KANSAS CITY— Additional charges have been filed against a former Kansas City Chiefs football player and eight co-defendants for their roles in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that operated primarily in Eastern Jackson County, according to the United State’s Attorney.

Saousoalii P. Siavii Jr., also known as “Junior,” 41, of Independence, Missouri, was charged in a nine-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri November 13.

The superseding indictment replaces the original indictment against Siavii and includes additional charges and eight additional defendants. The indictment was unsealed today following the arrests and initial court appearances of some of those defendants.

The federal indictment alleges that Siavii, along with Marion D. McCrorey, also known as “Doug,” 40, Andrew A. Tofaeono, also known as “Drew,” 35, Isaac M. Butler, 34, Michelle M. Andrews, 37, Katie M. Thompson, also known as “Muneca,” 25, Michelle L. Morris, 25, and James J. Leach, 39, all of Independence; and Kristannie Casteel, 31, of Blue Springs, Missouri; participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from July 11, 2018, to Nov. 13, 2019.

In addition to the conspiracy, Siavii is charged with two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Siavii allegedly possessed a Sturm Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun on Aug. 4, 2019, and a Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol on Aug. 24, 2019.

Siavii and Andrews are also each charged with one count of being a drug user in possession of a firearm. Siavii allegedly possessed a Phoenix Arms .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol on April 7, 2019. Andrews allegedly possessed a Kel-Tec .380-caliber pistol July 10, 2019.

Siavii is also charged with two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Tofaeono is also charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Leach is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Leach, who has prior felony convictions, allegedly possessed a Ward’s Western Field 12-gauge pump-action shotgun on Sept. 30, 2019.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Siavii was arrested on Aug. 24, 2019. Independence police officers responded to parking lot on U.S. 40 Highway, where a witness said he located his friend’s stolen 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport. The witness told police he saw a man, later identified as Siavii, getting out of the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

Officers contacted Siavii, the affidavit says, who disregarded their commands, and an officer deployed his Taser on Siavii. Siavii, who is six feet, five inches tall and weighs approximately 330 pounds, fell to the ground. Officers attempted to gain control as he began to actively resist arrest. Siavii began pushing himself up off the ground, at which time a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol fell directly in front of him within his reach

An officer drew his duty weapon and put it to Siavii’s back, due to him not being under physical control, while another officer grabbed Siavii’s firearm and threw it several feet away. Officers continued to fight with Siavii, the affidavit says, while giving him commands to stop resisting and to place his hands behind his back. An officer deployed his Taser on Siavii again with little effect. Siavii was able to get on top of the officer, who was on the ground at this point. Another officer was eventually able to put Siavii in a neck restraint and render him unconscious long enough to handcuff him. Siavii continued to resist even after being handcuffed.

In addition to the Aug. 24 incident, the affidavit cites several more incidents in which Siavii was arrested while in possession of illegal drugs and firearms. In one incident, when officers responded to a report of a stolen Chevrolet Silverado that was tracked by On-Star to a motel parking lot, Siavii attempted to flee on foot, then resisted arrest, and fought with officers. In another incident, Siavii led officers in a vehicle pursuit that reached speeds up to 101 m.p.h. Siavii’s vehicle eventually left the roadway and he fled on foot before being located by officers and taken into custody.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

HOLCOMB, Kan. (AP) — A fire-damaged Tyson meat processing plant in Kansas is expected to resume operations in December.

Tyson announced Monday in a news release that reconstruction of the Holcomb plant is nearing completion. The company says it will begin processing beef again in the first week of December and be fully operational by the first week of January.

The fire started in August in an area of the plant near where animals are killed, causing part of the roof to collapse. Reconstruction included replacing support beams and the roof, as well as installing more than 50,000 feet of new wiring.

The plant employees about 1,200 people. The company says it continued to pay full-time workers during the shutdown.

Holcomb is located less than 10 miles west of Garden City.

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — More than six months after floodwaters overwhelmed Lakeside Village’s well system, the roughly 150 residents of the northeast Kansas community drink, cook and bathe with water hauled in by the Kansas National Guard – up to 40,000 gallons daily.

It’s one example of the lingering damage from floodwaters that rose across Kansas and the region earlier this year. Lawmakers at the Capitol last week heard from state and federal officials who told them to be ready for more.

Kansas Adjutant General Lee Tafanelli said excess water that hasn’t evaporated, heavier snowfalls and early storms could set the conditions for a 2020 with more flooding.

This year’s floods damaged at least $15 million worth of infrastructure and generated $3.8 million in federal flood insurance claims.

National Weather Service meteorologist Chad Omitt said it’s hard to be sure whether Kansas can expect similar flooding in the coming years, but it’s important for the state to be ready.

“This is a land of extremes,” he said.

Earlier this year a March “bomb cyclone,” or a storm that grows quickly, rapidly melted snow and led to the wettest May in recorded Kansas history.

Areas that typically receive 4 or 5 inches of rain got 20 inches or more that month, driving more than 90 percent of the state’s monitored rivers above flood stage.

Floodwaters damaged 11 dams, mostly in eastern Kansas. Wastewater treatment facilities struggled to keep up, with some 1.3 billion gallons of sewage flowing into Kansas rivers and streams in May, according to the state Department of Health and Environment. Line breaks, water pressure loss and inundated wells prompted officials to issue 14 boil-water advisories.

Lakeside Village was one of three communities that had to find alternative water sources.

Village board President Jerry White said residents have been encouraged to conserve as much as possible. Water still comes out of the tap, but only because the National Guard brings in a fresh supply daily. It’s possible the community will get its well water back by the end of the year.

Annual average precipitation in the United States has increased by 4 percent since 1901, according to the congressionally mandated Fourth National Climate Assessment. The frequency and intensity of heavy rain is projected to continue increasing over the next century. Extreme rainstorms once expected every 25 years may occur every five or 10 years.

“It’s not just that, ‘Oh, it’s going to be wetter, or it’s going to be dryer.’ But it’s that the rain that does arrive is going to be arriving at different times in the year and at different intensities,” said Anna Weber, a senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.

Weber says governments need to examine whether infrastructure is built to handle a more punishing weather.

Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, chaired special committee last week that examined the Kansas floods. He said research shows more frequent flooding and flooding of longer duration.

Longbine said “I don’t think we know” when asked whether the floods are a consequence of climate change.

“We can often go from extremely rainy seasons to extreme drought very quickly. So it’s a matter of determining if there is anything we can do,” Longbine said. “We can’t legislate Mother Nature, but what we can do is be better prepared for the extremes.”