WASHINGTON – A Stillwell, Kansas, man pleaded guilty Monday to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of theft of government funds, according to Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas.

Richard Drake, 60, admitted that he obtained more than $2 million from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by filing false tax returns in the names of his clients. Those false returns claimed refunds that Drake directed into accounts he controlled. In his plea agreement, Drake admitted that he used the identities of his clients to perpetrate his fraud without their knowledge. The tax returns that Drake filed caused the U.S. Department of the Treasury to issue large income tax refunds that Drake then converted to his own use.

As part of his plea agreement, Drake has agreed to serve 48 months in prison and to pay $2,432,147 in restitution to the IRS. The sentencing hearing date has not yet been determined.

Acting Assistant Attorney General and Acting U.S. Attorney Beall commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorney Ryan Raybould of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt of the District of Kansas, who are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts’ (R-Kan.) amendment to stop the administration from going around the Congress and the American people by reprogramming funds to transfer the remaining terrorists at Guantanamo Bay to the mainland was included in the National Defense Authorization Act by unanimous consent. The Roberts amendment also prohibits the reprogramming of funds to construct alternative facilities to house the detainees.

“As I have stated time and time again, I will continue to do everything in my legislative power to prevent the administration from sending prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. mainland,” said Roberts. “It has been against the law for years to transfer these prisoners, and I’m proud my language in this bill will go one step further and prohibit the administration from using funds designated for other projects to construct alternative sites on the mainland.

“Americans have made it clear they don’t want terrorists in our communities, yet the administration continues to push to fulfill the president’s campaign promise. The good news for Americans is that the clock has run out, but that will not stop me from taking any action I can to prevent any further action from this administration on this matter.”

“Reprogramming” funding is when an agency seeks flexibility to use funds appropriated to other accounts. Generally agencies must seek the approval of Congress.

Last month, Senator Roberts worked with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) to secure his language in the manager’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense through Fiscal Year 2017. Roberts’ amendment prohibits the reprogramming of funds for the transfer or release of detainees held at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to an alternative site in the United States.

Roberts has led the charge in the Senate against the Obama administration’s attempts to close Guantanamo Bay and transfer the prisoners to the U.S. mainland, in particular Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, a site that has been surveyed by Department of Defense officials. Ft. Leavenworth is the home to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, which houses U.S. military prisoners, and it is against the law for enemy combatants to be housed with members of the U.S. military. Fort Leavenworth is also home to the Command and General Staff College, the Intellectual Center of the Army, where all Army officers study.

In March, Roberts introduced a Senate resolution formally rejecting President Obama’s plan to transfer prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities to an alternative location in American communities. Last month, the Senate also passed legislation prohibiting the construction of alternative sites for the relocation of Guantanamo Bay.

Senator Roberts is the most senior Marine in the Congress. He was Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 2003-2007. He has visited Guantanamo Bay twice.

JOAN LOWY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Transportation Security Administration says significant progress has been made on shortening screening lines since earlier this spring when airlines reported thousands of frustrated passengers were missing flights.

Peter Neffenger told a Senate panel Tuesday that over the busy Memorial Day weekend, 99 percent of passengers at U.S. airports waited less than 30 minutes and more than 90 percent waited less than 15 minutes.

The agency says it is reducing lines by adding more lanes and increasing staffing, especially at seven of the nation’s busiest airports: John F. Kennedy in New York, Newark in New Jersey, O’Hare in Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Los Angeles.

Neffenger said TSA also is exploring better screening technology that can speed up lines as much as 30 percent.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten plans to take a form of semi-retirement that will effectively create another vacancy on the federal bench in Kansas.

The 64-year-old chief judge says in an email that he has notified President Barack Obama of his intention to take senior status on May 1, 2017, following 21 years of service. Marten was appointed to the post by President Bill Clinton in 1996.

Marten plans for the time being to keep hearing cases and says the move would help bolster federal judicial resources. Wichita has two federal district judges.

Kansas has one other federal judicial opening created when U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil took senior status in Topeka.

Obama’s nomination earlier this year of Lawrence attorney Terry Campbell to fill that seat is still pending.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Combines are rolling across wheat fields in south-central Kansas.

Elevators in in the Kiowa area as well as those in Cowley and Sumner counties are now receiving grain.

Justin Gilpin, the executive director of the industry group Kansas Wheat, said Tuesday early reports show good test weights. He says people are anxious to get into the field because the sense is that there is a pretty good wheat crop out there — both in quality and bushels.

If the hot, dry weather holds Gilpin expects cutting extending from central Kansas to northern Texas by this weekend.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday 60 percent of the Kansas wheat is in good to excellent condition. About 32 percent is rated as fair and 8 percent as poor to very poor.

TOPEKA- A Kansas woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking part in an interstate sex trafficking business, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

Rachel Flenniken, 34, Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and two counts of using an interstate facility in furtherance of prostitution.

In her plea, she admitted working for a male co-defendant who was running a prostitution business in Topeka. At times, as many as 20 females were working as prostitutes in the organization. Flenniken’s employer rented houses where some of the prostitutes were allowed to live. He used Web sites, social media and cell phones to advertise sexual services and to keep track of the prostitutes.

Flenniken admitted she began working for the male co-defendant as a prostitute in 2008. By 2010, he put her in charge of other prostitutes. She was responsible for keeping track of their meetings with clients and collecting the money they received. She arranged interstate travel for the purpose of prostitution, posted on-line advertisements for workers, and maintained communication with prostitutes while they were working.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 17. She faces a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Co-defendant Frank Boswell, 42, Topeka, Kan., is awaiting trial.

LYON COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 9am on Tuesday in Lyon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 International Dumptruck driven by Kevin Ryan Turner, 31, Humbolt, was south bound on Kansas 99 just south of 30th Road.

The dumptruck left the road to the right, entered the west ditch, overturned.

Turner was transported to Newman Hospital. He was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the KHP.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran says it won’t give visas to three U.S. congressmen opposed to its recent nuclear deal with world powers.

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Tuesday saying it refused to issue visas to Reps. Frank LoBiondo, R-New Jersey; Mike Pompeo, R-Kansas; and Lee Zeldin, R-New York. It said the three wanted to monitor the nuclear agreement.

The ministry said in a statement that it refused the request over “the completely inappropriate way you have demanded to visit Iran and interfere in what is of no relevance to (your) official functions.'”

In a statement, LoBiondo said it was “deeply disappointing, though not surprising” that Iran denied “our legitimate request with insults and deflections.” The other two congressmen did not immediately respond to requests for comment.