, of Rockford, Ill. received a sentence of 72 months.

According to court documents, in September 2016, Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts entered a Verizon store on Village West Parkway. They pulled out handguns, and announced it was a robbery. The men locked the doors and forced the employees and customers to the back of the store at gunpoint. The assailants made the victims lie face down on the floor and bound their hands behind their back with zip ties. Then they untied one employee, put a gun to his face and demanded he open the store safe. Lambert, Love, Walker, and Pitts stole cash and merchandise before fleeing the scene with Curtis who was waiting outside as the getaway driver.  

Walker, Curtis, Lambert, and Love each pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. Pitts pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Lambert, Love, and Walker were indicted and sentenced in Tennessee and Illinois on related charges. 

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A New Mexico man was sentenced to 156 months in prison for drug trafficking.

According to court documents, in September 2021, Eric A. Estrada, 35, of Hobbs, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intention to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. 

In July 2020, the Kansas Highway Patrol pulled over two vehicles traveling together on Interstate 35 near Emporia for traffic violations. Estrada was driving a Nissan Sentra registered to the person driving the other vehicle, a Nissan Altima. In the Nissan Altima, troopers discovered approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine. 

The Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger prosecuted the case.

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WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita, Kansas, returned an indictment charging an Oklahoma man with two counts of uttering of counterfeit obligations.

According to court documents, Chad R. Johnson, 38, is accused of passing six counterfeit $50 bills to a business in August 2021 and passing three counterfeit $100 bills to a business in September 2021.

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger 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 federal grand jury in Wichita, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with two counts of possession of counterfeit obligations, one count of possession and uttering of counterfeit obligations, and one count of manufacture of counterfeit obligations. 

According to court documents, Johnny Hockaday, 57, of Wichita, is accused of manufacturing and possessing counterfeit federal currency of various denominations in 2019. He is also accused of attempting to defraud a business using four counterfeit $100 bills in September 2021.

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger 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 returned an indictment charging a Missouri woman with two counts of bank robbery.

According to court documents, on November 4, 2021, She’Toia Mitchell, 35, of Lee’s Summit is accused of robbing a Bank of America branch located on Ohio Street in Lawrence, Kansas.  Mitchell is also accused of robbing a branch of Wells Fargo Bank on West 103rd Street in Leawood, Kansas, on November 10, 2021.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Lawrence Police Department, and the Leawood Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan 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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WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Wichita State University was awarded $167,483 to administer as fiduciary agent for the PSN program for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.

“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”

“The PSN program provides both funding assistance to communities within Kansas and a framework for analysis and coordination to best use those funds to drive down violent crime. We are grateful to Wichita State University for acting as research partner and fiduciary for this grant, allowing PSN to continue its work to form community partnerships and develop strategies to reduce violent crime and ensure safer neighborhoods,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. 

Grant funds will support the District of Kansas (DOK) strategy in addressing prevention, intervention, outreach/community engagement, and enforcement programs related to violent issues.  The specific violent crime issues addressed with the grant strategies will include gang, gun, drug, and domestic violence, with particular emphasis on juvenile violent crime. With approval from BJA, the Fiscal Agent will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects. 

“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”

In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.

PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime. 

For a list of all grantees, please visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/FY21-Project-Safe-Neighborhoods-Awards.pdf.

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The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at  www.ojp.gov.

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita, Kansas, returned an indictment against a Kansas man on charges related to drug trafficking and firearms. 

According to court documents, Joshua Heartfield, 32, of Wichita is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. 

The Wichita Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon 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 prison for his participation in a pair of armed bank robberies in which he fired several shots, including one at a customer about to enter the bank.

In August 2021, a federal jury convicted Michael Shiferaw, 23, of Olathe of two counts of armed bank robbery and two counts of discharging a firearm in connection with a bank robbery. This week a federal judge sentenced Shiferaw to 28 years in prison.

Prior to Shiferaw’s trial, accomplice Kenya Breakfield, 23, of Olathe pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of discharging a firearm in connection with a bank robbery. Breakfield was sentenced in September 2021 to 76 months in prison.

In October 2018, Shiferaw and Breakfield went into a Wells Fargo bank in Leawood, Kansas, wearing Venom face masks and carrying handguns. Shiferaw fired a shot into the ceiling upon entering.  He then pointed a gun at the tellers and forced them to fill a duffel bag with money. As they left the bank, Shiferaw fired another round into the ceiling, yelling “happy holidays”. 

In March 2019, the men robbed the Commerce Bank in Roeland Park, Kansas.  This time Breakfield stayed in the vehicle as the getaway driver, and Shiferaw entered the bank alone. Shiferaw fired four rounds during the robbery. When tellers attempted to hide under the counter, Shiferaw pointed his gun at them demanding to get into the vault. When one of the tellers attempted to get up, Shiferaw shoved him and pointed a gun at his head.

The defendants were arrested shortly after the second robbery.  

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Olathe Police Department, Leawood Police Department, and Roeland Park Police Department all assisted in the investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan prosecuted the case.

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TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to one count of making and subscribing a false return.

According to court documents, Randall Brammell, 65, of Berryton owned and operated Brammell Construction Company and Lawn Mowing. He pleaded guilty to submitting a false 2016 income tax return to the Internal Revenue Service after failing to inform his tax preparer about a substantial number of business checks made out to him personally that he cashed instead of depositing into his business bank account. As a result, the gross income of his business that year was underreported by $139,918.

“Mr. Brammell admitted that he knowingly filed a false income tax return with the IRS. IRS-Criminal Investigation takes all tax crimes very seriously. Those who file honest, accurate returns can be assured that we will investigate and hold accountable those who don’t,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, St. Louis Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Brammell is scheduled to be sentenced February 16, 2022 and faces a maximum of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Kansas, Frontenac, Junction City, Olathe, and Rose Hill were awarded funding totaling $737,796. 

“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.” 

“Manpower is an invaluable resource for local law enforcement agencies which have a lot of their plates like response, investigation, community engagement and other duties,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. “These grants demonstrate the federal government is not only sensitive to the needs of police departments, but also invested in helping them to create safer communities for all citizens.” 

The following cities/towns in USAO - Kansas District received awards:

•  Frontenac                $112,871
•  Junction City           $124,925
•  Olathe                    $250,000
•  Rose Hill                $250,000

CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.  

Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.

To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.  
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. 

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Each year on November 11 our nation sets aside a day to recognize and remember veterans of the armed forces who have served and sacrificed so much to protect us and our freedom.  As we thank them for this service, we can also do something to help protect them.  

Veterans are often targets of frauds and scams aimed at stealing veterans’ benefits, hard-earned savings, and even their identities.  If you are a veteran or know a veteran, I encourage you to view and share information provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service at the USPIS website:

https://www.uspis.gov/veterans

The site provides information about schemes targeting vets.  Information and knowledge can be powerful weapons. Please join me to do our part to fight against fraudsters and scammers and help protect those who have given so much to protect us.

Duston J. Slinkard

Acting United States Attorney

U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Kansas 

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas returned an indictment charging an Overland Park man on two counts of tampering with a consumer product, one count of possession of fentanyl by deception and subterfuge, and one count of possession of hydromorphone by deception and subterfuge.

According to court documents, in March 2021, Alec Ramirez, 30, a registered nurse, is accused of removing vials of fentanyl and hydromorphone from an automated dispensing cabinet at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park and replacing the substances with an alternate liquid then returning the vials to the cabinet.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Faiza Alhambra and Trent Krug 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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WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury in the District of Kansas has returned an eight-count indictment against eight defendants for their alleged roles in a forced labor conspiracy that victimized numerous minors who, between 2000 and 2012, worked in various food service and other businesses in Kansas and around the United States. 

The indictment alleges that from 2000 through 2012, the defendants participated in running an organization called the United Nation of Islam (UNOI), an organization founded by the now deceased Royall Jenkins. The UNOI is alleged to have subjected multiple minors employed at UNOI-operated businesses in Kansas, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Ohio and elsewhere, to forced labor.

The indictment charges the following individuals with conspiracy to commit forced labor and forced labor:

Kaaba Majeed 
Age: 47
Jonesboro, GA

Yunus Rassoul
Age: 36
Cape Coral, FL

James Staton
Age: 59
Fayetteville, NC

Daniel Aubrey Jenkins
Age: 40
Lawrenceville, GA

Randolph Rodney Hadley
Age: 46
Fairburn, GA

Jacelyn Greenwell
Age: 42
Severn, MD

Etenia Kinard
Age: 46
Waldorf, MD

Dana Peach
Age: 57
Clinton, MD

The indictment alleges that over the course of more than a decade, the defendants coerced the victims into physically demanding labor at various UNOI-owned businesses around the United States. The defendants allegedly used coercive tactics, such as separating victims from their families; withholding food; abusing victims physically and verbally; subjecting victims to crowded living conditions; psychological manipulation; degrading treatment; isolating victims and limiting their ability to interact with anyone outside of UNOI; and suggesting to victims that those who left UNOI met tragic consequences. Although the victims were school-aged, it is alleged the defendants did not provide them with an adequate or legitimate education.

The defendants will be arraigned at a later date in Kansas City, Kansas.  

Upon conviction, the alleged crimes carry the following penalties: forced labor with a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 and conspiracy to commit forced labor with a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of the Inspector General and Wage and Hour Division. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Vasantha Rao and Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Kansas City, Kansas man with one count of bank robbery and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. 

According to court documents, in September 2021, Davonte Chaney, 29, allegedly used a semi-automatic pistol to rob Truity Credit Union on West 31st Street in Lawrence, Kansas. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lawrence, Kansas Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug 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.]— The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas announced its partnership with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division as it launches the department’s new Combatting Redlining Initiative. 

Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race or national origin of the people who live in those communities. The new Initiative represents the department’s most aggressive and coordinated enforcement effort to address redlining, which is prohibited by the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.

“Lending discrimination runs counter to fundamental promises of our economic system.  When people are denied credit simply because of their race or national origin, their ability to share in our nation’s prosperity is all but eliminated,” said Attorney General Garland. “Today, we are committing ourselves to addressing modern-day redlining by making far more robust use of our fair lending authorities. We will spare no resource to ensure that federal fair lending laws are vigorously enforced and that financial institutions provide equal opportunity for every American to obtain credit.”

“This initiative is important to our community, and we stand ready to work with community stakeholders and the Civil Rights Division to investigate allegations of redlining and, when appropriate, hold those accountable who participate in illegal redlining practices,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard.

Redlining, a practice institutionalized by the federal government during the New Deal era and implemented then and now by private lenders, has had a lasting negative impact. For American families, homeownership remains the principal means of building wealth, and the deprivation of investment in and access to mortgage lending services for communities of color have contributed to families of color persistently lagging behind in homeownership rates and net worth compared to white families. The gap in homeownership rates between white and Black families is larger today than it was in 1960, before the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. 
 
This Initiative, which will be led by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, will build on the longstanding work by the Division that seeks to make mortgage credit and homeownership accessible to all Americans on the same terms, regardless of race or national origin and regardless of the neighborhood where they live. The initiative will:   •    Utilize U.S. Attorneys’ Offices as force multipliers to ensure that fair lending enforcement is informed by local expertise on housing markets and the credit needs of local communities of color.

•    Expand the department’s analyses of potential redlining to both depository and non-depository institutions.  Non-depository lenders are not traditional banks and do not provide typical banking services, but engage in mortgage lending and now make the majority of mortgages in this country.

•    Strengthen our partnership with financial regulatory agencies such as to ensure the identification and referrals of fair lending violations to the Department of Justice.

•    Increase coordination with State Attorneys General on potential fair lending violations.
Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.

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TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to tampering with the computer system at a drinking water treatment facility in Ellsworth County. Wyatt Travnichek, 23, of Lorraine pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a public water system and one count of reckless damage to a protected computer system during unauthorized access. 

According to court documents, the Post Rock Rural Water District hired Travnichek in January 2018, and his duties included monitoring the plant after hours using a remote login system. Travnichek resigned his position in January 2019. On March 27, 2019, the remote log in system was used to shut down the plant and turn off one of its filters. Investigators established Travnichek’s cell phone was used to perpetrate the intrusion, and that the phone was in his possession at the time of the shutdown. He told investigators he was intoxicated and didn’t remember anything about the night of March 27, 2019.

The Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

“Ensuring the security of our nations cyber infrastructure is one of the FBI’s top priorities and the plea underscores the joint dedication to that effort by the FBI, EPA and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. There is no doubt that Travnichek’s intentional actions directly placed the public in harm’s way. The plea should send a clear message to anyone who attempts to tamper with public facilities – law enforcement will remain resolute in investigating any and all threats that put the public’s health at risk,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Charles Dayoub. 

“Protecting America's drinking water is a top EPA priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Kansas.  “EPA will continue our focused efforts with DOJ and the states as we investigate and pursue any threats that might be directed toward vital community drinking water resources.”

The parties recommend a prison sentence of 12 months and one day on counts one and two to run concurrently. However, a district court judge will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting the case.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Four people received prison sentences following convictions in relation to a drug trafficking ring that operated for years in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

According to court documents, the Jackson County Drug Task Force began an undercover operation in 2016 surrounding a drug trafficking ring. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) later partnered in the investigation which included controlled purchases of confirmed methamphetamine and surveillance. In 2019, law enforcement arrested Juan Ceniceros, 28, of Kansas City, Missouri, and several of co-conspirators including Ryan Goodall, 25, Julio Rodriguez, 57, and Donald Brown, 51.

Juan Ceniceros was sentenced to 144 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Ryan Goodall was sentenced to 124 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Goodall also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Julio Rodriguez of Glendale, Arizona, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Donald Brown of Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced to 81 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. 

“The fact that this investigation spanned several years is a testament to the patience and steadfast dedication of local and federal law enforcement agencies. Their commitment to staying with the investigation as long as necessary ensured appropriate convictions for this illegal behavior which harms our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. 

The Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.  The United States Marshals Service assisted with identification and apprehension in this matter.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania prosecuted the case.    

OCDETF STRIKE FORCE CASES
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The Kansas City Metro Strike Force’s mission also includes disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and transnational drug cartels, with emphasis on groups engaged in illicit activities involving methamphetamine and firearms that present a threat to public safety in the Kansas City metropolitan area. 
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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a nurse from Kansas City, Missouri, with two counts of tampering with a consumer product and two counts of possession of fentanyl by deception and subterfuge.  

According to court documents, between January 2020 and April 2020 Faith Naccarato, 41, allegedly used her fingerprint to remove vials of fentanyl from an automated dispensing cabinet at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park. She is accused of replacing the fentanyl with an alternant liquid substance before placing the vials back in the cabinet. 

Between February 2020 and April 2020, Naccarato allegedly took vials of fentanyl from an automated dispensing cabinet at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission in Meriam. She is accused of replacing the fentanyl with an alternate liquid substance and then placing the vials back in the cabinet. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Faiza Alhambra and Trent Krug 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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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced 180 months in prison following an attack on a federal law enforcement agent during an undercover operation. 

In May 2021, Nicholas Newman, 20, of Kansas City pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon and guilty to one count of using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. In September 2021, Newman was sentenced 120 months for the assault conviction and 60 months for the firearms conviction to run consecutively. 

According to court documents, in February 2020, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted an undercover operation in Kansas City. Two undercover ATF agents drove their vehicle to a parking lot to meet with Newman after he contacted them a few days earlier suggesting he had a firearm for sale. Newman handed the undercover agent in the driver’s seat a firearm which she put on the floorboard. She then gave him cash provided by the ATF for the undercover operation.  After Newman reached to grab the firearm, a violent struggle ensued between the agent and Newman for control of the weapon. Newman physically assaulted her inflicting severe bodily harm. The second agent, who had been in the rear passenger seat, came around and attempted to subdue Newman from behind. A short time later, ATF surveillance units arrived and instructed Newman to let go of the weapon which he did. He was subsequently taken into custody. 

“Every day our ATF agents work to make our communities safer by trying to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. “In doing so, they often put themselves in harm’s way. Thanks to the bravery and quick action of these agents no lives were lost in an incident which could have resulted in tragedy.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kansas City Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania prosecuted the case.

OCDETF STRIKE FORCE CASES
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The Kansas City Metro Strike Force’s mission also includes targeting violent street gangs and cartel members operating in and around the metropolitan area that are engaged in violent offenses and firearms offenses.

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging 15 people with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. 

According to court documents, the defendants allegedly intentionally conspired to distribute cocaine in the state of Kansas and elsewhere between January 2019 and September 2021.

The defendants include Santiago Gamboa-Saenz, 34, Maria Cota, 32, Efrain Garcia-Perez, 37, Dimas Calixto-Filho, 41, Juan Avarez-Perez, 35, Bryan Dominguez-Green, 20, Irlanda Grajeda, 31, Vladimir Blanco-Garciga, 49, Miguel Vazquez-Rodriguez, 35, Eduardo Ramirez-Ochoa, 32, Jesus Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 30, Homero Baca-Marquez, 23, Jaime Ocampo, 57, Jose Cera-Acosta, 35, and Frank De La Cruz, 36.  

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Kansas City and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Northeast Kansas Drug Task Force are investigating the case.

“Drug trafficking organizations are all about making money,” said Assistant Agent in Charge Rogeana Patterson-King, DEA lead for the state of Kansas. “This joint federal and state investigation stopped more than a million dollars’ worth of cocaine from reaching our communities, and more than $730,000 of proceeds from returning to the organization. This is particularly satisfying because this illegal industry jeopardizes public safety with these dangerous drugs.”

“HSI special agents, working with their state and federal law enforcement partners, were able to prevent a substantial amount of dangerous narcotics from reaching the streets and jeopardizing the safety of people who live there,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Katherine Greer. “Our communities are safer when we, law enforcement officers and individuals in the communities we serve, work together collectively to end drug trafficking in our neighborhoods.” 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tristram Hunt and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel are prosecuting the case. 

OCDETF
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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 480 months in prison for child pornography.

In May 2021, Clinton Wade McElroy, 49, of Ellis pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography after a prior conviction. According to court documents, McElroy admitted that between May 2020 and June 2020, he persuaded an 8-year-old child to produce sexually explicit images and send them to him through an online game and various messaging applications. 

The FBI and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department 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 launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

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WICHITA, KAN. –  A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment for two men on charges related to an alleged fraudulent prescription writing scheme.

David Sulzman, 59, and Martin Sulzman, 40, both of Wichita are charged with conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance. According to court documents, between 2014 and 2019, David Sulzman allegedly used his position as a physician assistant to prescribe controlled substances to individuals who were not his patients. David Sulzman faces 44 counts for the unlawful distribution and dispense of a controlled substance. Martin Sulzman is also charged with two counts of witness tampering. 

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Deb Barnett 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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