SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged sexual assault.
On Friday, a 15-year-old girl reported a man sexually assaulted her at a home in the 1000 Block of Park Street in Salina, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.
An investigation indicated 26-year old Chace Jackson allegedly asked the girl to sneak out to smoke weed and drink alcohol with him. Capt. Forrester said that Jackson drove the victim to a residence where he sexually assaulted her, according to Forrester. Jackson and the 15-year-old victim were acquaintances.
Police arrested Jackson and booked him into the Saline County jail for two counts of indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, contributing to a child misconduct and distributing marijuana.
Jackson has previous convictions for burglary and marijuana distribution, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Payless ShoeSource is putting its corporate headquarters in Topeka up for sale.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the company is seeking $8.5 million for the headquarters, amid rumors that Payless might leave Topeka.
Payless emerged from bankruptcy in August. In early November, company spokeswoman Meghan Spreer said the company was evaluating its structure.
In mid-November, 170 employees were laid off. That came after another 165 employees were laid off in January, and information technology jobs were outsourced.
Spreer confirmed Monday the company is seeking to sell its headquarters.
Russell Frost- image courtesy Downing Lahey-mortuary
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Relatives say one of the three Americans abducted in Baghdad last year has died from complications stemming from his month in captivity.
His daughter, Amanda Frost, says Russell Frost died Thursday at his home in Wichita. Frost was working as a contractor in January 2016 when he and two co-workers, Amr Mohamed and Waiel El-Maadawy, were abducted in Dora, a mixed neighborhood that is home to both Shiites and Sunnis. Iraqi officials said they were in good health when they were handed over to the U.S. Embassy the following month.
But Amanda Frost said her father lost more than 40 pounds in captivity because of dehydration and malnutrition, which caused kidney problems.
The Americans have sued, alleging that Iran and a prominent Shiite cleric gave material support to their abductors.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to fully enforce a ban on travel to the United States by residents of six mostly Muslim countries.
The justices say in an order Monday that the policy can take full effect even as legal challenges against it make their way through the courts.
The ban applies to travelers from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Lower courts had said people from those nations with a claim of a “bona fide” relationship with someone in the United States could not be kept out of the country. Grandparents, cousins and other relatives were among those courts said could not be excluded.
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor would have left the lower court orders in place.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in the death of a 3-year-old Kansas boy whose remains were found in a concrete structure in a Wichita home on September 2.
At that time, police arrested 40-year-old Stephen M. Bodine and the boy’s mother 36-year-old Miranda Miller, residents of the property on charges associated with a child custody case, according to police.
On Monday, police also booked Bodine and Miller for felony murder and child abuse in the death of 3-year-old Evan Brewer, according to officer Charley Davidson.
Bodine -photo KDOC has previous convictions for Aggravated Battery
The Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center positively identified the 3-year-old boy discovered on Sept. 2 as Evan C. Brewer.
The District Attorney’s Office will make a formal charging decision in the case later this week, according to Davidson.
Law enforcement authorities on the scene of Saturday morning shooting-photo courtesy KWCH
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating three more fatal shootings in Wichita over the weekend and have identified the victims.
Just after 2 a.m. Saturday police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1100 Block of North Estelle in Wichita, according to Lt. Todd Ojile. Officers found a 25-year-old man in the street with a gunshot wound. The victim identified as Semaj Chambers was transported to a local hospital where he died.
Investigators learned that Chambers had come to the residence to visit friends. He got into a physical altercation with another individual. Following the confrontation, Chambers and others left the residence. When they returned and were standing outside the residence, according to Ojile, someone shot and killed Chamber. A few hours later, police arrested a 17-year-old boy and a 33-year-old man for the shooting death. Authorities expect to present a case to the district attorney on Tuesday.
Just before 4:30a.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 4000 Block of East Stearman Court in Wichita, according to Lt. Todd Ojile. Officers found a man in a driveway with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim indented as 32-year-old Daniel Lopez-Silva was transported to a local hospital where he died.
Investigators say Lopez-Silva had been at the residence visiting friends throughout the early morning hours. As he stepped out of the house, a vehicle pulled up, shots were and shots were fired from the vehicle, according to Ojile. Police have not made any arrests in the case.
Just after 8p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1600 Block of South Green in Wichita, according to Lt. Todd Ojile. Officers found a man with a gunshot wound to his leg. At about the same time, another shooting call came from an address in the 2600 Block of East Wilma. Officers found a 26-year-old Rolando Holt with multiple gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.
Investigators learned Holt was visiting friends at the residence, according to Ojile. Sometime during the evening, unknown suspects came to the residence and shot Holt. They fled on foot. Police have no other information on the suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call police.
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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after two people were killed and a third person was wounded during separate shootings in Wichita.
The first shooting happened early Sunday. Officer Paul Cruz says a 33-year-old man was wounded during a disturbance at a home. He died later at a hospital.
Police also are investigating a Sunday night shooting that left one person dead and another critically injured.
The names of the victims weren’t immediately released.
In addition, police say a man died in an early Saturday morning shooting in northeast Wichita.
Police say officers responded around 2 a.m. Saturday to a report of a shooting. Arriving officers found a man in his 20s with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
Photo courtesy of the Saline County Sheriff’s Office
SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges.
Just after midnight Sunday morning, a Saline County Sheriff’s Deputy reported that 23-year-old Delon Dalton, South Holland, Illinois, was driving in the passing lane on Interstate 70.
The deputy stopped the rented Kia Rio near the Hedville exit, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander
After detecting the odor of marijuana, the deputy called for help. During a search of the car, deputies seized 9.4 pounds of marijuana stored in plastic bags in a duffle bag that was kept in the trunk.
Deputies searched the trunk after finding evidence of marijuana in the driver’s side floorboard, according to Melander.
Name: Dalton, Delon Timothy
Deputies arrested Dalton for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and no drug tax stamp. He was also cited for a left lane violation.
This arrest comes just days after deputies made a similar stop on I-70 that ended deputies seizing over 30 pounds of marijuana.
KANSAS CITY- (AP) – A Kansas City man has been badly burned when his propane tank exploded while he was cooking for the homeless.
KMBC-TV reports that Scott Lamaster, the founder of Taking it to the Streets, was burned Saturday. Lamaster’s daughter, Janna Jensen, says the grill “blew up and pushed him 6 foot back into his truck.”
His face, his arms, and hands were scarred. He was preparing food to help those in need when the accident happened. Friends established a social media page to help pay for his hospital bills.
Raytown Fire Battalion Chief Andy Finkelstein says Lamaster also cooks meals for firefighters. Fire department employees are among those donating money to help Lamaster with his mounting medical expenses.
Finkelstein says he imagines Lamaster will “feel blessed that he has a community that supports him every bit as much as he supports the community.”
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have a suspect in custody.
Just after 3 a.m. Sunday, police responded to an open 911 line to a local store at 10th and Topeka Boulevard in Topeka, according to Lt. Colleen Stuart.
On arrival, officers located a suspect exiting the store office.
It was determined the suspect had been found behind a store counter taking items. When confronted by a store employee, the man showed a weapon and forced the employee into an office where the employee was then struck several times.
The suspect took an undisclosed amount of cash from the store safe and was in the process of exiting the store when police officers arrived.
Police arrested Craig Smith, 45, on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Kidnapping. He has previous convictions for theft, Aggravated Battery and Drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A special Kansas legislative committee on public school funding is having its first meeting Monday to start work on a response to a state Supreme Court order to boost funding.
The committee’s daylong session at the Statehouse includes a briefing from the attorney general’s office.
The Supreme Court ruled in October that state aid to public schools remains constitutionally inadequate, even with a new law phasing in a $293 million increase over two years to make it $4.3 billion annually. The court directed lawmakers to enact a new law before July.
The committee’s chairman is Republican Rep. Blaine Finch of Ottawa. He also is the House Judiciary Committee’s chairman.
The panel’s 11 members include the Senate majority and minority leaders and the chairs of the House and Senate budget committees.
