RENO COUNTY — A hearing is set for Friday afternoon for a Kansas man who wants to withdraw his plea to four counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

Patrick White, 21, Hutchinson, entered pleas to the four counts as part of a plea agreement. A fifth count was dismissed. Now White wants to withdraw that plea citing that he was not advised that his conviction meant a lifetime registration as an offender during plea negotiations.

White was arrested after deputies with the Reno County Sheriff's Department issued a search warrant on his home and cell phone.&nbsp;

The warrant stemmed from the allegations from a separate Law Enforcement agency that was made aware of White’s ongoing suspicious activity including allegedly recording The crimes are said to have occurred between October of 2018 and February of 2020.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616098486580.png" alt="White photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>White photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — A hearing is set for Friday afternoon for a Kansas man who wants to withdraw his plea to four counts of sexual exploitation of a child.Patrick White, 21, Hutchinson, entered pleas to the four counts as part of a plea agreement. A fifth count was dismissed. Now White wants to withdraw that plea citing that he was not advised that his conviction meant a lifetime registration as an offender during plea negotiations.White was arrested after deputies with the Reno County Sheriff's Department issued a search warrant on his home and cell phone.&nbsp;The warrant stemmed from the allegations from a separate Law Enforcement agency that was made aware of White’s ongoing suspicious activity including allegedly recording The crimes are said to have occurred between October of 2018 and February of 2020.&nbsp;

Kan. man to change plea in sexual exploitation case

SHAWNEE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after finding 50 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop.

Just before 10a.m. Thursday deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver minivan at Interstate 70 and SE California Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, deputies deployed a K9 that helped them locate illegal narcotics including approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $375,000.&nbsp; 

They also arrested a 57-year-old man on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities did not release the suspect's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571317554423.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after finding 50 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop.Just before 10a.m. Thursday deputies conducted a traffic stop on a silver minivan at Interstate 70 and SE California Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, deputies deployed a K9 that helped them locate illegal narcotics including approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of $375,000.&nbsp; They also arrested a 57-year-old man on requested charges of distribution of methamphetamine.&nbsp; &nbsp;Authorities did not release the suspect's name.

Kan. deputies find 50 pounds of meth worth $375K 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused of rape made his first court appearance in the case Wednesday.

Arden Vanhorn, 32, Wichita, was charged with&nbsp;11 crimes, two of which are misdemeanors, four counts of aggravated battery, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, criminal damage to property (misdemeanor), criminal threat, theft (misdemeanor), and attempted aggravated escape from custody, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Just after 4 p.m. on March 14, police responded to check the welfare of a citizen at Harry and Poplar, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; 

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 47-year-old woman who had injuries and learned an unknown suspect entered the business she was working at in the 1500 block of East Harry in Wichita, held a knife to her, strangled and battered her, and sexually assaulted her.&nbsp; She was able to flee the business and call the police.

Through the investigation, investigators learned of Vanhorn’s involvement in the case. They learned he had been arrested and booked into jail stemming from an aggravated battery and theft investigation on Sunday evening.

His bond is $325,000, according to the district attorney.  His next court appearance is March 25.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615913023670.png" alt="Vanhorn has previous felony convictions that include theft, burglary, aggravated assault and criminal use of a financial card, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections - photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Vanhorn has previous felony convictions that include theft, burglary, aggravated assault and criminal use of a financial card, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections - photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused of rape made his first court appearance in the case Wednesday.Arden Vanhorn, 32, Wichita, was charged with&nbsp;11 crimes, two of which are misdemeanors, four counts of aggravated battery, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, criminal damage to property (misdemeanor), criminal threat, theft (misdemeanor), and attempted aggravated escape from custody, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.Just after 4 p.m. on March 14, police responded to check the welfare of a citizen at Harry and Poplar, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers contacted a 47-year-old woman who had injuries and learned an unknown suspect entered the business she was working at in the 1500 block of East Harry in Wichita, held a knife to her, strangled and battered her, and sexually assaulted her.&nbsp; She was able to flee the business and call the police.Through the investigation, investigators learned of Vanhorn’s involvement in the case. They learned he had been arrested and booked into jail stemming from an aggravated battery and theft investigation on Sunday evening.His bond is $325,000, according to the district attorney. His next court appearance is March 25.&nbsp;

Kan. man accused of violent sex assault charged with 11 crimes

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigatating a shooting that sent a woman to the hospital.

Just before 10p.m.&nbsp; Tuesday, police responded to the 2600 block of S Topeka in Wichita after report that a woman had been shot and left in a vehicle at that location, according to officer Trevor Macey.&nbsp;

Police stopped the vehicle in the 1500 block of Pawnee and located a 21-year-old woman&nbsp;inside with a gunshot wound. EMS transported her to an area hospital in serious condition, according to Macey. She is expected to recover.

Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigatating a shooting that sent a woman to the hospital.Just before 10p.m.&nbsp; Tuesday, police responded to the 2600 block of S Topeka in Wichita after report that a woman had been shot and left in a vehicle at that location, according to officer Trevor Macey.&nbsp;Police stopped the vehicle in the 1500 block of Pawnee and located a 21-year-old woman&nbsp;inside with a gunshot wound. EMS transported her to an area hospital in serious condition, according to Macey. She is expected to recover.Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

Police: Kan. woman found in car with gunshot wound

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Highway Patrol official said Wednesday that basic information won’t be available for more than a week on its arrest early Tuesday of a top legislative leader on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from law enforcement while driving the wrong way on a highway in Topeka.

The disclosure from Luther Ganieany, the patrol’s general counsel, came shortly before Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop announced that he was stepping away from most of his office’s duties until matters related to his arrest are resolved. Suellentrop, a Wichita Republican, is the Senate’s No. 2 leader, and the majority leader sets the chamber’s daily debate calendar.

The patrol’s Capitol Police division&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-wichita-arrests-topeka-driving-under-the-influence-7380a7e3e4fbe335536f78e0a5bf719d">arrested Suellentrop</a>&nbsp;on Interstate 70 near downtown Topeka after his SUV was reported traveling east in the highway’s westbound lanes. He was booked into the Shawnee County jail, but a judge ordered him released hours later, saying there was not sufficient evidence to support his arrest.

The Associated Press and other news organizations filed open records requests seeking the public, front page of the report on the arrest, as well as copies of any patrol car dash-camera or officer body-camera video.

Ganieany told The AP in an email that the videos are investigative records and the patrol is not required to disclose them. He said the public portion of the arrest report would be available “on or before” March 26.

The judge who released Suellentrop from jail was not specific about what evidence she lacked to support his arrest. While Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly declined to comment about Suellentrop, she described his first court hearing as “pretty typical” and said people are released “if the paperwork is not simply completed.”

“If you look at the timeframe, I don’t think there was enough time to get all of it taken care of,” Kelly told reporters after touring an east Topeka childcare center. The patrol reports to her.

Suellentrop was at the Statehouse on Wednesday and attended a meeting of Republican senators to discuss the day’s agenda. A GOP staffer handed out a written statement from Suellentrop after the meeting, and Suellentrop did not answer questions as he left.

His statement said most of his duties will be handled by Assistant Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Winfield Republican, and that Suellentrop regretted that “this incident” had caused “a distraction” for colleagues and from the Senate’s business.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616027734246.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Highway Patrol official said Wednesday that basic information won’t be available for more than a week on its arrest early Tuesday of a top legislative leader on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from law enforcement while driving the wrong way on a highway in Topeka.The disclosure from Luther Ganieany, the patrol’s general counsel, came shortly before Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop announced that he was stepping away from most of his office’s duties until matters related to his arrest are resolved. Suellentrop, a Wichita Republican, is the Senate’s No. 2 leader, and the majority leader sets the chamber’s daily debate calendar.The patrol’s Capitol Police division&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-wichita-arrests-topeka-driving-under-the-influence-7380a7e3e4fbe335536f78e0a5bf719d">arrested Suellentrop</a>&nbsp;on Interstate 70 near downtown Topeka after his SUV was reported traveling east in the highway’s westbound lanes. He was booked into the Shawnee County jail, but a judge ordered him released hours later, saying there was not sufficient evidence to support his arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615906870531.png" alt="Sullentrop photo Shawnee Co. Detention Center" />
 <figcaption>Sullentrop photo Shawnee Co. Detention Center</figcaption>
 </figure>The Associated Press and other news organizations filed open records requests seeking the public, front page of the report on the arrest, as well as copies of any patrol car dash-camera or officer body-camera video.Ganieany told The AP in an email that the videos are investigative records and the patrol is not required to disclose them. He said the public portion of the arrest report would be available “on or before” March 26.The judge who released Suellentrop from jail was not specific about what evidence she lacked to support his arrest. While Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly declined to comment about Suellentrop, she described his first court hearing as “pretty typical” and said people are released “if the paperwork is not simply completed.”“If you look at the timeframe, I don’t think there was enough time to get all of it taken care of,” Kelly told reporters after touring an east Topeka childcare center. The patrol reports to her.Suellentrop was at the Statehouse on Wednesday and attended a meeting of Republican senators to discuss the day’s agenda. A GOP staffer handed out a written statement from Suellentrop after the meeting, and Suellentrop did not answer questions as he left.His statement said most of his duties will be handled by Assistant Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Winfield Republican, and that Suellentrop regretted that “this incident” had caused “a distraction” for colleagues and from the Senate’s business.___

Kan. legislative leader turns over some duties after arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities in Washington, D.C., have arrested a Texas man near the vice president’s official residence on a weapons charge. Vice President Kamala Harris has not yet moved into the home, which is undergoing renovations. 

The Metropolitan Police Department says in a statement issued Wednesday that the man was seen on Massachusetts Avenue and then detained by Secret Service stationed near the residence following an intelligence bulletin from Texas. 

Police say Paul Murray of San Antonio is being on held charges that he carried a large-capacity ammunition-feeding device, a dangerous weapon, a rifle and unregistered ammunition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616070087656.png" alt="Paul Murray from an alert by the College Station, Texas police" />
 <figcaption>Paul Murray from an alert by the College Station, Texas police</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities in Washington, D.C., have arrested a Texas man near the vice president’s official residence on a weapons charge. Vice President Kamala Harris has not yet moved into the home, which is undergoing renovations. The Metropolitan Police Department says in a statement issued Wednesday that the man was seen on Massachusetts Avenue and then detained by Secret Service stationed near the residence following an intelligence bulletin from Texas. Police say Paul Murray of San Antonio is being on held charges that he carried a large-capacity ammunition-feeding device, a dangerous weapon, a rifle and unregistered ammunition.

Man arrested on weapons charge near vice president's home

A Hays resident is facing attempted rape charges following allegations of a home invasion and the sexual assault of a resident.

At around 3:41 a.m. Sunday, Hays Police were dispatched to the 400 block of West Sixth for a report of a male that had entered the home, Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said.

But before officers arrived, the suspect had been subdued, he said.

"Officers arrived on scene and found the suspect lying down on the porch," Scheibler said.&nbsp;

Upon investigation, officers found the suspect had been pacified by an acquaintance of the person in the home who had been sexually assaulted by the suspect, he said.

The suspect — later identified as Bryan Alberto&nbsp;Chihuahua, 22, Hays — resisted arrest, leading to additional charges, according to Scheibler.

Chihuahua was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, aggravated burglary, battery, felony interference with law enforcement and theft.

Formal charges from the Ellis County Attorney's office are pending.

Chihuahua was seen by a District Court on Monday, according to Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson, and was released on a $75,000 bond.

While on bond, Chihuahua has been ordered to refrain from illegal activity and drug or alcohol consumption, reside with his parents, consent to GPS monitoring, maintain contact with his attorney, and be present at scheduled hearings, he said.

"The Ellis County Attorney is in the process of reviewing the matter for formal charging decisions," Anderson said. "The court has given the state a deadline of March 22 to file charges.

"Arrests and subsequent charges should be viewed merely as an accusation," he added. "All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616022414770.png" alt="Chihuahua photo Ellis Co." />
 <figcaption>Chihuahua photo Ellis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostA Hays resident is facing attempted rape charges following allegations of a home invasion and the sexual assault of a resident.At around 3:41 a.m. Sunday, Hays Police were dispatched to the 400 block of West Sixth for a report of a male that had entered the home, Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said.But before officers arrived, the suspect had been subdued, he said."Officers arrived on scene and found the suspect lying down on the porch," Scheibler said.&nbsp;Upon investigation, officers found the suspect had been pacified by an acquaintance of the person in the home who had been sexually assaulted by the suspect, he said.The suspect — later identified as Bryan Alberto&nbsp;Chihuahua, 22, Hays — resisted arrest, leading to additional charges, according to Scheibler.Chihuahua was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, aggravated burglary, battery, felony interference with law enforcement and theft.Formal charges from the Ellis County Attorney's office are pending.Chihuahua was seen by a District Court on Monday, according to Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson, and was released on a $75,000 bond.While on bond, Chihuahua has been ordered to refrain from illegal activity and drug or alcohol consumption, reside with his parents, consent to GPS monitoring, maintain contact with his attorney, and be present at scheduled hearings, he said."The Ellis County Attorney is in the process of reviewing the matter for formal charging decisions," Anderson said. "The court has given the state a deadline of March 22 to file charges."Arrests and subsequent charges should be viewed merely as an accusation," he added. "All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."

Suspect arrested following burglary, sexual assault in Hays

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man arrested in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol told the FBI that an officer shrugged his shoulders when he asked whether he could join the throngs streaming into the building and that he then filmed himself walking around inside, according to court records.

Mark Roger Rebegila, of St. Mary’s, was taken into custody Monday in Topeka on charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

He is among five people from Kansas and dozens nationwide who have been charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol while Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential race.

Rebegila was interviewed at his home in January after a tipster reported seeing a video of Rebegila inside the Capitol, an FBI task force officer wrote in the complaint.

Rebegila told the FBI that by the time he entered the Capitol, crowds were already streaming into the building. More than 800 supporters of then-President Donald Trump are believed to have made it inside during the siege. Five people died in the melee, including a Capitol police officer who was struck in the head with a fire extinguisher.

Rebegila also said that he also used his phone to film himself walking through the building but later deleted it because he did not want to get into trouble, the complaint said. He also is seen on video surveillance inside the building, apparently shooting pictures and videos.

The complaint said an investigation also is underway into reports that Rebegila sat in a lawmaker’s chair and stole a bottle of liquor from an office in the Capitol. The complaint said Rebegila denied stealing property, assaulting law enforcement officers or damaging property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="Mark Roger Rebegila was interviewed at his home in January after a tipster reported seeing a video of him inside the Capitol- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Mark Roger Rebegila was interviewed at his home in January after a tipster reported seeing a video of him inside the Capitol- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man arrested in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol told the FBI that an officer shrugged his shoulders when he asked whether he could join the throngs streaming into the building and that he then filmed himself walking around inside, according to court records.Mark Roger Rebegila, of St. Mary’s, was taken into custody Monday in Topeka on charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.He is among five people from Kansas and dozens nationwide who have been charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol while Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential race.Rebegila was interviewed at his home in January after a tipster reported seeing a video of Rebegila inside the Capitol, an FBI task force officer wrote in the complaint.Rebegila told the FBI that by the time he entered the Capitol, crowds were already streaming into the building. More than 800 supporters of then-President Donald Trump are believed to have made it inside during the siege. Five people died in the melee, including a Capitol police officer who was struck in the head with a fire extinguisher.Rebegila also said that he also used his phone to film himself walking through the building but later deleted it because he did not want to get into trouble, the complaint said. He also is seen on video surveillance inside the building, apparently shooting pictures and videos.The complaint said an investigation also is underway into reports that Rebegila sat in a lawmaker’s chair and stole a bottle of liquor from an office in the Capitol. The complaint said Rebegila denied stealing property, assaulting law enforcement officers or damaging property.

FBI: St. Mary's man said he asked officer if he could enter Capitol

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man already in custody on new charges in connection with a sexual assault.

Just after 4 p.m. on Sunday, police responded to check the welfare of a citizen at Harry and Poplar, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; 

Upon arrival, officers contacted a 47-year-old woman who had injuries and learned 32-year-old Arden Vanhorn entered the business she was working at in the 1500 block of East Harry in Wichita, held a knife to her, strangled and battered her, and sexually assaulted her.&nbsp; She was able to flee the business and call the police.

&nbsp;Vanhorn remains jailed <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18760782">on requested charges </a>of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery strangulation, aggravated battery other, two counts of aggravated sodomy, two counts of rape, obstruct, aggravated escape custody, battery, and criminal damage to property.

The cases will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp; Vanhorn is also a registered violent offender through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, according to officer Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615913023670.png" alt="Vanhorn has previous felony convictions that include theft, burglary, aggravated assault and criminal use of a financial card, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections - photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Vanhorn has previous felony convictions that include theft, burglary, aggravated assault and criminal use of a financial card, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections - photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man already in custody on new charges in connection with a sexual assault.Just after 4 p.m. on Sunday, police responded to check the welfare of a citizen at Harry and Poplar, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers contacted a 47-year-old woman who had injuries and learned 32-year-old Arden Vanhorn entered the business she was working at in the 1500 block of East Harry in Wichita, held a knife to her, strangled and battered her, and sexually assaulted her.&nbsp; She was able to flee the business and call the police.Through the investigation, investigators learned of Vanhorn’s involvement in the case. They learned he had been arrested and booked into jail stemming from an aggravated battery and theft investigation on Sunday evening.&nbsp;Vanhorn remains jailed <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18760782">on requested charges </a>of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery strangulation, aggravated battery other, two counts of aggravated sodomy, two counts of rape, obstruct, aggravated escape custody, battery, and criminal damage to property.The cases will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp; Vanhorn is also a registered violent offender through the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, according to officer Davidson.

Police: Man jailed for theft, accused of rape at Kan. business

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge on Tuesday ordered the release of a Kansas Senate leader from jail in Topeka, finding there was not enough evidence to support his arrest hours earlier on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer.

Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m., following his arrest by the Capitol Police, a division of the Kansas Highway Patrol. Online booking records show that the Wichita Republican also was arrested on suspicion of speeding and crossing a divided highway.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said Suellentrop’s vehicle was traveling the wrong way in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 before it was stopped near downtown Topeka.

But Shawnee County District Judge Penny Moylan said during a 40-second first court appearance for Suellentrop that a police report did not contain “pertinent information,” but she was not more specific. Suellentrop appeared by video conference from jail, and it was not clear whether he had hired an attorney.

“At this time, I do not find probable cause to support your arrest,” Moylan told Suellentrop.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and Vice President Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican, issued a joint statement Tuesday evening calling the incident “serious and very unfortunate.” The statement came as senators debated budget legislation.

“We will continue to pray for Gene and his family as we gather more information,” they said. “The Senate continues to do our work on behalf of the people of Kansas.”

Suellentrop did not respond to cellphone and email messages seeking comment. Messages left for the judge and the local district attorney also weren’t immediately returned.

Suellentrop, a 69-year-old business owner, has served in the Legislature since 2009. After eight years in the House, he won a Senate seat in 2016 and was reelected in 2020. Fellow GOP senators elected them as the chamber’s majority leader in December.

The Capitol Police said Suellentrop’s arrest occurred on Interstate 70 near an exit near downtown.

Highway Patrol Lt. Candice Breshears said in an email to The Associated Press that Suellentrop’s SUV was traveling eastbound in I-70′s westbound lanes when a Capitol Police officer intially tried but failed to stop it.

“A short pursuit followed,” Breshears said but added that later that the SUV “came to a stop.”

Suellentrop’s vehicle traveled on I-70 for at least eight minutes before law enforcement was aware of it citing police radio traffic.&nbsp; Suellentrop’s vehicle stopped moving just before 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Authorities blocked the westbound lanes of I-70 to block the vehicle, and part of the highway was shut down while law enforcement removed the SUV.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has ordered the release of a Kansas Senate leader from jail in Topeka after finding that there was not enough evidence to support his arrest hours earlier on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer. 

Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m. Tuesday following his arrest on Interstate 70 by the Capitol Police. 

But Shawnee County District Judge Penny Moylan ruled only hours later that a Capitol Police officer’s report did not include “pertinent information” about the arrest and ordered Suellentrop's release.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Senate leader was arrested Tuesday morning in Topeka on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer, local jail records show.

Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m., following his arrest by the Capitol Police. Online booking records show that the Wichita Republican also was arrested on suspicion of speeding and crossing a divided highway.

Suellentrop remained in the jail Tuesday morning. Senate President Ty Masterson’s office confirmed the arrest and said it was gathering information about the incident. It was not immediately clear whether Suellentrop had an attorney.

A report on Suellentrop’s arrest wasn’t immediately available. However, the Capitol Police said it occurred on Interstate 70 near an exit north of downtown and that Suellentrop was traveling in the wrong direction in the westbound lanes of the highway.

Suellentrop is a 68-year-old business owner who served in the House for seven years before being elected to the Senate in 2016. He won re-election last year, and fellow GOP senators chose him as the chamber’s No. 2 leader in December.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615906870531.png" alt="Suellentrop photo Shawnee County Detention Center" />
 <figcaption>Suellentrop photo Shawnee County Detention Center</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge on Tuesday ordered the release of a Kansas Senate leader from jail in Topeka, finding there was not enough evidence to support his arrest hours earlier on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer.Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m., following his arrest by the Capitol Police, a division of the Kansas Highway Patrol. Online booking records show that the Wichita Republican also was arrested on suspicion of speeding and crossing a divided highway.The Kansas Highway Patrol said Suellentrop’s vehicle was traveling the wrong way in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 before it was stopped near downtown Topeka.But Shawnee County District Judge Penny Moylan said during a 40-second first court appearance for Suellentrop that a police report did not contain “pertinent information,” but she was not more specific. Suellentrop appeared by video conference from jail, and it was not clear whether he had hired an attorney.“At this time, I do not find probable cause to support your arrest,” Moylan told Suellentrop.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m a Black man tweeting about circumstances, so I guess I’ll start trouble and retire after this, but let’s see if any of us lead the Highway Patrol on a pursuit on the wrong way down a highway, manage not to get shot, and then get charges dismissed the same night... Come on KS. <a href="https://t.co/en5U8z4YpN">https://t.co/en5U8z4YpN</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1372007559163445248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and Vice President Rick Wilborn, a McPherson Republican, issued a joint statement Tuesday evening calling the incident “serious and very unfortunate.” The statement came as senators debated budget legislation.“We will continue to pray for Gene and his family as we gather more information,” they said. “The Senate continues to do our work on behalf of the people of Kansas.”Suellentrop did not respond to cellphone and email messages seeking comment. Messages left for the judge and the local district attorney also weren’t immediately returned.Suellentrop, a 69-year-old business owner, has served in the Legislature since 2009. After eight years in the House, he won a Senate seat in 2016 and was reelected in 2020. Fellow GOP senators elected them as the chamber’s majority leader in December.The Capitol Police said Suellentrop’s arrest occurred on Interstate 70 near an exit near downtown.Highway Patrol Lt. Candice Breshears said in an email to The Associated Press that Suellentrop’s SUV was traveling eastbound in I-70′s westbound lanes when a Capitol Police officer intially tried but failed to stop it.“A short pursuit followed,” Breshears said but added that later that the SUV “came to a stop.”Suellentrop’s vehicle traveled on I-70 for at least eight minutes before law enforcement was aware of it citing police radio traffic.&nbsp; Suellentrop’s vehicle stopped moving just before 1 a.m. Tuesday.Authorities blocked the westbound lanes of I-70 to block the vehicle, and part of the highway was shut down while law enforcement removed the SUV.--------------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has ordered the release of a Kansas Senate leader from jail in Topeka after finding that there was not enough evidence to support his arrest hours earlier on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer. Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m. Tuesday following his arrest on Interstate 70 by the Capitol Police. But Shawnee County District Judge Penny Moylan ruled only hours later that a Capitol Police officer’s report did not include “pertinent information” about the arrest and ordered Suellentrop's release.---------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Senate leader was arrested Tuesday morning in Topeka on suspicion of driving under the influence and attempting to flee from a law enforcement officer, local jail records show.Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop was booked into the Shawnee County jail just before 4 a.m., following his arrest by the Capitol Police. Online booking records show that the Wichita Republican also was arrested on suspicion of speeding and crossing a divided highway.Suellentrop remained in the jail Tuesday morning. Senate President Ty Masterson’s office confirmed the arrest and said it was gathering information about the incident. It was not immediately clear whether Suellentrop had an attorney.A report on Suellentrop’s arrest wasn’t immediately available. However, the Capitol Police said it occurred on Interstate 70 near an exit north of downtown and that Suellentrop was traveling in the wrong direction in the westbound lanes of the highway.Suellentrop is a 68-year-old business owner who served in the House for seven years before being elected to the Senate in 2016. He won re-election last year, and fellow GOP senators chose him as the chamber’s No. 2 leader in December.

Authorities release details on Kan. Senate Majority leader's arrest

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after an arrest.

Just before 10a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Honda Accord at NW 75 Highway and NW 46th Street, according to deputy Abigail Christian. A K9 unit with the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted. During the investigation, the K9 was deployed and illegal narcotics were located.

Deputies arrested 44-year-old Bobbie J. Vandiver of Topeka and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615976425765.png" alt="Vandiver remains jailed in Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Vandiver remains jailed in Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after an arrest.Just before 10a.m. Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Honda Accord at NW 75 Highway and NW 46th Street, according to deputy Abigail Christian. A K9 unit with the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted. During the investigation, the K9 was deployed and illegal narcotics were located.Deputies arrested 44-year-old Bobbie J. Vandiver of Topeka and booked her into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement.

KHP K9 unit helps make arrest of Kansas drug suspect

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a detention deputy for alleged domestic violence.

On Saturday, Haysville police arrested Sedgwick County Detention Deputy Jonathan Ramirez, according to sheriff's department spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick.

He was booked into jail on requested charges of Domestic Violence Battery, Domestic Violence Criminal Damage to Property and Criminal Deprivation of Property. Deputy Ramirez has been employed by the Sheriff’s Office since June 2019. Deputy Ramirez has been suspended without pay.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615852211736.png" alt="Ramirez-photo Sedgwick County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Ramirez-photo Sedgwick County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a detention deputy for alleged domestic violence.On Saturday, Haysville police arrested Sedgwick County Detention Deputy Jonathan Ramirez, according to sheriff's department spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick.He was booked into jail on requested charges of Domestic Violence Battery, Domestic Violence Criminal Damage to Property and Criminal Deprivation of Property. Deputy Ramirez has been employed by the Sheriff’s Office since June 2019. Deputy Ramirez has been suspended without pay.

Kansas  jail deputy accused of domestic violence

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a foot chase along the old river bed in central Salina.

On Monday evening, police were sent to the 600 block of South Front Street after report of that a suspect with four outstanding identified as 20-year-old&nbsp; Xavier Murrell was in the area, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.&nbsp; The suspect was also said to be in possession of a handgun.

An officer made contact with Murrell at 614 South Front Street. Murrell fled on foot southbound and jumped a fence at 633 South Front Street. 

The officer yelled for Murrell to stop, but he continued to flee and ran down to the old Smoky Hill River bed area behind the YMCA and then continued eastbound.

A Salina police K-9 tracked Murrell along the creek and officers eventually located him hiding in a trash can at 905 East Prescott Road, according to Forrester. Murrell had a holster but police did not locate a handgun.

In addition to the four warrants, police arrested Murrell on the requested charge of felony interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590325588967.jpeg" alt="Murrell has previous convictions for theft and aggravated domestic battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Murrell has previous convictions for theft and aggravated domestic battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a foot chase along the old river bed in central Salina.On Monday evening, police were sent to the 600 block of South Front Street after report of that a suspect with four outstanding identified as 20-year-old&nbsp; Xavier Murrell was in the area, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.&nbsp; The suspect was also said to be in possession of a handgun.An officer made contact with Murrell at 614 South Front Street. Murrell fled on foot southbound and jumped a fence at 633 South Front Street. The officer yelled for Murrell to stop, but he continued to flee and ran down to the old Smoky Hill River bed area behind the YMCA and then continued eastbound.A Salina police K-9 tracked Murrell along the creek and officers eventually located him hiding in a trash can at 905 East Prescott Road, according to Forrester. Murrell had a holster but police did not locate a handgun.In addition to the four warrants, police arrested Murrell on the requested charge of felony interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

Police K9 finds wanted Kan. felon hiding in trash can

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police have identified the woman who was hit and killed while trying to help the victim of an earlier car crash. 

Police said Monday that 58-year-old Cynthia M. Goulding of Kansas City, Kansas, came upon the wrecked SUV Sunday and stopped to check on its driver. As she was standing next to the SUV, it was struck again by a pickup truck. Goulding was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The driver of the SUV was taken to an area hospital. The driver of the pickup was taken into custody.

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.

Kansas City police reported a northbound sedan struck a southbound SUV at&nbsp; 59th Street and Nogard.&nbsp; The sedan came to rest about a block from the crash. The driver and occupants fled the scene on foot.

A Good Samaritan, identified as a woman in her late 50s, stopped to check on the crash and was standing next to the SUV. A pickup struck the SUV. The impact killed the Good Samaritan, according to KCPD.

EMS transported the driver of the SUV to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police also arrested the pickup driver.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported an arrest of the sedan driver or released name of the woman who died.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police have identified the woman who was hit and killed while trying to help the victim of an earlier car crash. Police said Monday that 58-year-old Cynthia M. Goulding of Kansas City, Kansas, came upon the wrecked SUV Sunday and stopped to check on its driver. As she was standing next to the SUV, it was struck again by a pickup truck. Goulding was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV was taken to an area hospital. The driver of the pickup was taken into custody.---------JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.Kansas City police reported a northbound sedan struck a southbound SUV at&nbsp; 59th Street and Nogard.&nbsp; The sedan came to rest about a block from the crash. The driver and occupants fled the scene on foot.A Good Samaritan, identified as a woman in her late 50s, stopped to check on the crash and was standing next to the SUV. A pickup struck the SUV. The impact killed the Good Samaritan, according to KCPD.EMS transported the driver of the SUV to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police also arrested the pickup driver.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported an arrest of the sedan driver or released name of the woman who died.

Police ID Good Samaritan killed at scene of Kan. crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man found shot to death inside a north Kansas City home at the start of the weekend.

Officers were called around 5:30 p.m. Friday to the home near the Jefferson Highlands neighborhood for a welfare check that was upgraded to a report of a shooting as the officers were on their way to the home, police said.

Arriving officers found 29-year-old Caleb Meroney with gunshot injuries. He was declared dead at the scene.

Detectives gathered evidence at the scene and canvassed the area for any witnesses, but had not announced any arrests or named any suspects in the case by Monday morning.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City have identified a man found shot to death inside a north Kansas City home at the start of the weekend.Officers were called around 5:30 p.m. Friday to the home near the Jefferson Highlands neighborhood for a welfare check that was upgraded to a report of a shooting as the officers were on their way to the home, police said.Arriving officers found 29-year-old Caleb Meroney with gunshot injuries. He was declared dead at the scene.Detectives gathered evidence at the scene and canvassed the area for any witnesses, but had not announced any arrests or named any suspects in the case by Monday morning.

Police ID man found fatally shot in Kansas City home

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of business burglaries in Wichita and the surrounding area have made an arrest, according to officer Charley Davidson.

In the burglaries, the suspect took credit cards, cash, personal information, tools and electronics.

On Friday, police arrested&nbsp; 42-year-old Robert J. Anderson III of Wichita, in the 3400 block of East Orchard without incident. Investigators also recovered stolen property from multiple burglaries and a rifle.

Police booked Anderson was on requested charges that include 19 counts to burglary; Two counts of aggravated burglary; Ten counts of attempted burglary; 13 counts of theft; 13 counts of criminal damage to property; One count of criminal possession of a firearm and Unlawful possession of marijuana, according to Davidson. Anderson has multiple previous felony convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; He is no longer in custody.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615644191234.png" alt="Anderson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Anderson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of business burglaries in Wichita and the surrounding area have made an arrest, according to officer Charley Davidson.In the burglaries, the suspect took credit cards, cash, personal information, tools and electronics.On Friday, police arrested&nbsp; 42-year-old Robert J. Anderson III of Wichita, in the 3400 block of East Orchard without incident. Investigators also recovered stolen property from multiple burglaries and a rifle.Police booked Anderson was on requested charges that include 19 counts to burglary; Two counts of aggravated burglary; Ten counts of attempted burglary; 13 counts of theft; 13 counts of criminal damage to property; One count of criminal possession of a firearm and Unlawful possession of marijuana, according to Davidson. Anderson has multiple previous felony convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; He is no longer in custody.The cases will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Police catch man wanted for 19 Kan. business burglaries

SALINE —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon from Manhattan on multiple charges after a high-speed chase through Saline County and crash.

Just before 1a.m. Saturday, a Saline County sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a 2011 Ford Taurus for speeding near the intersection of North Fifth Street and Stimmel Road, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan. The Taurus driven by a suspect later identified as 22-year-old Curtis Minick of Manhattan fled east on Stimmel Road and a chase ensued on to East Old Highway 40.

 The chase continued across the county for over 12-minutes at speeds of over 110 miles per hour until Minick, driving without headlights&nbsp; failed to negotiate a left turn onto West Otis Avenue.

The Taurus crashed into the rock wall just west of the entrance to Saint Francis Ministries, 110 Otis Avenue.

Minick then fled onto the Saint Francis Ministries campus on foot, but was apprehended after a couple of minutes by a Salina Police Department officer, according to Soldan.

Minick, who had a failure to appear warrant out of Riley County, was arrested requested charges that include Felony flee and elude, Reckless driving, Interference with a law enforcement officer, Driving with a suspended license, Transporting an open container and No proof of insurance.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615729781397.jpeg" alt="Minick has nearly a dozen previous convictions that include theft, obstruction, battery, aggravated failure to appear, burglary, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. - photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Minick has nearly a dozen previous convictions that include theft, obstruction, battery, aggravated failure to appear, burglary, criminal damage to property and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. - photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon from Manhattan on multiple charges after a high-speed chase through Saline County and crash.Just before 1a.m. Saturday, a Saline County sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a 2011 Ford Taurus for speeding near the intersection of North Fifth Street and Stimmel Road, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan. The Taurus driven by a suspect later identified as 22-year-old Curtis Minick of Manhattan fled east on Stimmel Road and a chase ensued on to East Old Highway 40. The chase continued across the county for over 12-minutes at speeds of over 110 miles per hour until Minick, driving without headlights&nbsp; failed to negotiate a left turn onto West Otis Avenue.The Taurus crashed into the rock wall just west of the entrance to Saint Francis Ministries, 110 Otis Avenue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615821961049.jpeg" alt="Crash scene photo Saline Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Crash scene photo Saline Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Minick then fled onto the Saint Francis Ministries campus on foot, but was apprehended after a couple of minutes by a Salina Police Department officer, according to Soldan.Minick, who had a failure to appear warrant out of Riley County, was arrested requested charges that include Felony flee and elude, Reckless driving, Interference with a law enforcement officer, Driving with a suspended license, Transporting an open container and No proof of insurance.&nbsp;

Wanted Manhattan man jailed after high-speed chase, crash

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 3a.m. Sunday in Johnson County.Kansas City police reported a northbound sedan struck a southbound SUV at&nbsp; 59th Street and Nogard.&nbsp; The sedan came to rest about a block from the crash. The driver and occupants fled the scene on foot.A Good Samaritan, identified as a woman in her late 50s, stopped to check on the crash and was standing next to the SUV. A pickup struck the SUV. The impact killed the Good Samaritan, according to KCPD.EMS transported the driver of the SUV to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police also arrested the pickup driver.&nbsp; Authorities have not reported an arrest of the sedan driver or released name of the woman who died.

Good Samaritan killed after 3-vehicle Kan. crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a series of crimes and two high speed police chases including one that injured another motorist.&nbsp;

Sean McKenzie, 42 of Wichita, was convicted of nine felony crimes, including gun and drug charges, aggravated battery, and two counts of fleeing police, according to the Sedgwick District Attorney. All of the crimes occurred in August of 2020.

McKenzie’s attorney argued that her client deserved a lesser sentence because he had a leg amputated after crashing his car while fleeing from police. McKenzie’s attorney also asked for drug treatment for her client.&nbsp; The judge&nbsp;denied the request for the lesser sentence.

McKenzie’s cases began on August 11, when Wichita Police found a gun and methamphetamine in his car. He was arrested at the time and later released from custody while the investigation continued.

On August 14th, McKenzie fled Wichita Police at a high rate of speed after they attempted to stop his car. McKenzie crashed into another vehicle, causing facial and leg injuries to the other motorist. McKenzie ran from the crash scene and was not apprehended.

On August, 17, police were looking for McKenzie when they spotted his car. He again tried to drive away from officers, but crashed into a telephone pole and a tree. He suffered critical leg injuries in the crash. Officers applied a tourniquet to his leg, but doctors could not save it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615329175504.png" alt="Mckenzie photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Mckenzie photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a series of crimes and two high speed police chases including one that injured another motorist.&nbsp;Sean McKenzie, 42 of Wichita, was convicted of nine felony crimes, including gun and drug charges, aggravated battery, and two counts of fleeing police, according to the Sedgwick District Attorney. All of the crimes occurred in August of 2020.McKenzie’s attorney argued that her client deserved a lesser sentence because he had a leg amputated after crashing his car while fleeing from police. McKenzie’s attorney also asked for drug treatment for her client.&nbsp; The judge&nbsp;denied the request for the lesser sentence.McKenzie’s cases began on August 11, when Wichita Police found a gun and methamphetamine in his car. He was arrested at the time and later released from custody while the investigation continued.On August 14th, McKenzie fled Wichita Police at a high rate of speed after they attempted to stop his car. McKenzie crashed into another vehicle, causing facial and leg injuries to the other motorist. McKenzie ran from the crash scene and was not apprehended.On August, 17, police were looking for McKenzie when they spotted his car. He again tried to drive away from officers, but crashed into a telephone pole and a tree. He suffered critical leg injuries in the crash. Officers applied a tourniquet to his leg, but doctors could not save it.

Kan. man who lost leg after police chase sentenced 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A white Kansas City police officer who sprayed a 15-year-old Black girl with chemicals during racial injustice protests last summer was indicted Friday on misdemeanor assault, prosecutors said.

Officer Nicholas McQuillen, 38, will be issued a summons to appear later in court, Jackson County prosecutors said after the county’s grand jury delivered the indictment.

According to charging documents, the girl was with her father, siblings and friends on May 30 at protests along the Country Club Plaza that were sparked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-pay-27-million-settle-floyd-family-lawsuit-52a395f7716f52cf8d1fbeb411c831c7">the killing of George Floyd</a>, a Black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer. Protesters were on sidewalks while police lined the streets.

Police said the girl’s father, who’s Black, was repeatedly told to stay on the sidewalk or he would be arrested, but the man later said he did not hear those commands.

Videos show the father standing on the street, within 1 or 2 feet of the sidewalk, shouting at officers. The girl was next to him, according to court documents.

Video shows McQuillen and another officer moving toward the man and girl, but they do not make any statement to them or tell them they are under arrest, according to court documents. At this point, the man is back on the sidewalk, and there is “no evidence of information about the need to immediately arrest (the man),” the documents said, and no evidence that McQuillen contacted a supervisor or officers other than the one who was with him.

The videos also show McQuillen and the other officer trying to pull the man into the street while his family and friends try to keep him on the sidewalk. The movement caused the girl to be between McQuillen and the man, which led to her hands touching McQuillen’s vest.

At that point, McQuillen raised the MK-90 fogger, a chemical spray used to control crowds, and sprayed the girl in the face, according to the court documents. She told investigators she suffered pain in her eyes and a burning sensation on her arms but did not seek medical attention.

It was not immediately clear if McQuillen has an attorney.

The Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement that it was disappointed the prosecuting attorney would charge McQuillen when he “employed the lowest level of force available to him,” The Kansas City Star reported.

“We believe this charge has no merit and the FOP will fully support Officer McQuillen as he challenges it in Court,” the statement said.

Attorney Tom Porto, who is representing the victim, said in a statement called the officer’s conduct “absolutely indefensible.”

“A 15-year-old girl had the equivalent of bear spray sprayed in her face from centimeters away,” Porto said. “The grand jury got it right.”

Kansas City police spokeswoman Officer Donna Drake said McQuillen has been with the department since 2014 and is assigned to the Patrol Bureau.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590925487256.png" alt="Police in Kansas City at the scene of May 2020 protests photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police in Kansas City at the scene of May 2020 protests photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A white Kansas City police officer who sprayed a 15-year-old Black girl with chemicals during racial injustice protests last summer was indicted Friday on misdemeanor assault, prosecutors said.Officer Nicholas McQuillen, 38, will be issued a summons to appear later in court, Jackson County prosecutors said after the county’s grand jury delivered the indictment.According to charging documents, the girl was with her father, siblings and friends on May 30 at protests along the Country Club Plaza that were sparked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-pay-27-million-settle-floyd-family-lawsuit-52a395f7716f52cf8d1fbeb411c831c7">the killing of George Floyd</a>, a Black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer. Protesters were on sidewalks while police lined the streets.Police said the girl’s father, who’s Black, was repeatedly told to stay on the sidewalk or he would be arrested, but the man later said he did not hear those commands.Videos show the father standing on the street, within 1 or 2 feet of the sidewalk, shouting at officers. The girl was next to him, according to court documents.Video shows McQuillen and another officer moving toward the man and girl, but they do not make any statement to them or tell them they are under arrest, according to court documents. At this point, the man is back on the sidewalk, and there is “no evidence of information about the need to immediately arrest (the man),” the documents said, and no evidence that McQuillen contacted a supervisor or officers other than the one who was with him.The videos also show McQuillen and the other officer trying to pull the man into the street while his family and friends try to keep him on the sidewalk. The movement caused the girl to be between McQuillen and the man, which led to her hands touching McQuillen’s vest.At that point, McQuillen raised the MK-90 fogger, a chemical spray used to control crowds, and sprayed the girl in the face, according to the court documents. She told investigators she suffered pain in her eyes and a burning sensation on her arms but did not seek medical attention.It was not immediately clear if McQuillen has an attorney.The Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement that it was disappointed the prosecuting attorney would charge McQuillen when he “employed the lowest level of force available to him,” The Kansas City Star reported.“We believe this charge has no merit and the FOP will fully support Officer McQuillen as he challenges it in Court,” the statement said.Attorney Tom Porto, who is representing the victim, said in a statement called the officer’s conduct “absolutely indefensible.”“A 15-year-old girl had the equivalent of bear spray sprayed in her face from centimeters away,” Porto said. “The grand jury got it right.”Kansas City police spokeswoman Officer Donna Drake said McQuillen has been with the department since 2014 and is assigned to the Patrol Bureau.

Kansas City officer who sprayed teenage protester indicted

WASHINGTON (AP) —As members of the Oath Keepers paramilitary group shouldered their way through the mob and up the steps to the U.S. Capitol, their plans for Jan. 6 were clear, authorities say. “Arrest this assembly, we have probable cause for acts of treason, election fraud,” someone commanded over an encrypted messaging app some extremists used to communicate during the siege.

A little while earlier, Proud Boys carrying two-way radios and wearing earpieces spread out and tried to blend in with the crowd as they invaded the Capitol led by a man assigned “war powers” to oversee the group’s attack, prosecutors say.

These two extremist groups that traveled to Washington along with thousands of other Trump supporters weren’t whipped into an impulsive frenzy by President Donald Trump that day, officials say. They’d been laying attack plans. And their internal communications and other evidence emerging in court papers and in hearings show how authorities are trying to build a case that small&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-extremist-groups-80e309418abecd0b1d50ec4762e6d9c6">cells hidden within the masses</a>&nbsp;mounted an organized, military-style assault on the heart of American democracy.

“This was not simply a march. This was an incredible attack on our institutions of government,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough said during a recent hearing.

The Proud Boys and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-ohio-4ae41a1dc529fc96879c618b5b64126d">the Oath Keepers make up a fraction</a>&nbsp;of the more than 300 Trump supporters charged so far in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the siege</a>&nbsp;that led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">Trump’s second impeachment</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/docs-expose-depth-january-6-capitol-siege-chaos-fd3204574c11e453be8fb4e3c81258c3">resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer</a>. But several of their leaders, members and associates have become the central targets of the Justice Department’s sprawling investigation.

It could mean more serious criminal charges for some rioters. On the other hand, mounting evidence of advance planning could also fuel Trump’s and his supporters’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-trial-update-2-12-2021-f831653160706c49987c9d33228ccbbb">claims that the Republican former president did not incite the riot</a>&nbsp;and therefore should not be liable for it.

Defense attorneys have accused prosecutors of distorting their clients’ words and actions to falsely portray the attack as a premeditated, orchestrated insurrection instead of a spontaneous outpouring of election-fueled rage to stop Congress’ certification of Trump’s defeat by Democrat Joe Biden.

And prosecutors’ case against a man described as a leader in the Proud Boys’ attack took a hit last week when a judge ordered him released while he awaits trial, calling some of the evidence against him “weak to say the least.”

The Oath Keepers began readying for violence as early as last November, authorities say. Communications show the group discussing logistics, weapons and training, including “2 days of wargames.”

“I need you fighting fit” by the inauguration, one Ohio member, Jessica Watkins, told a recruit in November, according to court documents. “If Biden becomes president our way of life as we know it is over. Our Republic would be over. Then it is our duty as Americans to fight, kill and die for our rights,” she said in another message later that month.

As Jan. 6 neared, they discussed stationing a “quick reaction force” outside Washington that could bring in weapons “if something goes to hell,” according to court documents. Days before the attack, one man suggested getting a boat to ferry “heavy weapons” across the Potomac River into their “waiting arms.”

“I believe we will have to get violent to stop this,” that man, Thomas Caldwell of Virginia, said in a November message to Watkins. On Jan. 1, he took to Facebook to decry what he viewed as a rigged election, saying “we must smite them now and drive them down,” authorities say.

Authorities have acknowledged there’s no evidence Caldwell was a dues-paying member of the Oath Keepers but have described him as a supporter who appeared to play a “leadership role” within the group.

There were plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-politics-impeachments-7d2334edf7da4e2d50e4c6f1f386dec1">some Oath Keepers</a>&nbsp;to be there in “grey man” mode without identifiable militia gear so they could blend in with the crowd.

“For every Oath Keeper you see, there are at least two you don’t see,” said a Jan. 4 email sent to members.

Two days before the attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henry-tarrio-proud-boys-arrested-d00d08b026669c150832d1e4c19aeab6">Proud Boys’ top leader, Enrique Tarrio,</a>&nbsp;was arrested shortly after he arrived in Washington and was charged with vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic Black church during a December protest.

Tarrio was ordered to stay away from the nation’s capital, so Ethan Nordean was given “war powers” to take charge of the group’s Jan. 6 activities, prosecutors say.

Nordean, a Proud Boys chapter president from Washington state known as Ruffio Panman, tapped his social media following to solicit donations of money and tactical gear for the rally, prosecutors said. On the day of Tarrio’s arrest, Nordean posted a link to a podcast in which he discussed baseless claims about fraud in the election.

“Democracy is dead? Well, then no peace for you. No democracy, no peace,” he said.

Publicly, Tarrio announced on social media that the Proud Boys wouldn’t be wearing their customary yellow-and-black polo shirts on Jan. 6 so they could be “incognito.” Joseph Biggs, a self-described Proud Boys organizer from Florida, echoed that in a social media post directed at counter-protesters.

“We will be blending in as one of you. You won’t see us,” Biggs wrote. “We are going to smell like you, move like you, and look like you.”

Privately, according to prosecutors, the Proud Boys arranged for members to communicate using specific frequencies on Baofeng radios, Chinese-made devices that can be programmed for use on hundreds of frequencies, making it difficult for outsiders to eavesdrop.

One of the Proud Boys who heeded the call to meet in Washington was Dominic Pezzola. He traveled from Syracuse, New York, on Jan. 5 and stayed with other members at a hotel, authorities say.

Another group of members came from the Kansas City area. Investigators believe their chapter leader, William Chrestman, brought a helmet, a gas mask and an ax handle that he would conceal as a flag.

They were ready for a fight, prosecutors say.

Long before the riot, Trump refused to condemn the Proud Boys during his Sept. 29 presidential debate against Biden, instead saying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-donald-trump-chris-wallace-0b32339da25fbc9e8b7c7c7066a1db0f">the group should “stand back and stand by.”</a>&nbsp;Proud Boys members celebrated his words on social media, before the president later claimed not to know who they were. It’s unclear whether the Oath Keepers were on the White House radar.

Proud Boys members, who describe themselves as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists,” have frequently engaged in street fights with antifascist activists at rallies and protests. Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, who founded the Proud Boys in 2016, sued the Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling it as a hate group.

The Oath Keepers are a loosely organized group of extremists who actively recruit current and former military, police and first responders who pledge to fulfill the oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies — foreign or domestic.

In the weeks before the attack, Trump and his supporters were making increasingly false and incendiary comments, designed to mobilize supporters to work to overturn the election results — even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">there was no widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;in the election, as was confirmed by election officials across the country and by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">Trump’s attorney general</a>.

Trump encouraged thousands at the rally preceding the riot to “fight like hell,” but lawyers for the former president adamantly denied during his impeachment trial that he had incited the attack. They pointed to a remark during his speech in which he told the crowd to behave “peacefully” that day.

He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">acquitted in a Senate trial</a>&nbsp;of inciting the riot after he was impeached by the House, but GOP leaders said a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-acquittals-impeachments-6fb642f97be5f2bd202e8bc002d6a167">more appropriate venue</a>&nbsp;for his actions could be the courts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613070062571.png" alt="In February, a Capitol. Chief U.S. District Judge ordered&nbsp; that 47-year-old William Chrestman of Olathe be taken from Kansas to Washington to be held until his trial. Chrestman is charged with conspiracy and several other counts. Federal authorities allege he led members of the Kansas City-area Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol Jan. 6.&nbsp; photo Wyandotte County Jail" />
 <figcaption>In February, a Capitol. Chief U.S. District Judge ordered&nbsp; that 47-year-old William Chrestman of Olathe be taken from Kansas to Washington to be held until his trial. Chrestman is charged with conspiracy and several other counts. Federal authorities allege he led members of the Kansas City-area Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol Jan. 6.&nbsp; photo Wyandotte County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —As members of the Oath Keepers paramilitary group shouldered their way through the mob and up the steps to the U.S. Capitol, their plans for Jan. 6 were clear, authorities say. “Arrest this assembly, we have probable cause for acts of treason, election fraud,” someone commanded over an encrypted messaging app some extremists used to communicate during the siege.A little while earlier, Proud Boys carrying two-way radios and wearing earpieces spread out and tried to blend in with the crowd as they invaded the Capitol led by a man assigned “war powers” to oversee the group’s attack, prosecutors say.These two extremist groups that traveled to Washington along with thousands of other Trump supporters weren’t whipped into an impulsive frenzy by President Donald Trump that day, officials say. They’d been laying attack plans. And their internal communications and other evidence emerging in court papers and in hearings show how authorities are trying to build a case that small&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-extremist-groups-80e309418abecd0b1d50ec4762e6d9c6">cells hidden within the masses</a>&nbsp;mounted an organized, military-style assault on the heart of American democracy.“This was not simply a march. This was an incredible attack on our institutions of government,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough said during a recent hearing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="Protesters at the U.S. Capitol on January 6-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Protesters at the U.S. Capitol on January 6-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The Proud Boys and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-ohio-4ae41a1dc529fc96879c618b5b64126d">the Oath Keepers make up a fraction</a>&nbsp;of the more than 300 Trump supporters charged so far in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the siege</a>&nbsp;that led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">Trump’s second impeachment</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/docs-expose-depth-january-6-capitol-siege-chaos-fd3204574c11e453be8fb4e3c81258c3">resulted in the deaths of five people, including a police officer</a>. But several of their leaders, members and associates have become the central targets of the Justice Department’s sprawling investigation.It could mean more serious criminal charges for some rioters. On the other hand, mounting evidence of advance planning could also fuel Trump’s and his supporters’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-trial-update-2-12-2021-f831653160706c49987c9d33228ccbbb">claims that the Republican former president did not incite the riot</a>&nbsp;and therefore should not be liable for it.Defense attorneys have accused prosecutors of distorting their clients’ words and actions to falsely portray the attack as a premeditated, orchestrated insurrection instead of a spontaneous outpouring of election-fueled rage to stop Congress’ certification of Trump’s defeat by Democrat Joe Biden.And prosecutors’ case against a man described as a leader in the Proud Boys’ attack took a hit last week when a judge ordered him released while he awaits trial, calling some of the evidence against him “weak to say the least.”___The Oath Keepers began readying for violence as early as last November, authorities say. Communications show the group discussing logistics, weapons and training, including “2 days of wargames.”“I need you fighting fit” by the inauguration, one Ohio member, Jessica Watkins, told a recruit in November, according to court documents. “If Biden becomes president our way of life as we know it is over. Our Republic would be over. Then it is our duty as Americans to fight, kill and die for our rights,” she said in another message later that month.As Jan. 6 neared, they discussed stationing a “quick reaction force” outside Washington that could bring in weapons “if something goes to hell,” according to court documents. Days before the attack, one man suggested getting a boat to ferry “heavy weapons” across the Potomac River into their “waiting arms.”“I believe we will have to get violent to stop this,” that man, Thomas Caldwell of Virginia, said in a November message to Watkins. On Jan. 1, he took to Facebook to decry what he viewed as a rigged election, saying “we must smite them now and drive them down,” authorities say.Authorities have acknowledged there’s no evidence Caldwell was a dues-paying member of the Oath Keepers but have described him as a supporter who appeared to play a “leadership role” within the group.There were plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-politics-impeachments-7d2334edf7da4e2d50e4c6f1f386dec1">some Oath Keepers</a>&nbsp;to be there in “grey man” mode without identifiable militia gear so they could blend in with the crowd.“For every Oath Keeper you see, there are at least two you don’t see,” said a Jan. 4 email sent to members.____Two days before the attack, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/henry-tarrio-proud-boys-arrested-d00d08b026669c150832d1e4c19aeab6">Proud Boys’ top leader, Enrique Tarrio,</a>&nbsp;was arrested shortly after he arrived in Washington and was charged with vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic Black church during a December protest.Tarrio was ordered to stay away from the nation’s capital, so Ethan Nordean was given “war powers” to take charge of the group’s Jan. 6 activities, prosecutors say.Nordean, a Proud Boys chapter president from Washington state known as Ruffio Panman, tapped his social media following to solicit donations of money and tactical gear for the rally, prosecutors said. On the day of Tarrio’s arrest, Nordean posted a link to a podcast in which he discussed baseless claims about fraud in the election.“Democracy is dead? Well, then no peace for you. No democracy, no peace,” he said.Publicly, Tarrio announced on social media that the Proud Boys wouldn’t be wearing their customary yellow-and-black polo shirts on Jan. 6 so they could be “incognito.” Joseph Biggs, a self-described Proud Boys organizer from Florida, echoed that in a social media post directed at counter-protesters.“We will be blending in as one of you. You won’t see us,” Biggs wrote. “We are going to smell like you, move like you, and look like you.”Privately, according to prosecutors, the Proud Boys arranged for members to communicate using specific frequencies on Baofeng radios, Chinese-made devices that can be programmed for use on hundreds of frequencies, making it difficult for outsiders to eavesdrop.One of the Proud Boys who heeded the call to meet in Washington was Dominic Pezzola. He traveled from Syracuse, New York, on Jan. 5 and stayed with other members at a hotel, authorities say.Another group of members came from the Kansas City area. Investigators believe their chapter leader, William Chrestman, brought a helmet, a gas mask and an ax handle that he would conceal as a flag.They were ready for a fight, prosecutors say.___Long before the riot, Trump refused to condemn the Proud Boys during his Sept. 29 presidential debate against Biden, instead saying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-donald-trump-chris-wallace-0b32339da25fbc9e8b7c7c7066a1db0f">the group should “stand back and stand by.”</a>&nbsp;Proud Boys members celebrated his words on social media, before the president later claimed not to know who they were. It’s unclear whether the Oath Keepers were on the White House radar.Proud Boys members, who describe themselves as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists,” have frequently engaged in street fights with antifascist activists at rallies and protests. Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, who founded the Proud Boys in 2016, sued the Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling it as a hate group.The Oath Keepers are a loosely organized group of extremists who actively recruit current and former military, police and first responders who pledge to fulfill the oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies — foreign or domestic.In the weeks before the attack, Trump and his supporters were making increasingly false and incendiary comments, designed to mobilize supporters to work to overturn the election results — even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">there was no widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;in the election, as was confirmed by election officials across the country and by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">Trump’s attorney general</a>.Trump encouraged thousands at the rally preceding the riot to “fight like hell,” but lawyers for the former president adamantly denied during his impeachment trial that he had incited the attack. They pointed to a remark during his speech in which he told the crowd to behave “peacefully” that day.He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">acquitted in a Senate trial</a>&nbsp;of inciting the riot after he was impeached by the House, but GOP leaders said a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-acquittals-impeachments-6fb642f97be5f2bd202e8bc002d6a167">more appropriate venue</a>&nbsp;for his actions could be the courts.___As the mob swarmed the Capitol, Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers, was communicating with some of the alleged rioters.“All I see Trump doing is complaining. I see no intent by him to do anything. So the patriots are taking it into their own hands. They’ve had enough,” he said in a Signal message to a group around 1:40 p.m., authorities say. A little later, Rhodes, who has not been charged in the attack, instructed the group to “come to South Side of Capitol on steps.”Around 2:40 p.m., members of a military-style “stack” who moved up Capitol stairs in a line entered the building through a door on the east side, authorities say. Lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence had been evacuated from the House and Senate chambers just about 20 minutes earlier.“We are in the mezzanine. We are in the main dome right now. We are rocking it. They are throwing grenades, they are fricking shooting people with paint balls. But we are in here,” Watkins declared over a channel called Stop the Steal J6 on the walkie-talkie app Zello.“Get it, Jess. ... Everything we (expletive) trained for,” someone responded, according to the communications&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/zello-tapes-walkie-talkie-app-used-during-insurrection-on-the-media" target="_blank">obtained by WNYC’s “On the Media” program</a>&nbsp;and detailed in court documents.Caldwell, who did not join the stack, climbed up to the west side balcony, authorities say.“We are surging forward, doors breached,” he said in a Facebook message about 10 minutes after the group went inside, according to court documents. Roughly 15 minutes later he sent another message: “Inside.”Caldwell received a Facebook message saying “all members are in the tunnels under capital seal them in,” authorities said. “Turn on gas,” the message said.Hours after the siege, Caldwell was already talking about another attack “at the local level,” authorities say.“If we’d had guns I guarantee we would have killed 100 politicians. They ran off and were spirited away through their underground tunnels like the rats they were,” Caldwell said in a message to a friend.___The Proud Boys met at the Washington Monument and were already at the Capitol before Trump finished addressing thousands of supporters near the White House. Listening to the president’s speech wasn’t part of their plan, prosecutors say.Nordean led the way with a bullhorn while they wore headgear marked with orange tape. Pezzola appeared to have an earpiece in his right ear. Biggs had what looked like a walkie-talkie device on his chest.Nordean was spotted having a brief exchange near the Capitol with Robert Gieswein, a bat-wielding Colorado man. Proud Boys planning for Jan. 6 had discussed using non-members, or “normies,” like Gieswein to “burn that city to ash” and “smash some pigs to dust,” prosecutors said.The Proud Boys arrived at the east side of the Capitol before noon. Nordean allegedly positioned them at a Capitol grounds pedestrian entrance guarded by a handful of police officers behind a movable metal barrier.Around 12:50 p.m., just before the joint session of Congress was scheduled to start, a crowd including Proud Boys members broke through a front line of Capitol police officers and past sets of metal barriers. Nordean moved to the front of the crowd and “stalked” the line of officers to intimidate them and rile up the crowd, prosecutors wrote.As the mob advanced to another line of officers in the Capitol’s west plaza, Chrestman faced them and shouted, “Do you want your house back?”“Yes!” the crowd replied.“Take it!” Chrestman yelled.Gieswein and Pezzola were among the first to enter the Capitol, through a window Pezzola shattered with a riot shield that he snatched from police, prosecutors say. It took Pezzola more than an hour to fight his way from the exterior of the Capitol grounds to the building’s interior, they say.Inside, Pezzola joined others in confronting Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, who led the mob away from an entrance to the Senate chamber. Pezzola later took a video of himself smoking a cigar.“Victory smoke in the Capitol, boys,” he said.___Nine people linked to the Oath Keepers have been indicted on charges that they planned and coordinated with one another in the siege. At least 11 leaders, members or associates of the Proud Boys charged in the riots are accused by the Justice Department of participating in a coordinated attack.Several from both groups remain in federal custody while awaiting trial.Their defense attorneys say prosecutors have painted a misleading account of the day’s events based on shaky evidence. Other lawyers for those charged with storming the Capitol have tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-us-news-75b5963841a2263fe8d79b1d18ef552b">pin the blame on Trump for inciting the rioters</a>.Nordean’s lawyers said prosecutors haven’t presented any evidence that he used encrypted communications to lead a group’s attack on the Capitol. While the government said investigators found a Baofeng radio in Nordean’s home, his lawyers said he did not obtain it until after the day after the riot.“The government has made repeated claims about Ethan’s activities and then backed away from them without providing any support,” said one of his attorneys, Nicholas Smith.Caldwell’s lawyer has accused prosecutors of twisting social media posts and messages to make fantastic claims with no hard evidence that any person or group had a premeditated plan to storm the Capitol. David Fischer described Caldwell as a Hollywood-addicted amateur screenwriter full of bravado. The prosecutors’ case is heavy on “dramatic language” but “light on specifics,” the lawyer said in a recent court filing.“What time was the ‘invasion’ scheduled to begin? Who would lead the attack? What was the goal once the planners entered the Capitol? Who was the leader in the attack? What was the exit strategy of the planners?” Fischer wrote.Fischer said prosecutors’ case crumbles when closely examined. The “quick reaction force” prosecutors have alleged the Oath Keepers were planning, for example, was actually one person — an obese man in his late 60s with a bad back — who planned to come to their aid if they were attacked by left-wing protesters, Fischer said.During a hearing last month in which a judge ordered him to remain behind bars while he awaits trial, Caldwell exclaimed that his messages were being “taken out of context.”“These Oath Keepers thought they — ” he said, before the audio was disconnected and the judge cut in to warn him that anything he said could be used against him by prosecutors.____