KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A federal court jury today returned guilty verdicts against two defendants who were arrested after their meth lab caught fire, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release Tuesday.

The jury verdict were as follows:

Orlando Cortez-Nieto, 42, Kansas City, Kan.: Guilty on count one (conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine), count two (manufacturing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground), count three (possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground) and count four (maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Jesus Cervantes-Aguiler, 22, Kansas City, Kan.: Guilty on count one (conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine), count two (manufacturing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground, count three (possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground and count four (maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking.

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that on Dec. 1, 2017, firefighters responded to a house fire at 2739 Cleveland in Kansas City, Kan. They discovered a methamphetamine conversion lab inside the house. Prosecutors introduced evidence tying the defendants to the drug lab, including a blue spiral notebook in which cash transactions were recorded, as well as business surveillance video showing a defending buying items found in the meth lab.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 29. The counts on which the defendants were convicted carry the following penalties:

• Counts one, two and three (conspiracy, manufacturing and possession with intent to distribute): Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $20 million.
• Count four: Maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than a year and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $1 million.

McAllister commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug for their work on the case.

LEAVENWORTH (AP) — A former Kansas sheriff’s deputy alleges in a lawsuit that she was forced out of her job after reporting that a fellow deputy had sexually assaulted her.

The suit, filed Monday in federal court, says the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office fostered a culture of sexual harassment throughout the plaintiff’s employment. The Kansas City Star reports it also says that after a two-month suspension, her abuser returned to work with no further disciplinary measures.

The sheriff’s office declined to comment on the suit because the office has not been officially served with the documents. The Star generally doesn’t name victims of sexual assault without their permission. Lauren Allen, the woman’s attorney, said it took her client “a lot of strength and courage for her to come forward but she looks forward to her day in court.”

According to the suit, the plaintiff and her alleged abuser became friends while working together. She alleges that he went to her house in January 2018 to discuss the nature of their relationship and she insisted that they were nothing more than friends. The suit says he then cornered her, forced her to kiss him and performed oral sex on her. The suit says the woman felt that her only option while being cornered was “to reciprocate.”

The next day, the suit says, the male deputy cornered the woman at work and attempted to kiss her again. After reporting what happened in March, a meeting that was held that led to a criminal investigation. The male deputy was placed on a different shift after returning from work after a two-month suspension. But the suit said the woman still saw him often, causing her anxiety and panic attacks.

She was told in May that prosecutors had declined to press charges and that he could not be fired due to “employment laws.”

The suit said that the sheriff agreed to transfer the woman, but the transfer was rescinded two weeks later and replaced with an offer of a civilian position with a pay cut. According to the suit, the woman rejected the offer and in July was “constructively discharged,” a term that refers to an employee resigning as a result of a hostile work environment.

Mollie Hill, general counsel for The Leavenworth County Sherriff’s office, said the deputy accused in the assault is still employed as a detention officer.

STERLING (AP) — A man on horseback has found a missing 87-year-old Kansas woman with Alzheimer’s.

KWCH-TV reports that 76-year-old Garry Battey was out riding when he found Vonita Renae Colle safe Tuesday about a quarter mile from her home in Sterling. Colle had been reported missing Monday, leading to a search. Battey says the Lord told him where to go.

Colle was taken to a hospital for evaluation, and a statewide Silver Alert for her was canceled.

By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A pending request from Missouri for federal disaster assistance to come to the aid of families and individuals who suffered loss from this year’s floods and other disasters has been approved by President Donald Trump.

The office of Gov. Mike Parson reports the president approved the state request for individual assistance to offset losses to residences and businesses in 20 counties. The assistance covers natural disasters – floods, tornadoes, and severe storms – that began April 29^th. Earlier, the president approved a disaster assistance package to offset recovery costs borne by local governments.

The federal Individual Assistance program will be made available to eligible residents in Andrew, Atchison, Boone, Buchanan, Carroll, Chariton, Cole, Greene, Holt, Jackson, Jasper, Lafayette, Lincoln, Livingston, Miller, Osage, Pike, Platte, Pulaski, and St. Charles Counties. Residents in these counties can now register for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance with temporary housing, housing repairs, and the replacement of household items.

“This is important news for Missouri families and communities that have been hit so hard by the continuing flooding, tornadoes, and severe storms this year,” Gov. Parson said in a written statement released by his office. “While Missourians have been working hard to rebuild and pull together to support one another – as we always do – the President’s action means important federal assistance will be available to help Missouri families recover in these 20 counties. I urge them to register for FEMA assistance now. I appreciate President Trump making federal assistance available.”

Missouri made its request June 24^th. The state’s Preliminary Damage Assessments examined 1,650 primary homes, of which 953 had been destroyed or sustained major damage. The assessments also showed that 125 of 251 businesses that were examined had been destroyed or sustained major damage. The assessments were conducted jointly by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and local officials.

The governor’s office says Individuals and families who sustained damage or losses due to the flooding and severe storms from April 29 and after in one of the Missouri counties included in the Individual Assistance disaster declaration can register for disaster assistance by going to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling FEMA’s toll-free registration number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), from 7 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week. If you use a TTY: 1-800-462-7585. The faster people register with FEMA, the faster they may be able to receive assistance.

FEMA disaster assistance to eligible individuals generally falls into these categories:

·        Housing Assistance may be available for up to 18 months for displaced homeowners or renters whose primary residences received major damage or were destroyed. Funding also can be provided for housing repairs and replacement of damaged items to make homes habitable.

·        Other Needs Assistance may be available for other disaster-related expenses, including essential household items, moving and storage, vehicles, medical and dental, child care, funeral and burial, and some clean-up items not covered by insurance and other assistance programs.

·        Low-Interest Disaster Loans are available after a disaster for homeowners and renters from the U.S. Small Business Administration to cover uninsured property losses. Loans may be available for repair or replacement of homes, automobiles, clothing, or other damaged personal property. Loans are also available to businesses for property loss and economic injury.

·        Other Disaster Assistance Programs include crisis counseling, disaster-related unemployment assistance, disaster case management, legal advice and assistance, including income tax, housing issues, consumer protection, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits.

Those who suffered losses from natural disaster should continue to document the losses, including take photographs and keeping receipts for repairs. SEMA is working with FEMA to identify locations where FEMA will operate Disaster Recovery Centers to assist flooding survivors with answers to their questions and help with registering for assistance. The deadline for most Individual Assistance programs is 60 days after the disaster has been declared by the president.

This is the second disaster declaration for Missouri. On May 20, President Trump approved Gov. Parson’s request for a major disaster declaration to help local governments and nonprofit agencies in Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Carroll, Chariton, Holt, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Platte, Ray, and Ste. Genevieve counties. The FEMA Public Assistance disaster declaration will allow those counties to receive FEMA assistance for the repair and rebuilding of damaged roads, bridges, and other infrastructure and eligible emergency response costs due to flooding and severe storms that occurred from March 11 to April 16.

Damage assessments continue throughout the state after Missouri suffered through flooding and severe storms, including the May 22^nd tornado that ripped through Jefferson City. Tornadoes also did damage to Eldon and Carl Junction.