Jesse Moses Monreal/Photo courtesy of the Livingston Co. Sheriff's Dept.

A man wanted for murder in Kansas has been apprehended in northwest Missouri.

Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox says Jesse Moses Monreal was arrested after a manhunt in southern Livingston County.

Monreal has been charged with first degree murder and attempted robbery in Johnson County, Kansas for an incident in early May.

The manhunt began after a vehicle was stolen in Lafayette County and the suspects fled into Livingston County. Deputies arrested Monreal, but two men with him escaped. Authorities suspect they stole a truck from a rock quarry in Blue Mound. Kansas law enforcement do not believe the two were involved in the Johnson County homicide.

The Livingston and Lafayette County sheriff’s departments continue to work with the U.S. Marshall Office on the two stolen vehicle cases.

Cox says Monreal remains incarcerated in the Daviess Dekalb Regional Jail and once he clears extradition process, will be released to Kansas authorities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590074381554.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jesse Moses Monreal/Photo courtesy of the Livingston Co. Sheriff's Dept.By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA man wanted for murder in Kansas has been apprehended in northwest Missouri.Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox says Jesse Moses Monreal was arrested after a manhunt in southern Livingston County.Monreal has been charged with first degree murder and attempted robbery in Johnson County, Kansas for an incident in early May.The manhunt began after a vehicle was stolen in Lafayette County and the suspects fled into Livingston County. Deputies arrested Monreal, but two men with him escaped. Authorities suspect they stole a truck from a rock quarry in Blue Mound. Kansas law enforcement do not believe the two were involved in the Johnson County homicide.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590075890509.png" alt="Monreal photo Daviess-DeKalb County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Monreal photo Daviess-DeKalb County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>The Livingston and Lafayette County sheriff’s departments continue to work with the U.S. Marshall Office on the two stolen vehicle cases.Cox says Monreal remains incarcerated in the Daviess Dekalb Regional Jail and once he clears extradition process, will be released to Kansas authorities.

Man wanted for Kansas murder arrested in Missouri

TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt issued a formal legal opinion Wednesday addressing whether a state law that authorizes criminal prosecution of Kansans who violate emergency orders issued by the governor is constitutional and enforceable. 

The opinion is a consolidated response to separate requests for the attorney general’s legal opinion on closely related subjects from Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder, State Senator Richard Hilderbrand, and State Representatives Tory Marie Arnberger, Renee Erickson, Susan Humphries, Brenda Landwehr, Barbara Wasinger and Kristey Williams, according to the Attorney General's office.

The Opinion notes that the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) places on the governor responsibility to respond to disasters and grants broad authority to do so. Because of the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of emergency powers has been unprecedented since the KEMA was enacted in 1975, with 31 emergency orders issued by the governor in the past 10 weeks. The Opinion does not address federal, state or local emergency authority outside the KEMA.

Notable conclusions in the 31-page opinion include:

Noting “the unique facts facing prosecutors in Kansas,” District Attorney Schroeder in particular requested an analysis regarding criminal prosecution of violations of emergency orders to assist local authorities “to avoid any unlawful arrests or convictions stemming from the disputed nature and authority of the Governor’s Executive Orders.”

Addressing that concern, the Opinion concludes:

Regarding criminal enforcement, the Opinion sets out a “Recommended framework for evaluating ‘lawfulness’ of an emergency order” for use by prosecutors. Because of issues unique to emergency orders, the Opinion recommends five questions prosecutors should analyze case-by-case before any criminal enforcement action: (1) Was a state of disaster emergency in effect at the time of the conduct alleged to violate an emergency order, (2) was the emergency order properly published as required by statute and by principles of due process, (3) does the plain text of [the emergency-powers statute] grant authority for the particular emergency order at issue, (4) is the emergency order unconstitutionally vague in violation of due process, and (5) does the emergency order impermissibly burden constitutional or statutory rights?

In its criminal-enforcement section, the Opinion also includes these passages:

The opinion has been posted on the attorney general’s website and<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ag-opinions/2020/2020-006.pdf?sfvrsn=1997ac1a_8"> is available here.</a>

TOPEKA – Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt issued a formal legal opinion Wednesday addressing whether a state law that authorizes criminal prosecution of Kansans who violate emergency orders issued by the governor is constitutional and enforceable. The opinion is a consolidated response to separate requests for the attorney general’s legal opinion on closely related subjects from Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder, State Senator Richard Hilderbrand, and State Representatives Tory Marie Arnberger, Renee Erickson, Susan Humphries, Brenda Landwehr, Barbara Wasinger and Kristey Williams, according to the Attorney General's office.The Opinion notes that the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA) places on the governor responsibility to respond to disasters and grants broad authority to do so. Because of the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of emergency powers has been unprecedented since the KEMA was enacted in 1975, with 31 emergency orders issued by the governor in the past 10 weeks. The Opinion does not address federal, state or local emergency authority outside the KEMA.Notable conclusions in the 31-page opinion include:<ol>
 <li>“[T]he validity of the Second Disaster Proclamation [on April 30, 2020] is doubtful … To minimize the risk of legal challenges to executive orders issued or other emergency actions after May 1, 2020, authorized under the Second Disaster Proclamation, we recommend that the legislature by statute expressly approve the state of disaster emergency.” [p. 13]</li><li>“Three specific portions in the language of [the emergency-powers statute] are constitutionally suspect on their face. The legislature should examine them carefully to determine whether they accurately reflect the legislature’s intent. If one or more is invalid, it would become necessary to determine whether the invalid portion is severable from the remainder of the statute.” [p. 13]</li>
 </ol>Noting “the unique facts facing prosecutors in Kansas,” District Attorney Schroeder in particular requested an analysis regarding criminal prosecution of violations of emergency orders to assist local authorities “to avoid any unlawful arrests or convictions stemming from the disputed nature and authority of the Governor’s Executive Orders.”Addressing that concern, the Opinion concludes:<ol>
 <li>“Because emergency orders are not subject before issuance to the ordinary processes of deliberative governance, the lawfulness of the order cannot as readily be presupposed but is reasonably subject to question. In light of the rare [statutory] requirement that only … violations of … 'lawful' emergency orders be punished criminally,&nbsp;prosecutors considering bringing charges under authority of [the emergency-powers statute] should specifically analyze the lawfulness of any individual order before bringing charges.” [p. 20]</li>
 </ol>Regarding criminal enforcement, the Opinion sets out a “Recommended framework for evaluating ‘lawfulness’ of an emergency order” for use by prosecutors. Because of issues unique to emergency orders, the Opinion recommends five questions prosecutors should analyze case-by-case before any criminal enforcement action: (1) Was a state of disaster emergency in effect at the time of the conduct alleged to violate an emergency order, (2) was the emergency order properly published as required by statute and by principles of due process, (3) does the plain text of [the emergency-powers statute] grant authority for the particular emergency order at issue, (4) is the emergency order unconstitutionally vague in violation of due process, and (5) does the emergency order impermissibly burden constitutional or statutory rights?In its criminal-enforcement section, the Opinion also includes these passages:<ol>
 <li>“Never before have&nbsp;all&nbsp;Kansans been subject for an extended time to such intrusive restrictions ordered by their government. Under various emergency orders, it became a crime for Kansans to leave home without government approval, to gather more than 10 people at a time except for government-approved purposes, or to operate businesses or organizations without government approval. Quite obviously, these sorts of restrictions burdened fundamental rights — such as religion, assembly, and movement — that are constitutionally protected.” [pp. 29-30]</li><li>“We specifically recommend no criminal charges be filed until a prosecutor has exercised due diligence in addressing the questions presented in this opinion … and is satisfied that the particular order at issue is lawful and may be lawfully applied to the defendant.” [p. 31]</li>
 </ol>The opinion has been posted on the attorney general’s website and<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ag-opinions/2020/2020-006.pdf?sfvrsn=1997ac1a_8"> is available here.</a>

AG issues legal opinion on criminal enforcement of emergency orders

SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Wednesday morning shooting in Topeka and have made an arrest.

Just after 2:00 am, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a call of a possible shooting in the 100 block of NE Coachlight Drive, according to Lt. Matt Danielson.

Officers arrived on scene and located a victim later identified as&nbsp;47-year-old Royal T. St. Clair of Topeka&nbsp; in a home that had been shot. Medical personnel arrived and transported him to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.

On Wednesday afternoon, police took a person of interest in the shooting investigation&nbsp; into custody in the 400 block of SE Rice Road.

After questioning, police arrested&nbsp; 24 year-old Austin J. Dickey on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon. St. Clair remains in critical but stable condition at an area hospital, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Wednesday morning shooting in Topeka.

Officers arrived on scene and located a victim in a home that had been shot. Medical personnel arrived and transported that victim to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.

Police released no additional details including the victim's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590057291594.png" alt="Dickey photo Shawnee County. He has previous convictions for theft, burglary and criminal threat, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Dickey photo Shawnee County. He has previous convictions for theft, burglary and criminal threat, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Wednesday morning shooting in Topeka and have made an arrest.Just after 2:00 am, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a call of a possible shooting in the 100 block of NE Coachlight Drive, according to Lt. Matt Danielson.Officers arrived on scene and located a victim later identified as&nbsp;47-year-old Royal T. St. Clair of Topeka&nbsp; in a home that had been shot. Medical personnel arrived and transported him to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589971183355.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Wednesday photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation early Wednesday photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday afternoon, police took a person of interest in the shooting investigation&nbsp; into custody in the 400 block of SE Rice Road.After questioning, police arrested&nbsp; 24 year-old Austin J. Dickey on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated battery and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon. St. Clair remains in critical but stable condition at an area hospital, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.------SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Wednesday morning shooting in Topeka.Just after 2:00 am, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a call of a possible shooting in the 100 block of NE Coachlight Drive, according to Lt. Matt Danielson.Officers arrived on scene and located a victim in a home that had been shot. Medical personnel arrived and transported that victim to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.Police released no additional details including the victim's name.

Police: Kan. felon jailed for shooting that left man in critical condition

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a home invasion burglary and have two suspects in custody.

Just after 2p.m. Monday deputies responded to an aggravated burglary that had just occurred to a residence in the 10000 block of SE Paulen Road, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.

While at home, the homeowner heard noises in the house and discovered two suspects inside the residence. One of the suspects shot at the victim as they were fleeing the scene. The victim was unharmed. During the burglary, the suspects stole a cell phone and a rifle from the residence.

Both suspects fled the scene in a dark gray or black midsized SUV.&nbsp;

Detectives were able to develop two suspects.&nbsp; The suspect vehicle and suspects were located at a business in the 3800 block of S. Topeka boulevard, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.

Nathaniel D. Armstrong, 44, and Michal A. Lewis, 25, both of Topeka, were arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the following requested charges: Attempted 2nd&nbsp;degree murder,&nbsp;Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, Aggravated burglary, Felony criminal damage, Theft and Possession of stolen property

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a home invasion burglary.

Both suspects fled the scene in a dark gray or black midsized SUV. One is described as a white male, approximately 6-foot-1, 170 pounds with dirty blond buzzed hair and possible facial hair. He was wearing a navy shirt and jeans. The victim was not able to provide a description on the other suspect.

This burglary could potentially be linked to two residential burglaries that occurred in Osage County earlier Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589902431628.png" alt="Lewis photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lewis photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a home invasion burglary and have two suspects in custody.Just after 2p.m. Monday deputies responded to an aggravated burglary that had just occurred to a residence in the 10000 block of SE Paulen Road, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.While at home, the homeowner heard noises in the house and discovered two suspects inside the residence. One of the suspects shot at the victim as they were fleeing the scene. The victim was unharmed. During the burglary, the suspects stole a cell phone and a rifle from the residence.Both suspects fled the scene in a dark gray or black midsized SUV.&nbsp;Detectives were able to develop two suspects.&nbsp; The suspect vehicle and suspects were located at a business in the 3800 block of S. Topeka boulevard, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.Nathaniel D. Armstrong, 44, and Michal A. Lewis, 25, both of Topeka, were arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the following requested charges: Attempted 2nd&nbsp;degree murder,&nbsp;Criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, Aggravated burglary, Felony criminal damage, Theft and Possession of stolen property----------SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a home invasion burglary.Just after 2p.m. Monday deputies responded to an aggravated burglary that had just occurred to a residence in the 10000 block of SE Paulen Road, according to Deputy Shayna Anderson.While at home, the homeowner heard noises in the house and discovered two suspects inside the residence. One of the suspects shot at the victim as they were fleeing the scene. The victim was unharmed. During the burglary, the suspects stole a cell phone and a rifle from the residence.Both suspects fled the scene in a dark gray or black midsized SUV. One is described as a white male, approximately 6-foot-1, 170 pounds with dirty blond buzzed hair and possible facial hair. He was wearing a navy shirt and jeans. The victim was not able to provide a description on the other suspect.This burglary could potentially be linked to two residential burglaries that occurred in Osage County earlier Monday.

Police: Kansas burglary suspects shot at homeowner 

TOPEKA, Kan., (AP) — Two men are charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a Topeka high school senior earlier this month. 

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Tuesday that Tyron Michael and Daravian Ryce are charged in the May 12 death of 18-year-old Jo'Heem Meredith. 

Police say Meredith was shot at a Topeka apartment complex. He went to a hospital but died from his injuries. Besides the murder charge, the suspects each face four other charges. 

 The suspects also face several other charges, including aggravated robbery and assault. Michael was charged with gun and drug counts related to his arrest on May 13.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589992806055.png" alt="Michael photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Michael photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan., (AP) — Two men are charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a Topeka high school senior earlier this month. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Tuesday that Tyron Michael and Daravian Ryce are charged in the May 12 death of 18-year-old Jo'Heem Meredith. Police say Meredith was shot at a Topeka apartment complex. He went to a hospital but died from his injuries. Besides the murder charge, the suspects each face four other charges. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589992713339.png" alt="Ryce from an earlier arrest in Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Ryce from an earlier arrest in Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> The suspects also face several other charges, including aggravated robbery and assault. Michael was charged with gun and drug counts related to his arrest on May 13.

2 charged in fatal shooting of Kan. high school senior 

BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on numerous charges after a chase in Barton County.

Just before 11p.m. Monday, an officer with the Great Bend Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the 3800 block of 12th Street on a 1998 Accura ATL for a traffic violation, according to a media release.

The driver, later identified as 38-year-old Cristopher Chappell failed to produce identification and provided a false name. Barton County Communications advised the vehicle identification number returned stolen out of Topeka Kansas.

As the officer attempted to make an arrest, Chappell fled the scene in his vehicle, north bound on McKinley Street. The Police Department and Barton County Sheriff's Office deputies pursued Chappell.

During the pursuit Chappell struck a Barton County deputy's vehicle and reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour. 

Stop sticks were deployed and Chappell crashed into an electrical box at 24th and Main Street in Great Bend.

Chappell ran from the vehicle, west bound through Brit Spaugh Zoo. Police K-9 Menta was deployed for a track and Chappell was later located by an officer along the north west fence line of the zoo.

Along with Great Bend Police Department and Barton County Sheriff's Office charges, Chappell had an extraditable felony warrant out of Colorado.

The passenger of the vehicle, Gerald Martin, age 56, was detained and later released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589907317623.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Christopher ChappellBARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on numerous charges after a chase in Barton County.Just before 11p.m. Monday, an officer with the Great Bend Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the 3800 block of 12th Street on a 1998 Accura ATL for a traffic violation, according to a media release.The driver, later identified as 38-year-old Cristopher Chappell failed to produce identification and provided a false name. Barton County Communications advised the vehicle identification number returned stolen out of Topeka Kansas.As the officer attempted to make an arrest, Chappell fled the scene in his vehicle, north bound on McKinley Street. The Police Department and Barton County Sheriff's Office deputies pursued Chappell.During the pursuit Chappell struck a Barton County deputy's vehicle and reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour. Stop sticks were deployed and Chappell crashed into an electrical box at 24th and Main Street in Great Bend.Chappell ran from the vehicle, west bound through Brit Spaugh Zoo. Police K-9 Menta was deployed for a track and Chappell was later located by an officer along the north west fence line of the zoo.Along with Great Bend Police Department and Barton County Sheriff's Office charges, Chappell had an extraditable felony warrant out of Colorado.The passenger of the vehicle, Gerald Martin, age 56, was detained and later released.There were no injuries reported.

Police: Suspect driving stolen car captured in Kan. zoo

HARVEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a member of the Burrton City Council for alleged child sex crimes.&nbsp;

On Monday, Harvey County Sheriff’s deputies arrested&nbsp; 39-year-old Justin R. Freeman.&nbsp; He's being held in the Harvey County Detention Center on a $750,000 bond.&nbsp;

“We understand there is a legal process still yet to play out, but we absolutely take these allegations with the utmost seriousness. We will work with the sheriff’s office in any way we can to aid their investigation,” Burrton Mayor Rodney Redinger said. “Right now, our priority is to offer our support, and our thoughts, and our prayers, for those involved.”

The Harvey County Attorney’s Office has charged Freeman on six counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

This was Freeman's first year on the city council.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589883046442.png" alt="Freeman photo Harvey County" />
 <figcaption>Freeman photo Harvey County</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a member of the Burrton City Council for alleged child sex crimes.&nbsp;On Monday, Harvey County Sheriff’s deputies arrested&nbsp; 39-year-old Justin R. Freeman.&nbsp; He's being held in the Harvey County Detention Center on a $750,000 bond.&nbsp;“We understand there is a legal process still yet to play out, but we absolutely take these allegations with the utmost seriousness. We will work with the sheriff’s office in any way we can to aid their investigation,” Burrton Mayor Rodney Redinger said. “Right now, our priority is to offer our support, and our thoughts, and our prayers, for those involved.”The Harvey County Attorney’s Office has charged Freeman on six counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.This was Freeman's first year on the city council.

City council member in Kan. jailed for alleged child sex crimes

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new&nbsp; charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy observed a blue Chrysler Sebring traveling southbound on Arizona Street in Holton.

The deputy stopped the vehicle after confirming the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. 

Following a search, the deputy arrested the passenger, Christopher Speckhals, 31, of Hiawatha,&nbsp; for being in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The driver was released at the scene.

Speckhals has previous conviction for arson and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589835019704.png" alt="Speckhals" />
 <figcaption>Speckhals</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new&nbsp; charges after a traffic stop.Just after 9:30a.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy observed a blue Chrysler Sebring traveling southbound on Arizona Street in Holton.The deputy stopped the vehicle after confirming the driver did not have a valid driver’s license. Following a search, the deputy arrested the passenger, Christopher Speckhals, 31, of Hiawatha,&nbsp; for being in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The driver was released at the scene.Speckhals has previous conviction for arson and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Passenger in car was Kansas felon with meth

Pankratz was released from prison in April, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has previous convictions for robbery, aggravated assault, theft, and burglary.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man released from prison in April has been charged in the death of a 36-year-old woman at a home in Wichita on May 10.

Isaac Pankratz made his first court appearance in the case Thursday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He was charged with murder, criminal possession and use of a firearm and remains jailed on a $200,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Just after 9:30a.m. May 10, police responded to call at a home in the 4900 block of East Murdock in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

At the home, police located 36-year-old Sarah Phillips of Wichita unresponsive with trauma to her head.&nbsp; She was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp;

Later in the day, investigators contacted 27-year-old&nbsp; Isaac Pankratz at a home in the 2500 block of West Wildwood regarding the investigation.&nbsp; He was arrested after being found in possession of a sawed-off shotgun.&nbsp; The gun was recovered.

Through further investigation, it was learned the incident was a criminal homicide and that Pankratz and Phillips were both at the home on Murdock when he fired the shotgun, striking her and causing fatal injuries, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Pankratz then fled the scene.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 9:30a.m. Sunday, police responded to call at a home in the 4900 block of East Murdock in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

On Sunday, investigators contacted 27-year-old&nbsp; Isaac Pankratz at a home in the 2500 block of West Wildwood regarding the investigation.&nbsp; He was arrested after being found in possession of a sawed-off shotgun.&nbsp; The gun was recovered.

Pankratz booking photo from Sedgwick County

This was not a random incident as Pankratz and Phillips are known to each other. Pankratz is being held on a charge of 1st-degree murder, according to Davidson.

He has been arrested and convicted of charges that include robbery, aggravated assault, theft, and burglary.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589311342492.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Pankratz was released from prison in April, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has previous convictions for robbery, aggravated assault, theft, and burglary.SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man released from prison in April has been charged in the death of a 36-year-old woman at a home in Wichita on May 10.Isaac Pankratz made his first court appearance in the case Thursday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He was charged with murder, criminal possession and use of a firearm and remains jailed on a $200,000 bond, according to online jail records.Just after 9:30a.m. May 10, police responded to call at a home in the 4900 block of East Murdock in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.At the home, police located 36-year-old Sarah Phillips of Wichita unresponsive with trauma to her head.&nbsp; She was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp;Later in the day, investigators contacted 27-year-old&nbsp; Isaac Pankratz at a home in the 2500 block of West Wildwood regarding the investigation.&nbsp; He was arrested after being found in possession of a sawed-off shotgun.&nbsp; The gun was recovered.Through further investigation, it was learned the incident was a criminal homicide and that Pankratz and Phillips were both at the home on Murdock when he fired the shotgun, striking her and causing fatal injuries, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Pankratz then fled the scene.&nbsp;-------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have a suspect in custody.Just after 9:30a.m. Sunday, police responded to call at a home in the 4900 block of East Murdock in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.At the home, police located 36-year-old Sarah Phillips of Wichita unresponsive with trauma to her head.&nbsp; She was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp;On Sunday, investigators contacted 27-year-old&nbsp; Isaac Pankratz at a home in the 2500 block of West Wildwood regarding the investigation.&nbsp; He was arrested after being found in possession of a sawed-off shotgun.&nbsp; The gun was recovered.Through further investigation, it was learned the incident was a criminal homicide and that Pankratz and Phillips were both at the home on Murdock when he fired the shotgun, striking her and causing fatal injuries, according to Davidson.&nbsp; Pankratz then fled the scene.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589311083072.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Pankratz booking photo from Sedgwick CountyThis was not a random incident as Pankratz and Phillips are known to each other. Pankratz is being held on a charge of 1st-degree murder, according to Davidson.He has been arrested and convicted of charges that include robbery, aggravated assault, theft, and burglary.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Police: Man used sawed-off shotgun in Kan. woman's murder

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Salina man in connection with an alleged criminal threat at a truck service center..

Just before 5:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to&nbsp; Petro 2 Truck Service Center, 2125 North Ninth Street in Salina for the report of an altercation between two employees, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.

A 40-year-old employee told police that another employee identified as Charles Overgard, 36, Salina, threatened him with a knife.

The victim told police he was putting air in some tires when Overgard unhooked the air hose. A verbal argument ensued and Overgard allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened him.

Police arrested Overgard and later located a knife in his possession, according to Forrester.

Overgard is being held on requested charges that include aggravated assault and criminal threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589808823165.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Charles Overgard-Photo Saline CountySALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Salina man in connection with an alleged criminal threat at a truck service center..Just before 5:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to&nbsp; Petro 2 Truck Service Center, 2125 North Ninth Street in Salina for the report of an altercation between two employees, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.A 40-year-old employee told police that another employee identified as Charles Overgard, 36, Salina, threatened him with a knife.The victim told police he was putting air in some tires when Overgard unhooked the air hose. A verbal argument ensued and Overgard allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened him.Police arrested Overgard and later located a knife in his possession, according to Forrester.Overgard is being held on requested charges that include aggravated assault and criminal threat.

Kan. man accused of threatening fellow employee at truck stop

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect following a chase and crash.

Just before 9:30p.m. Sunday, officers received report of a car traveling in a reckless manner, according to Wamego Police Chief Michael D. Baker, Sr.,&nbsp;

Officers located the vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop near 10th and Lilac.&nbsp; The driver refused to stop. Officers began a pursuit that continued to St. George where the vehicle left the road and landed in a creek near Military Trail and Chapman Road, according to Baker.

Prior to the crash, Wamego police lost sight of the vehicle. A caller to the Pottawatomie County sheriff's department reported a crash into the creek near their residence.

Deputies and officers arrived to find the vehicle in the creek . The occupants of the vehicle fled before authorities arrived.

Authorities identified the suspect and one suspect was arrested with assistance of Pottawatomie County Sheriff's deputies, the Kansas Highway Patrol and St. George police, according to Baker.&nbsp; &nbsp;There is no danger to the public as the investigation continues. Baker did not release the suspect's name or possible charges.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect following a chase and crash.Just before 9:30p.m. Sunday, officers received report of a car traveling in a reckless manner, according to Wamego Police Chief Michael D. Baker, Sr.,&nbsp;Officers located the vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop near 10th and Lilac.&nbsp; The driver refused to stop. Officers began a pursuit that continued to St. George where the vehicle left the road and landed in a creek near Military Trail and Chapman Road, according to Baker.Prior to the crash, Wamego police lost sight of the vehicle. A caller to the Pottawatomie County sheriff's department reported a crash into the creek near their residence.Deputies and officers arrived to find the vehicle in the creek . The occupants of the vehicle fled before authorities arrived.Authorities identified the suspect and one suspect was arrested with assistance of Pottawatomie County Sheriff's deputies, the Kansas Highway Patrol and St. George police, according to Baker.&nbsp; &nbsp;There is no danger to the public as the investigation continues. Baker did not release the suspect's name or possible charges.

Suspect arrested after chase, crash into Pott. Co. creek

By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-14/kansas-prison-workers-want-more-covid-19-protection-after-2-guards-and-3-inmates-die">Kansas News Service</a>

LAWRENCE, Kansas — In his 15 years as a corrections officer at
 a northeast Kansas prison, David Carter witnessed stabbings, worked 
through riots and broke up more fights than he can count. He was used to
 risky situations.

When the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-04-14/updated-regularly-what-kansans-need-to-know-about-the-covid-19-coronavirus" target="_blank">coronavirus pandemic</a>
 showed up, Carter and his coworkers at the Lansing Correctional 
Facility still touched other people and countless surfaces all day, 
every day: putting on and taking off handcuffs, opening doors and 
working multiple buildings in the same day or week.

Stress levels 
at one of the state’s largest and oldest prisons were rising. The staff 
needed to work longer hours because people had been laid off earlier in 
the year. Carter had been exposed to the virus outside of work, and 
twice self-isolated as a precaution, but a human resources employee told
 him he had to come to work the second time because he didn’t have 
symptoms.

“You can’t fit that many people under that roof and keep them distanced in any way, shape or form,” he said.

Carter
 could no longer justify the risk of bringing the virus home to his 
family, so he quit on April 28 in public fashion, posting his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlayinBass/posts/10157071205391464" target="_blank">resignation letter</a> on Facebook and talking to media outlets.

“We all saw the writing on the wall a couple of months ago,” Carter 
said. “Every senior staff looked at each other and said, ‘You know what?
 If this thing shows up in our prison, everybody’s got it. There’s no 
way around it.’”

Since March 31, 790 of about 10,000 inmates and 97 staffers have <a href="https://www.doc.ks.gov/kdoc-coronavirus-updates/kdoc-covid-19-status" target="_blank">tested positive for COVID-19</a>,
 which has been found in seven of the state’s facilities (of which there
 are nine adult prisons and one juvenile prison). At Lansing, 44% of 
prisoners tested positive, and three inmates and two corrections 
officers have died.

Knowing how quickly the virus can spread 
inside close quarters, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas 
tried and lost a lawsuit in which they wanted the state to release about
 55% of prisoners.

Under usual circumstances, prisons are 
dangerous and understaffed, which can lead officers to consider 
quitting. And during the pandemic, four current or former officers told 
the Kansas News Service, the state hasn’t done enough to protect them 
and acted too late to contain it.

The
 Kansas Department of Corrections issued updated guidelines in early 
April regarding the use of personal protective equipment and the 
screening of inmates and employees who enter any prison. It has tested 
all of the inmates at Lansing and begun testing inmates at the Wichita 
Work Release Facility, and announced that it would give <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/kansas-gives-inmates-cloth-masks-coronavirus-aclu-lawsuit-says-lives-risk" target="_blank">fabric masks</a> to all inmates and employees in early April.

“We
 will continue to review our practices and improve those whenever and 
wherever possible,” agency secretary Jeff Zmuda said this week. He 
announced the agency will also begin testing all of its staff.

The
 department has also started giving $200 per week to employees working 
in prisons with positive COVID-19 cases, although workers are only 
eligible if they don’t take any time off during each week.

Lansing
 is the state’s most affected facility. As of May 13, 750 out of 1,699 
people who are incarcerated there have tested positive for COVID-19. 
Most are asymptomatic. Three of those people have died. Among staffers 
at the prison in Leavenworth County, 88 have tested positive, and two <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-12/family-says-lansing-correctional-facility-worker-died-this-week-from-covid-19">died this week</a>.

The
 department said Thursday it would move all inmates from the Wichita 
facility to Lansing after finding 38 positive cases in Wichita, almost 
all of which are asymptomatic.

A corrections officer at Lansing, 
who spoke with the Kansas News Service on the condition of anonymity 
because of the risk of retaliation, brings in cleaning supplies and hand
 sanitizer to share with coworkers because the prison doesn’t provide 
enough.

Some coworkers, the corrections officer said, have had 
trouble finding child care because daycares won’t take the children of 
Lansing employees anymore.

“What are they going to do when 
everybody catches it … and nobody wants to come to work?” the officer 
said. “They have put us on the back burner for so long.”

In
 mid-April, the DOC announced it would be giving masks to all staff and 
inmates. But the officer said employees had to ask directly for masks, 
rather than receiving them as a group. The officer asked a nurse for 
one, but a nurse said she had been instructed not to provide masks to 
staff.

The officers also have been told they will face 
disciplinary action if they bring in outside masks, said the officer, 
who uses masks obtained from a local dentist rather than the ones 
distributed by the state.

“I feel a mask is a mask, and right now that’s basically all we have to protect us,” the officer said.

The Lansing officer also said that for two weeks at the end of April,
 no laundry was being done — not even the inmates’ masks — because 
prisoners were being moved to new buildings that didn’t have working 
laundry facilities. Currently, the officer said, laundry and food carts 
aren’t sanitized, even though they move between the two buildings where 
inmates are staying.

For weeks, criminal justice advocates in 
Kansas have raised questions and asked for solutions for the potentially
 unsafe conditions in state prisons during the pandemic. In March, some 
public defenders sent a letter to Gov. Laura Kelly asking her to release
 prisoners to reduce virus transmission — both in prisons and in the 
homes and communities where employees live.

“This is a public 
safety, a public health concern,” public defender Jennifer Roth, who 
signed the letter, told the Kansas News Service.

The state released six people on house arrest, but does not plan to release any more, Zmuda said.

At the same time, ACLU unsuccessfully <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-30/kansas-prisons-are-fighting-a-lawsuit-to-release-prisoners-to-reduce-covid-19-spread" target="_blank">sued to force the state</a>
 to release people who were convicted of minor crimes, had a short 
amount of time left on their sentences or were vulnerable due to age or 
illness.

"We are definitely disappointed for our clients who 
continue to face dangerous and declining conditions inside Lansing,” 
executive director Nadine Johnson said in an emailed statement. “KDOC's 
efforts clearly are not enough to protect the people they have a legal 
obligation to keep safe.”

There
 are only six known cases in the Topeka Correctional Facility, the 
state’s only women’s prison. But officers there still fear for their 
lives and safety — as well as their families’ well being, corrections 
officer Jon-Wesley O’Hara said.

“Most of us do not have any way to
 isolate from our families if it happens,” he said. “When it comes, 
we'll bring it home and we're going to have to figure out how to live 
with ourselves.”

O’Hara said it’s helped that new inmates are 
quarantined when they arrive at the Topeka prison. But many inmates 
don’t wear their masks, he said, and it’s impossible to keep people from
 congregating the yard during recreation periods.

In the day rooms, the phones for inmate use are clustered within a few feet of each other.

“If
 you want to have contact with people on the outside,” O’Hara said, 
“you’re going to have to deal with people that are not six feet away 
from you.There’s just no way around that.”

More staff at the 
Topeka women’s prison are staying home due to illness, childcare issues 
or self-isolation, O’Hara said. And several members of the prison’s 
crisis-response team were temporarily transferred to Lansing.

The 
short-staffing has led to more officers working overtime in Topeka. Some
 of his coworkers have cancelled vacations because they don’t have 
enough paid time off to self-quarantine for two weeks following travel 
to high-risk areas.

Like Lansing, Topeka corrections officers 
often move between multiple buildings in the same shift, which increases
 the risk of transmission between units. That’s according to Cody Hill, 
another corrections officer at the Topeka facility.

The prison has
 required social distancing in the medication line, Hill said. But 
education programs still go on in crowded classrooms. While the building
 has decreased chow-hall occupancy during meal times, he said, people 
still sit fairly close to each other for breakfast and dinner.

Hill
 said inmates have been bringing trays back to their dorms for lunch, 
where they sleep close enough to touch. Starting Monday, inmates will 
bring all of their meals to their dorms, corrections spokesperson 
Rebecca Witte said in an email.

Hill hasn’t considered quitting, 
though. He thinks his work is important and doesn’t want to take the 
risk of being unemployed during a recession. But he feels the Department
 of Corrections has communicated poorly with staff.

“We don’t proactively plan for things,” Hill said, “and it really shows whenever we come to a crisis like this.”

Nomin
 Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for the Kansas
 News Service. You can email her at nomin@kcur.org and follow
 her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589552648366.png" alt="The Topeka Correctional Facility has six coronavirus cases. Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The Topeka Correctional Facility has six coronavirus cases. Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-14/kansas-prison-workers-want-more-covid-19-protection-after-2-guards-and-3-inmates-die">Kansas News Service</a>LAWRENCE, Kansas — In his 15 years as a corrections officer at
 a northeast Kansas prison, David Carter witnessed stabbings, worked 
through riots and broke up more fights than he can count. He was used to
 risky situations.When the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2020-04-14/updated-regularly-what-kansans-need-to-know-about-the-covid-19-coronavirus" target="_blank">coronavirus pandemic</a>
 showed up, Carter and his coworkers at the Lansing Correctional 
Facility still touched other people and countless surfaces all day, 
every day: putting on and taking off handcuffs, opening doors and 
working multiple buildings in the same day or week.Stress levels 
at one of the state’s largest and oldest prisons were rising. The staff 
needed to work longer hours because people had been laid off earlier in 
the year. Carter had been exposed to the virus outside of work, and 
twice self-isolated as a precaution, but a human resources employee told
 him he had to come to work the second time because he didn’t have 
symptoms.“You can’t fit that many people under that roof and keep them distanced in any way, shape or form,” he said.Carter
 could no longer justify the risk of bringing the virus home to his 
family, so he quit on April 28 in public fashion, posting his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PlayinBass/posts/10157071205391464" target="_blank">resignation letter</a> on Facebook and talking to media outlets.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589552740460.png" alt="David Carter (left) quit his job at the Lansing Correctional Facility on April 28. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>David Carter (left) quit his job at the Lansing Correctional Facility on April 28. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“We all saw the writing on the wall a couple of months ago,” Carter 
said. “Every senior staff looked at each other and said, ‘You know what?
 If this thing shows up in our prison, everybody’s got it. There’s no 
way around it.’”Since March 31, 790 of about 10,000 inmates and 97 staffers have <a href="https://www.doc.ks.gov/kdoc-coronavirus-updates/kdoc-covid-19-status" target="_blank">tested positive for COVID-19</a>,
 which has been found in seven of the state’s facilities (of which there
 are nine adult prisons and one juvenile prison). At Lansing, 44% of 
prisoners tested positive, and three inmates and two corrections 
officers have died.Knowing how quickly the virus can spread 
inside close quarters, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas 
tried and lost a lawsuit in which they wanted the state to release about
 55% of prisoners.Under usual circumstances, prisons are 
dangerous and understaffed, which can lead officers to consider 
quitting. And during the pandemic, four current or former officers told 
the Kansas News Service, the state hasn’t done enough to protect them 
and acted too late to contain it.<h2>A community problem</h2>The
 Kansas Department of Corrections issued updated guidelines in early 
April regarding the use of personal protective equipment and the 
screening of inmates and employees who enter any prison. It has tested 
all of the inmates at Lansing and begun testing inmates at the Wichita 
Work Release Facility, and announced that it would give <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/kansas-gives-inmates-cloth-masks-coronavirus-aclu-lawsuit-says-lives-risk" target="_blank">fabric masks</a> to all inmates and employees in early April.“We
 will continue to review our practices and improve those whenever and 
wherever possible,” agency secretary Jeff Zmuda said this week. He 
announced the agency will also begin testing all of its staff.The
 department has also started giving $200 per week to employees working 
in prisons with positive COVID-19 cases, although workers are only 
eligible if they don’t take any time off during each week.Lansing
 is the state’s most affected facility. As of May 13, 750 out of 1,699 
people who are incarcerated there have tested positive for COVID-19. 
Most are asymptomatic. Three of those people have died. Among staffers 
at the prison in Leavenworth County, 88 have tested positive, and two <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-12/family-says-lansing-correctional-facility-worker-died-this-week-from-covid-19">died this week</a>.The
 department said Thursday it would move all inmates from the Wichita 
facility to Lansing after finding 38 positive cases in Wichita, almost 
all of which are asymptomatic.A corrections officer at Lansing, 
who spoke with the Kansas News Service on the condition of anonymity 
because of the risk of retaliation, brings in cleaning supplies and hand
 sanitizer to share with coworkers because the prison doesn’t provide 
enough.Some coworkers, the corrections officer said, have had 
trouble finding child care because daycares won’t take the children of 
Lansing employees anymore.“What are they going to do when 
everybody catches it … and nobody wants to come to work?” the officer 
said. “They have put us on the back burner for so long.”<h2>Conditions inside Lansing</h2>In
 mid-April, the DOC announced it would be giving masks to all staff and 
inmates. But the officer said employees had to ask directly for masks, 
rather than receiving them as a group. The officer asked a nurse for 
one, but a nurse said she had been instructed not to provide masks to 
staff.The officers also have been told they will face 
disciplinary action if they bring in outside masks, said the officer, 
who uses masks obtained from a local dentist rather than the ones 
distributed by the state.“I feel a mask is a mask, and right now that’s basically all we have to protect us,” the officer said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589552778361.png" alt="A mask issued to corrections officers by the Kansas Department of Corrections. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A mask issued to corrections officers by the Kansas Department of Corrections. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Lansing officer also said that for two weeks at the end of April,
 no laundry was being done — not even the inmates’ masks — because 
prisoners were being moved to new buildings that didn’t have working 
laundry facilities. Currently, the officer said, laundry and food carts 
aren’t sanitized, even though they move between the two buildings where 
inmates are staying.For weeks, criminal justice advocates in 
Kansas have raised questions and asked for solutions for the potentially
 unsafe conditions in state prisons during the pandemic. In March, some 
public defenders sent a letter to Gov. Laura Kelly asking her to release
 prisoners to reduce virus transmission — both in prisons and in the 
homes and communities where employees live.“This is a public 
safety, a public health concern,” public defender Jennifer Roth, who 
signed the letter, told the Kansas News Service.The state released six people on house arrest, but does not plan to release any more, Zmuda said.At the same time, ACLU unsuccessfully <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-30/kansas-prisons-are-fighting-a-lawsuit-to-release-prisoners-to-reduce-covid-19-spread" target="_blank">sued to force the state</a>
 to release people who were convicted of minor crimes, had a short 
amount of time left on their sentences or were vulnerable due to age or 
illness."We are definitely disappointed for our clients who 
continue to face dangerous and declining conditions inside Lansing,” 
executive director Nadine Johnson said in an emailed statement. “KDOC's 
efforts clearly are not enough to protect the people they have a legal 
obligation to keep safe.”<h2>Fewer cases, similar worries</h2>There
 are only six known cases in the Topeka Correctional Facility, the 
state’s only women’s prison. But officers there still fear for their 
lives and safety — as well as their families’ well being, corrections 
officer Jon-Wesley O’Hara said.“Most of us do not have any way to
 isolate from our families if it happens,” he said. “When it comes, 
we'll bring it home and we're going to have to figure out how to live 
with ourselves.”O’Hara said it’s helped that new inmates are 
quarantined when they arrive at the Topeka prison. But many inmates 
don’t wear their masks, he said, and it’s impossible to keep people from
 congregating the yard during recreation periods.In the day rooms, the phones for inmate use are clustered within a few feet of each other.“If
 you want to have contact with people on the outside,” O’Hara said, 
“you’re going to have to deal with people that are not six feet away 
from you.There’s just no way around that.”More staff at the 
Topeka women’s prison are staying home due to illness, childcare issues 
or self-isolation, O’Hara said. And several members of the prison’s 
crisis-response team were temporarily transferred to Lansing.The 
short-staffing has led to more officers working overtime in Topeka. Some
 of his coworkers have cancelled vacations because they don’t have 
enough paid time off to self-quarantine for two weeks following travel 
to high-risk areas.Like Lansing, Topeka corrections officers 
often move between multiple buildings in the same shift, which increases
 the risk of transmission between units. That’s according to Cody Hill, 
another corrections officer at the Topeka facility.The prison has
 required social distancing in the medication line, Hill said. But 
education programs still go on in crowded classrooms. While the building
 has decreased chow-hall occupancy during meal times, he said, people 
still sit fairly close to each other for breakfast and dinner.Hill
 said inmates have been bringing trays back to their dorms for lunch, 
where they sleep close enough to touch. Starting Monday, inmates will 
bring all of their meals to their dorms, corrections spokesperson 
Rebecca Witte said in an email.Hill hasn’t considered quitting, 
though. He thinks his work is important and doesn’t want to take the 
risk of being unemployed during a recession. But he feels the Department
 of Corrections has communicated poorly with staff.“We don’t proactively plan for things,” Hill said, “and it really shows whenever we come to a crisis like this.”Nomin
 Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for the Kansas
 News Service. You can email her at nomin@kcur.org and follow
 her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

Kan. prison workers want more protection after deaths of guards, inmates

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man was charged Friday in connection with a fire that damaged a ceremonial tipi at Haskell Indian Nations University.

Ryan Adam Sekayouma Simpson, 32, of Lawrence, was charged with arson, a felony, and two counts of misdemeanor criminal trespassing.

The tipi, which was built to honor the 2020 graduating class at Haskell, was destroyed by fire early on May 9 at the school’s campus in Lawrence.

The Lawrence-Douglas County fire department said Monday the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were helping with the investigation. Simpson was arrested Thursday.

A fundraiser to replace the tipi, worth an estimated $2,500 to $3,000, raised more than $15,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589158211222.png" alt="TIpi fire photo courtesy Haskell Indian Leader" />
 <figcaption>TIpi fire photo courtesy Haskell Indian Leader</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man was charged Friday in connection with a fire that damaged a ceremonial tipi at Haskell Indian Nations University.Ryan Adam Sekayouma Simpson, 32, of Lawrence, was charged with arson, a felony, and two counts of misdemeanor criminal trespassing.The tipi, which was built to honor the 2020 graduating class at Haskell, was destroyed by fire early on May 9 at the school’s campus in Lawrence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589749909000.png" alt="Simpson photo Douglas County" />
 <figcaption>Simpson photo Douglas County</figcaption>
 </figure>The Lawrence-Douglas County fire department said Monday the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were helping with the investigation. Simpson was arrested Thursday.A fundraiser to replace the tipi, worth an estimated $2,500 to $3,000, raised more than $15,000.

Kan. man charged for burning tipi at Kansas Indian school

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado judge is expected to be sentenced to a jail term for pleading guilty to a second DUI charge within two years. 

&nbsp;62-year-old Debra Gunkel pleaded guilty to violating the terms of her probation from a 2018 DUI case in Prowers County. 

The conviction would have been erased from the Baca County judge’s record if she completed two years of probation, but Gunkel was arrested for driving while drunk in Kansas in August.

 Gunkel’s probation was revoked after the charge was filed. Jail time will be mandatory after her expected plea in June.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589318144664.png" alt="Gunkel photo Greeley Co." />
 <figcaption>Gunkel photo Greeley Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A Colorado judge is expected to be sentenced to a jail term for pleading guilty to a second DUI charge within two years. &nbsp;62-year-old Debra Gunkel pleaded guilty to violating the terms of her probation from a 2018 DUI case in Prowers County. The conviction would have been erased from the Baca County judge’s record if she completed two years of probation, but Gunkel was arrested for driving while drunk in Kansas in August. Gunkel’s probation was revoked after the charge was filed. Jail time will be mandatory after her expected plea in June.

Judge arrested in Kan. for DUI expected to spend time in jail

JACKSON COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for allege drug distribution.

On Thursday, A sheriff’s deputy stopped a Ford F-250 pickup truck that was northbound on U.S. 75 south of Hoyt, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The deputy located a quantity of a substance believed to be ecstasy and marijuana. 

The driver, Stephen Virgil Albright, 36, of Topeka was arrested on requested charges of distribution of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute a hallucinogenic drug and no drug tax stamp.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589634744740.png" alt="Albright-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Albright-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for allege drug distribution.On Thursday, A sheriff’s deputy stopped a Ford F-250 pickup truck that was northbound on U.S. 75 south of Hoyt, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The deputy located a quantity of a substance believed to be ecstasy and marijuana. The driver, Stephen Virgil Albright, 36, of Topeka was arrested on requested charges of distribution of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute a hallucinogenic drug and no drug tax stamp.

Deputy finds ecstasy, marijuana in Kan. man's pickup

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas City police officers face assault charges for allegedly slamming a transgender woman's face into a concrete sidewalk during an arrest that was captured on&nbsp;video.

A grand jury indicted Matthew Brummett, 37, and Charles Prichard, 47, on one misdemeanor charge each of fourth-degree assault related to the May 24, 2019, physical encounter, the Jackson County prosecutor's office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=926">announced&nbsp;</a>Friday.

The video, recorded by a passerby outside a beauty supply store, shows the officers kneeing the woman in the face, torso and ribs and forcing her arms over her head while handcuffed. The woman was black; the officers are white.

The woman has since died after being shot in October at a Kansas City home, and a man has been charged in her death. She went by various first names, including Brianna or Brionna, Bebe, and Briya. Her surname was Hill.

Prosecutors said police arrested Hill after she got into a dispute with someone at the beauty supply store. Both she and the store's owner called 911, and the owner asked officers to remove Hill. The officers said Hill was resisting arrest when they took her to the ground outside the store.

Hill was ticketed for trespassing, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brummett and Prichard maintain that they used reasonable force, according to a statement from their attorneys.

“They vehemently dispute the basis of these charges and believe they will be ultimately exonerated in Court," the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/statement-from-officers-brummett-and-prichard/pdf_201736c4-9713-11ea-87af-1705c6bb53ff.html">statement</a>&nbsp;said.

Police Chief Rick Smith announced late Friday that both officers have been placed on “administrative assignment until the outcome of the proceeding."

A Kansas City Police Department investigation determined the officers did nothing wrong, according to the police union. The Jackson County prosecutor's office said it brought the case to a grand jury because police declined to provide prosecutors with a probable cause statement, which is normally submitted by a detective at the conclusion of an investigation.

An attorney who represents Hill’s family, David Smith, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Saturday that he believes the police chief mishandled the investigation and he called for the him to resign. David Smith and Rick Smith are not related.

“You don’t treat this woman like a piece of trash because you think she is a freak,” David Smith said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589657213001.png" alt="Image from cellphone video of the arrest taped by a bystander courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Image from cellphone video of the arrest taped by a bystander courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas City police officers face assault charges for allegedly slamming a transgender woman's face into a concrete sidewalk during an arrest that was captured on&nbsp;video.A grand jury indicted Matthew Brummett, 37, and Charles Prichard, 47, on one misdemeanor charge each of fourth-degree assault related to the May 24, 2019, physical encounter, the Jackson County prosecutor's office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=926">announced&nbsp;</a>Friday.The video, recorded by a passerby outside a beauty supply store, shows the officers kneeing the woman in the face, torso and ribs and forcing her arms over her head while handcuffed. The woman was black; the officers are white.The woman has since died after being shot in October at a Kansas City home, and a man has been charged in her death. She went by various first names, including Brianna or Brionna, Bebe, and Briya. Her surname was Hill.Prosecutors said police arrested Hill after she got into a dispute with someone at the beauty supply store. Both she and the store's owner called 911, and the owner asked officers to remove Hill. The officers said Hill was resisting arrest when they took her to the ground outside the store.Hill was ticketed for trespassing, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.Brummett and Prichard maintain that they used reasonable force, according to a statement from their attorneys.“They vehemently dispute the basis of these charges and believe they will be ultimately exonerated in Court," the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/statement-from-officers-brummett-and-prichard/pdf_201736c4-9713-11ea-87af-1705c6bb53ff.html">statement</a>&nbsp;said.Police Chief Rick Smith announced late Friday that both officers have been placed on “administrative assignment until the outcome of the proceeding."A Kansas City Police Department investigation determined the officers did nothing wrong, according to the police union. The Jackson County prosecutor's office said it brought the case to a grand jury because police declined to provide prosecutors with a probable cause statement, which is normally submitted by a detective at the conclusion of an investigation.An attorney who represents Hill’s family, David Smith, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Saturday that he believes the police chief mishandled the investigation and he called for the him to resign. David Smith and Rick Smith are not related.“You don’t treat this woman like a piece of trash because you think she is a freak,” David Smith said.

2 KC officers accused of assaulting transgender woman

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to a hospital.

Just after 4a.m. police&nbsp; responded to a check shots call in the 1900 block of North Burns in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; 

At the scene, a 38-year-old woman&nbsp; and a 33-year-old man told police&nbsp;&nbsp;they were driving to their home in the 1900 block of North Burns, saw three men in the area who began shooting at their vehicle, striking the 33-year-old.&nbsp; Their home was also found to be damaged from multiple gunshots, according to Davidson.

&nbsp;EMS transported man for treatment of the gunshot wound to his lower body.

Police do not believed to be a random incident and had not reported an arrest early Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589640821904.png" alt="Police on the scene of the Friday morning investigation photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the Friday morning investigation photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to a hospital.Just after 4a.m. police&nbsp; responded to a check shots call in the 1900 block of North Burns in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; At the scene, a 38-year-old woman&nbsp; and a 33-year-old man told police&nbsp;&nbsp;they were driving to their home in the 1900 block of North Burns, saw three men in the area who began shooting at their vehicle, striking the 33-year-old.&nbsp; Their home was also found to be damaged from multiple gunshots, according to Davidson.&nbsp;EMS transported man for treatment of the gunshot wound to his lower body.Police do not believed to be a random incident and had not reported an arrest early Saturday.

Police: Kan. man wounded after suspects shot at car, home

WASHINGTON (AP) — A 39-year-old former investment manager in Georgia was already facing federal charges that he robbed hundreds of retirees of their savings in a Ponzi scheme when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the rapid spread of COVID-19</a>&nbsp;presented an opportunity.

Christopher A. Parris started pitching himself as a broker of surgical masks amid the nationwide scramble for protective equipment in the first desperate weeks of the outbreak, federal authorities said. He was soon taking in millions of dollars.

Law enforcement officials say Parris is part of what they are calling a wave of fraud tied to the outbreak.

Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is leading a nationwide crackdown. It has opened over 370 cases and so far arrested 11 people, as part of “Operation Stolen Promise,” according to Matthew Albence, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“It’s incredibly rampant and it’s growing by the day,” Albence said. “We’re just scratching the surface of this criminal activity. ”

Parris was on pretrial release for the alleged Ponzi scheme when he was arrested last month in what authorities say was an attempt to secure an order for more than $750 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 million face masks and other equipment.

“He was trying to sell something he didn’t even have,” said Jere T. Miles, the special agent in charge of the New Orleans office of Homeland Security Investigations, which worked the case with the VA Office of Inspector General. “That’s just outright, blatant fraud.”

Parris has not yet entered a plea to fraud charges and his lawyers did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Nationwide, investigators have turned up more than false purveyors of PPE. They have uncovered an array of counterfeit or adulterated products, from COVID-19 tests kits and treatments to masks and cleaning products.

Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which is overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says authorities have tracked counterfeits flowing into the U.S. from 20 countries and for sale through thousands of websites.

“There are people popping up who have never been in the business of securing equipment on a large scale,” Francis said.

From his home outside Atlanta, he claimed to represent a company with 3M respiratory masks and other protective equipment for sale. At the time, there was a mad scramble for supplies that pitted state and local governments against each other.

As outlined in court documents and interviews, his pitch reached a company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that was trying to help government agencies acquire PPE. In late March, it contacted the VA, which was dealing with a critical shortage of protective equipment.

The VA was suspicious of the price, about 15 times what it was paying amid the shortage, and alerted its inspector general, which brought in Homeland Security. That resulted in a sting that led to Parris.

“He had no means of producing any PPE,” Albence said. “It was just a scam.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585145128626.png" alt="Counterfeit COVID-19 test kits-photo courtesy&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement" />
 <figcaption>Counterfeit COVID-19 test kits-photo courtesy&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A 39-year-old former investment manager in Georgia was already facing federal charges that he robbed hundreds of retirees of their savings in a Ponzi scheme when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the rapid spread of COVID-19</a>&nbsp;presented an opportunity.Christopher A. Parris started pitching himself as a broker of surgical masks amid the nationwide scramble for protective equipment in the first desperate weeks of the outbreak, federal authorities said. He was soon taking in millions of dollars.Except there were no masks.Law enforcement officials say Parris is part of what they are calling a wave of fraud tied to the outbreak.Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is leading a nationwide crackdown. It has opened over 370 cases and so far arrested 11 people, as part of “Operation Stolen Promise,” according to Matthew Albence, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.“It’s incredibly rampant and it’s growing by the day,” Albence said. “We’re just scratching the surface of this criminal activity. ”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472461621.png" alt="From a fake #COVID19 test kit photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Patrol" />
 <figcaption>From a fake #COVID19 test kit photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>Parris was on pretrial release for the alleged Ponzi scheme when he was arrested last month in what authorities say was an attempt to secure an order for more than $750 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 million face masks and other equipment.“He was trying to sell something he didn’t even have,” said Jere T. Miles, the special agent in charge of the New Orleans office of Homeland Security Investigations, which worked the case with the VA Office of Inspector General. “That’s just outright, blatant fraud.”Parris has not yet entered a plea to fraud charges and his lawyers did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.Nationwide, investigators have turned up more than false purveyors of PPE. They have uncovered an array of counterfeit or adulterated products, from COVID-19 tests kits and treatments to masks and cleaning products.Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which is overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says authorities have tracked counterfeits flowing into the U.S. from 20 countries and for sale through thousands of websites.“There are people popping up who have never been in the business of securing equipment on a large scale,” Francis said.Enter Parris.From his home outside Atlanta, he claimed to represent a company with 3M respiratory masks and other protective equipment for sale. At the time, there was a mad scramble for supplies that pitted state and local governments against each other.As outlined in court documents and interviews, his pitch reached a company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that was trying to help government agencies acquire PPE. In late March, it contacted the VA, which was dealing with a critical shortage of protective equipment.The VA was suspicious of the price, about 15 times what it was paying amid the shortage, and alerted its inspector general, which brought in Homeland Security. That resulted in a sting that led to Parris.“He had no means of producing any PPE,” Albence said. “It was just a scam.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472644008.png" alt="Coronavirus test kits that were not FDA approved-photo U.S. courtesy Customs and Border patrol" />
 <figcaption>Coronavirus test kits that were not FDA approved-photo U.S. courtesy Customs and Border patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>But it had some takers. Federal authorities say a Parris-controlled bank account received more than $7.4 million, with most appearing to come from unidentified entities trying to buy safety gear in March and April, according to court documents. He wired some of the money to accounts overseas, including more than $1.1 million to a Swiss company’s bank that authorities say may be a shell corporation.The U.S. government seized more than $3.2 million from his accounts.The Ponzi scheme was unrelated to the alleged attempt to defraud the VA but “is sufficiently similar to the conduct in this case that it is relevant to his plan, intent, and modus operandi,” according to a search warrant affidavit.In the earlier case, Parris and his partners are accused of defrauding about 1,000 people out of at least $115 million from January 2012 to June 2018. They persuaded the victims to turn over their savings for what turned out to be nonexistent investments, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.Another member of the partnership, Perry Santillo, pleaded guilty to fraud in November.As part of the alleged scheme, Parris and the others bought the businesses of investment advisers who were retiring and leveraged the trust those advisers had built up over the years to pitch the bogus investments, with relatively modest returns, to their newly acquired clients.Florida attorney Scott Silver, who represented some investors who sought to get their money back after the SEC shut down the operation, said there was little to recover because Parris and the others spent most of it.He wasn’t surprised that Parris had been arrested in the COVID fraud case. “He’s already facing 20 years in prison,” he said. “What’s he worried about?”Parris, who was charged in the case in January, grew up in Rochester, New York, and worked as an insurance agent, owned a dry cleaner and got involved in local politics. He ran unsuccessfully for city council and said he was vice president of a local African American Republican committee.“So many people that know me, you know, trust me,” Parris said in a 2015 hearing with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which later suspended his broker license.One of Parris’ alleged victims in the Ponzi scheme, Jane Naylon, said she took guitar lessons from Parris’ father, a reverend at a local church and lost $150,000 in the fraud.Naylon was dismayed when Parris was released on his own recognizance in the Ponzi scheme. When she learned he had been charged for PPE fraud, she said she was in shock, but also pleased.“I’m ecstatic,” she said. “I hope he goes to jail for life.”Parris is now jailed in Atlanta and is expected to be transferred to Washington to face charges in the VA case.___