HUTCHINSON– A former Reno County Sheriff’s Jail Deputy convicted on charges associated with unlawful sexual relations with inmates inside the old Reno County Jail and sentenced to over five years in prison is seeking relief from that sentence.

Jonathon Diaz, 33, had waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered guilty pleas to three counts of unlawful sexual relations and two counts of bribery. He then entered no contest pleas to two counts of aggravated intimidation of a witness.

He has a civil filing pending action by the court seeking relief from that sentence. An evidentiary hearing was held on the civil case where the defendant took the stand and complained that his attorney at the time didn’t do what he asked and filed a motion to suppress his confession.

Diaz also alleged that he felt intimidated when questioned by investigators because they were carrying their weapons and that he felt he couldn’t leave.

He says that he felt others he worked with in the jail could tell authorities that what the state says happened could not have, considering the size of the jail.

Diaz claims that his attorney did not bother to investigate and also speak with those co-workers. Plus, he says his character wouldn’t allow that sort of behavior.

He also claims the he was told if he didn’t enter the plea, additional charges could be added. He says he felt coerced into entering the plea.

On cross-examination the state questioned him about being a law enforcement officer and that he also carried a gun.

District Attorney Keith Schroeder also questioned him over the evidence that showed on video some of the alleged conduct.

District Judge Tim Chambers noted that he handled the sentencing, but wasn’t present when the actual plea was entered. He wanted time to read over what happened there as well as the decision over the appeal in the case. He took the matter under advisement.

The case against Diaz was filed in 2013 by the state after a nearly two week internal investigation ordered by Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson. Some inmates complained of the allegations of Diaz touching them and also requesting that they expose themselves to him, and also that they engage in sexual activity while he watched.

Judge Chambers said he would have his decision over the civil case by the end of the week

MEDICINE LODGE, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the wildfire that has burned at least 620 square miles of land in Kansas and Oklahoma since last week.

4:40 p.m.

Kansas officials have identified more Barber County homes destroyed in the wildfire that hit the region last week.

Ben Bauman, spokesman for the Kansas Adjutant General’s Office, said Monday it appears that nine homes in Barber County were destroyed in the wildfire. Earlier estimates showed anywhere from two to six homes destroyed in the county.

Bauman says three other homes were destroyed in wildfires elsewhere in Kansas last week.

He says assessments of the damage are just beginning, and the numbers will likely change.

He also says Kansas National Guard helicopters dropped an estimated 68,000 gallons of water on the fire over the weekend.

The fire, which started last week in Oklahoma, before spreading into southern Kansas, has reportedly been largely contained.

1:40 p.m.

At least one section of the wildfire that has been burning in southern Kansas since last week has been extinguished.

John Lehman, emergency manager for Comanche County, told The Wichita Eagle (https://bit.ly/1UXzXX4 ) Monday that the portion of the fire in Comanche County is out. The fire, which burned about 620 square miles in Oklahoma and Kansas, hit about 93 square miles of land in Comanche County.

Lehman says snowfall Sunday brought enough moisture to the burned area in Comanche County to declare the fire 100 percent controlled in that county by Sunday evening. He said firefighters no longer need to monitor for hot spots there.

The fire in neighboring Barber County was considered about 81 percent contained earlier Monday.

12:05 p.m.

Oklahoma Forestry Services officials are still investigating the cause of a wildfire that consumed an estimated 620 square miles of mostly rural land in Oklahoma and Kansas since last week. Fire personnel are focused on containing its spread.

Forestry Services spokeswoman Hannah Anderson said Monday firefighters have contained about 90 percent of the fire in both states, although significant areas continue to burn. Officials flew a plane over the fire Monday morning seeking a reliable estimate of the burn area.

Weather conditions are expected to worsen Monday as humidity drops and temperatures rise. Officials expect wind speeds up to 22 mph and gusts up to 30 mph in the northwest part of Oklahoma.

The agency plans to release a new fire-containment estimate Monday evening.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democrats in the Kansas Legislature have filed a formal protest against a bill passed last week to address spending for public education in the state.

Republican supermajorities in the Statehouse quickly passed the bill in response to a state Supreme Court ruling that the current school finance formula was inequitable. The court threatened to close down public schools if the funding problems weren’t addressed by the end of June.

In their protest, Democrats say the bill benefits wealthier districts over poorer districts and doesn’t consider the actual cost of public education.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reported Monday the Democrat’s formal protest puts their objections to the bill in records that the Supreme Court will likely use to determine if the new law is constitutional.

SHAWNEE COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a body found in a creek.

Just before 10a.m., a citizen reported to police a body in Shunga Creek near 21st and Lakewood, according to a media release from Topeka Police.

The body of the male victim was transported to the Corner’s Office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.