BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated robbery and have made an arrest.

Just after 10 p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to 721 Madison in Great Bend in reference to an unknown disturbance. Upon arrival, a 20-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman  told police three suspects identified as as Tia McNett, 30,  Cody Buckingham, 18, and a juvenile entered into the residence.

One victim told officers that he was struck in the head with an unknown object. The female victim stated she was battered by McNett. The suspects stole property and left the area, according to police.

EMS transported the male victim was transported to the hospital in Great Bend where he was treated and released. The female victim received minor injuries and refused medical attention.

The Police Department issued an Attempt To Locate for the suspects. They have arrested McNett and the juvenile suspect was located and arrested at an address in Great Bend. Officers found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia on his person. He was was booked at the Barton County Jail and later transported to Bob Johnson’s Juvenile Detention Facility.  McNett is being held in the Barton County Jail. Authorities have not released potential charges against her.

 

TOPEKA, KAN. – More than 50 people have been indicted on federal charges as a result of a three-year investigation to identify traffickers behind a rising tide of heroin, fentanyl and other drugs on the streets of Manhattan, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

“Fentanyl and heroin are a deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. “Our goal is to save lives by disrupting the pipelines bringing these and other poisons to the city Manhattan.”

OVERDOSE DEATH

Federal indictments filed last week and kept under seal until now allege that 18-year-old Kansas State student Maxwell F. Dandaneu was found dead Sept. 26, 2017, in his off-campus apartment from an overdose caused by fentanyl. An indictment alleges Dandaneu got the drugs from a drug trafficking organization made up of five conspirators who are among 54 defendants whose names appear in one of a 13 grand jury indictments.

Defendants Henry Clark, Sylvester Calvert, Michael Calvert, James Toliver, and Blake Woodard are charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in Dandaneu’s overdose death, as well as other charges. Woodward is charged with directly distributing the fentanyl to Dandaneu that led to the fatal overdose.

DRUGS CHARGED

In addition to heroin and fentanyl, other drugs that traffickers are accused of distributing include ecstasy, marijuana, methamphetamine and hydrocodone.

CRIMES CHARGED

The indictments include charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in bodily injury or death, distributing controlled substances resulting in bodily harm or death, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, unlawful possession of a firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, maintaining a drug involved premise, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, using Facebook Messenger in furtherance of drug trafficking and removal of property to avoid seizure.

CHICAGO CONNECTION

Law enforcement officers called the investigation Operation Chicago Connection, based on the fact that in 2016 investigators began to hear talk on the streets of this college town about traffickers who some sources called “the Chicago Boys.” In the following months, investigators worked to get a clearer picture of what was going on. What they learned was that some traffickers were making regular trips to Chicago to bring back heroin, fentanyl and other drugs.

TAKEDOWN

Law enforcement officers were out in force Tuesday, serving arrest warrants and search warrants in Manhattan as part of a federal takedown that was one of the largest in state history. Defendants were scheduled to begin making initial appearances in federal court in Topeka today.

DEFENDANTS

The following defendants were charged:

Indictment No. 1 (Nine defendants, conspiracy, overdose death, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana, $30,000 forfeiture)

Henry Clark, 42

Sylvester Calvert, Jr., 31, Manhattan, Kan.

Michael Clavert, 28, Manhattan, Kan.

James Toliver, 39, Manhattan, Kan.

Blake Woodward, 23

Kimberly Obrecht, 33

Robert Houston, Sr., 39

Prianna Baggett, 24, Manhattan, Kan.

Jeremy Richmond, 27

Indictment No. 2 (Five defendants, heroin, fentanyl, firearms, $30,000 forfeiture)

Kevin Henderson, 48, Topeka, Kan.

Kenneth Shorter, 57, Manhattan, Kan.

Wayne Ingram, 24

Quinton Shorter, 65, Manhattan, Kan.

Shirley Moton, 60, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment No. 3 (21 defendants, methamphetamine, heroin firearms, $50,000 forfeiture)

Dontae Patterson, 39

Michael Walker, Jr.,26

Joseph Hammond, 48, Manhattan, Kan.

Dawn Cyphers, 41

Paul Goodman, III, 48, Junction City, Kan.

Sasha Soules-Jones, 31

Deanna Curry, 44

Henry Jones, 33

Reginald Carter, 35

Earnest Johnson, 55, Manhattan, Kan.

Mercyjazz Goodridge, 25, Manhattan, Kan.

Derrick Blea, 26

Jacob Alexander, 25, Manhattan, Kan.

Scott Alexander, 25

Austin Rowzer, 26

Jerome Glaspie, 48

Taylor Hodges, 21

John Leroy Cody Deem, 28

Elizabeth Hoover, 27 Manhattan, Kan.

Nicholas Hodges, 26, Saint George, Kan.

Luke Johnson, 56

Indictment No. 4 (Seven defendants, heroin, $30,000 forfeiture)

Christopher Williams, 48, Manhattan, Kan.

Diana Moorman, 58, Manhattan, Kan.

Michael Murphy, 51, Ogden, KN.

Melissa Henderson, 36

Quinton Watts, 30

Allison Krosschell, 24, Manhattan, Kan.

Timothy Lanshaw, 26, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment five (One defendant, firearms)

Frederick Swinson, 31

Indictment six (One defendant, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, drug involved premise)

John Thompson, 59, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment seven (Four defendants, methamphetamine, marijuana, hydrocodone, firearms, felonious use of a communication device)

Paige Jonas, 26, Manhattan, Kan.

Trevonn Hall, 20, Ogden, Kan.

Alyssa Hedmon, 28, Manhattan, Kan.

Eric Jerome Tucker, 33

Indictment eight (One defendant, firearms, methamphetamine)

Daniel Mainvlle, 35, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment nine (One defendant, fentanyl, removal of property to prevent seizure)

Chanel Toliver, 32, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment ten (One defendant, methamphetamine)

Damon Brown, 44, Westmoreland, Kan.

Indictment 11 (One defendant, heroin, felonious use of a communication device)

Jason Simonds, 46, Manhattan, Kan.

Indictment 12 (One defendant, felonious use of a communication device)

Jerah Gasser, 26

Indictment 13 (One defendant, firearms)

James Atkinson, 50, Manhattan, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes in the 13 indictments carry the following penalties:

Conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (Clark, S. Calvert, M. Calvert, J. Toliver, B. Woodyard): Not less than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $5 million.

Conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (K. Obrecht): Not less than five years and not more than 40 years, and a fine up to $5 million.

Distributing heroin resulting in bodily injury or death (B. Woodyard): Not less than 20 years and a fine up to $5 million.

Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.

Conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.

Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.

Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.

Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Maintaining a drug involved premise: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $500,000.

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million.

Conspiracy to make a false statement to obtain a firearm: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

Using Facebook Messenger in furtherance of drug trafficking: Up to four years and a fine up to $250,000.

Removal of property to prevent seizure: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

The case was jointly led by the Riley County Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Riley County Attorney’s Office, the Junction City Police Department, the Geary County Sheriff’s Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Department, the Junction City Police Department.

MAIZE, Kan. (AP) — Voters in the Maize school district overwhelmingly approved more than $100 million in bonds, which will pay for two new schools and other projects in the rapidly growing district.

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s election show one question passed with 85 percent of the vote and the second passed with 77 percent. About 2,989 votes were cast, which is 11.6% of registered voters.

Besides the new schools, the $108.2 million in bonds will be used for an auditorium, a storm shelter, an indoor pool, safety upgrades, renovations at the high school and other projects.

District officials previously said taxes will not be raised for the bonds.

Superintendent Chad Higgins said in a statement the district has grown 9% in five years, adding 600 students.

WRIGHT COUNTY, Mo.—The body of a missing 3-year Missouri girl was found Wednesday in a pond near where she was reported missing, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Just after 6p.m. Tuesday, authorities reported Vivian Fitzenrider had disappeared near 13th and Oakview Lane in Mountain Grove.

Volunteers showed up to help with the search Tuesday night and worked until just before midnight.

The circumstances surrounding her death remain under investigation, according to the Patrol. The Mountain Grove Police Department and the Wright County Sheriff’s Department are assisting.