WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday and admitted he robbed three stores, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Willie Smith, 38, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of robbery. In his plea, he admitted that in 2018 he robbed the QuikTrip store at 1532 S. Seneca. He showed the clerk what appeared to be a revolver before demanding money. Later, when investigators searched his apartment, they found a black BB gun they believe Smith used in three robberies.

At sentencing, the court also will take into account as relevant conduct two other robberies Smith committed in 2018. Smith robbed the Express Mart at 565 S. Market. During the robbery, he showed the clerk what appeared to be a revolver. Smith also robbed Pete’s Liquor at 332 W. Harry. During the robbery, he pulled out what appeared to be a revolver. Sentencing is set for Aug. 26. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new report shows Kansas growers are still behind in getting their crops planted.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that sorghum planting is running late with 25% planted. That is half of what is normally seeded by this time.

Just 48% of the state’s soybeans have also been planted so far. Usually by this late in the spring Kansas farmers already have 69% of the crop seeded.

Corn planting is 89% finished, compared to the 97% average.

Winter wheat condition is rated as 12% poor to very poor, 30% fair, and 58% good to excellent.

The state’s wheat crop is developing very slowly this season, with only 2% now mature. Typically 25% has matured by this date.

BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous charges after an arrest.

Just before 11 a.m.  June 7, police officers were in the area of the Super 8 Motel, 911 Grant Street in Great Bend, checking on a possible suspicious person, according to a media release. Officers located a vehicle in the parking lot of Super 8 Motel, which had been reported stolen from Michigan.

After further investigation, detectives located the subjects who had been in possession of the stolen vehicle. It was determined the two suspects were in room 203 of Super 8. After a search warrant was obtained and executed, police arrested 28-year-old Ashlee Swink and 24-year-old Isabel Leal.

Swink and Leal were in possession of numerous different identification cards, marijuana, methamphetamine, paraphernalia, counterfeit currency and financial ledgers with account information and personal information. Swink and Leal were booked into the Barton County Detention Center.

The narcotics, identification cards and financial information was collected along with the counterfeit currency and vehicle.

 

ATCHISON, Kan. (AP) — Law enforcement authorities are searching for a 31-year-old convicted felon who is a suspect in a shooting in Atchison.

Police Chief Mike Wilson said Kevin Maxey Jr., of Atchison, is wanted after a 42-year-old Atchison man was shot Sunday morning near a city park.

Wilson says officers raided Maxey’s home Sunday evening but he wasn’t there.

The victim, whose name wasn’t released, suffered two gunshot wounds. An updated condition wasn’t available Monday.

Wilson said about 20 people had gathered in the area when an argument broke out, primarily between two people. He says the victim apparently was not involved in the argument and was standing in the area when the shots were fired.

Maxey has been imprisoned for aggravated robbery, aggravated battery and Contraband: Non firearm, etc non employee, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

BUTLER, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a pilot has been killed after a small plane crashed into a grain bin in western Missouri.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the Cessna C425 departed from Vero Beach, Florida, and was headed to the Butler Memorial Airport when it crashed Monday morning. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the pilot was the only person aboard the plane. The pilot’s name wasn’t immediately released.

The Bates County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that multiple agencies responded and secured the scene. The post said they are waiting for federal investigators. No details have been released about the cause of the crash.

Butler is about 55 miles north of Kansas City.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Wichita Police Department will join a national partnership aimed at fighting violent crime.

Police Chief Gordon Ramsay said Monday that Wichita is one of 10 U.S. cities chosen for the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Public Safety Partnership.

Under the program, Wichita police will receive training and technical assistance from federal and state crime-fighting agencies.

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran said in a news release the program establishes federal partnerships with state, local and tribal agencies to pursue violent criminals. The effort will target gun crime, drug trafficking and gang violence in Wichita and Sedgwick County.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court rejected a challenge to federal regulation of gun silencers Monday, just days after a gunman used one in a shooting rampagethat killed 12 people in Virginia.

The justices did not comment in turning away appeals from two Kansas men who were convicted of violating federal law regulating silencers. The men argued that the constitutional right “to keep and bear arms” includes silencers.

The court’s action in the silencer cases was among dozens of orders in pending appeals, including decisions to add an international child custody dispute and four other cases to next term’s docket. The justices also will hear cases dealing with a death row inmate in Arizona, racial discrimination claims against Comcast by an African American owned media company, environmental cleanup at a Superfund site in Montana and a dispute between Intel Corp. and a retired Intel engineer.

The court also rejected an appeal from a Yemeni man who has been held at the Guantanamo Bay naval base for more than 17 years. But Justice Stephen Breyer said “it is past time” for the court to decide whether indefinite detention at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba is legal.

In the silencer cases, Kansas and seven other states joined in a court filing urging justices to hear the appeals. The states said the court should affirm that the Second Amendment protects “silencers and other firearms accessories.” The other states are: Arkansas, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.

President Donald Trump’s administration asked the court to stay out of the case and leave the convictions in place.

Shane Cox, owner of a military surplus store Tough Guys, was convicted of making and transferring an unregistered silencer, and customer Jeremy Kettler was convicted of possessing one, all in violation of the 85-year-old National Firearms Act. Both men were sentenced to probation.

Meanwhile, police are trying to determine a motive for the deadly shootings in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Authorities have said that city employee DeWayne Craddock opened fire in a municipal building on May 31. Police say Craddock was armed with two semi-automatic handguns, a silencer and extended ammunition magazines.

Craddock later was killed in a shootout with police.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — For the second time in a week, law enforcement authorities are investigating a  school burglary and have three boys in custody.

Just after 9:30p.m. June 6, police responded to burglary alarm at the Mueller Magnate School in the 2500 Block of East 18th Street North in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

At the scene, police observed three young suspects exiting the school with backpacks containing laptop computers, a digital camera and other electronic equipment from the school.

Police arrested two 14-year-old boys and a 11-year-old boy on requested charges that include burglary and obstruction. They are being held in the juvenile detention center.

At 4 a.m. June 30, police arrested a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old leaving Mayberry Middle School in the 200 Block of South Sheridan in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. The 12-year-old boy had three laptop computers from the school, according to Davidson. They were booked into juvenile detention for burglary, theft, destruction of property and curfew violation.

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RILEY COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating the theft of electronics from Best Buy in Manhattan in the 300 Block of Tuttle Creek Boulevard.

Authorities want to speak to two individuals seen on security cameras and are asking the public to help identify them. according to a social media report from the Riley County Police Department.

If you have any information, do not attempt to apprehend the suspects, contact RCPD: (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers: (785) 539-7777. Submit a tip: https://bit.ly/2wJ15Db 

WELLINGTON, Kan. (AP) — A state appeals court says that a Kansas man who stole items from a Catholic church in Wellington won’t face burglary charges because the church was open.

The Kansas court decided that the 2017 theft that Edward Glover was convicted of didn’t meet the definition of burglary in state law.

Chief Judge Karen Arnold-Burger wrote that Kansas law says burglary involves unauthorized entry into a building, so this situation didn’t fit because the church was unlocked and open to the public.

The court also ruled that Glover didn’t commit burglary when he broke into a locked room within the church.

It’s not immediately clear whether prosecutors will appeal to a higher court.

Glover has three previous convictions for burglary and has been convicted of theft four times, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 7p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a battery at 905 W. 9th Street in Coffeyville, according to a media release. At the scene, officers found 71-year-old Steven L. Lucas of Coffeyville unconscious. Lucas was transported by EMS to CRMC where he died of his injuries.

Police arrested a person of interest identified as Ralph Hayward, 47, of Coffeyville, He is being held in the Coffeyville jail without bond.

Police also were able to identify the owner, occupants of a black SUV for additional information in the case, according to the release. 

WICHITA —Kansas 4th district democrat party leader James Thompson announced on Facebook Sunday that he has cancer.

Thompson, a Wichita attorney was the party’s congressional candidate and was defeated by Ron Estes  in 2017 and 2018.

In his social media post, Thompson wrote, “First, I want to say thank you to everyone who encouraged me to run for office again, whether it was Congress, Mayor, Senate, or District Attorney. I can’t really express how much your support means to me. Your enthusiasm and kindness inspired me to keep going during the campaign and to continue after it was over. 

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that I will ever have the opportunity to run for office again. I just found out, I have a rare cancer called a carcinoid tumor with accompanying carcinoid syndrome. The tumor metastasized into multiple lesions/tumors on my liver, which means I am in the later stages. The carcinoid syndrome causes severe head and torso flushing, dizziness, fuzzy headedness, and extreme fatigue. The good news is this is a “slow moving” cancer that I have probably had for many years and will probably be able to live for at least a few more. We are fortunate that Obamacare allowed us to have insurance. Hopefully, it continues. 

For those of you who know me personally, you know that I am a stubborn SOB. I have a 14 year old daughter who I plan to see graduate high school, and the lord willing, walk down the aisle. I also have a 19 month old daughter and I want her to remember me as her father and our good times and laughter.I fought for my country, I fought for you, and you can sure as hell bet I will fight to live. 
As you can imagine, my availability to attend events will depend on how I am feeling. I plan to continue in my role as the 4th Congressional District Democratic Chair, and practice law to the extent I am able, although I can no longer take on the stress of civil rights litigation. 

I appreciate your prayers, warm thoughts and general encouragement as I and my family go through this as so many others in our country do everyday. Thank you for allowing me the honor of twice having been your nominee for U.S. Congress. I have a dark sense of humor. I joke that I may run for Congress or Senate as “Terminal Thompson” because I have built in term limits. (Not everyone thinks this is funny, but like I said, dark sense of humor. I bet this scares the hell out of Estes. LOL) 

KDP Chair @VickiHiatt: “I know @JamesThompsonKS to be a fighter and he will give his all to step up to this new challenge. I speak for all the members of the KDP family in wishing James and his loved ones the strength to fight through this.” https://t.co/c6l4Eifj7r pic.twitter.com/fWwWzyHlqA

— Kansas Dems (@KansasDems) June 10, 2019

 

“My one wish is that people step up to take the baton and continue fighting for a better Kansas. Knock doors, make phone calls, get involved in campaigns for candidates who inspire you, and most importantly, run for office at every level. Sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option. Let them know you are here and you want a just, decent, and empathetic society. Inspire people to empower themselves and make a better city, Kansas and country. Make people understand the definition of diversity must also include diversity of opinion. Don’t allow the politics of hatred to override the sense of decency I know resides in everyone who supported me. I am so sorry this happened but Kansas is worth fighting for. What do we say to cancer?  Not today!”