KANSAS CITY (AP) — Russia is demanding that the U.S. release a Russian citizen who was convicted of kidnapping for moving her children from the U.S. to Russia amid a divorce.

Bogdana Alexandrovna Osipova, who is referred to by her married name of Mobley in court documents, was convicted in Kansas last month of one count of international parental kidnapping and two counts of attempting to extort money. Ospivoa, 38, faces up to 20 years in prison on each extortion count and up to three years on the kidnapping count at her May 20 sentencing hearing.

We demand that the #US authorities stop their lawless behaviour and release the Russian citizen Bogdana Osipova, thus returning the mother to her children
➡️ https://t.co/W53H4laSzg 👈@RepRonEstes @Rep_Watkins pic.twitter.com/Nef1xN8BJB

— Russia in USA 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbUSA) April 12, 2019

The Russian Embassy said in a tweet Friday that U.S. authorities should “stop their lawless behaviour and release the Russian citizen Bogdana Osipova, thus returning the mother to her children.” Her attorney, Craig Divine, didn’t immediately return a phone message. A Russian court has found that the children should remain in Russia.

U.S. prosecutors said Osipova, who has dual Russian and U.S. citizenship, left Wichita, Kansas, in April 2014 with one child from her first marriage and another child from a second marriage to Brian Mobley, an Air Force recruiter. She gave birth to a third child soon after returning to Russia. She was arrested in September 2017 after returning to the U.S. without her children to change child support arrangements.

Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov previously rejected a plea from Kansas Republican Rep. Ron Estes that the younger children — ages 6 and 4 — be reunited with their father. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a briefing that the children are living with relatives in Kaliningrad, The Wichita Eagle reported. Osipova’s oldest child is 16, and her first husband isn’t seeking custody of him.

Antonov told Estes that Osipova has been a victim of “discrimination and psychological pressure” in the U.S. criminal case.

“We’ve attempted to work with Russian authorities to find a diplomatic solution to this situation on behalf of a constituent, but clearly Russia is not interested in adhering to court rulings or acting in good faith,” Estes said Friday in a tweet. “I once again call on Russia to reunite this father with his children and will work with the State Department in solving this case.”

The U.S. State Department didn’t immediately return an email from The Associated Press seeking comment Monday.

Weeks before Osipova left for Russia, Mobley filed for divorce and was granted joint custody. The Russian court system granted the couple a divorce in July 2014. That December, a Kansas judge also granted the couple a divorce and ordered her to return the two youngest children. The Kansas judge awarded sole custody to her ex-husband because Osipova had left the U.S. without court approval or Mobley’s knowledge.

According to the U.S. criminal complaint, Mobley hasn’t been able to see his children. His ex-wife in January 2015 showed up to a meeting in Poland without the children. She allowed him to talk to the children on the phone and on Skype until November 2016, when she said he needed to send money to communicate with them, the complaint said.

Zakharova said the Russian court sees the situation differently.

“Her claim to her ex-husband for alimony, which was supported by a Russian court, was qualified there as extortion,” Zakharova said in the ministry’s translation of a briefing.

—————

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Russian Embassy is demanding the release of a citizen convicted of taking her children from the U.S. to Russia amid a divorce.

Thirty-eight-year-old Bogdana Alexandrovna Osipova was convicted last month of one count of international parental kidnapping and two counts of attempting to extort money. She is referred to by her married name of Mobley in court documents.

The Russian Embassy said Friday in a tweet that Osipova should be returned to her children and described the behavior of U.S. authorities as “lawless.” Prosecutors said she left Wichita, Kansas, in April 2014 with one child from her first marriage and another child from a second marriage to Brian Mobley. She gave birth to a third child soon after returning to Russia.

The children are thought to still be in Russia.

BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities were busy in Barton County over the weekend making numerous drug arrests.

Just after 9:30 p.m., Friday, officers were dispatched to the area of the 4100 block of 10th Street in Great Bend in reference to Daniel Bartonek, age 31, being in the area and having an active warrant.

The officer located Bartonek driving in the area and conducted a traffic stop. Bartonek ran from the vehicle on foot and the officer apprehended him and arrested him on the warrant. Bartonek was also in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia at the time of his arrest. Bartonek was booked into the Barton County Jail for the warrant, interference with law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Just after 9p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to the 2400 block of 10th Street in Great Bend in reference to Jamie Moore, age 27, being in the area and having active warrants. Moore was taken into custody on the warrants. Officers located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia on Moore when she was taken into custody. Moore was booked into the Barton County Jail for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia

A short time later,  an officer conducted a traffic stop in the 1600 block of 10th Street in Great Bend for a vehicle driving without headlights. When the officer contacted the driver, who was identified as Luis Reyes, age 21, they could smell an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

The officer searched the vehicle, where marijuana and drug paraphernalia were located. Reyes was booked into the Barton County Jail for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Just after 1 a.m. Sunday, an officer conducted a traffic stop in the 2700 block of 10th Street in Great Bend. Police K-9, “Lazar” indicated an odor of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle.

Officers searched the vehicle and located methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Krystal Halseth, age 23; Bailey Klein, age 21; and Brayden Powell-Rand, age 18 were booked into the Barton County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Anyone with information about these crimes, or any other crimes, can contact the Great Bend Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300 or 888-305-1300.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man has been found guilty of killing five people in September 2014 in Kansas City.

Jurors on Monday convicted 38-year-old Brandon Howell of five counts of first-degree murder and seven other felonies.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours.

Prosecutors said Howell beat 80-year-old George Taylor and his wife, 86-year-old Anna Taylor, while trying to steal their vehicle. They died a week later.

The Taylors’ neighbor, 69-year-old Susan Choucroun, was shot in her driveway. Two others — 88-year-old Lorene Hurst and Hurst’s son, 63-year-old Darrel Hurst — were killed as they returned from a store.

Howell was arrested that night walking along a freeway carrying a shotgun in his pants.

Howell previously was acquitted of killing two teens from Kansas.

——

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Deliberations have begun in the trial of a man charged with killing five people in 2014 during a rampage in a quiet Kansas City neighborhood.

Jurors got the case Monday after closing arguments in the case against 38-year-old Brandon Howell. He is charged with five counts of first-degree murder and seven other felonies.

While trying to steal a classic Jaguar from a home, Howell is accused beating 80-year-old George Taylor and 86-year-old Anna Taylor so badly that they later died.

The couple’s neighbor, 69-year-old Susan Choucroun, was shot in her driveway. Two others — 88-year-old Alice Hurst and Hurst’s son, 63-year-old Darrel Hurst — were killed as they returned from a store.

Howell was arrested that night walking along a freeway carrying a shotgun in his pants.

Howell previously was acquitted of killing two teens from Johnson County, Kansas.