KANSAS CITY –Four additional defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to use online escort and massage ads to lure robbery victims, according to  Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Rodney E. Brock, 20, of Blue Springs, Mo., Melissa C. Cummins, 23, and Daphne J. Fruean, 37, both of Independence, Mo., and Michele R. Shatto, 34, of Kansas City,, were charged in a 12-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. The second superseding indictment replaces a Nov. 1, 2016, superseding indictment and contains additional defendants and charges (bringing the total number of defendants to 10). The second superseding indictment also includes Kenneth W. Sexson, 33, of Sugar Creek, Mo., Ray J. Mahurin, 34, of Blue Springs, Serina M. Campos, 23, of Independence, with the same charges contained in the previous indictment, but does not include three co-defendants who have pleaded guilty.

The indictment alleges that Sexson, Brock, Cummins, Fruean and Shatto participated in a conspiracy to commit armed robbery from April 1, 2015, to June 7, 2016. They allegedly used several websites (including craigslist.org, backpage.com and skout.com) to make connections with their victims and arrange meetings at local hotels, residences and apartments. When customers arrived for the meetings, the indictment says, conspirators would be lying in wait, armed with firearms, and rob the customers.

The indictment specifically refers to seven armed robberies that occurred in September and October 2015 at various locations in Kansas City, Mo., Independence, and North Kansas City, Mo. Six of the robberies in October 2016 were included in the earlier indictment. A Sept. 26, 2016, robbery at an Independence hotel is added in the current indictment.

In one of those robberies, a victim jumped from his moving vehicle on the highway in fear of his life and was transported to the hospital. According to court documents, conspirators lured a victim to meet Cummins at a Kansas City, Mo., apartment on Oct. 9, 2015. When he arrived at the apartment, court documents say, he was greeted at the door by Cummins. Sexson, Brock and a third person, armed with handguns, allegedly pulled him into a room and threw him on the bed. They demanded his phone and money, then took him to his vehicle (a Chevrolet Silverado pickup) and searched it. Afterwards, Brock directed the victim into the passenger seat and drove off in the vehicle. While driving, Brock allegedly demanded the title to the vehicle and threatened to shoot the victim, who jumped from the moving vehicle in the area of I-670 and 71 Highway in fear for his life.

Brock was arrested on Nov. 5, 2015, when an Independence police officer saw him driving a stolen vehicle. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but Brock began to flee at a high rate of speed, driving into opposite lanes of traffic to avoid stop sticks. After a lengthy pursuit into Kansas, Brock bailed from the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. He entered a nearby body of water, and was later recovered from that body of water. Inside the stolen vehicle, officers discovered a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun.

The indictment charges Sexson, Mahurin and Campos together in one count of being unlawful users of a controlled substance who aided and abetted each other to possess firearms and ammunition. The indictment alleges they were in possession of a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, a Marlin 30-30 caliber rifle, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Springfield 9mm pistol, and ammunition.

In addition to the conspiracy, Sexson, Brock and Cummins are charged together with one count of aiding and abetting an armed robbery. Sexson and Brock are charged together with one count of aiding and abetting an armed robbery. Sexson and Fruean are charged together with one count of aiding and abetting an armed robbery.

Sexson is also charged with three additional counts of aiding and abetting an armed robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Brock is also charged with one count of carjacking (related to the Oct. 9, 2015, armed robbery) and one count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm. Brock allegedly possessed a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol when he was arrested on Nov. 5, 2015.

Larson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.

OGALLALA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say four people died after another vehicle crossed the center line of a Western Nebraska highway and struck the motorcycles they were riding on.

The Nebraska State Patrol is trying to determine what caused the crash on U.S. Highway 26 south of Lake McConaughy around 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

The four people who died were riding on two motorcycles. The driver of the other vehicle was taken to a Colorado hospital for treatment of injuries.

Fifty-four-year-old Sheila Matheny and 61-year-old James Matheny, who are from Bedford, Iowa, were on one motorcycle. The other riders were 58-year-old Michal Weese and 59-year-old Jerolyn Weese from Council Bluffs, Iowa.

By STEPHEN KORANDA

Lawmakers approved a $1.2 billion income tax increase to close a projected $900 million budget gap for the next two fiscal years.

The new law raises income tax rates and reinstates income taxes on thousands of business owners.

“We’re encouraging everybody to just think about it,” said Kansas Revenue Secretary Sam Williams.

Williams recommends that employees who are paid at an hourly rate check their paychecks in July to make sure the income tax withholding has been increased.

Under current law, there are two income tax brackets with rates of 2.7 percent and 4.6 percent. The new law creates a third bracket, and has rates of 2.9 percent, 4.9 percent and 5.2 percent.

The new law also eliminates an income tax exemption created in 2012 for more than 300,000 businesses owners. That means many businesses will have to start making quarterly tax payments.

“Businesses that were created in that time, they haven’t been in the habit of making any estimated tax payments,” Williams said.

The tax changes are retroactive to the beginning of 2017.

Andy Phillips, with The Tax Institute at H&R Block, agreed that it’s a good idea for individuals to make sure their withholding amount has increased. For businesses, he said it’s important to see if tax payments need to be updated.

“Visit with your tax adviser, even on your own do an online tax calculator. Determine what this means to you,” he said.

Phillips said workers or business owners who don’t make changes could face a larger-than-expected tax bill next April.

“It’s extremely important to have that midyear checkup and determine if you need to take some proactive steps and not have a surprise waiting for you,” he said.

Kansans will not face late penalties or interest as long as all taxes due are paid by April 2018.

The new law also will reinstate some tax deductions and credits, but those won’t begin phasing back in until next year.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for KPR a partner in the Kansas News Service.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House’s top legislative liaison insists the Senate is “getting close” to an agreement on a GOP health bill to repeal and replace the health care law.

Marc Short says President Donald Trump spent the weekend making calls to lawmakers to “get the Senate package across the finish line.”

Kansas Senator Pat Roberts has stated he favors the current bill while the Junior Senator from Kansas Jerry Moran does not.

Short says the Congressional Budget Office has two versions of the bill to score. Sen. Ted Cruz is pushing a conservative version that aims to aggressively reduce costs. The other could bolster health care subsidies for lower-income people.

Short told “Fox News Sunday” the White House’s hope is to pass a repeal-and-replace bill. But he reiterated that Trump believes Republicans should consider an option of immediately repealing “Obamacare” and replacing it later, if senators can’t reach agreement.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal officials say the Kansas City Zoo was not at fault when a chimp died.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspected the zoo’s chimpanzee program after a 31-year-old chimpanzee died June 21.

The chimp, Bahati, died after falling from a tree and being attacked by other chimpanzees.

Zoo officials say other chimps had chased Bahati up the tree and he fell. The chimpanzees beat Bahati and he died of internal injuries. A zoo spokeswoman said chimpanzees often skirmish to maintain social hierarchy.

The Kansas City Star reports the federal agency said it found the zoo was compliant with the Animal Welfare Act, which covers the treatment of zoo animals.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Some state lawmakers want Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to explain his claim that corruption exists at the Statehouse.

Kobach said recently he is running for governor to end the “culture of corruption” in the Legislature. He suggested term limits for legislators.

House Speaker Pro Tem Scott Schwab, a Republican from Olathe, on Friday said Kobach’s comments insult the Legislature. He says he gets nervous when someone with prosecutorial power accuses others of violating the law without being specific.

Schwab suggested the Legislative Coordinating Council, a seven-member group of the top leaders from both parties in the House and Senate, write a letter to Kobach asking him to explain his remarks.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Kobach’s office said he would respond when he sees the letter.

 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Wichita truck driving school and its owner will pay $6,000 back to students after admitting to making false claims about its credentials.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said Friday that Wichita Truck Driving School claimed to be approved by the Kansas Board of Regents and said it was a member of the Wichita Chamber of Commerce.

Neither claim was true. Making such false claims violates state law.

The $6,000 represents tuition to students. The company and its owner, Tandy McKenzie, also agreed to pay court costs related to the case.

SHAWNEE COUNTY – A small plane made an unexpected landing just after 11a.m. Saturday in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the 2001 MAC-145B Fixed Wing Single Engine
airplane piloted by Pierre S. Melcher, 57, Houston, was traveling from Kansas City to Denver.

The plane lost oil pressure and made an emergency landing in a corn field near the 2600 Block of U.S. 24 Highway.

Melcher and a passenger were not injured.

NEWTON COUNTY, MO – A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Saturday in Newton County Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford 500 driven by Summer D. Padilla, 35, Baxter Springs, was traveling on Highway 43 four miles south of Joplin. The vehicle left the road and hit a tree.

She was transported to Mercy Hospital in serious condition, according to the MSHP. She was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to the MSHP.

JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas law that allows concealed guns on state university and college campuses beginning Saturday has resulted in a flurry of new policies, fact sheets, online guides and videos about the handling of weapons.

Administrators say they can’t predict how many people will carry concealed weapons on campuses or how many complaints their police might receive about potential violations of the keep-weapons-hidden policies.

For example, administrators are telling students that if they keep a handgun in a backpack, the backpack has to stay with them if they’re called to the front of the class to answer a question.

The law allows people 21 or older to carry concealed weapons on campus and into buildings that don’t have adequate security such as metal detectors and armed guards.