KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man with prior felony convictions for child pornography was sentenced in federal court Monday for receiving child pornography over the Internet, according to the United State’s Attorney.

Travis E. Fleming, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Fleming to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration. The court ordered Fleming to pay $5,000 in restitution to each of three identified victims of sexual abuse portrayed in the images of child pornography that he possessed.

Fleming was convicted in federal court in 2010 of two counts of receiving child pornography and two counts of possessing child pornography, for which he was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison without parole. He was on supervised release at the time of this offense.

On Sept. 20, 2018, Fleming pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Fleming admitted that he had 256 images of child sexual abuse (including bondage) on his cell phone. Some of the victim children ranged in age from four to 10 years old. A forensic examination determined that Fleming did the bulk of his viewing of child pornography in the dark web.

Fleming’s probation officer discovered the cell phone during a home visit on Nov. 16, 2017. Fleming admitted that he had been accessing the internet since at least February 2017. Among the conditions of Fleming’s supervised release was that he not possess any type of computer or electronic device with access to any on-line computer service.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of alleged car thefts and have a suspect in custody

On Friday, police responded to Bennett Buick, 651 South Ohio, in Salina to investigate a report of a 2016 Dodge Charger SXT worth $20,000 missing from the dealership, according to police Sergeant David Villanueva.  Surveillance video showed the car being driven off the dealer’s lot at 1:30a.m. February 21, and twice on February 18.   The video also showed the car returning at 1:34p.m. and also 6:59p.m. February 18.

Police located a suspect identified as 34-year-old Jason Buster standing behind the Charger in the 1300 block of Cheyenne Street in Salina. They also found person property that belonged to Buster in the car. He also had the keys to the Charger in his pocket.

Buster was arrested on requested charges of vehicle deprivation and felony theft.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A California man has asked for 20 years in prison as his punishment for making a hoax call that led police to fatally shoot a Kansas man following a dispute between two online gamers over $1.50 bet in a Call of Duty WWII video game.

Tyler R. Barriss, 26, faces sentencing Friday in federal court in Wichita for making the false report resulting in a death. His attorney argued in a sentencing memorandum that Barriss never intended for anyone to get hurt and his conduct was an outgrowth of the culture within the gaming community.

As part of the plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Barriss pleaded guilty in November to a total of 51 federal charges that included some initially filed in California and the District of Columbia related to other fake calls and threats. He seeks the shortest term allowed in that plea deal which calls for 20 to 25 years in federal prison.

Defense attorney Rich Federico portrayed his client as sincerely remorseful for calling Wichita police from Los Angeles on Dec. 28, 2017, to falsely report a shooting and kidnapping at a Wichita address. A police officer responding to the call fatally shot Andrew Finch, 28, after he opened the door. Finch, who was not playing video games, lived at the gamer’s old address.

In a letter to the Finch family, Barriss wrote that he thinks every day about how his actions led to his death. He asked for forgiveness and expressed his “hope that my sentence may in some way help you feel better that justice is done,” according to the filing.

Swatting is a form of retaliation sometimes used by gamers, who call police and make a false report to send first responders to an online opponent’s address.

Barriss’ defense attorney argued that the notoriety of being a known swatter within the gaming community “became an intoxicant” to him and incrementally desensitized him to real world consequences. As a young man, he spent almost all of his time indoors playing video games. His only family was his grandmother. He was homeschooled until he quit school altogether. Barriss has never had a job. At the time of his arrest he was living in a homeless shelter in Los Angeles.

“With no guidance, no structure, school, or employment, Mr. Barriss had video games,” Federico wrote. “The game Halo became his salve to social acceptance in a virtual world.”

It is unclear what will become of separate Kansas charges. Barriss is scheduled for a March 4 trial in Sedgwick County District Court on state charges of involuntary manslaughter , giving a false alarm and interference with a law enforcement officer.

Also charged as co-conspirators in the federal case in Kansas in connection to the deadly swatting call are online gamers Casey Viner, 18, of North College Hill, Ohio, and Shane Gaskill, 20, of Wichita. They have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice, wire fraud and other counts. Their trial is scheduled for March 19 in U.S. District Court in Wichita.

WOODSON COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Monday in Woodson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Ford Escape driven by Kay Dodge Lowder, 71, Yates Center,was southbound on U.S. 75 at milepost 84.  The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree.

Lowder was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A government report shows Kansas winter wheat is doing well with an abundance of moisture this month.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 97 percent of the state had adequate to surplus topsoil moisture conditions. About 98 percent of the state had adequate to surplus subsoil moisture.

The agency rated the Kansas winter wheat as 9 percent poor to very poor, 40 percent as fair, and 51 percent as good to excellent.