SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man charged in a deadly shooting in Wichita attended a plea hearing on Monday.

James Standefer, 37,&nbsp; pled guilty to murder in the 2nd degree (reckless), for the death of&nbsp; 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Law enforcement investigating one of several weekend homicides in Wichita have made an arrest after a standoff.

In September, the Sedgwick County Fugitive Warrant Section deputies located Standefer at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of W. Shade Lane in Wichita, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.

As a precaution, deputies briefly evacuated or sheltered residents in the complex.&nbsp; The SWAT team was called to the complex. After a short standoff, Standefer surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody at 5:40 p.m.

Just before 3 a.m., the day before his arrest, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area in the 7700 Block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.

Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.

Inside the vehicle, first responders found 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant.&nbsp;

The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter, believed to be Stadefer ran from the scene. He is scheduled for sentencing on January 7, according to district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757414371485.png" alt="Police on the scene of the standoff - photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the standoff - photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man charged in a deadly shooting in Wichita attended a plea hearing on Monday.James Standefer, 37,&nbsp; pled guilty to murder in the 2nd degree (reckless), for the death of&nbsp; 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757419911292.png" alt="STANDEFER photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>STANDEFER photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Law enforcement investigating one of several weekend homicides in Wichita have made an arrest after a standoff.In September, the Sedgwick County Fugitive Warrant Section deputies located Standefer at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of W. Shade Lane in Wichita, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.As a precaution, deputies briefly evacuated or sheltered residents in the complex.&nbsp; The SWAT team was called to the complex. After a short standoff, Standefer surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody at 5:40 p.m.Just before 3 a.m., the day before his arrest, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area in the 7700 Block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.Haysville Police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and located an SUV that had crashed into a tree.Inside the vehicle, first responders found 43-year-old Jesse Dean Rau of Haysville suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger sustained minor injuries from the crash.Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe at least three individuals were inside the SUV when a disturbance occurred, during which Rau was shot by another occupant.&nbsp;The SUV then left the roadway and struck a tree. The suspected shooter, believed to be Stadefer ran from the scene. He is scheduled for sentencing on January 7, according to district attorney's office.

Plea deal: Kan. man killed victim during fight in SUV

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a search in Lawrence.

During the noon hour on Monday,&nbsp; police&nbsp; were attempting to find a man who witnesses say threatened a couple with a firearm, then took off, according to a social media report from the Lawrence Police Department.

Officers were dispatched to 23rd and Louisiana just before noon and got a description of the suspect and additional evidence.

About an hour after the initial call, the suspect was spotted near 23rd and Naismith Drive. When officers attempted to approach him, he ran into a nearby grocery store. 

 Officers set up a perimeter, while others entered the business and located the suspect. Officers safely arrested him, took him to the hospital to get checked out because he was complaining of stomach issues, and then to the Douglas County Correctional Facility. 

There were no injuries reported during the entire incident.

Police did not release the name of the suspect or possible charges.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a search in Lawrence.During the noon hour on Monday,&nbsp; police&nbsp; were attempting to find a man who witnesses say threatened a couple with a firearm, then took off, according to a social media report from the Lawrence Police Department.Officers were dispatched to 23rd and Louisiana just before noon and got a description of the suspect and additional evidence.About an hour after the initial call, the suspect was spotted near 23rd and Naismith Drive. When officers attempted to approach him, he ran into a nearby grocery store. Officers set up a perimeter, while others entered the business and located the suspect. Officers safely arrested him, took him to the hospital to get checked out because he was complaining of stomach issues, and then to the Douglas County Correctional Facility. There were no injuries reported during the entire incident.Police did not release the name of the suspect or possible charges.

Police capture wanted Kansas suspect inside grocery store

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a robbery that occurred on Halloween are asking for help to identify the suspect.

On October 31, the suspect, shown in a security camera image released on Monday, robbed a business in the 300 block of S. Hwy 291 while armed with a handgun, according to Liberty Police.

The suspect was wearing the white shoes. If you recognize this individual or have any information about this robbery, please contact detectives at 816-439-4730 or call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).You may remain anonymous and could receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762809150189.png" alt="Photo LIberty Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo LIberty Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a robbery that occurred on Halloween are asking for help to identify the suspect.On October 31, the suspect, shown in a security camera image released on Monday, robbed a business in the 300 block of S. Hwy 291 while armed with a handgun, according to Liberty Police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762809123628.png" alt="Photo Liberty Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Liberty Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect was wearing the white shoes. If you recognize this individual or have any information about this robbery, please contact detectives at 816-439-4730 or call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).You may remain anonymous and could receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

Police working to ID KC area Halloween robbery suspect

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman for an alleged violent crime.

On Saturday morning, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a home in the 200 block of N. Phillips in Salina on the report of woman who allegedly attacked a man, according to Salina Police Lt. Andrew Zeigler,

A 31-year old man told police a woman broke a window and entered his home.&nbsp; The woman allegedly struck the man with a broom, causing some injuries.

Officers arrested 28-year-old Shealynn Klinkerman and booked her into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of: Battery, Criminal Damage to Property and Interference with Law Enforcement.

The victim did not need any medical treatment for his injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762798928778.png" alt="Klinkerman Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Klinkerman Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman for an alleged violent crime.On Saturday morning, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a home in the 200 block of N. Phillips in Salina on the report of woman who allegedly attacked a man, according to Salina Police Lt. Andrew Zeigler,A 31-year old man told police a woman broke a window and entered his home.&nbsp; The woman allegedly struck the man with a broom, causing some injuries.Officers arrested 28-year-old Shealynn Klinkerman and booked her into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of: Battery, Criminal Damage to Property and Interference with Law Enforcement.The victim did not need any medical treatment for his injuries.

Police: Woman attacked Kansas man with a broom

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run that killed a KU student have made an arrest.

After an extensive investigation, which included examining evidence and responding to numerous tips from the public, on Sunday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the suspected vehicle and driver, identified as 36-year-old William Klinger, involved in Thursday’s hit-and-run crash outside of Lawrence.&nbsp;

The crash killed 20-year-old University of Kansas student Elsa McGrain, according to sheriff's department spokesman Officer&nbsp;George Diepenbrock.

Elsa was struck and killed while running in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, on November 6.&nbsp; After striking Elsa, the suspected driver left the scene.&nbsp;

Deputies later found her early Friday morning. A passerby spotted her on the side of the road around 3:35 a.m., according to Diepenbrock.

According to the sheriff's department Klingler was arrested around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday. He is being held on requested charges of reckless involuntary homicide. He has a previous conviction for Tampering with Electronic Monitoring Equipment: Knowingly and without authorization removing or disabling in the case of a Felony, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

McGrain, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, was a pre-med student at KU.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762637573361.png" alt="Elsa McGrain-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Elsa McGrain-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run that killed a KU student have made an arrest.After an extensive investigation, which included examining evidence and responding to numerous tips from the public, on Sunday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the suspected vehicle and driver, identified as 36-year-old William Klinger, involved in Thursday’s hit-and-run crash outside of Lawrence.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762795144309.png" alt="Klingler photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Klingler photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>The crash killed 20-year-old University of Kansas student Elsa McGrain, according to sheriff's department spokesman Officer&nbsp;George Diepenbrock.Elsa was struck and killed while running in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, on November 6.&nbsp; After striking Elsa, the suspected driver left the scene.&nbsp;Deputies later found her early Friday morning. A passerby spotted her on the side of the road around 3:35 a.m., according to Diepenbrock.According to the sheriff's department Klingler was arrested around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday. He is being held on requested charges of reckless involuntary homicide. He has a previous conviction for Tampering with Electronic Monitoring Equipment: Knowingly and without authorization removing or disabling in the case of a Felony, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;McGrain, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, was a pre-med student at KU.

Driver accused in hit-and -run that killed KU student has history of crime

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, will have to wait to learn his fate.

Sentenced for Dominic Thomas in Judge William Wollen's courtroom was delayed until December 12,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.

Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.

During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600793705943.png" alt="Thomas-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man convicted of a violent attack on a teen, later identified as his girlfriend, will have to wait to learn his fate.Sentenced for Dominic Thomas in Judge William Wollen's courtroom was delayed until December 12,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In November of 2024, a jury convicted Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the crime, of attempted first-degree murder.Just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2020 police responded to an assault report at a home in the 3900 block of North Litchfield in Wichita, according to officer Charley DavidsonUpon arrival, officers contacted a 17-year-old girl who was visibly shaken and wet. The investigation revealed 19-year-old Dominic Thomas and the victim were talking near a pond at 37th Street North and Sullivan when a disturbance occurred.During the disturbance, Thomas battered the girl, drug her to a nearby pond and held her head under the water. Thomas then released her and fled. Officers later located Thomas, and he was arrested without further incident.

Sentencing delayed for Kan. man who tried to drown pregnant girlfriend

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Colorado man accused in connection with a crash that killed an 82-year-old Kansas woman was back in court last week for a plea hearing in&nbsp; Judge Quentin Pittman's courtroom.

Austin Hedges, 26, pleaded guilty to charges of reckless involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kathy Knorr, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On March 16, 2024, a vehicle driven by Hedges was northbound on Rock Road in Wichita and struck a vehicle driven by Knorr who was turning from Killarney Court onto southbound Rock Road, according to Wichita Police.

EMS transported Knorr to a local hospital. She died on March 30.&nbsp; The Weld County Colorado Sheriff arrested Hedges on April 19 and he was returned to Kansas to face charges.

&nbsp; Hedges met the conditions of bond and will be sentenced at a later date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714590780723.png" alt="Hedges photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hedges photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Colorado man accused in connection with a crash that killed an 82-year-old Kansas woman was back in court last week for a plea hearing in&nbsp; Judge Quentin Pittman's courtroom.Austin Hedges, 26, pleaded guilty to charges of reckless involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kathy Knorr, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762796790240.png" alt="Kathy Knorr photo Corzine Memorial Group" />
 <figcaption>Kathy Knorr photo Corzine Memorial Group</figcaption>
 </figure>On March 16, 2024, a vehicle driven by Hedges was northbound on Rock Road in Wichita and struck a vehicle driven by Knorr who was turning from Killarney Court onto southbound Rock Road, according to Wichita Police.EMS transported Knorr to a local hospital. She died on March 30.&nbsp; The Weld County Colorado Sheriff arrested Hedges on April 19 and he was returned to Kansas to face charges.&nbsp; Hedges met the conditions of bond and will be sentenced at a later date.

Man enters plea deal for crash that killed 82-year-old Kan. woman

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a Thursday afternoon shooting in Wichita.

Just after 1 p.m.,&nbsp; police were alerted by a Raven gunshot detection system to a possible shooting in the 900 Block of North Terrace in Wichita, according to a media release.

 Responding officers determined that a disturbance had occurred between two individuals who were known to each other. During the altercation, one of the individuals was shot and left the scene in a private vehicle.&nbsp;

About an hour later, the victim’s girlfriend called 911. Officers and EMS responded to the 2400 block of South Minnesota, where they located a 47-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his lower leg. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Police took the 53-year-old suspect, according to county arrest records as Darrick D. Reed, into custody. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of of aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated assault. 

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762606543255.png" alt="Reed photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Reed photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a Thursday afternoon shooting in Wichita.Just after 1 p.m.,&nbsp; police were alerted by a Raven gunshot detection system to a possible shooting in the 900 Block of North Terrace in Wichita, according to a media release. Responding officers determined that a disturbance had occurred between two individuals who were known to each other. During the altercation, one of the individuals was shot and left the scene in a private vehicle.&nbsp;About an hour later, the victim’s girlfriend called 911. Officers and EMS responded to the 2400 block of South Minnesota, where they located a 47-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his lower leg. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.Police took the 53-year-old suspect, according to county arrest records as Darrick D. Reed, into custody. He was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of of aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated assault. The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Suspect arrested after Kan. shooting victim's girlfriend called 911

After an extensive investigation, which included examining evidence and responding to numerous tips from the public, on Sunday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the suspected vehicle and driver involved in Thursday’s hit-and-run crash outside of Lawrence that killed 20-year-old University of Kansas student Elsa McGrain, according to sheriff's department spokesman Officer&nbsp;George Diepenbrock.

Elsa was struck and killed while running in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, on November 6.&nbsp; After striking Elsa, the suspected driver left the scene. The Sheriff’s Office worked diligently on this case and has made an arrest, according to Diepenbrock.

Detectives are working with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office on charges in the case.

The Sheriff’s Office thanked area law enforcement agencies for their assistance in this investigation, as well as members of the community who responded with possible tips and shared information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762637573361.png" alt="Elsa McGrain courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Elsa McGrain courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run that killed a KU student have made an arrest.After an extensive investigation, which included examining evidence and responding to numerous tips from the public, on Sunday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the suspected vehicle and driver involved in Thursday’s hit-and-run crash outside of Lawrence that killed 20-year-old University of Kansas student Elsa McGrain, according to sheriff's department spokesman Officer&nbsp;George Diepenbrock.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762637613576.png" alt="Security camera image of the suspect vehicle released by the&nbsp; Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image of the suspect vehicle released by the&nbsp; Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Elsa was struck and killed while running in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, on November 6.&nbsp; After striking Elsa, the suspected driver left the scene. The Sheriff’s Office worked diligently on this case and has made an arrest, according to Diepenbrock.Detectives are working with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office on charges in the case.The Sheriff’s Office thanked area law enforcement agencies for their assistance in this investigation, as well as members of the community who responded with possible tips and shared information.

Sheriff: Driver arrested for hit-and-run that killed KU student

NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.

According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly-paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emmanuel-clase-betting-mlb-865a77fcc796751678d421881449fc8a">Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter,</a>&nbsp;have been on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guardians-ortiz-06134e96597c96df1e76c5a96141de53">non-disciplinary paid leave</a>&nbsp;since July, when Major League Baseball started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Some of the games in question were in April, May and June.

Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, 27, was not in custody, officials said.

Ortiz and Clase “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”

Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”

Georgalis said Ortiz’s defense team had previously documented for prosecutors that the payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities.

“There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court,” Georgalis said.

A lawyer for Clase did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.

Unusual betting activity prompted investigation

Major League Baseball said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and “has fully cooperated” with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” a league statement said.

In a statement, the Guardians said: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”

Clase and Ortiz are both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

In one example cited in the indictment, Clase allegedly invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him by phone just before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the bettor and his associates won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph (157.63 kph).

In May, the indictment said, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike, costing the bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, which the Guardians won, Clase sent text messages to one of the bettors with images of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and a sad puppy dog face, the indictment said.

Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-business-emmanuel-clase-cleveland-d28bc34ddcadaf8b0b924178e08a7b9d">$20 million, five-year contract</a>. The three-time AL save leader began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year, prosecutors said.

The indictment cited specific pitches Clase allegedly rigged — all of them first pitches when he entered to start an inning: a 98.5 mph (158.5 kph) cutter low and inside to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers that bounced well short of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced on April 12; a 99.1 mph (159.5 kph) cutter in the dirt to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler on May 11; a bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers on May 13; and a bounced 87.5 mph (140.8 kph) slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal on May 17.

Prosecutors said Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary this year, got in on the scheme in June and is accused of rigging pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ortiz was cited for bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena starting the second inning on June 15 and bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop opening the third inning on June 27.

Dozens of pro athletes have been charged in gambling sweeps

The charges are the latest bombshell developments in a federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.

Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;and Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>, were arrested in a gambling sweep that rocked the NBA.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/billups-rozier-mlb-ncaa-sports-betting-scandals-fe51e2ae3b3ea33ef271c764e581a9ee">Sports betting scandals</a>&nbsp;have long been a concern, but a May 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">U.S. Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.

Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-gambling-marcano-ban-948cce07c953494e7c7621e47692e1ba">Tucupita Marcano</a>&nbsp;for allegedly placing 387 baseball bets with a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762728882407.png" alt="Emmanuel Clase- photo Cleveland Guardians" />
 <figcaption>Emmanuel Clase- photo Cleveland Guardians</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets.According to the indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn, the highly-paid hurlers took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emmanuel-clase-betting-mlb-865a77fcc796751678d421881449fc8a">Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter,</a>&nbsp;have been on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/guardians-ortiz-06134e96597c96df1e76c5a96141de53">non-disciplinary paid leave</a>&nbsp;since July, when Major League Baseball started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when they pitched. Some of the games in question were in April, May and June.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762728812160.png" alt="Luis Ortiz-photo Cleveland Guardians" />
 <figcaption>Luis Ortiz-photo Cleveland Guardians</figcaption>
 </figure>Ortiz, 26, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport. He is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, 27, was not in custody, officials said.Ortiz and Clase “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said in a statement that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game — not for anyone and not for anything.”Georgalis said Ortiz’s defense team had previously documented for prosecutors that the payments and money transfers between him and individuals in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities.“There is no credible evidence Luis knowingly did anything other than try to win games, with every pitch and in every inning. Luis looks forward to fighting these charges in court,” Georgalis said.A lawyer for Clase did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The Major League Baseball Players Association had no comment.<h2>Unusual betting activity prompted investigation</h2>Major League Baseball said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity and “has fully cooperated” with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” a league statement said.In a statement, the Guardians said: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”Clase and Ortiz are both charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. The top charges carry a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison.In one example cited in the indictment, Clase allegedly invited a bettor to a game against the Boston Red Sox in April and spoke with him by phone just before taking the mound. Four minutes later, the indictment said, the bettor and his associates won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch slower than 97.95 mph (157.63 kph).In May, the indictment said, Clase agreed to throw a ball at a certain point in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike, costing the bettors $4,000 in wagers. After the game, which the Guardians won, Clase sent text messages to one of the bettors with images of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and a sad puppy dog face, the indictment said.Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-business-emmanuel-clase-cleveland-d28bc34ddcadaf8b0b924178e08a7b9d">$20 million, five-year contract</a>. The three-time AL save leader began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t ask for payoffs until this year, prosecutors said.The indictment cited specific pitches Clase allegedly rigged — all of them first pitches when he entered to start an inning: a 98.5 mph (158.5 kph) cutter low and inside to the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 19, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers that bounced well short of home plate on June 3, 2023; an 89.4 mph (143.8 kph) slider to Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. that bounced on April 12; a 99.1 mph (159.5 kph) cutter in the dirt to Philadelphia’s Max Kepler on May 11; a bounced 89.1 mph (143.4) slider to Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers on May 13; and a bounced 87.5 mph (140.8 kph) slider to Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal on May 17.Prosecutors said Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary this year, got in on the scheme in June and is accused of rigging pitches in games against the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals.Ortiz was cited for bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to Seattle’s Randy Arozarena starting the second inning on June 15 and bouncing a first-pitch 86.7 mph (139.5 kph) slider to St. Louis’ Pedro Pagés that went to the backstop opening the third inning on June 27.<h2>Dozens of pro athletes have been charged in gambling sweeps</h2>The charges are the latest bombshell developments in a federal crackdown on betting in professional sports.Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures such as Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trail-blazers-chauncey-billups-57c920d0fcace5dbce25cd474468cd40">Chauncey Billups</a>&nbsp;and Miami Heat guard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/terry-rozier">Terry Rozier</a>, were arrested in a gambling sweep that rocked the NBA.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/billups-rozier-mlb-ncaa-sports-betting-scandals-fe51e2ae3b3ea33ef271c764e581a9ee">Sports betting scandals</a>&nbsp;have long been a concern, but a May 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4">U.S. Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. The ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.Major League Baseball suspended five players in June 2024, including a lifetime ban for San Diego infielder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-gambling-marcano-ban-948cce07c953494e7c7621e47692e1ba">Tucupita Marcano</a>&nbsp;for allegedly placing 387 baseball bets with a legal sportsbook totaling more than $150,000._____

⚾ Gambling scandal: 2 accused of taking bribes to rig pitches for bettors

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/doug-feinberg">DOUG FEINBERG</a>

The NCAA revoked the eligibility of six men’s college basketball players&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-basketball-sports-betting-a30eaa5f0ec65c4638a8cd01a10842b2">for allegations of sports betting</a>&nbsp;on Friday in three separate cases at New Orleans, Mississippi Valley and Arizona State.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions released findings from an investigation that concluded Cedquavious Hunter, Dyquavian Short, Jamond Vincent, Donovan Sanders, Alvin Stredic and Chatton “BJ” Freeman either manipulated their performances to lose games, not cover bet lines or ensure certain prop bets were reached, or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024-25 regular season.

The development comes as the sporting world contends with mounting scrutiny over betting. Nearly three dozen people were arrested last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-betting-arrests-rozier-billups-6e39ab0b6b82c3c872e17c3b9cfbc604">including an NBA player and coach</a>, for what federal law enforcement officials described as their involvement in various illicit gambling activities. Just this week, UFC President and CEO Dana White said he was in touch with the FBI regarding a match that involved unusual betting patterns.

For its part, the NCAA said last month it was investigating at least 30 current or former players for gambling allegations. The NCAA also banned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gambling-ncaa-fresno-state-san-jose-state-79cb4a2a1f9f23a2cb22902a9694aca1">three college basketball players</a>&nbsp;in September for betting on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State.

The violations at New Orleans against Hunter, Short and Vincent came to light after the NCAA received a tip about game manipulation. The NCAA said a student-athlete overheard the three players discuss a third party placing a bet on their game against McNeese State on Dec. 28, 2024. New Orleans lost 86-61.

That same student-athlete reported that during a timeout near the end of the game, Short instructed him not to score any more points. New Orleans suspended all three student-athletes for the remainder of the season while it investigated the allegations.

The NCAA investigation showed that the three players manipulated their performances in seven games from December through January to lose by more points than the spread for that game.

The violations against Freeman were uncovered when the NCAA reviewed text messages involving Mykell Robinson, who played at Fresno State. Records on Robinson’s phone indicated that on four separate occasions between November and December 2024, Freeman knowingly provided information to Robinson, who was betting on Freeman through daily fantasy sports accounts.

Freeman also knowingly provided information on at least two occasions to his then-girlfriend, who was also betting on Freeman.

The NCAA reached out to an integrity monitoring service to review Mississippi Valley games after a related, but separate NBA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-betting-prop-terry-rozier-bf290e76f66d4ff2c2aaf653ecb76b1e">gambling ring</a>&nbsp;that was uncovered earlier this year showed potential ties to college basketball, including the school.

The service indicated betting trends for the Mississippi Valley games on Jan. 6 against Alabama A&amp;M were suspicious. Mississippi Valley lost 79-67.

During an interview with the NCAA, a men’s basketball student-athlete said that before the team’s Dec. 21, 2024, game, he overhead Sanders on the phone with an unknown third party talking about “throwing the game.”

Sanders asked the student-athlete to participate in the call because the third party had told Sanders the individual intended to bet on the game and wanted to know that another of Sanders’ teammates would participate in the scheme.

The student-athlete denied altering his performance or receiving money from Sanders or any other individuals. Sanders texted the same student-athlete after that game and told him to delete their messages.

During a second interview, Sanders could not explain the student-athlete’s account of the events or the text messages. He did say, however, that he and Stredic were offered money to throw the team’s Jan. 6 game by another anonymous caller, who instructed them to perform poorly in the first half.

The enforcement staff demonstrated that Sanders knowingly provided information to a third party for the purposes of sports betting for two games and Stredic did the same for one game.

This all comes in the wake of the NCAA potentially allowing student athletes and staff to bet on professional sports. It was originally approved by all three Divisions and was set to go into effect on Nov. 1, but late last month the Division I Board voted to delay the start date until Nov. 22.

A rarely used rule allows 30 days for each Division I school to vote to rescind a proposal if it is adopted by less than 75% of the Division I cabinet. Even if the rule passes, no college sports are allowed to be bet on by players.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587379293613.jpeg" alt="Photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/doug-feinberg">DOUG FEINBERG</a>The NCAA revoked the eligibility of six men’s college basketball players&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-basketball-sports-betting-a30eaa5f0ec65c4638a8cd01a10842b2">for allegations of sports betting</a>&nbsp;on Friday in three separate cases at New Orleans, Mississippi Valley and Arizona State.The NCAA Committee on Infractions released findings from an investigation that concluded Cedquavious Hunter, Dyquavian Short, Jamond Vincent, Donovan Sanders, Alvin Stredic and Chatton “BJ” Freeman either manipulated their performances to lose games, not cover bet lines or ensure certain prop bets were reached, or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024-25 regular season.The development comes as the sporting world contends with mounting scrutiny over betting. Nearly three dozen people were arrested last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-betting-arrests-rozier-billups-6e39ab0b6b82c3c872e17c3b9cfbc604">including an NBA player and coach</a>, for what federal law enforcement officials described as their involvement in various illicit gambling activities. Just this week, UFC President and CEO Dana White said he was in touch with the FBI regarding a match that involved unusual betting patterns.For its part, the NCAA said last month it was investigating at least 30 current or former players for gambling allegations. The NCAA also banned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gambling-ncaa-fresno-state-san-jose-state-79cb4a2a1f9f23a2cb22902a9694aca1">three college basketball players</a>&nbsp;in September for betting on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State.The violations at New Orleans against Hunter, Short and Vincent came to light after the NCAA received a tip about game manipulation. The NCAA said a student-athlete overheard the three players discuss a third party placing a bet on their game against McNeese State on Dec. 28, 2024. New Orleans lost 86-61.That same student-athlete reported that during a timeout near the end of the game, Short instructed him not to score any more points. New Orleans suspended all three student-athletes for the remainder of the season while it investigated the allegations.The NCAA investigation showed that the three players manipulated their performances in seven games from December through January to lose by more points than the spread for that game.The violations against Freeman were uncovered when the NCAA reviewed text messages involving Mykell Robinson, who played at Fresno State. Records on Robinson’s phone indicated that on four separate occasions between November and December 2024, Freeman knowingly provided information to Robinson, who was betting on Freeman through daily fantasy sports accounts.Freeman also knowingly provided information on at least two occasions to his then-girlfriend, who was also betting on Freeman.The NCAA reached out to an integrity monitoring service to review Mississippi Valley games after a related, but separate NBA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-betting-prop-terry-rozier-bf290e76f66d4ff2c2aaf653ecb76b1e">gambling ring</a>&nbsp;that was uncovered earlier this year showed potential ties to college basketball, including the school.The service indicated betting trends for the Mississippi Valley games on Jan. 6 against Alabama A&amp;M were suspicious. Mississippi Valley lost 79-67.During an interview with the NCAA, a men’s basketball student-athlete said that before the team’s Dec. 21, 2024, game, he overhead Sanders on the phone with an unknown third party talking about “throwing the game.”Sanders asked the student-athlete to participate in the call because the third party had told Sanders the individual intended to bet on the game and wanted to know that another of Sanders’ teammates would participate in the scheme.The student-athlete denied altering his performance or receiving money from Sanders or any other individuals. Sanders texted the same student-athlete after that game and told him to delete their messages.During a second interview, Sanders could not explain the student-athlete’s account of the events or the text messages. He did say, however, that he and Stredic were offered money to throw the team’s Jan. 6 game by another anonymous caller, who instructed them to perform poorly in the first half.The enforcement staff demonstrated that Sanders knowingly provided information to a third party for the purposes of sports betting for two games and Stredic did the same for one game.This all comes in the wake of the NCAA potentially allowing student athletes and staff to bet on professional sports. It was originally approved by all three Divisions and was set to go into effect on Nov. 1, but late last month the Division I Board voted to delay the start date until Nov. 22.A rarely used rule allows 30 days for each Division I school to vote to rescind a proposal if it is adopted by less than 75% of the Division I cabinet. Even if the rule passes, no college sports are allowed to be bet on by players.___

NCAA revokes eligibility of more players as it continues sports betting probe

GÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.

The men had little in common beyond their Venezuelan seaside hometowns and the fact all four were among the more than 60 people killed since early September when the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">began attacking boats</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs. President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">have alleged the craft</a>&nbsp;were being operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115373751811822463" target="_blank">narco-terrorists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">cartel members</a>&nbsp;bound with deadly drugs for American communities.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-cocaine-trafficking-e4fcf945e48e36bf2c510f9f111e031c">The Associated Press learned</a>&nbsp;the identities of four of the men – and pieced together details about at least five others – who were slain, providing the first comprehensive account of those who died in the strikes.

In dozens of interviews&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast</a>, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang.

Most of the nine men were crewing such craft for the first or second time, making at least $500 per trip, residents and relatives said. They were laborers, a fisherman, a motorcycle taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a well-known local crime boss who contracted out his smuggling services to traffickers.

The men lived on the Paria Peninsula, in mostly unpainted cinderblock homes that can go weeks without water service and regularly lose power for several hours a day. They awoke to panoramic views of a national park’s tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria’s shallows and the Caribbean’s sparkling sapphire waters. When the time came for their drug runs, they boarded open-hulled fishing skiffs that relied on powerful outboard motors to haul their drugs to nearby Trinidad and other islands.

The residents and relatives interviewed by the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">requested anonymity out of fear of reprisals</a>&nbsp;from drug smugglers, the Venezuelan government or the Trump administration. They said they were incensed that the men were killed without due process. In the past, their boats would have been interdicted by the U.S. authorities and the crewmen charged with federal crimes, affording them a day in court.

The U.S. government “should have stopped them,” a man’s relative said.

It has been difficult for relatives to learn much about their dead loved ones because criminal gangs and the Venezuelan government have long repressed the flow of information in the region.

Venezuelan officials have blasted the U.S. government over the strikes, and the nation’s ambassador to the U.N. called the attacks “extrajudicial executions.” They have also steadfastly denied that drug traffickers operate in the country and have yet to acknowledge that any of its citizens have been killed in boat strikes. Spokespeople for Venezuela’s government did not respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has justified the strikes by declaring drug cartels to be “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;” and said the U.S. is now in an “armed conflict” with them. Trump has said each sunken boat has saved 25,000 American lives, presumably from overdoses. The boats, however, appear to have been transporting cocaine, not the far more deadly synthetic opioids that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement to the AP that the Defense Department has “consistently said that our intelligence did indeed confirm that the individuals involved in these drug operations were narco-terrorists, and we stand by that assessment.”

So far, the U.S. military has blown up 17 vessels, killing more than 60 people. Nine of the craft were targeted in the Caribbean, and at least three of those had departed from Venezuela, according to the Trump administration. The military is striking the boats at the same time the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">is applying increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. The Justice Department doubled a reward for his arrest to $50 million, and the U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela and has flown pairs of supersonic, heavy bombers along the country’s coast.

Relatives and acquaintances said they have confirmed the deaths through word-of-mouth and inexplicit social media posts that sought to convey information about the dead men&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-election-arrests-repression-prison-opposition-c07ddb20770f02139e4f4a05d7bc4f60">without drawing the attention of Venezuelan authorities</a>. They have also made what they described as reasonable deductions: The men have not returned phone calls or texts in weeks, or reached out to say they were okay; Venezuelan authorities, residents said, have also searched some of the homes of the dead men.

“I want an answer, but who can I ask?” said a relative of one of the men. “I can’t say anything.”

A native of Güiria, a village on the southeast side of the peninsula, Robert Sánchez dropped out of school as a teenager and like many others in the region became a fisherman like his father, according to friends and relatives. The 42-year-old was considered among the peninsula’s best pilots, they said, having spent the better part of three decades mastering the area’s currents and winds, so much so he could navigate the waters at night without instruments.

As part of hired crews, the father of four spent his days fishing for snapper, kingfish and dogfish. The fisherman wanted to save enough money to buy a 75-horsepower boat engine so he could operate his own boat and not work for others. It was a dream Sánchez knew he was likely to never realize, relatives said: Most of his income — about $100 a month — went to feed his children.

The peninsula is part of Sucre state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economic-crisis-maduro-food-families-hungry-3e980da7bca693cc3877df0d7647a837">one of Venezuela’s poorest</a>. Sucre was once home to several fish processing plants, an auto assembly plant and a large public university, all of which offered well-paying jobs. Most have shuttered. The peninsula is dotted by the unfulfilled promises of 26 years of a self-described socialist government, including an abandoned shipyard and the rusted infrastructure meant for a natural gas complex.

With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-us-military-venezuela-strikes-fishing-fcd24c441f58162b811a24b247334fc5">Trinidad and other Caribbean islands</a>&nbsp;before heading to Europe. Colombian cocaine destined for the U.S. is generally smuggled out of Colombia through the Pacific coast.

The larger economic pressures — and Sánchez’s goal of owning a boat engine — are what pushed the fisherman to accept an offer to help traffickers navigate the tricky waters he knew so well, friends and relatives said.

Sánchez had just finished offloading a day’s catch last month when he told his mother he would be taking a short trip and would see her in a couple of days. They had no idea where he was going.

After seeing clips on social media that mentioned his death, relatives broke the news to his mother, but not until after ensuring she had taken her blood pressure medication. Sánchez’s youngest son, a third grader, could not accept for days that his father was gone. He kept asking adults if his father could have survived the explosion, noting he might still be at sea.

No, the adults told the boy. His father was gone.

Luis “Che” Martínez was killed in the first strike. A burly 60-year-old, Martínez was a longtime local crime boss, and he made most of his living smuggling drugs and people across borders, according to several people who knew him.

He had been jailed by Venezuelan authorities on human-trafficking charges after a boat he had operated capsized in December 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-international-news-f8e553486c15efd8fec3415898fe1cc5">killing about two dozen people</a>, law enforcement officials said at the time. Among those who died in the accident were two of his sons and a granddaughter, relatives told the AP. The AP was not able to determine the disposition of his criminal case, but Martínez was eventually released from custody and returned to smuggling people and drugs, according to acquaintances.

Though they detested what he did for a living — and the control Martínez and similar criminals exerted over their villages — several residents said they appreciated how Martínez contributed annually to the town’s festival of the Virgin of the Valley, the patroness of fishermen, and he spent lavishly in local shops and restaurants. He also bet heavily on cockfights, a popular pastime, a bird breeder said.

Martínez was killed, a relative and several acquaintances said, in the first known U.S. strike, which took place Sept. 2. Trump quickly took to social media to claim the vessel had departed from Venezuela and had been carrying drugs. The 11-man crew, the president said, had been members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tren-aragua-trump-deportations-guantanamo-el-salvador-0e283ba28a6566426da45b21e4fdf9ee">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. He said all men were killed and also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.

Martínez’s relatives said they did not believe the underworld figure was a member of that gang.

They said they have been provided no information from the Venezuelan government about his fate. They figured it out when they came across a photo of a body that had washed ashore in Trinidad. The photo had been shared on social media and messaging apps and depicted a badly mutilated body. The people familiar with Martínez said they knew instantly the stout corpse was Martínez because, on his left wrist, was strapped one of his most treasured belongings: an ostentatious watch.

Dushak Milovcic, 24, was drawn to crime by the adrenaline rush and money, so much that he dropped out of the country’s National Guard Academy, according to those who knew him. He started as a lookout for smugglers, they said. Though he had no experience at sea, he eventually won a promotion to the more lucrative and coveted jobs on drug-running boats.

It’s not clear how many trips he had undertaken before he was killed last month.

Juan Carlos “El Guaramero” Fuentes had operated a transit bus for several years but was facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economy-crisis-maduro-inflation-sanctions-dollar-5250770ae0e79fc69122b820ab8ac13e">dire financial circumstances</a>&nbsp;when it had broken down. The government had been unable — or unwilling — to fix it. That meant he was losing money because bus drivers in Venezuela typically pocket a portion of the fares, making it nearly impossible for him to feed and clothe his family.

Villagers said they were not surprised that Fuentes, who had no nautical experience, turned to smuggling to make ends meet. The higher-level traffickers who typically crewed such boats had been staying ashore to avoid being targeted by U.S. missiles. In their place, villagers said, they had been increasingly hiring novices like Fuentes.

Fuentes told friends he had been nervous about his first smuggling run, knowing it would be filled with risks from weather, rival gangs, even the U.S. military. The September trip had gone surprisingly smoothly, he told friends, and he readily agreed to join another crew. Fuentes was killed in a missile strike last month, friends said, the precise one unknown.

Konstantin Toropin contributed from Washington.

This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By REGINA GARCIA CANOGÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific. The four vessels were known by our intelligence… <a href="https://t.co/UhoFlZ3jPG">pic.twitter.com/UhoFlZ3jPG</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1983164355999883548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The men had little in common beyond their Venezuelan seaside hometowns and the fact all four were among the more than 60 people killed since early September when the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">began attacking boats</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs. President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">have alleged the craft</a>&nbsp;were being operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115373751811822463" target="_blank">narco-terrorists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">cartel members</a>&nbsp;bound with deadly drugs for American communities.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-cocaine-trafficking-e4fcf945e48e36bf2c510f9f111e031c">The Associated Press learned</a>&nbsp;the identities of four of the men – and pieced together details about at least five others – who were slain, providing the first comprehensive account of those who died in the strikes.In dozens of interviews&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast</a>, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang.Most of the nine men were crewing such craft for the first or second time, making at least $500 per trip, residents and relatives said. They were laborers, a fisherman, a motorcycle taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a well-known local crime boss who contracted out his smuggling services to traffickers.The men lived on the Paria Peninsula, in mostly unpainted cinderblock homes that can go weeks without water service and regularly lose power for several hours a day. They awoke to panoramic views of a national park’s tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria’s shallows and the Caribbean’s sparkling sapphire waters. When the time came for their drug runs, they boarded open-hulled fishing skiffs that relied on powerful outboard motors to haul their drugs to nearby Trinidad and other islands.The residents and relatives interviewed by the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">requested anonymity out of fear of reprisals</a>&nbsp;from drug smugglers, the Venezuelan government or the Trump administration. They said they were incensed that the men were killed without due process. In the past, their boats would have been interdicted by the U.S. authorities and the crewmen charged with federal crimes, affording them a day in court.The U.S. government “should have stopped them,” a man’s relative said.It has been difficult for relatives to learn much about their dead loved ones because criminal gangs and the Venezuelan government have long repressed the flow of information in the region.Venezuelan officials have blasted the U.S. government over the strikes, and the nation’s ambassador to the U.N. called the attacks “extrajudicial executions.” They have also steadfastly denied that drug traffickers operate in the country and have yet to acknowledge that any of its citizens have been killed in boat strikes. Spokespeople for Venezuela’s government did not respond to a request for comment.The Trump administration has justified the strikes by declaring drug cartels to be “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;” and said the U.S. is now in an “armed conflict” with them. Trump has said each sunken boat has saved 25,000 American lives, presumably from overdoses. The boats, however, appear to have been transporting cocaine, not the far more deadly synthetic opioids that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement to the AP that the Defense Department has “consistently said that our intelligence did indeed confirm that the individuals involved in these drug operations were narco-terrorists, and we stand by that assessment.”So far, the U.S. military has blown up 17 vessels, killing more than 60 people. Nine of the craft were targeted in the Caribbean, and at least three of those had departed from Venezuela, according to the Trump administration. The military is striking the boats at the same time the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">is applying increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. The Justice Department doubled a reward for his arrest to $50 million, and the U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela and has flown pairs of supersonic, heavy bombers along the country’s coast.Relatives and acquaintances said they have confirmed the deaths through word-of-mouth and inexplicit social media posts that sought to convey information about the dead men&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-election-arrests-repression-prison-opposition-c07ddb20770f02139e4f4a05d7bc4f60">without drawing the attention of Venezuelan authorities</a>. They have also made what they described as reasonable deductions: The men have not returned phone calls or texts in weeks, or reached out to say they were okay; Venezuelan authorities, residents said, have also searched some of the homes of the dead men.“I want an answer, but who can I ask?” said a relative of one of the men. “I can’t say anything.”<h2>The fisherman</h2>A native of Güiria, a village on the southeast side of the peninsula, Robert Sánchez dropped out of school as a teenager and like many others in the region became a fisherman like his father, according to friends and relatives. The 42-year-old was considered among the peninsula’s best pilots, they said, having spent the better part of three decades mastering the area’s currents and winds, so much so he could navigate the waters at night without instruments.As part of hired crews, the father of four spent his days fishing for snapper, kingfish and dogfish. The fisherman wanted to save enough money to buy a 75-horsepower boat engine so he could operate his own boat and not work for others. It was a dream Sánchez knew he was likely to never realize, relatives said: Most of his income — about $100 a month — went to feed his children.He was not alone in that situation.The peninsula is part of Sucre state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economic-crisis-maduro-food-families-hungry-3e980da7bca693cc3877df0d7647a837">one of Venezuela’s poorest</a>. Sucre was once home to several fish processing plants, an auto assembly plant and a large public university, all of which offered well-paying jobs. Most have shuttered. The peninsula is dotted by the unfulfilled promises of 26 years of a self-described socialist government, including an abandoned shipyard and the rusted infrastructure meant for a natural gas complex.With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-us-military-venezuela-strikes-fishing-fcd24c441f58162b811a24b247334fc5">Trinidad and other Caribbean islands</a>&nbsp;before heading to Europe. Colombian cocaine destined for the U.S. is generally smuggled out of Colombia through the Pacific coast.The larger economic pressures — and Sánchez’s goal of owning a boat engine — are what pushed the fisherman to accept an offer to help traffickers navigate the tricky waters he knew so well, friends and relatives said.Sánchez had just finished offloading a day’s catch last month when he told his mother he would be taking a short trip and would see her in a couple of days. They had no idea where he was going.After seeing clips on social media that mentioned his death, relatives broke the news to his mother, but not until after ensuring she had taken her blood pressure medication. Sánchez’s youngest son, a third grader, could not accept for days that his father was gone. He kept asking adults if his father could have survived the explosion, noting he might still be at sea.No, the adults told the boy. His father was gone.<h2>One of the first to die</h2>Luis “Che” Martínez was killed in the first strike. A burly 60-year-old, Martínez was a longtime local crime boss, and he made most of his living smuggling drugs and people across borders, according to several people who knew him.He had been jailed by Venezuelan authorities on human-trafficking charges after a boat he had operated capsized in December 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-international-news-f8e553486c15efd8fec3415898fe1cc5">killing about two dozen people</a>, law enforcement officials said at the time. Among those who died in the accident were two of his sons and a granddaughter, relatives told the AP. The AP was not able to determine the disposition of his criminal case, but Martínez was eventually released from custody and returned to smuggling people and drugs, according to acquaintances.Though they detested what he did for a living — and the control Martínez and similar criminals exerted over their villages — several residents said they appreciated how Martínez contributed annually to the town’s festival of the Virgin of the Valley, the patroness of fishermen, and he spent lavishly in local shops and restaurants. He also bet heavily on cockfights, a popular pastime, a bird breeder said.Martínez was killed, a relative and several acquaintances said, in the first known U.S. strike, which took place Sept. 2. Trump quickly took to social media to claim the vessel had departed from Venezuela and had been carrying drugs. The 11-man crew, the president said, had been members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tren-aragua-trump-deportations-guantanamo-el-salvador-0e283ba28a6566426da45b21e4fdf9ee">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. He said all men were killed and also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.Martínez’s relatives said they did not believe the underworld figure was a member of that gang.They said they have been provided no information from the Venezuelan government about his fate. They figured it out when they came across a photo of a body that had washed ashore in Trinidad. The photo had been shared on social media and messaging apps and depicted a badly mutilated body. The people familiar with Martínez said they knew instantly the stout corpse was Martínez because, on his left wrist, was strapped one of his most treasured belongings: an ostentatious watch.<h2>The former cadet and bus driver</h2>Dushak Milovcic, 24, was drawn to crime by the adrenaline rush and money, so much that he dropped out of the country’s National Guard Academy, according to those who knew him. He started as a lookout for smugglers, they said. Though he had no experience at sea, he eventually won a promotion to the more lucrative and coveted jobs on drug-running boats.It’s not clear how many trips he had undertaken before he was killed last month.Juan Carlos “El Guaramero” Fuentes had operated a transit bus for several years but was facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economy-crisis-maduro-inflation-sanctions-dollar-5250770ae0e79fc69122b820ab8ac13e">dire financial circumstances</a>&nbsp;when it had broken down. The government had been unable — or unwilling — to fix it. That meant he was losing money because bus drivers in Venezuela typically pocket a portion of the fares, making it nearly impossible for him to feed and clothe his family.Villagers said they were not surprised that Fuentes, who had no nautical experience, turned to smuggling to make ends meet. The higher-level traffickers who typically crewed such boats had been staying ashore to avoid being targeted by U.S. missiles. In their place, villagers said, they had been increasingly hiring novices like Fuentes.Fuentes told friends he had been nervous about his first smuggling run, knowing it would be filled with risks from weather, rival gangs, even the U.S. military. The September trip had gone surprisingly smoothly, he told friends, and he readily agreed to join another crew. Fuentes was killed in a missile strike last month, friends said, the precise one unknown.—-Konstantin Toropin contributed from Washington.—This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Report reveals details on those killed in U.S. military strikes on drug boats 

KANSAS CITY—Teamwork and technology led to the arrest of a drunk driver who fled from a deputy just after midnight on November 6, according to a social media report from the Clay County Sheriff. 

A Traffic Safety Unit deputy tried to stop a vehicle with no headlights, a common sign of impaired driving, near N.E. Parvin Road and N. Belmont Avenue. The driver fled and nearly struck another vehicle traveling northbound, before losing control and striking the back of a parked semi truck's trailer. 

The driver ran into Worlds of Fun. Worlds of Fun security started checking their cameras and were able to get a rough idea of where the suspect was as he moved through the park. Clay County Deputies put up their drone, which led law enforcement right to the suspect.

Officers from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClaycomoPD?__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Claycomo Police Department</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064540068196&amp;__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Pleasant Valley Missouri Police Department</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GladstoneMOPD?__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Gladstone MO Police</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kcpolice?__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas City Missouri Police Department</a> all had responded to surround the area. Tests later showed the suspect's blood alcohol content was over the legal limit.

Reginald L. Finch, 22, has been charged with aggravated fleeing a stop, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762552048541.png" alt="The heat-sensing image of the search from the Clay Co. Sheriff video" />
 <figcaption>The heat-sensing image of the search from the Clay Co. Sheriff video</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Teamwork and technology led to the arrest of a drunk driver who fled from a deputy just after midnight on November 6, according to a social media report from the Clay County Sheriff. A Traffic Safety Unit deputy tried to stop a vehicle with no headlights, a common sign of impaired driving, near N.E. Parvin Road and N. Belmont Avenue. The driver fled and nearly struck another vehicle traveling northbound, before losing control and striking the back of a parked semi truck's trailer. The driver ran into Worlds of Fun. Worlds of Fun security started checking their cameras and were able to get a rough idea of where the suspect was as he moved through the park. Clay County Deputies put up their drone, which led law enforcement right to the suspect.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762551993391.png" alt="Photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClaycomoPD?__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Claycomo Police Department</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064540068196&amp;__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Pleasant Valley Missouri Police Department</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GladstoneMOPD?__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Gladstone MO Police</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kcpolice?__cft__[0]=AZW5iqdO8kWopKSnwdWcNGhCdhztbHmDWCooqqytxssxIIS235dC2Hd9biDwqRgoewcAaVbmI2EA9F_QgdFI0K4t1Pj0rPqVCesjtpQbEGY-S9bNfNPqcas1m5NDMmnp9GBz-klfh3loVTGpHs8fsRX3tb89rNWjTxXJiVCgvknT-fTnXe1Y3ajdCGO0ijfxN1Y&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas City Missouri Police Department</a> all had responded to surround the area. Tests later showed the suspect's blood alcohol content was over the legal limit.Reginald L. Finch, 22, has been charged with aggravated fleeing a stop, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.

Sheriff: Drunk driver ran from crash into Worlds of Fun

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A suspect in the November 1, death of a woman in Kansas City, Kansas has been charged.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney's office has charged 22-year-old Kevin Calamaco-Morales with felony first-degree murder in the shooting death of 20-year-old Ana Juarez.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Calamaco-Morales also is charged with criminal discharge of a firearm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just before 4:30 a.m. November 1, officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department were called the area of North 11th Street and Barnett Avenue to investigate a shooting.

When officers arrived on the scene they located Juarez, outside of her home. She had been shot.&nbsp;She was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.&nbsp;

Calamaco-Morales was arrested at the scene and is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $500,000 bond, according to a statement from Kansas City, Kansas Police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762533395978.png" alt="Calamaco-Morales-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Calamaco-Morales-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A suspect in the November 1, death of a woman in Kansas City, Kansas has been charged.The Wyandotte County District Attorney's office has charged 22-year-old Kevin Calamaco-Morales with felony first-degree murder in the shooting death of 20-year-old Ana Juarez.&nbsp;&nbsp;Calamaco-Morales also is charged with criminal discharge of a firearm.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 4:30 a.m. November 1, officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department were called the area of North 11th Street and Barnett Avenue to investigate a shooting.When officers arrived on the scene they located Juarez, outside of her home. She had been shot.&nbsp;She was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.&nbsp;Calamaco-Morales was arrested at the scene and is being held in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $500,000 bond, according to a statement from Kansas City, Kansas Police.

Man accused of killing woman outside her Kansas home

According to information from the Geary County Detention Center, Junction City Vice Mayor Alovence Gordon has been arrested on requested charges of Aggravated Assault and Deadly Use of a Weapon. He was booked into the Detention Center at 3:41 p.m. Saturday.

Gordon's term on the Junction City Commission runs until January. He ran for reelection but was defeated in the August primary election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762649929050.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By Dewey&nbsp; TerrillJC PostAccording to information from the Geary County Detention Center, Junction City Vice Mayor Alovence Gordon has been arrested on requested charges of Aggravated Assault and Deadly Use of a Weapon. He was booked into the Detention Center at 3:41 p.m. Saturday.Gordon's term on the Junction City Commission runs until January. He ran for reelection but was defeated in the August primary election.

Junction City Vice Mayor has been arrested

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating three suspects on multiple allegations.

Just before midnight, November 5, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center was notified of a burglary in progress at a residence in the 1500 block of SW Clearview Lane, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 The suspect vehicle fled the scene. A nearby patrol sergeant observed the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in the 6400 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. Four individuals were taken into custody. Jaquan L. Taylor, 21, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) on requestd charges of aggravated burglary, criminal damage to property and&nbsp; criminal threat.

Kylin G. Goudeau, 24, and Charles T. Lolar Jr., 20, were arrested and booked into the SNDOC rquested charges of aggravated burglary and&nbsp; theft. A 33-year-old woman was released.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762463959124.png" alt="Taylor photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Taylor photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating three suspects on multiple allegations.Just before midnight, November 5, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center was notified of a burglary in progress at a residence in the 1500 block of SW Clearview Lane, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762464034591.png" alt="Goudeau photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Goudeau photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> The suspect vehicle fled the scene. A nearby patrol sergeant observed the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in the 6400 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. Four individuals were taken into custody. Jaquan L. Taylor, 21, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections (SNDOC) on requestd charges of aggravated burglary, criminal damage to property and&nbsp; criminal threat.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762464104541.png" alt="Lolar photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lolar photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kylin G. Goudeau, 24, and Charles T. Lolar Jr., 20, were arrested and booked into the SNDOC rquested charges of aggravated burglary and&nbsp; theft. A 33-year-old woman was released.&nbsp;

Police capture Kansas home burglary suspects

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Angelique Mombrun, Criminal threat, arrested 11/06

Luis Alvarez Diaz, Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, arrested 11/07

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762545816814.jpeg" alt="Dale Terrell, Possession of paraphernalia with intent to manufacture controlled substance; Distribution of controlled substance; Aggravated weapons by a convicted felon; Possession of stolen property, Disorderly conduct; False impersonation; Possession of controlled substance; Battery on LEO, City/county officer/employee on duty; Interference with LEO, arrested 11/06" />
 <figcaption>Dale Terrell, Possession of paraphernalia with intent to manufacture controlled substance; Distribution of controlled substance; Aggravated weapons by a convicted felon; Possession of stolen property, Disorderly conduct; False impersonation; Possession of controlled substance; Battery on LEO, City/county officer/employee on duty; Interference with LEO, arrested 11/06</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Angelique Mombrun, Criminal threat, arrested 11/06Luis Alvarez Diaz, Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, arrested 11/07Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos Nov. 7

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged sex crimes.

Just after 2p.m. Thursday, police arrested Kevin Brown, 42, of Manhattan, on requested charges that include lewd and lascivious acts; four counts of exposing sex organs to another under the age of 16 and three counts of exposing sex organs to another over the age of 16. A 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl were listed as the victims, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Brown is being held on a $41,000 bond, according to the RCPD.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged sex crimes.Just after 2p.m. Thursday, police arrested Kevin Brown, 42, of Manhattan, on requested charges that include lewd and lascivious acts; four counts of exposing sex organs to another under the age of 16 and three counts of exposing sex organs to another over the age of 16. A 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl were listed as the victims, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Brown is being held on a $41,000 bond, according to the RCPD.

Manhattan man accused of lewd and lascivious acts

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.

(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)

At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.

The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.

Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.

Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.

Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761331970728.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=280&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2252850385227575%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="395" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;