SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have arrested two suspects.

Just after 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to an audible alarm at Best Buy in the 2100 block of North Rock Road in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers observed evidence of a burglary that occurred and multiple Apple Macbooks being stolen.

Approximately an hour later, officers were checking the area of the burglary and observed a vehicle with a passenger whose description matched the description of a suspect involved in the burglary.

The officer attempted to stop the vehicle when the driver refused to stop, accelerated and fled from police. A vehicle pursuit ensued and ended in the 4400 block of South Rock Road. with the assistance of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.

Police arrested 19-year-old Davon Crumity of Houston, TX on charges of burglary and theft and a 17-year-old boy from Houston, TX on charges of burglary, flee and elude and other traffic charges.

Inside the vehicle, officers located 19 Apple Macbook Air laptops.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 10a.m. Tuesday,  the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division was attempting to make contact with a suspect in a recent burglary in the 6200 block of SE Stanley Road, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer. The suspect, Tyson J. Smith, 19, of Topeka, fled as detectives approached the residence.

After a brief search, detectives were able to locate Smith in a tree line and negotiate with him to turn himself in.  He was arrested for Felony Theft, Burglary, and Criminal Damage to Property.  A 2004Triumph motorcycle that was previously reported stolen was recovered at the scene.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that left a man dead and asking the public for help in locating 42-year-old David Pressley.

Pressley currently has a Kansas Department of Corrections Arrest and Detain order and investigators are wanting to speak to him in reference to Sunday’s criminal homicide in the parking lot of Magoos Bar and Grill in the 2300 block of South Oliver, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting call outside the bar, according to officer Kevin Wheeler. Upon arrival, officers located the scene of a shooting, but no victim was located.

Shortly after, the victim identified as 29-year-old Demario Cooks of Wichita arrived by private vehicle at an area hospital with critical injuries and later died, according to Police Captain Brent Allred.

The preliminary investigation has revealed that the Cooks was inside the bar attending a birthday party, and a disturbance occurred between several other men. They moved into the parking lot, and multiple shots were fired, striking the victim.

If you know the whereabouts of Pressley, please call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a criminal homicide that left a man dead.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting call at Magoos Bar and Grill located in the 2300 block of S. Oliver in Wichita, according to officer Kevin Wheeler. Upon arrival, officers located the scene of a shooting, but no victim was located.

Shortly after, the victim identified as 29-year-old Demario Cooks of Wichita arrived by private vehicle at an area hospital with critical injuries and later died, according to Police Captain Brent Allred.

The preliminary investigation has revealed that the Cooks was inside the bar attending a birthday party, and a disturbance occurred between several other men. They moved into the parking lot, and multiple shots were fired, striking the victim.

Investigators have identified one individual who was at the scene. Police located him at a residence in the 1100 Block of North Pershing in Wichita, according to Allred. He had a gunshot wound to his arm and was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.  Police investigators are working to contact others who were at the scene.

This was not a random incident. It the 22nd criminal homicide in Wichita in 2019, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Anyone with information on this crime is encouraged to contact police.

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SEDGWICK COUNTY— Senator Jerry Moran hosted US Attorney General William Barr in Kansas Wednesday to meet with state and local law enforcement and see firsthand the collaboration taking place to support our law enforcement and keep communities safe.

According to the Senator, their first stop was at the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center in Topeka, “a joint endeavor to generate intelligence analysis critical for homeland security policy and relevant threat warning in order to protect life, liberty and property in Kansas and the Great Plains region.”

Moran and Barr  also met with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Wichita to discuss federal resources to fight and prosecute crime, toured the KBI’s Forensic Science Center and participated in a roundtable discuss with law enforcement officials from across the state.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County authorities say a 59-year-old Wichita man drowned while trying to save his dog.

Sheriff’s Lt. Tim Myers said the man drowned Wednesday at the Sedgwick County Park lake. His name was not released.

Myers says emergency responders were called when bystanders couldn’t find the man after seeing him go into the water. His body was found about a half-hour later.

Myers said the man apparently thought his pet was in trouble so he went into the water to help the animal. He says it’s unclear if the man had a medical problem.

Myers said the dog was found near the man’s vehicle.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a knife attack and have made an arrest.

Just after 7a.m. Wednesday, deputies responded to the 6800 block of SW Glengate Lane on the report of a stabbing, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.  

Deputies arrived to find a woman with minor injuries who refused medical treatment.  The victim reported that she was cut on the arm with a knife by a male acquaintance who was not at the residence.  She reported that the battery actually occurred Tuesday between the hours of 11pm and midnight. 

 Late Wednesday morning, deputies were able to locate the suspect identified as Joe E. Fish at a residence in the 2200 block of SE Pennsylvania. 

He is being held on requested charges of Reckless Aggravated Battery, according to Stallbaumer.

 

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TOPEKA- Preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) show a slight decrease at state universities and systemwide in full-time equivalency (FTE) enrollment of students at public higher education institutions in Kansas. The total headcount of students increased slightly at state universities and decreased slightly systemwide.

“We know that jobs with family sustaining wages increasingly require some level of education beyond high school,” said KBOR President and CEO Blake Flanders. “Last year, the Regents, in partnership with the Legislature and Governor, increased access for Kansans by holding state university tuition flat. To ensure continued accessibility the Board will remain focused on affordability. We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature in continuing this focus on adequate state investment in our postsecondary system.”

Across the six state universities, there was a decrease of 726 FTE students (-0.98 percent) compared to the preliminary census day count in 2018. Increased enrollment was seen at Fort Hays State University (89 FTE students; 0.94 percent) and Wichita State University (112 FTE students; 0.99 percent).

Emporia State University saw a decrease in the enrollments (77 FTE students; -1.71 percent), as did Kansas State Universityⁱ (564 FTE students; -3.00 percent), Pittsburg State University (144 FTE students; -2.40 percent), and the University of Kansasⁱⁱ (142 FTE students; -0.59 percent). Washburn Universityⁱⁱⁱ, the state’s municipal university, also had decreased enrollment (221 FTE students; -4.48 percent).

In the two-year sector, enrollment was down across the state’s 19 community colleges with a reported decrease of 1,164 FTE students (-2.79 percent). Enrollment increased across the state’s technical colleges, where an additional 165 FTE students (2.86 percent) are enrolled this fall compared to the preliminary census day count in 2018.

Click here to view preliminary fall enrollment summaries in both FTE and headcount for each public higher education institution in Kansas. Enrollment numbers may also be accessed at stats.kansasregents.org.

Full-time equivalency is calculated by dividing the total number of undergraduate credit hours taken in a semester by 15 and graduate credit hours by 12.

BARTON COUNTY —For the second day in a row Sheriff’s deputies made a meaningful methamphetamine arrest in Great Bend.

On Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of 21st and Kansas Street in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Upon contact with the occupants of the vehicle, deputies became suspicious and conducted further investigation. The K-9 unit from the Pawnee County Sheriff’s office was used at the traffic stop. The dog indicated the presence of a controlled substance. Upon further investigation ¼ pound of methamphetamine and more than $8000 cash was discovered.

Deputies arrested Joshua Smith, 30, of Natoma, and booked him on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and is being held in the Barton County Jail in lieu of a $300,000 bond.

Another occupant of the vehicle Santia Henderson age 31 of Great Bend, was found to have an outstanding warrant from Harvey County for parole violation.

The Sheriff’s office will begin forfeiture proceedings on the $8000 cash seized. Due to the amount of drugs and large amount of cash found authorities believe this was part of a distribution operation, according to Bellendir.

 

DODGE CITY— Retired Kansas District Judge Robert J. Schmisseur conducted a comprehensive review and audit of all files in the Diocesan Chancery office related to priests, deacons and seminarians, according to a release presented Wednesday by the Dodge City Catholic Diocese.

More than 600 files were reviewed during the four-month audit. The audit included the identification of substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor by a member of the clergy or a seminarian. The findings of the auditor’s report have been shared with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Attorney General’s office.

The audit did not reveal any allegations of sexual misconduct that had not previously been made known to the Review Board. Following the audit and the Diocesan Review Board’s review, Bishop Brungardt offers this list of substantiated allegations:

PRIESTS WITH ALLEGATIONS ARISING IN THE DODGE CITY DIOCESE

Donald Fiedler (not permitted to function as a priest since 2007) Ordained for the Wichita Diocese May 1959; became a priest of Dodge City Diocese August 1964. Served in the Dodge City Diocese September 1961- January 1988: St. Rose, Great Bend; St. Joan of Arc, Elkhart; St. Helen, Hugoton; St. Alphonsus, Satanta; St. Dominic, Garden City; Mary, Queen of Peace, Ulysses. Allegations arising from incidents in the Diocese of Dodge City in the mid-1980s. Allegations determined substantiated.

John Haberthier (deceased) Ordained for the Wichita Diocese May 1948. He became a priest of the Dodge City Diocese when it became a diocese in 1951. Served in the Dodge City Diocese August 1950-December 1973: Sacred Heart Church/Cathedral, Dodge City; St. Rose Hospital, Great Bend; St. Theresa, Dighton; St. Michael, LaCrosse; St. Timothy, Satanta; Bob Wilson Hospital, Ulysses; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Windthorst; St. Patrick, Plains. Served in the Pueblo Diocese in Colorado November 1973-July 1977 and in the San Bernardino Diocese in California April 1979- 1987. Allegations arising in the Dodge City Diocese and the Pueblo Diocese for incidents in the late 1960’s thru the mid-1970s determined to be substantiated and public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese in December 2006.

Augustine Hanchak, CPPS (deceased) A member of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Served in the Dodge City Diocese August 1963-August 1965 at St. Mary, Garden City. Recent allegations arising in the Dodge City Diocese for incidents in the 1960’s have been reported and determined substantiated.

Cletus (“Jerry”) Stein (no longer a priest) Ordained for the Dodge City Diocese December 1966. Served in the Dodge City Diocese August 1967-September 1972 and April 1975-June 1987: St. Joseph, Ellinwood; Sacred Heart, Pratt; St. John, Hoisington; Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City; St. Rose, Great Bend; St. Joseph, Greensburg; St. George, Bucklin; St. Alphonsus, Satanta; St. Mary of the Plains College, Dodge City. Served in the Archdiocese of Denver Sept. 1972-July 1974. Served in the Diocese of Amarillo beginning July 1987 and became a priest of Amarillo in 1993. Allegations determined substantiated.

Edward Young (deceased) Ordained for the Dodge City Diocese May 1953. Served in the Dodge City Diocese June 1953-August 1970: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City; Sacred Heart, Pratt; St. John the Evangelist, Hoisington; Dominican Convent, Great Bend; St. Rose Hospital, Great Bend; St. Rose Parish, Great Bend; St. Helen, Hugoton; St. Timothy, Satanta. He became a priest of the Sioux City Diocese in 1974. Allegations arising in the Dodge City Diocese in the late 1950s-early 1960s. Allegations determined substantiated.

PRIESTS WHO SERVED IN THE DODGE CITY DIOCESE WITH ALLEGATIONS ARISING OUTSIDE THE DODGE CITY DIOCESE

Orestes Huerta (priest of the Diocese of Boac, Philippines) Served in the Dodge City Diocese from September 1997 to September 2000 at St. Mary, Garden City and Christ the King, Deerfield. A report was received of allegations of incidents that occurred in the Boac Diocese after Huerta returned to the Philippines from the Dodge City Diocese. Public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese in February 2010. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City Diocese.

Mario Islas (no longer a priest) Ordained for the El Paso Diocese May 1970. Served in the Dodge City Diocese December 1988-February 1994: St. John the Baptist, Meade; St. Patrick, Plains; St. Anthony, Liberal; Christ the King, Deerfield; St. Mary, Garden City. He is on the “list of credible accusations” of the El Paso Diocese. Public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese in January 2019. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City Diocese.

Richard Kolega, CPPS (deceased) A member of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Served in the Dodge City Diocese September 1973-August 1974 and January 1986-October 1991: St. Mary, Garden City; St. Anthony, Lakin; Christ the King, Deerfield; Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dodge City. He is on the “list of credible accusations” of the San Angelo Diocese. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City.

Donald Straub (no longer a priest) Ordained for the St. Louis Archdiocese May 1975. He served in the Dodge City Diocese from September 1990-January 1991 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City. He is on the “list of substantiated allegations” for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. When the Archdiocese determined allegations to be substantiated, public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese May 2004. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City.

Joseph Thiesen (deceased) Ordained a priest for the New York Archdiocese May 1953. Served in the Dodge City Diocese October 1988-May 1989 at the Dominican Convent and Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. He is on the “list of credible accusations” for the New York Archdiocese. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City Diocese.

DODGE CITY DIOCESAN SEMINARIANS

Heleodoro (“Leo”) de Hoyos Allegation from Oklahoma in 1997 when he was a seminarian of the Dodge City Diocese. He was dismissed as a seminarian.

Joel McClure Due to law enforcement investigation and with the cooperation of the Diocese of Dodge City, he was dismissed as a seminarian in August 2015. He pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of transportation of child pornography in March 2016.

If you suspect abuse

If you suspect abuse or neglect of a child in Kansas and the child is in immediate danger, call 911 or local law enforcement. If you have suspicion a child is being abused or neglected, make a confidential report to Kansas Department for Children and Families Protection Report Center, 800-922-5330 or to the KBI Hotline, 800-KSCRIME (800-572-7463), or by emailing ClergyAbuse@kbi.ks.gov.

If you suspect sexual abuse by Church personnel, in addition to making a report to the proper civil authorities, please contact Mr. Charles Befort, the diocesan Review Board representative who receives and follows up on reports. His contact information is crbefort@cox.net, 620-285-3219. In addition, Mr. Befort will offer the help of the Assistance Minister whose goal is to be a listening ear and to promote healing.

The Review Board is a consultative body of lay Catholics and one priest- representative who advises the Bishop in his assessment of allegations of sexual abuse, reviews diocesan policies for dealing with sexual abuse of minors and offers advice on all aspects of sexual abuse cases retrospectively and prospectively.

The Assistance Minister’s role is to aid in the pastoral care of persons who claim to have been sexually abused as minors by clergy or other church personnel, whether the abuse was recent or occurred many years in the past.

All allegations are deemed credible. A substantiated allegation is defined as an allegation that, based upon the facts of the claim, meets one or more of the following thresholds: Is not specifically denied or is acknowledged/admitted to by the accused; is corroborated with other evidence or by another source and/or; involves multiple accusations. The facts and circumstances that substantiate an allegation vary from case to case. A finding that an allegation is substantiated is not the equivalent of a finding of guilt in a criminal proceeding or liability in a civil proceeding.

The Dodge City Diocese and Bishop Brungardt regret and apologize for the hurt that has been inflicted and the pain caused especially to those who were most vulnerable. We ask forgiveness and seek to help those suffering from sexual abuse.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury found a Kansas woman guilty of taking part in a scheme to swindle homeowners facing foreclosure with false promises to help them save their homes, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Sara Cordry, 69, Overland Park, Kan., was convicted on one count of conspiracy, one count of mail fraud and six counts of wire fraud.

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Cordry conspired with co-defendants to take money from victims by fraudulently promising to lower their interest rates, lower their monthly payments. and help them obtain loan modifications.

Investigators identified more than 500 victims in 24 states who suffered a total loss of more than $1 million due to the scheme.

Co-defendants include Tyler Korn, 30, St. Ann, Mo., who was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, Ruby Price, 74, Bonner Springs, Kan., who is awaiting sentencing and Amjad Daud, 35, Lutz, Fla., who failed to appear at court hearings. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

Cordry’s sentencing is set for Jan. 9, 2020. She could face up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each count.