A professional hunter from Tennessee violated his federal probation and must spend a total of 30 days in Bureau of Prisons custody, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara ruled that William “Spook” Spann, 50, Dickinson, violated the conditions of his release after his conviction for a misdemeanor Lacey Act violation in Kansas.  O’Hara’s order states that Spann:

• Continues on probation until Feb. 28, 2016.
• Is ordered to spend a total of 30 days during nights and weekends in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons between now and Feb. 28, 2014.
• Is ordered not hunt anywhere in the United States or the world until Aug. 1, 2014.

Last year, Spann pleaded guilty to transporting a white-tailed deer that was unlawfully taken in Stafford County across state lines.  As part of the probation he was prohibited from hunting for six months, admonished not to commit any further federal crimes and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and $10,000 restitution.

On June 10, the federal probation office in Kansas filed a petition alleging Spann violated his probation by hunting in Tennessee and violating a Tennessee law against baiting wildlife.  O’Hara ruled that Spann violated the terms of his probation by hunting in the United States within six months of his sentencing and baiting turkeys in violation of Tennessee state law.

Grissom commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

(AP) – University of Kansas police are investigating several acts of vandalism at campus buildings this month.

The vandalism began July 12 when someone caused $5,000 in damage to a bathroom at Wescoe Hall and benches on the building’s ground floor.

Damage was later reported at Blake Hall, Fraser Hall, Malott Hall and Stauffer-Flint Hall.  The total damage was estimated at $9,000.

All the buildings were unlocked because people were working inside.  It’s not clear if all the vandalism incidents are related.

With a backdrop of ever-changing global market and weather conditions, Kansas State University will host the 2013 Agricultural Lenders Conference in two locations this fall.  The Oct. 8 conference will be presented in Garden City, Kan., with the Oct. 9 event in Manhattan, Kan.

“Because of the constantly changing factors in agriculture, including farm legislation and supply and demand issues in the U.S. and overseas, this program is designed to address the specific informational needs of the Kansas financial community,” said Rich Llewelyn, K-State agricultural economist and conference coordinator.

The conference begins with registration at 8:15 a.m. at both sites and the program starting at 9 a.m.

Presentation topics by K-State Research and Extension specialists in agricultural economics include:

• Grain Market Prospects for 2013-2014 – Dan O’Brien;

• Kansas Land Values and Cash Rents – Mykel Taylor and Kevin Dhuyvetter;

• Macroeconomic Outlook for 2014 – Brian Briggeman;

• Machinery Costs – Kevin Dhuyvetter;

• Kansas Farm Management Association Update;

• Crop Insurance & the Farm Bill – Art Barnaby; and

• Beef Cattle Market Outlook for 2013-2014 – Glynn Tonsor.

The Oct. 8 conference in Garden City will be at the K-State Southwest Research-Extension Center at 4500 E. Mary St.  The Oct. 9 conference in Manhattan will be at the International Grains Program Conference Center at 1980 Kimball Ave.

The cost to attend at either location is $85 if paid by Oct. 4 and $95 after that date and at the door.  The fee includes conference materials, morning and break refreshments and lunch.

More information about the conference, including online registration, is available at www.agmanager.info/events/ag_lenders/2013/. More information is also available by contacting Llewelyn at 785-532-1504 or [email protected].

(AP) — Some Wichita Democrats want Kansas legislators to use the special session in September to fix a problem they say exists in the state’s new voting laws.

Currently, more than 12,000 voter registration applications are in suspense because individuals lacked proof of citizenship when they registered to vote through the state Division of Vehicles.

Democrats want to fix the problem when legislators meet starting Sept. 3. The special session was called to rewrite the state’s Hard 50 prison law in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Secretary of State Kris Kobach and Republicans in the Legislature say any discussion on the voting laws is unlikely to happen, given the desire to keep the session focused on the sentencing law.

 

(AP) – A federal judge has ordered a convicted child sex predator to pay restitution to the 9-year-old Kansas girl he used to produce pornography.

A court filing on Tuesday modified the 260-year-prison sentence handed down in May for 50-year-old Philip Andra Grigsby, of Marquette.

U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten amended his sentence to include nearly $140,000 in restitution. The figure includes more than $126,000 for the girl and more than $13,000 for her mother.

Grigsby pleaded guilty last year to sexually exploiting a child, possessing child porn and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

The investigation began after Grigsby sent emails containing child porn to an Australian man. Investigators were able to identify the victim after noticing the name of a middle school on a physical fitness certificate.