OSAGE COUNTY —The Osage County Sheriff’s Office and the Osage City Police Department have created a joint task force to help eradicate the use and sale of narcotics in our communities, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

On Tuesday afternoon, the task force conducted a narcotics search warrant at 714 Market Street in Osage City. Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail facility.

Tanny L. Kendall, 62, of Osage City is being held on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Shane A Kendall, 46, of Osage City is being held on requested charges that include&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Tanny is married to Shane's brother, according to the Osage County Sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660163225444.png" alt="Kendall-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Kendall-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —The Osage County Sheriff’s Office and the Osage City Police Department have created a joint task force to help eradicate the use and sale of narcotics in our communities, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.On Tuesday afternoon, the task force conducted a narcotics search warrant at 714 Market Street in Osage City. Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail facility.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660163179644.png" alt="Kendall-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Kendall-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>Tanny L. Kendall, 62, of Osage City is being held on requested charges that include Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernaliaShane A Kendall, 46, of Osage City is being held on requested charges that include&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Tanny is married to Shane's brother, according to the Osage County Sheriff's office.

Kansas man, sister-in-law accused of selling drugs

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A pursuit through the northern part of Salina ended early Thursday when a Salina Police Department K-9 caught up with the driver who fled a traffic stop on foot.

Just after 2 a.m. Thursday an officer noticed that a 2000 Cadillac without a license plate light failed to use a turn signal in the 700 block of N. 12th Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

 Before the officer could initiate a stop, the car accelerated away from the scene and the officer began a pursuit of the car through parts of north Salina.

Forrester said the maximum speed during the pursuit was 50 mph.

The car entered Thomas Park, 1525 N. Ninth Street, and traveled to the west end of the park, where the driver jumped out of the car and fled on foot into the woods, leaving the car in gear. The car struck a fence and then came to rest when it hit a tree, Forrester said. A male passenger was still in the car.

The pursuing officer deployed K-9 Tyrann, who chased the driver approximately 250 yards into the woods before apprehending him.

The driver, identified as Tyler Paxson, 32, of Salina, was found to have a suspended driver's license. He also was found to allegedly be in possession of methamphetamine, Forrester said. Additionally, the car had on it a license plate stolen from another vehicle.

Paxson was arrested on requested charges of Flee and elude, Felony interference with a law enforcement officer, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of stolen property, Driving while suspended, No proof of insurance and Multiple traffic violations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660230258741.jpeg" alt="Tyler Paxson. Photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Tyler Paxson. Photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA pursuit through the northern part of Salina ended early Thursday when a Salina Police Department K-9 caught up with the driver who fled a traffic stop on foot.Just after 2 a.m. Thursday an officer noticed that a 2000 Cadillac without a license plate light failed to use a turn signal in the 700 block of N. 12th Street, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester. Before the officer could initiate a stop, the car accelerated away from the scene and the officer began a pursuit of the car through parts of north Salina.Forrester said the maximum speed during the pursuit was 50 mph.The car entered Thomas Park, 1525 N. Ninth Street, and traveled to the west end of the park, where the driver jumped out of the car and fled on foot into the woods, leaving the car in gear. The car struck a fence and then came to rest when it hit a tree, Forrester said. A male passenger was still in the car.The pursuing officer deployed K-9 Tyrann, who chased the driver approximately 250 yards into the woods before apprehending him.The driver, identified as Tyler Paxson, 32, of Salina, was found to have a suspended driver's license. He also was found to allegedly be in possession of methamphetamine, Forrester said. Additionally, the car had on it a license plate stolen from another vehicle.Paxson was arrested on requested charges of Flee and elude, Felony interference with a law enforcement officer, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Possession of stolen property, Driving while suspended, No proof of insurance and Multiple traffic violations.

Sheriff's K-9 captures Kansas theft, drug suspect

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas veteran of wire fraud and theft of government funds in charges related to a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) out of disability benefits.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bruce Hay, 53, of Greeley, a U.S. Army veteran and former Osawatomie resident, fraudulently misrepresented and exaggerated the extent of symptoms related to a purported conversion disorder diagnosis to receive VA disability benefits to which he was not entitled. Specifically, 

Hay claimed he had constant jerking movements, tremors, head-bobs, could walk only with the use of a walker, and could not engage in basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, toileting, dressing, and eating. During VA examinations, he faked and exaggerated physical symptoms—displaying a significant limp, muscle spasms, head bobs, and jerking movements. Immediately before and after these examinations, he used a walker that he didn’t normally use outside of VA facilities. 

The VA found that Hay was 100% disabled based on those fraudulent misrepresentations.

Information collected through surveillance, video footage, photographs, testimony from community members, and other evidence showed Hay’s claims of mobility limitations as false. He, without assistance, engaged in residential construction, threw hay bales on the back of moving trucks, hunted deer, drove regularly, and hauled more than a million pounds of scrap metal.

As a result of his misrepresentations, Hay fraudulently received more than $450,000 in VA benefits. A jury found Hay guilty of six counts of wire fraud and 10 counts of theft of government funds.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson. Hay faces a maximum of penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas veteran of wire fraud and theft of government funds in charges related to a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) out of disability benefits.According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bruce Hay, 53, of Greeley, a U.S. Army veteran and former Osawatomie resident, fraudulently misrepresented and exaggerated the extent of symptoms related to a purported conversion disorder diagnosis to receive VA disability benefits to which he was not entitled. Specifically, Hay claimed he had constant jerking movements, tremors, head-bobs, could walk only with the use of a walker, and could not engage in basic activities of daily living, such as bathing, toileting, dressing, and eating. During VA examinations, he faked and exaggerated physical symptoms—displaying a significant limp, muscle spasms, head bobs, and jerking movements. Immediately before and after these examinations, he used a walker that he didn’t normally use outside of VA facilities. The VA found that Hay was 100% disabled based on those fraudulent misrepresentations.Information collected through surveillance, video footage, photographs, testimony from community members, and other evidence showed Hay’s claims of mobility limitations as false. He, without assistance, engaged in residential construction, threw hay bales on the back of moving trucks, hunted deer, drove regularly, and hauled more than a million pounds of scrap metal.As a result of his misrepresentations, Hay fraudulently received more than $450,000 in VA benefits. A jury found Hay guilty of six counts of wire fraud and 10 counts of theft of government funds.Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson. Hay faces a maximum of penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

Jury: Kan. veteran faked illness, received $450K in disability benefits

Few know about the process because courts don’t tell juries they have this power

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-11/attorneys-argue-juries-should-know-they-dont-need-to-convict-on-unpopular-abortion-and-drug-laws">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Merely mentioning it in court could lead to a mistrial.

Jury
 nullification, where juries look the other way when someone breaks a 
law they find unjust, can help a defendant land an acquittal. That 
get-out-of-jail-free card is all but disappearing from courtrooms.

Defense
 attorneys want it back and some say the rise in laws criminalizing 
abortions or continued criminalization of marijuana — or other drug laws
 — could make the technique more prominent in the future.

Kirsten 
Tynan, executive director of the Fully Informed Jury Association, is 
usually scanning social media to find people talking about jury 
nullification. But the rare legal maneuver rarely popped up until the 
U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

“That topic blew up,” she said. “There is great potential for that to be something with broader applications.”

If
 it regains prominence, it will be a long and unlikely path back to 
courtrooms because juries are rarely told they have this power. The 
Kansas Supreme Court ruled there is no right to nullification and 
therefore no reason for judges to tell juries they can do this. Even as 
it railed against the process, the state’s high court said juries have 
the power to overlook the law. There is no law against a jury ignoring 
the law.

Opponents of jury nullification say it will push the legal system into chaos if used more often.

“We
 are a nation of laws,” Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett 
said in an email. “If citizens disagree with the laws to which they are 
subject, they are free to seek changes to existing law by lobbying their
 respective legislature(s), running for office or raising awareness.”

Bennett
 said allowing jurors to disregard the law and deliberate with feelings 
or political opinions will bring disproportionate convictions.

Jury
 nullifications have a long past. They helped citizens avoid prosecution
 during prohibition and some pre-civil war juries refused to convict 
people who helped people escape enslavement. But the tactic also allowed
 all-white juries to free defendants who killed Black people.

That’s
 why critics of jury nullification worry the practice leads to more 
random outcomes, ones that hinge on the makeup of a jury or shifting 
political moods in a community. Juries that stick to applying the facts 
they’re presented and applying them to the law, that side argues, 
ultimately produce something closer to justice.

Tynan with the 
Fully Informed Jury Association knows juries will acquit people she 
would convict. Those kinds of cases are worth the cost, to her, if it 
spares some people the injustice of an inflexible court system.

Tynan
 said prosecutors can decide whether to pursue charges or not. Judges 
can overturn some guilty verdicts and presidents or governors can pardon
 someone who was convicted of a crime. She argues juries deserve the 
same level of discretion other parts of the legal system enjoy.

“We
 have had over 800 years of common law legal systems with juries 
empowered to nullify, and we have yet to devolve into this anarchy I’m 
constantly told will happen at any moment,” Tynan said.

It isn’t 
clear how many Kansas cases end in nullification, though a Wichita trial
 in the early 2000s was retried because one juror voted not guilty 
because they felt the defendant was overcharged.

Lana Jackson, who
 was later found guilty in that case, was charged with felony murder 
after a drug deal she set up went wrong. The deal fell through and one 
person she was with killed the other. Jackson didn’t kill anyone and was
 found guilty because her actions indirectly led to someone else’s 
death.

Jackson is still in prison and could be released in 2024.

Micah
 Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, said jury 
nullification is still relevant today even though it isn’t widely used.

Kubic
 said more people should know about nullification but stopped short of 
saying every jury should be told about it. He said there is no harm in 
letting more juries know about the power granted to them.

“Jury nullification is a tool like anything else that can be used for good or it can be used for ill,” he said.

Blaise
 Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas 
News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or 
email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660238853314.png" alt="Abortion bans split public opinion, and laws criminalizing the practice could split more juries. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Abortion bans split public opinion, and laws criminalizing the practice could split more juries. Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Few know about the process because courts don’t tell juries they have this power</h2>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-11/attorneys-argue-juries-should-know-they-dont-need-to-convict-on-unpopular-abortion-and-drug-laws">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Merely mentioning it in court could lead to a mistrial.Jury
 nullification, where juries look the other way when someone breaks a 
law they find unjust, can help a defendant land an acquittal. That 
get-out-of-jail-free card is all but disappearing from courtrooms.Defense
 attorneys want it back and some say the rise in laws criminalizing 
abortions or continued criminalization of marijuana — or other drug laws
 — could make the technique more prominent in the future.Kirsten 
Tynan, executive director of the Fully Informed Jury Association, is 
usually scanning social media to find people talking about jury 
nullification. But the rare legal maneuver rarely popped up until the 
U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.“That topic blew up,” she said. “There is great potential for that to be something with broader applications.”If
 it regains prominence, it will be a long and unlikely path back to 
courtrooms because juries are rarely told they have this power. The 
Kansas Supreme Court ruled there is no right to nullification and 
therefore no reason for judges to tell juries they can do this. Even as 
it railed against the process, the state’s high court said juries have 
the power to overlook the law. There is no law against a jury ignoring 
the law.Opponents of jury nullification say it will push the legal system into chaos if used more often.“We
 are a nation of laws,” Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett 
said in an email. “If citizens disagree with the laws to which they are 
subject, they are free to seek changes to existing law by lobbying their
 respective legislature(s), running for office or raising awareness.”Bennett
 said allowing jurors to disregard the law and deliberate with feelings 
or political opinions will bring disproportionate convictions.Jury
 nullifications have a long past. They helped citizens avoid prosecution
 during prohibition and some pre-civil war juries refused to convict 
people who helped people escape enslavement. But the tactic also allowed
 all-white juries to free defendants who killed Black people.That’s
 why critics of jury nullification worry the practice leads to more 
random outcomes, ones that hinge on the makeup of a jury or shifting 
political moods in a community. Juries that stick to applying the facts 
they’re presented and applying them to the law, that side argues, 
ultimately produce something closer to justice.Tynan with the 
Fully Informed Jury Association knows juries will acquit people she 
would convict. Those kinds of cases are worth the cost, to her, if it 
spares some people the injustice of an inflexible court system.Tynan
 said prosecutors can decide whether to pursue charges or not. Judges 
can overturn some guilty verdicts and presidents or governors can pardon
 someone who was convicted of a crime. She argues juries deserve the 
same level of discretion other parts of the legal system enjoy.“We
 have had over 800 years of common law legal systems with juries 
empowered to nullify, and we have yet to devolve into this anarchy I’m 
constantly told will happen at any moment,” Tynan said.It isn’t 
clear how many Kansas cases end in nullification, though a Wichita trial
 in the early 2000s was retried because one juror voted not guilty 
because they felt the defendant was overcharged.Lana Jackson, who
 was later found guilty in that case, was charged with felony murder 
after a drug deal she set up went wrong. The deal fell through and one 
person she was with killed the other. Jackson didn’t kill anyone and was
 found guilty because her actions indirectly led to someone else’s 
death.Jackson is still in prison and could be released in 2024.Micah
 Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, said jury 
nullification is still relevant today even though it isn’t widely used.Kubic
 said more people should know about nullification but stopped short of 
saying every jury should be told about it. He said there is no harm in 
letting more juries know about the power granted to them.“Jury nullification is a tool like anything else that can be used for good or it can be used for ill,” he said.Blaise
 Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas 
News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or 
email him at blaise@kcur.org.

Attorneys: Kan. juries don't need to convict on abortion, drug laws

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is asking a federal court to unseal the warrant the FBI used to search the Mar-a-Lago estate of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump</a>, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday, acknowledging extraordinary public interest in the case about classified records.

The request is striking because such documents traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation. But the Justice Department appeared to recognize that its silence since the search had created a vacuum for bitter verbal attacks by Trump and his allies and Garland wanted to provide the FBI's side for what led to the action.

“The public’s clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing,” said a motion filed in federal court in Florida on Thursday seeking the unsealing.

Should the warrant be released — the request is now with the judge, and Trump can object — it could disclose potentially unflattering information about the former president and his handling of sensitive government documents right as he prepares for another run for the White House. During his successful 2016 campaign, he pointed frequently to an FBI investigation into his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, over whether she mishandled classified information.

It's unclear at this point how much information would be included in the documents, if made public, or if they would encompass an FBI affidavit that would presumably lay out a detailed factual basis for the search. To obtain a search warrant, federal authorities must prove to a judge that probable cause exists to believe that a crime was committed.

Neither Trump nor the FBI has said anything about what documents the FBI might have recovered. But the former president complained anew on Thursday about the search.

Trump, who for years has lambasted the FBI and sought to sow distrust among his supporters in its decisions, said the warrant was served and the search conducted despite his cooperation with the Justice Department.

In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said that his “attorneys and representatives were cooperating fully” prior to the search, and that government officials “could have had whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, if we had it."

FBI and Justice Department policy cautions against discussing ongoing investigations, both to protect the integrity of probes and to avoid unfairly maligning someone who is being scrutinized but winds up ultimately not being charged. That’s especially true in the case of search warrants, where supporting court papers are routinely kept secret as the investigation proceeds.

In this case, though, Garland cited the fact that Trump himself had provided the first public confirmation of the FBI search, “as his right." The Justice Department, in its new filing, also said that disclosing information about it now would not harm the court's functions.

Even so, Garland, in a hastily scheduled public statement delivered from the Justice Department podium, appeared to acknowledge the unusual nature of the department's request as he declined to take questions or provide any substantive details about the FBI's investigation.

“Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations," he said. "Federal law, longstanding department rules and our ethical obligations prevent me from providing further details as to the basis of the search at this time.”

He said he personally approved the search warrant, a step he said was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this year. The National Archives had asked the department to investigate after saying that classified records were found in 15 boxes of records that it retrieved from the estate.

The attorney general condemned verbal attacks on FBI and Justice Department personnel over the search. Some Republican allies of Trump have called for the FBI to be defunded.

Earlier Thursday, an armed man wearing body armor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cincinnati-armed-man-b4701596a0eb9770e3b29e95328f5704">tried to breach a security screening area</a>&nbsp;at an FBI field office in Ohio, then fled and was injured in an exchange of gunfire in a standoff with law enforcement.

“I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,” Garland said of federal law enforcement agents, calling them “dedicated, patriotic public servants.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660245518847.png" alt="Garland cited the “substantial public interest in this matter” in announcing the request at a hastily scheduled Justice Department news conference-photo U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Garland cited the “substantial public interest in this matter” in announcing the request at a hastily scheduled Justice Department news conference-photo U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is asking a federal court to unseal the warrant the FBI used to search the Mar-a-Lago estate of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump</a>, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday, acknowledging extraordinary public interest in the case about classified records.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I2w26ecbq-Q?start=3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The request is striking because such documents traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation. But the Justice Department appeared to recognize that its silence since the search had created a vacuum for bitter verbal attacks by Trump and his allies and Garland wanted to provide the FBI's side for what led to the action.“The public’s clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing,” said a motion filed in federal court in Florida on Thursday seeking the unsealing.Should the warrant be released — the request is now with the judge, and Trump can object — it could disclose potentially unflattering information about the former president and his handling of sensitive government documents right as he prepares for another run for the White House. During his successful 2016 campaign, he pointed frequently to an FBI investigation into his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, over whether she mishandled classified information.It's unclear at this point how much information would be included in the documents, if made public, or if they would encompass an FBI affidavit that would presumably lay out a detailed factual basis for the search. To obtain a search warrant, federal authorities must prove to a judge that probable cause exists to believe that a crime was committed.Neither Trump nor the FBI has said anything about what documents the FBI might have recovered. But the former president complained anew on Thursday about the search.Trump, who for years has lambasted the FBI and sought to sow distrust among his supporters in its decisions, said the warrant was served and the search conducted despite his cooperation with the Justice Department.In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said that his “attorneys and representatives were cooperating fully” prior to the search, and that government officials “could have had whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, if we had it."FBI and Justice Department policy cautions against discussing ongoing investigations, both to protect the integrity of probes and to avoid unfairly maligning someone who is being scrutinized but winds up ultimately not being charged. That’s especially true in the case of search warrants, where supporting court papers are routinely kept secret as the investigation proceeds.In this case, though, Garland cited the fact that Trump himself had provided the first public confirmation of the FBI search, “as his right." The Justice Department, in its new filing, also said that disclosing information about it now would not harm the court's functions.Even so, Garland, in a hastily scheduled public statement delivered from the Justice Department podium, appeared to acknowledge the unusual nature of the department's request as he declined to take questions or provide any substantive details about the FBI's investigation.“Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations," he said. "Federal law, longstanding department rules and our ethical obligations prevent me from providing further details as to the basis of the search at this time.”He said he personally approved the search warrant, a step he said was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this year. The National Archives had asked the department to investigate after saying that classified records were found in 15 boxes of records that it retrieved from the estate.The attorney general condemned verbal attacks on FBI and Justice Department personnel over the search. Some Republican allies of Trump have called for the FBI to be defunded.Earlier Thursday, an armed man wearing body armor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cincinnati-armed-man-b4701596a0eb9770e3b29e95328f5704">tried to breach a security screening area</a>&nbsp;at an FBI field office in Ohio, then fled and was injured in an exchange of gunfire in a standoff with law enforcement.“I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,” Garland said of federal law enforcement agents, calling them “dedicated, patriotic public servants.”

🎥 Justice Dept. seeks to unseal search warrant of Trump home

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas massage therapist accused of sexual assault by three women is scheduled to return to court Thursday.

Zachary Sample, 32 of Belle Plaine, is charged with three misdemeanor counts of sexual battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

On May 23, police received a report from a 38-year-old woman that a male massage therapist had sexually assaulted her during a massage at an East Wichita massage establishment, according to Office Trevor Macy.

The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Zachary Sample of Belle Plaine who was an employee of the business at that time.

Two additional victims – a 29-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman – reported being sexually assaulted by Sample during the month of May.

After extensive follow-up by detectives, a warrant was issued for Sample’s arrest through the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. Police located and arrested Sample on the warrant Thursday night.

&nbsp;The massage establishment where the crimes were alleged to have happened has cooperated with the investigation and Sample is no longer employed there, according to Macy. He posted bond and is no longer in custody, according online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659732152030.png" alt="Sample-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Sample-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas massage therapist accused of sexual assault by three women is scheduled to return to court Thursday.Zachary Sample, 32 of Belle Plaine, is charged with three misdemeanor counts of sexual battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;On May 23, police received a report from a 38-year-old woman that a male massage therapist had sexually assaulted her during a massage at an East Wichita massage establishment, according to Office Trevor Macy.The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Zachary Sample of Belle Plaine who was an employee of the business at that time.Two additional victims – a 29-year-old woman and a 26-year-old woman – reported being sexually assaulted by Sample during the month of May.After extensive follow-up by detectives, a warrant was issued for Sample’s arrest through the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. Police located and arrested Sample on the warrant Thursday night.&nbsp;The massage establishment where the crimes were alleged to have happened has cooperated with the investigation and Sample is no longer employed there, according to Macy. He posted bond and is no longer in custody, according online jail records.

Kan. massage therapist accused of sexual battery due back in court

Documents assert former St. Francis IT employee submitted bogus expense claims

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/11/fbi-seizing-bank-deposits-in-alleged-10-million-fraud-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-saint-francis-ministries/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Federal prosecutors 
acting on disclosures of a whistleblower moved to seize $700,000 in a 
civil asset forfeiture case alleging a former information technology 
employee defrauded Saint Francis Ministries of millions of dollars while
 the nonprofit was under contract with the state of Kansas to provide 
foster care and adoption services.

Federal court documents allege William Whymark, owner of WMK 
Research, ripped off Saint Francis Ministries from January 2018 to July 
2021 by exaggerating IT work performed and expenses incurred on behalf 
of Saint Francis Ministries. The scam purportedly involved fraudulent 
invoices submitted to the nonprofit organization serving Kansas families
 in about half the state, court records show.

The legal action targeted cash held in three bank accounts controlled
 by Whymark, who has an opportunity to challenge the seizure in U.S. 
District Court. The seizure process was initiated with consent of Judge 
Eric Melgren of the U.S. District Court&nbsp; in Wichita.

A Federal Bureau of Investigation agent said in court filings there 
was probable cause to believe Whymark, president of WMK Research of 
Mount Kisco, New York, engaged in a multiyear scheme netting $10.73 
million from Saint Francis Ministries.

The FBI inquiry revealed discrepancies between Whymark’s billing of 
Saint Francis Ministries, or SFM, and documents from two companies, 
Pinnacle Seven Technologies and QubeRoot Analytics, that were IT 
subcontractors hired by Whymark.

“Whymark received these funds through the submission of false and 
fraudulent invoices to SFM,” FBI agent Kevin Mills said in an affidavit 
supporting the seizure claim. “Whymark’s scheme to defraud included the 
submission of fraudulent invoices claiming that personnel had performed 
work for SFM, when according to QubeRoot and Pinnacle records, they did 
not.”

For example, the affidavit said, QubeRoot billed Whymark $1.1 million
 from 2018 to 2021. Whymark allegedly ballooned that billing to $3.7 
million when submitting claims to Saint Francis Ministries. In 2018, 
Pinnacle billed Whymark for $245,000 in IT work. Whymark reportedly 
inflated that to $1.2 million when submitting claims to Saint Francis 
Ministries.

Former Saint Francis Ministries chief executive officer Robert Smith 
hired Whymark in 2018 under a contract paying $164,000 annually in 
addition to 10% of any IT cost efficiencies achieved. The federal 
investigation indicated Smith was responsible for approving Whymark’s 
invoices.

The civil action filed last week sought seizure of $700,000 in New 
Jersey and South Dakota bank accounts. The accounts were held by Jessica
 and William Whymark and William Whymark’s company.

Cash from the Saint Francis Ministries scheme was traced by the FBI 
to bank accounts controlled by the Whymarks and acquisition of a $3.75 
million home near New York City. Movement of $2 million tied to the 
Kansas scheme was transferred in 2021 by Whymark in what could amount to
 wire fraud, the FBI said.

During the period covered by the investigation, Saint Francis 
Ministries provided adoption, foster care, family preservation and 
behavioral health services under contract with the Kansas Department of 
Children and Families. DCF’s $71.5 million contract with Saint Francis 
Ministries expires in June 2023.

Saint Francis Ministries, based in Salina, contracted to deliver 
adoption and foster care services in other states. In 2021, Saint 
Francis Ministries used $10 million earned from work in Kansas to cover 
losses on a contract with Nebraska. Nebraska officials agreed to send 
the $10 million back to Kansas.

The chairman of Saint Francis Ministries’ board of directors said the
 board learned of the contract with Whymark after allegations surfaced 
through a “whistleblower” complaint. In 2020, Saint Francis Ministries 
avoided insolvency as Smith and chief operating officer Tom Blythe 
allegedly misled the board about investments in technology and 
agriculture. Smith and Blythe left the organization in November 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660235142998.png" alt="Federal prosecutors moved to seize bank assets in a $10 million fraud investigation involving a former employee of Saint Francis Ministries, a Salina-based organization providing foster care and adoption services under a contract with the state of Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Federal prosecutors moved to seize bank assets in a $10 million fraud investigation involving a former employee of Saint Francis Ministries, a Salina-based organization providing foster care and adoption services under a contract with the state of Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Documents assert former St. Francis IT employee submitted bogus expense claims</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/11/fbi-seizing-bank-deposits-in-alleged-10-million-fraud-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-saint-francis-ministries/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Federal prosecutors 
acting on disclosures of a whistleblower moved to seize $700,000 in a 
civil asset forfeiture case alleging a former information technology 
employee defrauded Saint Francis Ministries of millions of dollars while
 the nonprofit was under contract with the state of Kansas to provide 
foster care and adoption services.Federal court documents allege William Whymark, owner of WMK 
Research, ripped off Saint Francis Ministries from January 2018 to July 
2021 by exaggerating IT work performed and expenses incurred on behalf 
of Saint Francis Ministries. The scam purportedly involved fraudulent 
invoices submitted to the nonprofit organization serving Kansas families
 in about half the state, court records show.The legal action targeted cash held in three bank accounts controlled
 by Whymark, who has an opportunity to challenge the seizure in U.S. 
District Court. The seizure process was initiated with consent of Judge 
Eric Melgren of the U.S. District Court&nbsp; in Wichita.A Federal Bureau of Investigation agent said in court filings there 
was probable cause to believe Whymark, president of WMK Research of 
Mount Kisco, New York, engaged in a multiyear scheme netting $10.73 
million from Saint Francis Ministries.The FBI inquiry revealed discrepancies between Whymark’s billing of 
Saint Francis Ministries, or SFM, and documents from two companies, 
Pinnacle Seven Technologies and QubeRoot Analytics, that were IT 
subcontractors hired by Whymark.“Whymark received these funds through the submission of false and 
fraudulent invoices to SFM,” FBI agent Kevin Mills said in an affidavit 
supporting the seizure claim. “Whymark’s scheme to defraud included the 
submission of fraudulent invoices claiming that personnel had performed 
work for SFM, when according to QubeRoot and Pinnacle records, they did 
not.”For example, the affidavit said, QubeRoot billed Whymark $1.1 million
 from 2018 to 2021. Whymark allegedly ballooned that billing to $3.7 
million when submitting claims to Saint Francis Ministries. In 2018, 
Pinnacle billed Whymark for $245,000 in IT work. Whymark reportedly 
inflated that to $1.2 million when submitting claims to Saint Francis 
Ministries.Former Saint Francis Ministries chief executive officer Robert Smith 
hired Whymark in 2018 under a contract paying $164,000 annually in 
addition to 10% of any IT cost efficiencies achieved. The federal 
investigation indicated Smith was responsible for approving Whymark’s 
invoices.The civil action filed last week sought seizure of $700,000 in New 
Jersey and South Dakota bank accounts. The accounts were held by Jessica
 and William Whymark and William Whymark’s company.Cash from the Saint Francis Ministries scheme was traced by the FBI 
to bank accounts controlled by the Whymarks and acquisition of a $3.75 
million home near New York City. Movement of $2 million tied to the 
Kansas scheme was transferred in 2021 by Whymark in what could amount to
 wire fraud, the FBI said.During the period covered by the investigation, Saint Francis 
Ministries provided adoption, foster care, family preservation and 
behavioral health services under contract with the Kansas Department of 
Children and Families. DCF’s $71.5 million contract with Saint Francis 
Ministries expires in June 2023.Saint Francis Ministries, based in Salina, contracted to deliver 
adoption and foster care services in other states. In 2021, Saint 
Francis Ministries used $10 million earned from work in Kansas to cover 
losses on a contract with Nebraska. Nebraska officials agreed to send 
the $10 million back to Kansas.The chairman of Saint Francis Ministries’ board of directors said the
 board learned of the contract with Whymark after allegations surfaced 
through a “whistleblower” complaint. In 2020, Saint Francis Ministries 
avoided insolvency as Smith and chief operating officer Tom Blythe 
allegedly misled the board about investments in technology and 
agriculture. Smith and Blythe left the organization in November 2020.

FBI moves to seize bank deposits in alleged $10M fraud of Kan. foster care provider

WICHITA COUNTY —Authorities are investigating what led to a fatal accident Thursday morning in Wichita County.

Just before 3a.m., emergency crews responded to the Seaboard Feed Mill, 132 County Road 14, in Leoti, according to Sheriff Kris Casper. An employee of the feed mill was trapped in grain in a rail car. 

First responders were able to free the man who was pronounced dead at the scene. He was a resident of Wichita County, according to Casper. No foul play is suspected.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660235214972.png" alt="Seaboard Feed Mill near Leoti-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Seaboard Feed Mill near Leoti-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA COUNTY —Authorities are investigating what led to a fatal accident Thursday morning in Wichita County.Just before 3a.m., emergency crews responded to the Seaboard Feed Mill, 132 County Road 14, in Leoti, according to Sheriff Kris Casper. An employee of the feed mill was trapped in grain in a rail car. First responders were able to free the man who was pronounced dead at the scene. He was a resident of Wichita County, according to Casper. No foul play is suspected.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.

Sheriff: Kansas man dies in grain car accident

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism that costs the city of Wichita thousands of dollars.

The week of July 4, the air conditioning unit at Hyde Park Community Facility,&nbsp; 201 S Greenwood in Wichita, was stripped of copper rendering it useless, according to a social media report from the city of Wichita.

The community facility was unable to maintain a cool temperature during the triple digit heat wave to offer programing or rentals to the public for an entire month.&nbsp; The damages exceeded $25,000. 

A new unit was purchased and installed on August 8 with the intent of opening programming and rentals back up. However the plan was deterred due to the new unit being vandalized again in less than 24-hours of installation. 

At this time the community facility is being shut down until late fall due to the damage caused from the vandalism. Earlier in the year, the location had several glass windows shattered throughout the building. 

With multiple crimes at Hyde Park, Wichita Park &amp; Recreation will end up spending over $65,000 in repairs.

Authorities want to encourage everyone, if you see something, say something. Call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 to report a crime and possibly receive a reward. Tips can also be submitted online at <a href="http://www.stopcrime316.com/?fbclid=IwAR29eigSKXTzjlu2jdnJVBfnhQ2MJmjDT3iDHYIlxHrbLLbSwLngAhyfWXQ" target="_blank">www.stopcrime316.com.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660233755574.png" alt="Photo courtesy city of Wichits" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy city of Wichits</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating vandalism that costs the city of Wichita thousands of dollars.The week of July 4, the air conditioning unit at Hyde Park Community Facility,&nbsp; 201 S Greenwood in Wichita, was stripped of copper rendering it useless, according to a social media report from the city of Wichita.The community facility was unable to maintain a cool temperature during the triple digit heat wave to offer programing or rentals to the public for an entire month.&nbsp; The damages exceeded $25,000. A new unit was purchased and installed on August 8 with the intent of opening programming and rentals back up. However the plan was deterred due to the new unit being vandalized again in less than 24-hours of installation. At this time the community facility is being shut down until late fall due to the damage caused from the vandalism. Earlier in the year, the location had several glass windows shattered throughout the building. With multiple crimes at Hyde Park, Wichita Park &amp; Recreation will end up spending over $65,000 in repairs.Authorities want to encourage everyone, if you see something, say something. Call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 to report a crime and possibly receive a reward. Tips can also be submitted online at <a href="http://www.stopcrime316.com/?fbclid=IwAR29eigSKXTzjlu2jdnJVBfnhQ2MJmjDT3iDHYIlxHrbLLbSwLngAhyfWXQ" target="_blank">www.stopcrime316.com.</a>

AC unit at Kan. park vandalized, replaced, vandalized again

JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested an Edgerton man Wednesday morning following an investigation by the Northeast Child Victim Task Force (NECVTF) and the Collin County, Texas Sheriff’s Office, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just before 8a.m. Wednesday, agents from the NECVTF, assisted by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a search warrant at 207 E. 6th&nbsp;St. in Edgerton, Kansas. 

During the execution of the warrant,&nbsp; agents arrested Tony L. Hamer, 57, of Edgerton on a Texas warrant for suspected solicitation of prostitution of a person younger than 18-years-old.

Following the arrest, Hamer was booked into the Johnson County Jail. Extradition proceedings are expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660243644351.png" alt="Hamer-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hamer-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested an Edgerton man Wednesday morning following an investigation by the Northeast Child Victim Task Force (NECVTF) and the Collin County, Texas Sheriff’s Office, according to a media release from the KBI.Just before 8a.m. Wednesday, agents from the NECVTF, assisted by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a search warrant at 207 E. 6th&nbsp;St. in Edgerton, Kansas. During the execution of the warrant,&nbsp; agents arrested Tony L. Hamer, 57, of Edgerton on a Texas warrant for suspected solicitation of prostitution of a person younger than 18-years-old.Following the arrest, Hamer was booked into the Johnson County Jail. Extradition proceedings are expected.

Kan. man accused of solicitation of teen prostitute in Texas

Non-lethal methods also being studied&nbsp;

By PAT MELGARES K-State Research and Extension news service&nbsp;

MANHATTAN — A decade ago, wildlife officials in the Kansas City area reported that the density of deer in Shawnee Mission Park – a 1,600 acre, multi-use area – was approximately 200 animals per square mile.&nbsp;

“That’s about eight times what we would expect to see naturally in the most abundant areas of our state,” said Drew Ricketts, a wildlife and outdoor enterprise management specialist with K-State Research and Extension.&nbsp;

Kansas City officials are not alone in their concern regarding over-abundant deer populations in urban and suburban areas. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies reported in 2018 that the population of white-tailed, mule and black-tailed deer in the United States was an estimated 30 million – up 1,000 percent from 300,000 reported 100 years earlier.&nbsp;

Urban and suburban areas often are attractive to deer because of an abundance of food and lack of predators.&nbsp;

But Ricketts notes that over-abundant populations create several risks, including:&nbsp;

Ten years ago, officials in the Shawnee Mission Park area addressed their problem by hiring a contractor, which then trained sharpshooters to reduce the density of deer in the park.&nbsp;

Ricketts noted that some groups also are interested in non-lethal means of managing deer populations, primarily by reducing birth rates. Researchers have tested the effectiveness of performing an ovariectomy – removing the ovaries in the females – and found they could reduce populations by up to 45% over a wide geographic area.&nbsp;

Another method is essentially birth control for white-tailed deer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in partnership with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Wildlife Services developed an immunocontraceptive vaccine called GonaCon to manage animal populations. The tactic indicates as much as an 86% reduction in pregnancy rates in does that were treated twice.&nbsp;

So far, though, culling is the least expensive option. Ricketts noted that culling costs about $540 per deer, while the ovariectomy is $1200 on average and GonaCon – which requires two vaccinations – is $2100 on average.&nbsp;

“Sometimes a problem also opens up a new opportunity,” Ricketts said. “We have a very successful urban archery hunting program in the greater Kansas City area, and from other studies around the country, we think we can have up to a 45% population reduction per year.”&nbsp;

Urban archery hunts, he adds, “uses hunters who are excited for the opportunity to harvest a deer as a tool to reduce and sustainably manage overabundant deer populations, while also saving taxpayer dollars.”&nbsp;

The methods used to decrease deer populations, however, often come down to a preference of local authorities and citizens.&nbsp;

“I would encourage reaching out to your local officials, including city council members, mayor and your wildlife and parks commissioner,” Ricketts said. “Between those groups, you will be able to have your voice heard and express your opinions about urban archery hunts or whatever management practices you might like to be considered for over-abundant deer populations in urban areas.”&nbsp;

More information on managing wildlife is&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/undergraduate/wildlife-and-outdoor-enterprise-mgt/index.html">available online from K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources</a>.&nbsp;

<h2>Non-lethal methods also being studied&nbsp;</h2>By PAT MELGARES K-State Research and Extension news service&nbsp;MANHATTAN — A decade ago, wildlife officials in the Kansas City area reported that the density of deer in Shawnee Mission Park – a 1,600 acre, multi-use area – was approximately 200 animals per square mile.&nbsp;“That’s about eight times what we would expect to see naturally in the most abundant areas of our state,” said Drew Ricketts, a wildlife and outdoor enterprise management specialist with K-State Research and Extension.&nbsp;Kansas City officials are not alone in their concern regarding over-abundant deer populations in urban and suburban areas. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies reported in 2018 that the population of white-tailed, mule and black-tailed deer in the United States was an estimated 30 million – up 1,000 percent from 300,000 reported 100 years earlier.&nbsp;Urban and suburban areas often are attractive to deer because of an abundance of food and lack of predators.&nbsp;But Ricketts notes that over-abundant populations create several risks, including:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Deer-vehicle collisions.&nbsp;</li><li>Tickborne pathogens; ticks tend to be more abundant in areas where deer are more abundant, “and it’s more likely that the ticks are going to carry those pathogens in areas where there are a lot of deer,” Ricketts said.&nbsp;</li><li>Damage to vegetation, including homeowners’ gardens or expensive plants.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Ten years ago, officials in the Shawnee Mission Park area addressed their problem by hiring a contractor, which then trained sharpshooters to reduce the density of deer in the park.&nbsp;Ricketts noted that some groups also are interested in non-lethal means of managing deer populations, primarily by reducing birth rates. Researchers have tested the effectiveness of performing an ovariectomy – removing the ovaries in the females – and found they could reduce populations by up to 45% over a wide geographic area.&nbsp;Another method is essentially birth control for white-tailed deer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in partnership with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Wildlife Services developed an immunocontraceptive vaccine called GonaCon to manage animal populations. The tactic indicates as much as an 86% reduction in pregnancy rates in does that were treated twice.&nbsp;So far, though, culling is the least expensive option. Ricketts noted that culling costs about $540 per deer, while the ovariectomy is $1200 on average and GonaCon – which requires two vaccinations – is $2100 on average.&nbsp;“Sometimes a problem also opens up a new opportunity,” Ricketts said. “We have a very successful urban archery hunting program in the greater Kansas City area, and from other studies around the country, we think we can have up to a 45% population reduction per year.”&nbsp;Urban archery hunts, he adds, “uses hunters who are excited for the opportunity to harvest a deer as a tool to reduce and sustainably manage overabundant deer populations, while also saving taxpayer dollars.”&nbsp;The methods used to decrease deer populations, however, often come down to a preference of local authorities and citizens.&nbsp;“I would encourage reaching out to your local officials, including city council members, mayor and your wildlife and parks commissioner,” Ricketts said. “Between those groups, you will be able to have your voice heard and express your opinions about urban archery hunts or whatever management practices you might like to be considered for over-abundant deer populations in urban areas.”&nbsp;More information on managing wildlife is&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/undergraduate/wildlife-and-outdoor-enterprise-mgt/index.html">available online from K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources</a>.&nbsp;Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Researchers examine 'urban archery' to reduce deer populations

Concerts are back! Bands are touring again, and <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/eservices/event-tickets/worldwide#revenue" target="_blank">ticket spending</a> is back to pre-COVID-19 levels. This fact hasn’t gone unnoticed by scammers, though. Recent reports to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> indicate that con artists are preying on concertgoers by pretending to represent popular ticket seller <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/beverly-hills/profile/event-ticket-sales/ticketmaster-corp-1216-31068" target="_blank">Ticketmaster</a>.

You are looking to buy tickets to an upcoming concert or need to 
transfer tickets for a show that was postponed due to COVID-19. You do 
an internet search for your question, which brings up results for 
Ticketmaster. You click through to the website, and everything looks 
normal.

The website prompts you to enter your personal information and a 
credit card number. However, as soon as you complete a transaction, you 
notice some suspicious activity. You might receive tickets with someone 
else’s name on them, or you may never receive your tickets at all. In 
other cases, you get the tickets, but the site charges you a much higher
 rate than advertised.

Upon closer inspection, you realize you were not on the Ticketmaster 
site at all! It was a lookalike site with a similar name, such as 
“TicketSmarter” or “TicketFaster.” When you call the customer service 
number, they are either unreachable, unhelpful, or downright aggressive.

One ticket buyer reported this experience: “They sent me two tickets 
with someone else's name on them, and they also charged me three times 
the amount [of] the ticket price. I have no way to get a refund and no 
customer service to contact (except by email) because they do not answer
 their phone.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660338316654.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBConcerts are back! Bands are touring again, and <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/eservices/event-tickets/worldwide#revenue" target="_blank">ticket spending</a> is back to pre-COVID-19 levels. This fact hasn’t gone unnoticed by scammers, though. Recent reports to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a> indicate that con artists are preying on concertgoers by pretending to represent popular ticket seller <a href="https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/beverly-hills/profile/event-ticket-sales/ticketmaster-corp-1216-31068" target="_blank">Ticketmaster</a>.<h2>How the scam works</h2>You are looking to buy tickets to an upcoming concert or need to 
transfer tickets for a show that was postponed due to COVID-19. You do 
an internet search for your question, which brings up results for 
Ticketmaster. You click through to the website, and everything looks 
normal.The website prompts you to enter your personal information and a 
credit card number. However, as soon as you complete a transaction, you 
notice some suspicious activity. You might receive tickets with someone 
else’s name on them, or you may never receive your tickets at all. In 
other cases, you get the tickets, but the site charges you a much higher
 rate than advertised.Upon closer inspection, you realize you were not on the Ticketmaster 
site at all! It was a lookalike site with a similar name, such as 
“TicketSmarter” or “TicketFaster.” When you call the customer service 
number, they are either unreachable, unhelpful, or downright aggressive.One ticket buyer reported this experience: “They sent me two tickets 
with someone else's name on them, and they also charged me three times 
the amount [of] the ticket price. I have no way to get a refund and no 
customer service to contact (except by email) because they do not answer
 their phone.”<h2>&nbsp;How to avoid event ticket scams</h2><ul>
 <li>Purchase from the venue. The safest way to purchase
 event tickets is to go directly through the venue, either in person or 
through their official website. The venue’s website may point you to 
Ticketmaster or another provider to complete your purchase, but you can 
be sure of having the correct website URL. </li><li>Check out the seller. If you purchase from a third-party company, make sure they are a reputable ticket vendor or <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26662-bbb-tip-what-to-know-about-buying-tickets-from-an-online-reseller" target="_blank">reseller</a>, not a ticket scalper. Check reviews on <a href="http://www.BBB.org" target="_blank">BBB.org.</a> </li><li>Watch out for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website" target="_blank">fake websites</a>. Take
 a close look at the website’s URL to ensure there are no slight 
misspellings. Impostors like to make lookalike websites with domain 
names that are similar to well-known business names. This makes them 
hard to spot. </li><li>Use a safe payment method. Always make online 
purchases with your credit card. You can dispute fraudulent charges and 
have a better chance of getting your money back. </li>
 </ul>

BBB warns consumers about Ticketmaster lookalike schemes

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Iranian operative has been charged in a plot to murder former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-bolton">U.S. national security adviser John Bolton</a>&nbsp;in presumed retaliation for a U.S. airstrike that killed the country’s most powerful general, offering $300,000 to “eliminate” the Trump administration official, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Shahram Poursafi, identified by U.S. officials as a member of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, is currently wanted by the FBI on charges related to the murder-for-hire plot.

Prosecutors say the scheme unfolded more than a year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/qassim-soleimani">Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force</a>&nbsp;and an architect of Tehran’s proxy wars in the Middle East, was killed in a targeted airstrike as he traveled from Baghdad’s international airport in January 2020. After the strike, Bolton, who by then had left his White House post, tweeted, “Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran.”

The FBI believes that Poursafi was acting on behalf of the Revolutionary Guard when he sought to have Bolton killed, according to an affidavit unsealed Wednesday. Law enforcement officials located photographs of Poursafi in fatigues and with posters of Iran and Soleimani in the background to back up their allegation that he is a uniformed Revolutionary Guard member.

The Justice Department traces the plot to the fall of 2021, when Poursafi, 45, an Iranian citizen who officials say has never visited the United States, asked an unidentified person he met through social media and who was living in the U.S. to take photographs of Bolton for a book he said he was writing.

The person introduced Poursafi to an associate that could take the requested photos and videos. After the two connected, Poursafi encouraged that person, who was actually a confidential source working with the FBI, to hire someone to kill Bolton and offered to pay $300,000 for the job. Poursafi told the person that he wanted “the guy” to be purged or eliminated.

Poursafi provided the person with Bolton’s office address, including the name and contact information for someone who worked in the office, the FBI affidavit says.

“This was not an idle threat,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, the Justice Department’s top national security official, said in a statement released by the department. “And this is not the first time we’ve uncovered brazen acts by Iran to exact revenge against individuals in the U.S.”

In 2011, for instance, the FBI and Justice Department revealed an Iranian government plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. while the ambassador was in the U.S.

A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Nasser Kanaani, called the latest accusations baseless and politically motivated, state-run media reported.

He said Iran “reserves the right to take any action within the framework of international law to defend the rights of the government and citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

In his own statement, Bolton thanked the FBI and Justice Department for their work in developing the case and the Secret Service for providing protection.

“While much cannot be said publicly right now, one point is indisputable: Iran’s rulers are liars, terrorists, and enemies of the United States,” he said.

The unsealing of the complaint comes two days after negotiators seeking to revive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-dubai-nuclear-middle-east-45ce172ef6fbcf367c77b11ea8c045f5">the Iran nuclear accord</a>&nbsp;in Vienna closed on a “final text” of an agreement, with parties now consulting in their capitals on whether to agree to it it.

The 2015 deal granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for tight curbs on its atomic program. Since the U.S. withdrew from the agreement under President Donald Trump, Iran has sped up its nuclear enrichment program. Bolton has been among the most hawkish critics of the deal and efforts by the Biden administration to rejoin it.

In his statement, Bolton said “Iran’s nuclear-weapons and terrorist activities are two sides of the same coin” and asserted that America re-entering the 2015 deal would be an “unparalleled self-inflicted wound, to ourselves and our closest Middle East allies.”

The Justice Department described Poursafi as at-large abroad but did not elaborate on where he might be located. It is not clear when or if he will be taken into custody. He faces charges of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and attempting to provide transnational support to a murder plot.

The Revolutionary Guard is a paramilitary organization formed in the wake of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution to defend its clerically overseen government. The Quds Force is the Guard’s expeditionary unit, responsible for operations abroad.

Soleimani was the head of that force, and the Defense Department said at the time of the January 2020 strike that it killed him because he “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647123002389.png" alt="In May, the State Department reported they are paying more than $2 million per month to provide 24-hour security to former Kansas congressman and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a former top aide, both of whom face “serious and credible” threats from Iran-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>In May, the State Department reported they are paying more than $2 million per month to provide 24-hour security to former Kansas congressman and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a former top aide, both of whom face “serious and credible” threats from Iran-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — An Iranian operative has been charged in a plot to murder former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-bolton">U.S. national security adviser John Bolton</a>&nbsp;in presumed retaliation for a U.S. airstrike that killed the country’s most powerful general, offering $300,000 to “eliminate” the Trump administration official, the Justice Department said Wednesday.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WhS_Oex6Vl0?start=8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Shahram Poursafi, identified by U.S. officials as a member of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, is currently wanted by the FBI on charges related to the murder-for-hire plot.Prosecutors say the scheme unfolded more than a year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/qassim-soleimani">Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force</a>&nbsp;and an architect of Tehran’s proxy wars in the Middle East, was killed in a targeted airstrike as he traveled from Baghdad’s international airport in January 2020. After the strike, Bolton, who by then had left his White House post, tweeted, “Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran.”The FBI believes that Poursafi was acting on behalf of the Revolutionary Guard when he sought to have Bolton killed, according to an affidavit unsealed Wednesday. Law enforcement officials located photographs of Poursafi in fatigues and with posters of Iran and Soleimani in the background to back up their allegation that he is a uniformed Revolutionary Guard member.The Justice Department traces the plot to the fall of 2021, when Poursafi, 45, an Iranian citizen who officials say has never visited the United States, asked an unidentified person he met through social media and who was living in the U.S. to take photographs of Bolton for a book he said he was writing.The person introduced Poursafi to an associate that could take the requested photos and videos. After the two connected, Poursafi encouraged that person, who was actually a confidential source working with the FBI, to hire someone to kill Bolton and offered to pay $300,000 for the job. Poursafi told the person that he wanted “the guy” to be purged or eliminated.Poursafi provided the person with Bolton’s office address, including the name and contact information for someone who worked in the office, the FBI affidavit says.“This was not an idle threat,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, the Justice Department’s top national security official, said in a statement released by the department. “And this is not the first time we’ve uncovered brazen acts by Iran to exact revenge against individuals in the U.S.”In 2011, for instance, the FBI and Justice Department revealed an Iranian government plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. while the ambassador was in the U.S.A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Nasser Kanaani, called the latest accusations baseless and politically motivated, state-run media reported.He said Iran “reserves the right to take any action within the framework of international law to defend the rights of the government and citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”In his own statement, Bolton thanked the FBI and Justice Department for their work in developing the case and the Secret Service for providing protection.“While much cannot be said publicly right now, one point is indisputable: Iran’s rulers are liars, terrorists, and enemies of the United States,” he said.The unsealing of the complaint comes two days after negotiators seeking to revive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-dubai-nuclear-middle-east-45ce172ef6fbcf367c77b11ea8c045f5">the Iran nuclear accord</a>&nbsp;in Vienna closed on a “final text” of an agreement, with parties now consulting in their capitals on whether to agree to it it.The 2015 deal granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for tight curbs on its atomic program. Since the U.S. withdrew from the agreement under President Donald Trump, Iran has sped up its nuclear enrichment program. Bolton has been among the most hawkish critics of the deal and efforts by the Biden administration to rejoin it.In his statement, Bolton said “Iran’s nuclear-weapons and terrorist activities are two sides of the same coin” and asserted that America re-entering the 2015 deal would be an “unparalleled self-inflicted wound, to ourselves and our closest Middle East allies.”The Justice Department described Poursafi as at-large abroad but did not elaborate on where he might be located. It is not clear when or if he will be taken into custody. He faces charges of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and attempting to provide transnational support to a murder plot.The Revolutionary Guard is a paramilitary organization formed in the wake of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution to defend its clerically overseen government. The Quds Force is the Guard’s expeditionary unit, responsible for operations abroad.Soleimani was the head of that force, and the Defense Department said at the time of the January 2020 strike that it killed him because he “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.”

🎥 Justice Department: Iran continues to target U.S. citizens

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Two suspects accused in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/german-clerici-obituary?id=14196667">the death</a> of a Kansas man whose body was found in a culvert in 2010 are due in court Thursday morning.

&nbsp;Kristopher Valadez, 32,&nbsp; and Candace Valadez, 32, are scheduled to appear in&nbsp;Judge Sean Hatfield’s courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

The couple were extradited from South Carolina to Kansas on Tuesday and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to the sheriff's department booking report.&nbsp;

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18699872">He was being held on </a>a requested charge of second degree murder. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20077021">She was jailed on</a> a requested charge of aiding a felon, according to online records.&nbsp;They bonded out of custody on Wednesday, according to the district attorney's office.

In February of 2010, 19-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/german-clerici-obituary?id=14196667">German Clerici's </a>mother reported him missing after she had not heard from him since late January, according to a statement from the Butler County Sheriff's office.&nbsp; Clerici's car was also missing.

Several days later, investigators found <a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/german-clerici-obituary?id=14196667">Clerici </a>shot to death in a culvert east of Augusta. Four months later, deputies found his car in the 3000 Block of East 21st North in Wichita.

In 2021, Butler County Sheriff Monty Hughey had investigators take a fresh look at the case.&nbsp; They discovered information that prompted investigators to conduct follow-up interviews and learned more information and new evidence in the case.&nbsp;

&nbsp;In July,&nbsp; investigators from the Butler County Sheriff's officials traveled to South Carolina. With the assistance of the Greenville South Carolina County Sheriff's Office and Wichita police, deputies arrested the couple. Both are former Wichita residents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660137633434.png" alt="Kristopher Valadez-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Kristopher Valadez-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— Two suspects accused in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/german-clerici-obituary?id=14196667">the death</a> of a Kansas man whose body was found in a culvert in 2010 are due in court Thursday morning.&nbsp;Kristopher Valadez, 32,&nbsp; and Candace Valadez, 32, are scheduled to appear in&nbsp;Judge Sean Hatfield’s courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.The couple were extradited from South Carolina to Kansas on Tuesday and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to the sheriff's department booking report.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=18699872">He was being held on </a>a requested charge of second degree murder. <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20077021">She was jailed on</a> a requested charge of aiding a felon, according to online records.&nbsp;They bonded out of custody on Wednesday, according to the district attorney's office.In February of 2010, 19-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/german-clerici-obituary?id=14196667">German Clerici's </a>mother reported him missing after she had not heard from him since late January, according to a statement from the Butler County Sheriff's office.&nbsp; Clerici's car was also missing.Several days later, investigators found <a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansas/name/german-clerici-obituary?id=14196667">Clerici </a>shot to death in a culvert east of Augusta. Four months later, deputies found his car in the 3000 Block of East 21st North in Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660137611719.png" alt="Candace Valadez-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Candace Valadez-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2021, Butler County Sheriff Monty Hughey had investigators take a fresh look at the case.&nbsp; They discovered information that prompted investigators to conduct follow-up interviews and learned more information and new evidence in the case.&nbsp;&nbsp;In July,&nbsp; investigators from the Butler County Sheriff's officials traveled to South Carolina. With the assistance of the Greenville South Carolina County Sheriff's Office and Wichita police, deputies arrested the couple. Both are former Wichita residents.

Suspects in 2010 murder set to face Kansas judge

PAWNEE COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a violent altercation in Larned made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Mateo Francisco Alonzo, 25, Larned, was charged with Attempted First Degree Murder and one count of Forgery, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett. The Murder charge contains an alternate charge of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon.

The charges stem from an alleged stabbing at a residence in Larned, Kansas, during the earlier morning hours of August 6.

A private vehicle transported the victim to the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital for treatment, according to McNett.

 The allegations were investigated by the Larned Police Department with the assistance of the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department. Alonzo was arrested without incident at a separate residence approximately an hour after law enforcement received the initial dispatch call.

&nbsp;A Preliminary Hearing has been scheduled for August 19.

Alonzo is being held in Pawnee County on a $100,000 bond, according to McNett.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660173703114.png" alt="Alanzo-photo Pawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Alanzo-photo Pawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a violent altercation in Larned made his first court appearance Wednesday.Mateo Francisco Alonzo, 25, Larned, was charged with Attempted First Degree Murder and one count of Forgery, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett. The Murder charge contains an alternate charge of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon.The charges stem from an alleged stabbing at a residence in Larned, Kansas, during the earlier morning hours of August 6.A private vehicle transported the victim to the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital for treatment, according to McNett. The allegations were investigated by the Larned Police Department with the assistance of the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department. Alonzo was arrested without incident at a separate residence approximately an hour after law enforcement received the initial dispatch call.&nbsp;A Preliminary Hearing has been scheduled for August 19.Alonzo is being held in Pawnee County on a $100,000 bond, according to McNett.

Man charged for violent stabbing at SW Kansas home

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Pottawatomie County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Western semi driven by&nbsp; Mark E&nbsp;Stanwix, 44, Lecompton, was eastbound on U.S. 24 just west of Airport Road.

The semi rear-ended a 2008 Ford Edge driven by Megan K. Schindler, 34, St. Mary's, who was slowing and coming up behind a 2013 Ford F250 driven by Randy L. Tinkel, 37, Wamego, who was stopped waiting to make a left turn.&nbsp; The impact pushed the semi and Ford Edge into the pickup.

The Ford Edge came to rest on its side north of the roadway. The Ford F250 came to rest on the south side of the roadway on its roof. The semi&nbsp; came to rest on the south of the roadway in a field.

Randy Tinkel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Stewart's Funeral Home.

EMS transported a 2-year-old boy and a 7-year-old boy in the pickup to Children's Mercy.&nbsp; EMS transported a third passenger in the Ford F 250 Jillian C Tinkel, 36, Wamego, to Wamego Health Center.

EMS transported Schindler to Stormont Vail. Stanwix was not injured. The adults in the Ford F250 were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Pottawatomie County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Western semi driven by&nbsp; Mark E&nbsp;Stanwix, 44, Lecompton, was eastbound on U.S. 24 just west of Airport Road.The semi rear-ended a 2008 Ford Edge driven by Megan K. Schindler, 34, St. Mary's, who was slowing and coming up behind a 2013 Ford F250 driven by Randy L. Tinkel, 37, Wamego, who was stopped waiting to make a left turn.&nbsp; The impact pushed the semi and Ford Edge into the pickup.The Ford Edge came to rest on its side north of the roadway. The Ford F250 came to rest on the south side of the roadway on its roof. The semi&nbsp; came to rest on the south of the roadway in a field.Randy Tinkel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Stewart's Funeral Home.EMS transported a 2-year-old boy and a 7-year-old boy in the pickup to Children's Mercy.&nbsp; EMS transported a third passenger in the Ford F 250 Jillian C Tinkel, 36, Wamego, to Wamego Health Center.EMS transported Schindler to Stormont Vail. Stanwix was not injured. The adults in the Ford F250 were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kan. man dead, 2 adults and 2 children injured in 3-vehicle crash

College students must spend money on tuition payments and school 
supplies as they prepare for the new year. However, scammers are taking 
this opportunity to try to steal some of that money through various 
schemes and scams.&nbsp;

One tactic that has been used to get students' personal information 
is a phishing email that claims to be from the school’s “Financial 
Department.” Messages via text or email may appear, instructing the 
student to click on a link provided in the email and log in with a 
student username and password. Don’t do it; doing so could give the user
 name, password, or other personal information to scammers, while 
possibly downloading malware onto the device.

Whether you are starting school away from home or have young students
 who may be vulnerable to such scams, BBB recommends watching out for 
these financial scams before heading into the new semester.&nbsp;

Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/10496-bbb-9-tips-to-avoid-id-theft-on-campus" target="_blank">9 ways for students to avoid ID theft on campus</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660238659268.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBCollege students must spend money on tuition payments and school 
supplies as they prepare for the new year. However, scammers are taking 
this opportunity to try to steal some of that money through various 
schemes and scams.&nbsp;One tactic that has been used to get students' personal information 
is a phishing email that claims to be from the school’s “Financial 
Department.” Messages via text or email may appear, instructing the 
student to click on a link provided in the email and log in with a 
student username and password. Don’t do it; doing so could give the user
 name, password, or other personal information to scammers, while 
possibly downloading malware onto the device.Whether you are starting school away from home or have young students
 who may be vulnerable to such scams, BBB recommends watching out for 
these financial scams before heading into the new semester.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Fake credit cards - Offers to apply for the first 
credit card are tempting to many students. Not only could this create 
credit problems down the road due to unchecked spending, but some of the
 deals could be phony offers designed to get access to personal 
information. Research the offers from the credit card flyers and the 
banking institutions before applying. Review the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16909-bbb-tip-credit-card-scams">BBB tip on credit card scams</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Too good to be true apartments -
 It’s hard not to jump on a convenient apartment so close to campus, 
especially if it advertises affordable rent. It’s tempting to hand over 
credit card information online to lock in a great spot, but it’s always 
worth seeing the apartment in person prior to a money transfer. This 
also applies to Craigslist and social media ads appearing to be from 
other students looking for roommates. Read more about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/16908-scam-alert-rental-cons-cash-in-on-stressed-out-movers" target="_blank">rental scams</a>.</li><li>ID theft -&nbsp;
 It’s a good idea to start practicing healthy money habits, and one such
 habit is regularly checking your credit report for unusual activity and
 possible ID fraud. The official government website to do this for free 
is <a href="https://www.annualcreditreport.com/" target="_blank">annualcreditreport.com</a>. Read BBB's article on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/25955-bbb-tip-how-to-know-if-someone-stole-your-identity" target="_blank">How to know if someone stole your identity</a>.</li><li>Scholarship and grant scams - Be
 wary of phone calls from companies guaranteeing they can help reduce 
loan payments or offer a hefty grant. Searching the company’s name 
online could bring up scam alerts or negative reviews from other 
consumers. Read reviews and complaints about the company at <a href="https://www.bbb.org/search" target="_blank">BBB.org</a> and contact the school’s financial aid office for advice and help regarding financing your education. Scholarship scams can affect college students even after graduation; <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16922-bbb-tip-scholarship-scams" target="_blank">read our tips on scholarship scams</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Online shopping scams - Online purchase scams can be especially effective when set up through social media platforms and apps. BBB has tips for <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14040-bbb-tip-smart-shopping-online" target="_blank">smart shopping online</a> and a page dedicated to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/online-shopping" target="_blank">online shopping tips and scam alerts</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Awareness of current scams - As tech-savvy as current college students can be, a surprising number of scams reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/akron">BBB’s ScamTracker</a> are from students who learned their lesson too late. Use <a href="https://www.bbb.org/all/scamtips">BBB’s Scam Tips</a> to learn the latest scam trends and read local reports of specific incidents.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Read <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/10496-bbb-9-tips-to-avoid-id-theft-on-campus" target="_blank">9 ways for students to avoid ID theft on campus</a>.

Scam Alert: Six scams for college students to avoid

TOPEKA –&nbsp; A Kansas man and three corporate entities he controlled have been permanently banned from doing business and ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution related to providing unlawful autopsy services, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Shawn Parcells, 42, who has resided in both Leawood and Topeka, and corporate entities Parcells Forensic Pathology Group LLC; ParCo-Parcells and Company, LLC; and National Autopsy and Tissue Recovery Services, Inc., were ordered by Shawnee County District Court Judge Mary Christopher to pay $254,762.98 in restitution to 82 consumers related to private autopsy services. Parcells and the corporations were also ordered to pay a $200,000 penalty for violating the Kansas Consumer Protection Act, a $200,000 penalty for violation of the Kansas False Claims Act related to coroner ordered autopsy services provided to Wabaunsee County, and ordered to pay Wabaunsee County $49,600 in damages. Parcells and the corporations were also ordered to pay $60,000 in investigative and receivership fees. Parcells agreed to the terms in consent judgments approved last week by Christopher.

Christopher banned Parcells and the corporate entities from doing business in Kansas related to services relating to the human body; performing services regulated as a healing art, including any COVID-related services; and from filing a claim against any political subdivision. He is required to comply with all Kansas statutes that regulate any profession, and is prohibited from using any titles or initials that include professions in the healing arts or any other profession for which he is not educated, certified or qualified.

Schmidt initially filed the case in 2019 alleging Parcells contracted with Wabaunsee County to conduct coroner-ordered autopsies and failed to conduct them in accordance with Kansas law. Additionally, the petition alleged Parcells performed private autopsies without the presence or supervision of a licensed pathologist or otherwise in violation of consumer protection laws.

In the course of the civil investigation and litigation, the state obtained control of more than 1,700 biological samples collected by Parcells. In November 2019, Christopher appointed the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as receiver and directed KDHE to take control of the samples. Under court order, the state cataloged and stored the samples. Schmidt said that upon proper and verified request, samples are released to family members who request them. The receivership is ending soon; a notice will be posted on the attorney general’s website and distributed to the media providing family members 30 days to submit a request for release of samples. After that date, any remaining samples not requested for release will be processed by order of the court. Family members may call the attorney general’s Victim Services Division at (785) 291-3950 for more information.

“It is important to remember that behind all these case details are individuals and family members who have been put in unimaginable circumstances due to Parcells’s conduct,” Schmidt said. “Navigating the loss of a loved one can be difficult enough, but the additional harm created by Shawn Parcells has added to that difficulty. Though the resolution of this case does not undo that harm, our hope is that affected family members can now at least properly grieve.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574875994992.png" alt="Shawn Parcells photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Shawn Parcells photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA –&nbsp; A Kansas man and three corporate entities he controlled have been permanently banned from doing business and ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution related to providing unlawful autopsy services, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. Shawn Parcells, 42, who has resided in both Leawood and Topeka, and corporate entities Parcells Forensic Pathology Group LLC; ParCo-Parcells and Company, LLC; and National Autopsy and Tissue Recovery Services, Inc., were ordered by Shawnee County District Court Judge Mary Christopher to pay $254,762.98 in restitution to 82 consumers related to private autopsy services. Parcells and the corporations were also ordered to pay a $200,000 penalty for violating the Kansas Consumer Protection Act, a $200,000 penalty for violation of the Kansas False Claims Act related to coroner ordered autopsy services provided to Wabaunsee County, and ordered to pay Wabaunsee County $49,600 in damages. Parcells and the corporations were also ordered to pay $60,000 in investigative and receivership fees. Parcells agreed to the terms in consent judgments approved last week by Christopher. Christopher banned Parcells and the corporate entities from doing business in Kansas related to services relating to the human body; performing services regulated as a healing art, including any COVID-related services; and from filing a claim against any political subdivision. He is required to comply with all Kansas statutes that regulate any profession, and is prohibited from using any titles or initials that include professions in the healing arts or any other profession for which he is not educated, certified or qualified. Schmidt initially filed the case in 2019 alleging Parcells contracted with Wabaunsee County to conduct coroner-ordered autopsies and failed to conduct them in accordance with Kansas law. Additionally, the petition alleged Parcells performed private autopsies without the presence or supervision of a licensed pathologist or otherwise in violation of consumer protection laws. In the course of the civil investigation and litigation, the state obtained control of more than 1,700 biological samples collected by Parcells. In November 2019, Christopher appointed the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as receiver and directed KDHE to take control of the samples. Under court order, the state cataloged and stored the samples. Schmidt said that upon proper and verified request, samples are released to family members who request them. The receivership is ending soon; a notice will be posted on the attorney general’s website and distributed to the media providing family members 30 days to submit a request for release of samples. After that date, any remaining samples not requested for release will be processed by order of the court. Family members may call the attorney general’s Victim Services Division at (785) 291-3950 for more information. “It is important to remember that behind all these case details are individuals and family members who have been put in unimaginable circumstances due to Parcells’s conduct,” Schmidt said. “Navigating the loss of a loved one can be difficult enough, but the additional harm created by Shawn Parcells has added to that difficulty. Though the resolution of this case does not undo that harm, our hope is that affected family members can now at least properly grieve.” In November 2021, a jury convicted Parcells on six criminal charges related to providing autopsy services in Wabaunsee County. In that case, Parcells was convicted of three counts of felony theft and three misdemeanor counts of criminal desecration. The jury found that Parcells unlawfully obtained money from Wabaunsee County to perform autopsies in three cases. In addition, Parcells had unauthorized control of bodies, and performed autopsies in three instances without a pathologist performing the autopsies, acts that are all in violation of state law. Parcells’ crimes took place in 2014 and 2015. Sentencing is pending. The civil case against Parcells was handled by Assistant Attorney General Melanie Jack of Schmidt’s office. Copies of the consent judgments are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.inyourcornerkansas.org/judgments">www.inyourcornerkansas.org/judgments</a>.&nbsp;