BARTON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in central Kansas are asking the public for help to locate a convicted Kansas robbery suspect.

Christopher Adams, 31, is wanted for several outstanding warrants including aggravated robbery, according to the Barton County Sheriff’s Department.

Adams is a white male, 5 foot 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 135 pounds.

Adams has previous convictions in 2003 and 2012 on theft and aggravated battery charges, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Anyone with information about Adams is encouraged to call crime stoppers at 620-792-1300 or 888-305-1300.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities searching for a suspect who jumped into the Kansas River following a high-speed chase on April 5 found a body on Monday.

Authorities recovered the body from the Kansas River approximately one mile east of the Belvue River Bridge, according to the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office

A local Wamego resident with an air boat and years of experience on the river along with Team Watters Sonar assisted deputies in their search.

Officials transported the body to Kansas City for a forensic autopsy.

The name of the victim will be released pending positive identification, according to the sheriff’s department.

HARVEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Harvey County are investigating three suspects following a Tuesday morning attempted robbery and high-speed chase.

Early Tuesday, Newton Police Department received a call of three individuals attempting to break into a home with a family inside, according to a media release.

The suspects left and Newton Officers quickly located a vehicle matching the given description. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, a chase ensued.

The chase made its way through town and eventually toward Interstate 135. The vehicle continued fleeing southbound eventually crossing over into the northbound lanes running vehicles off of the roadway.

The vehicle exited the interstate near 125th street and fled south toward Kechi. Officers were able to deploy stop sticks and the vehicle eventually stopped near K-254 and Oliver in Kechi.

The suspects fled, one armed with a handgun. They were all taken into custody within 20 minutes and no one was harmed.

The suspects were returned to Harvey County where they will face charges. Officers are continuing to search the area for a weapon the suspect may have discarded.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has appointed a legislator as the next state treasurer to replace Republican Ron Estes after Estes won a special congressional election.

Brownback announced Tuesday that GOP state Sen. Jake LaTurner of Pittsburg will serve the rest of Estes’ four-year term as treasurer. LaTurner said he will seek a full term in 2018.

 

Twenty-nine-year-old LaTurner has been active in Republican politics in southeast Kansas for at least a decade. He previously served on congresswoman Lynn Jenkins’ staff, was elected to the Senate in 2012 and re-elected last year.

The 60-year-old Estes was elected last week to replace former congressman Mike Pompeo in the 4th District of south-central Kansas following Pompeo’s appointment as CIA director. Estes plans to leave the treasurer’s office next week.

RILEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Riley County continue to investigate a hit and run accident and asking the public to help find a vehicle.

Just before 2a.m. April 13, police responded to a report of a hit and run injury accident that at the intersection of 12^th Street and Bluemont Avenue in Manhattan, according to a media release.

First responders found a pedestrian identified as Amber Wilhelm, 21, Manhattan, suffering from severe injuries after being struck by a vehicle.

On Tuesday, Wilhelm’s father released a statement  asking for help to find those responsible for the accident. (You’ll notice some background noise – that’s the sound of the machines helping keep Amber alive. She’s fighting for her life in critical care at Storming Vail in Topeka.)

 

Witnesses on scene described a light in color 2011 to 2016 Chevrolet or GMC extended cab pickup truck that hit her and then fled the scene headed westbound on Anderson Avenue.

Interviews with witnesses lead officers to believe there is a chance that the suspect vehicle will only have slight damage to its front end.

Wilhelm was transported to Via Christi and then flown to Stormont Vail where she remains in critical condition.

Anyone with information on a vehicle matching the description is encouraged to call police at 785-537-2112.

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect on numerous charges after a weekend chase and crash.

Just after 3:30 a.m. Saturday, an officer attempted to pull over a 1997 Infiniti I30 for speeding near the intersection of Ohio and Republic in Salina, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The driver sped off, taking the officer on a pursuit down several residential streets.

The chase ended when the vehicle struck a power line pole and flipped in the 1000 block of Sunrise Street.

First responders transported Gage DeWitt, 20, to Salina Regional Health Center for injuries including a cut to his head, according to police.

He faces multiple charges, including speeding, flee and elude, reckless driving, failure to stop at a stop sign and not wearing a seatbelt, according to Forrester.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Ron Estes plans to take his seat April 25 as the congressman representing south-central Kansas.

Estes is state treasurer and won a special election for the 4th Congressional District seat previously held by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Estes plans to step down as state treasurer when he’s sworn in as congressman. He submitted his resignation to GOP Gov. Sam Brownback that the governor’s office made public Monday.

A state board plans to convene April 24 to certify the special election results.

Brownback will name the next treasurer. Spokeswoman Melika Willoughby said Brownback is still looking at potential candidates.

Estes defeated Democrat James Thompson for the congressional seat by 7 percentage points. The race drew national attention because Pompeo won his last three elections by more than 30 percentage points.

KANSAS CITY –A Kansas City woman pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to her role in a marriage fraud conspiracy after participating in a wedding sting operation staged by federal agents, according to Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Stephanie Harris, 22, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to the charges contained in an Aug. 31, 2016, federal indictment.

Harris admitted that she participated in a conspiracy to assist African nationals in circumventing immigration laws by arranging fraudulent marriages. Co-defendants Delmar Dixon, 49, Kakeland Barnes, 37, Shakeisha Harrison, 37, and Traci R. Porter, 44, all of Kansas City, also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the marriage fraud conspiracy. In addition to the conspiracy, Dixon pleaded guilty to falsely swearing in an immigration matter.

Dixon admitted that he arranged 30 to 40 fraudulent marriages, including his own. Dixon charged the African nationals $1,000 upfront for his services, which included providing them U.S. citizen spouses. The African nationals were additionally required to pay $500 to the spouse at the time of the wedding, and an additional $500 immediately after completion of the wedding. They were required to pay their spouses $250 each month after the weddings until the immigration process was complete. The African nationals were coached by Dixon on how to make their marriages appear legitimate.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents utilized a confidential informant in a pretend ceremony that was staged by ICE-HSI. The confidential informant arranged a meeting with Dixon, paid the required fees, and married Harris, the spouse provided to him by Dixon, in a pretend ceremony staged by ICE-HSI on Nov. 24, 2015. The confidential informant continued to pay the $250 monthly fee to Harris for the fraudulent purported marriage through August 2016.

On a prior occasion, Dixon arranged for a marriage between Harris and a Kenyan national. Although they applied for and received a marriage license, they did not marry.

ICE-HSI also utilized an undercover agent in their investigation. The agent met with Dixon, who introduced the agent to Barnes, his intended spouse, on Jan. 23, 2016. Dixon advised the undercover agent that he and Barnes should rent an apartment in the Kansas City area and obtain life insurance policies together. The undercover agent also spoke alone with Barnes. Barnes told the agent she was involved with another man and had three children. She signified she understood the marriage would be a business transaction. The agent made a payment to Dixon and kept in contact with Dixon regarding his marriage. On February 19, 2016, the undercover agent wired $250 to Barnes and $500 to Dixon. Both retrieved the payments later that day. Dixon also offered the undercover agent $300 for each new client he referred.

Under federal statutes, Harris is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Moore. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security.

OSAGE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Osage County are investigating a case of illegal hunting, trespassing case and asking the public for help to identify suspects.

Just before 11:30 a.m. Saturday Kansas Game Wardens received a report of two shots fired from a newer white extended cab or crew cab Chevy pickup on Vassar Street just north of 229th Street in Osage County.

The pickup left the scene after the shots were fired then shortly after a car returned and a subject was dropped off and they ran into the field where the turkey was shot.

The subject was not able to recover the turkey and he wasn’t seen again.

Wardens recovered Tom turkey and two spent shotgun shells at the scene.

Anyone who can help our wardens identify the suspects in this case are asked to call Operation Game Thief at (877) 426-3843. You can remain anonymous.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A former Johnson County corrections employee was sentenced to six months in prison for lewd behavior and trafficking in contraband.

The Kansas City Star reports 25-year-old Alyssa Jo Staats was sentenced Monday to six months of “shock time” in jail as a condition for a two-year probation sentence.

Staats was originally charged last year with having unlawful sexual relations with an adult offender in the county’s Therapeutic Community, an intensive drug treatment program.

She pleaded no contest and was found guilty in December on amended charges of trafficking contraband in a correctional facility, obstructing a law enforcement officer and lewd and lascivious behavior.

SALINE COUNTY – Police in Mississippi arrested a Kansas man wanted for alleged sexual assault Saturday.

A Salina’s Most Wanted man was picked up in Mississippi over the weekend. According to Police Capt. Paul Forrester, the original cases date back to December of 2016.

On December 5, Billarious Gatlin’s ex-girlfriend told police that she arrived home to find him waiting at her residence, located on the 800 block of Rainbow in Salina, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.
Gatlin, 26, allegedly threatened her with a knife.

The victim called authorities after locking herself and her 11-year-old son in a bedroom. Gatlin left before authorities arrived but issued a warrant for his arrest citing one count of aggravated assault, according to Forrester.

Just before 3a.m. on December 27, Gatlin allegedly returned to the residence, threatened the victim with a knife, took her cellphone so she couldn’t call law enforcement and sexually assaulted her.

Salina Police issued another warrant, citing one count of rape, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, criminal threat and intimidation of a witness.

Police booked Gatlin into the Saline County Jail Sunday morning after he was transported from TylerTown, Mississippi.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Kansas’ top elections official to turn over a proposed changes to federal voting rights laws that he took to a meeting with President Donald Trump.

After privately examining the documents, U.S. Magistrate James O’Hara ruled Monday that parts of documents from Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach are “unquestionably relevant” to a lawsuit challenging a state law requiring voters provide proof of their U.S. citizenship when registering.

The order also instructs Kobach to produce a related internal document about proposed changes to the National Voter Registration Act. The ruling allowed him to redact parts of the plan that did not involve the voting rights issues.

An Associated Press photo of that November meeting showed Kobach holding a paper outlining homeland security issues.