STATE NEWS: Leawood woman charged with tax evasion

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Kathleen Stegman, 56, Leawood, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with five counts of federal tax evasion and one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. Co-defendant Christopher Smith, 50, Leawood, Kan., is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS.

STATE NEWS: Andover Man Pleads Guilty To Mishandling Chemicals

WICHITA, KAN. - The owner of a plastics recycling company in El Dorado pleaded guilty Monday to mishandling waste chemicals and agreed to pay more than $118,000 in restitution to the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

Brian J. Riley, 41, Andover, Kan., owner of Integrated Plastic Solutions, LLC., pleaded guilty to one count of negligent exposure to a hazardous air pollutant.

STATE NEWS: Topeka man indicted in bank robbery

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was indicted Wednesday on a federal bank robbery charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Kirk Mychale Sexton, 26, who is currently in custody, was charged with one count of bank robbery. The indictment alleges that on Jan. 9, 2015, he robbed the Equity Bank at 3825 Southwest 29th Street in Topeka, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

The Topeka Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.

He is innocent until proven guilty.

Former KU Medical Center employee pleads guilty to Social Security fraud

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A former Topeka man pleaded guilty Tuesday to Social Security fraud, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Brian David White, 43, who now lives in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of Social Security fraud. In his plea, he admitted that the Social Security Administration paid more than $88,800 in disability benefits after he returned to work and failed to report it to the SSA.

KCK police investigating death after discovery of body

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- The Kansas City, Kan., Police Department is investigating a death after a body was discovered on Thursday.

Police were called to the area of the 1800 Block of N. 47th Street Thursday afternoon at around 1 p.m. Police discovered a body laying outside in the area.

An investigation is on-going.

STATE NEWS: Wichita Man Pleads Guilty in Armed Robbery

U.S. Department of Justice

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man pleaded guilty Thursday to robbing a drug store in east Wichita, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Ryan B. Schmidt, 34, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of commercial robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the robbery.

Emporia man sentenced to more than 8 years for mistreatment of dependent adult

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- An Emporia man was sentenced today to more than eight years in prison for mistreatment of a dependent adult and conspiring to mistreat a dependent adult, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

Rick Miller, 60, was sentenced to 98 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections and fined $200,000 by Judge W. Lee Fowler in Lyon County District Court.

LINK: Kansas considers legal action against Colorado for marijuana legalization

By NICK SLOAN
nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- Marijuana, while legalized last year in the State of Colorado, is not legal in the State of Kansas.

Now, it's possible officials in Kansas will seek legal action to make Colorado's legalization of marijuana unconstitutional.

Kansas Supreme Court upholds second-degree murder conviction

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- The Kansas Supreme Court has decided to uphold Deborah Meeks' second-degree murder conviction from 2009.

Meeks', who confessed to killing boyfriend Wesley Smith in Wyandotte County, claimed that she suffered from battered woman syndrome.

Indictment: 26 Pounds of Methamphetamine Hidden in Driver’s Spare Tire

U.S. Department of Justice

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A California man was indicted Thursday on a federal charge of transporting approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a spare tire, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Armondo Medina Gomez, 29, North Hollywood, Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

U.S. Department of Justice Indictments: December 17, 2014

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- The U.S. Department of Justice announced several indictments on Wednesday, December 17.

More information below.