Federal Prison

A Wichita man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to a 2012 robbery at the Intrust Bank in Valley Center, Kan., U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.   Terry G. Revels, 50, Wichita, Kan., was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.   During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors told the judge that Revels and three other defendants took part in the Oct. 18, 2012, robbery of the Intrust Bank at 142 North Ash in Valley Center, Kan. Revels and one of the co-defendants entered the bank, vaulted the counter and demanded money.

The U.S. Attorney's office announced Monday that two men have been sentenced to federal prison for distributing heroin in Wichita. Jermaine Ward, 28, Wichita, Kan., was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison. Ward pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, one count of distributing heroin and one count of using the U.S. postal service in furtherance of drug trafficking. His brother, Jamel Ward, 33, Wichita, Kan., was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.

A member of a Dodge City street gang targeted in a federal racketeering case has pleaded guilty to attempted murder. Jason Najera, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder in furtherance of racketeering. The charges stem from an August 2011 incident where investigators said he used a knife to stab two men Najera believed were members of a rival gang. In his plea, Najera admitted that as a member of the Diablos Viejos he was part of an ongoing criminal conspiracy involving the Nortenos street gang whose members used murder, robbery, assault and acts of violence to protect and expand their operations.

The U.S. Attorney's office announced Monday that a Wichita attorney has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for embezzling from veterans whose finances she was managing. The attorney was ordered to pay a total of more than $318,899 in restitution. Janell Jenkins-Foster, 57,  pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement. In her plea, she admitted that she embezzled funds from United States veterans while she was serving as curator of their estates in 2008. As curator, she was responsible for the receipt, care and disbursement of money paid to the veterans.

By Eyewitness News (WICHITA, Kan.) A Wichita man is sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after admitting to selling millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Tyrone Andrews pleaded guilty to one county of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, 64 counts of using a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking, and 19 counts of distributing cocaine. In his plea, he admitted that from 2001 until he was arrested in September of 2007, he made his living buying cocaine and re-selling it in the Wichita area.

A Wichita man has been sentenced to federal prison for committing robberies at five local businesses.      53 year old James L. Simmons, Jr., was sentenced Wednesday to 188 months. He pleaded guilty to a series of five robberies in Wichita during which he threatened clerks with violence, including:   Harry Street Liquor, 3120 E. Harry, Nov. 10, 2010. Tocs Coffeehouse, 1519 George Washington Boulevard, Nov. 16, 2010. Quick Trip, 1610 E. Lincoln, May 14, 2011. Dollar General Store, 2747 E. Boulevard Plaza, May 15, 2011.

A Dodge City man is accused of distributing child pronography and attempting to send obscene material to a minor. The U.S. Attorney's Office says Kenneth Wilhelm sent nude photos of himself, as well as child pornography, to an undercover investigators posing as a 13-year-old girl. The crimes allegedly took place on September of 2009. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

A former security guard is charged with stealing from Bank of America. Federal prosecutors indicted Jay H. Johnson, 23, with stealing a total of $80,000 from the bank. Johnson was a security guard for Loomis, a cash-handling service. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom says the crimes happened in September and in November 2010 in Sedgwick County. If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum of 10 years in a federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the two counts.

A man from Liberal pleads guilty to federal tax evasion charges. The U.S. Attorney's office says Sule Braimah pleaded guilty to one county of tax evasion Wednesday. In the plea he admitted to failing to report more than $185,000 in income for 2007 on his April 2008 joint tax return. Braimah will be sentenced on Jan. 28. He faces five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution of more than $188,000, which includes 2008 and other tax years.

A Wichita man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to a 2012 robbery at the Intrust Bank in Valley Center, Kan., U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.   Terry G. Revels, 50, Wichita, Kan., was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.   During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors told the judge that Revels and three other defendants took part in the Oct. 18, 2012, robbery of the Intrust Bank at 142 North Ash in Valley Center, Kan. Revels and one of the co-defendants entered the bank, vaulted the counter and demanded money.

A former Wichita area physician who is serving time on supervised release for a drug violation has been indicted on federal charges including possession of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.   A grand jury returned an indictment charging Lawrence M. Simons, 57, Wichita, with one count of possession of controlled substances, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition after a felony conviction.

A Wichita man will serve ten years in federal prison for robbing a bank in February of last year.  41-year-old Christopher Vangessel of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. In his plea, Vangessel admitted that on February 28, 20012, he robbed the UMB Bank branch on N. Market in Wichita. He gave the teller a note directing her to give him money.  Once he received the money, he left the bank. Surveillance photos taken during the robbery were released to the public and a parole officer identified Vangessel as the robber.

The second of four inmates who escaped from the Ottawa County Jail in April 2012 is sentenced today to more than 11 years in prison. 22 year old Drew Edward Wade of Topeka, was sentenced to 136 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. Wade pleaded guilty to the escape charge in January. A judge ordered the sentence to be served consecutive to the 87 months Wade is serving for previous convictions in Shawnee County. A second defendant in the case, Eric James, was sentenced in July 2012 to 18 years in federal prison for carjacking charges related to the escape.

A Wichita man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trying to lure teenage girls to work as prostitutes. A jury found Brandon Dennis, 26, guilty on two counts of attempting to recruit teenagers to perform commercial sex acts in December. Prosecutors said a 17-year-old girl met Dennis at a party in 2011. Later that year, she told police he sent messages to her on Facebook. One message read "become a hoe n get paid n get rich. " He said she could make up to $800 a day working as a prostitute.

A former employee of the Internal Revenue Service has pleaded guilty to theft of public funds. Becky Book, 49, of Pittsburg, pleaded guilty to one count of public fund theft. She admitted to time card fraud while working as an IRS revenue agent. Book also said she prepared 14 travel vouchers, claiming mileage to appointments that she never attended. The extra hours and mileage cost the government $26,449.65. Sentencing is set for May 23. If convicted, Book faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000 and restitution.

A member of a Dodge City street gang targeted in a federal racketeering case has pleaded guilty to attempted murder. Jason Najera, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder in furtherance of racketeering. The charges stem from an August 2011 incident where investigators said he used a knife to stab two men Najera believed were members of a rival gang. In his plea, Najera admitted that as a member of the Diablos Viejos he was part of an ongoing criminal conspiracy involving the Nortenos street gang whose members used murder, robbery, assault and acts of violence to protect and expand their operations.

A couple that ran a combination beauty shop and gun store in Augusta plead guilty to federal firearms charges. The U.S. Attorney says Jeffrey Eberhart pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license. His wife, Tracey Eberhart, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to keep records of firearms transactions. The Eberharts ran Tracey's Dream Weavers Salon and Sporting Goods in Augusta. It advertised "where beauty and bullets collide". The ATF raided the salon last year.

A Wichita man is sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for helping his brother rob a bank. 24-year-old Justin Cooper pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a bank robbery. In his plea, the US Attorney's Office says he admitted that on March 16 of 2012, he drove his brother to the Commerce Bank branch on S. Broadway in Wichita. His brother, Leslie Cooper, went into the bank, jumped the counter and pointed a 9mm carbine rifle at tellers. As he was getting back in the car with the stolen money, dye packs exploded, surrounding him with a red mist.

A McPherson County man has pleaded guilty to using a 9-year-old girl to produce child pornography. 50 year old Philip Andra Grigsby of Marquette pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. Grigsby initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita. The complaint alleged the investigation began in Australia earlier this year when an Australian man was arrested by police in that country.