The former owner of a trucking company in Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty Monday to evading federal income taxes, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Clifford C. Copp, 47, Overland Park, Kan., who owned Copp Trucking Co. in Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. In his plea, he admitted he filed reports to the Internal Revenue Service in 2001 indicating the company owed approximately $939,408 in employment taxes for that year. However, the company did not pay the employment taxes due.
In February 2004 Copp was assessed trust fund recovery penalties of $669,037. When the IRS began collection efforts he concealed income. He filed a false statement to the IRS concealing his ownership interest in assets including livestock, life insurance and farm equipment. He also formed Wildcat Limo, LLC, and concealed his ownership interest in the company.
Sentencing will be set for a later time. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, restitution, and a fine up to $250,000. Grissom commended the Internal Revenue Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.
A former insurance company service representative in Topeka was sentenced Monday to a year and a day in federal prison for embezzlement, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. In addition, she was ordered to pay $215,000 in restitution.
Erin Rebecca Thomas, 47, formerly of Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement. In her plea she admitted the crime took place while she worked for American Home Life Insurance Company.
In her position, she processed death claims, policy loans, beneficiary changes and so on. Between July 2010 to July 2012, she created 22 separate fraudulent transactions. In one instance, she processed the policy of a person who died in 2010. She created a fictitious change of beneficiary request naming herself as beneficiary and had the benefit check deposited in her personal account.
Grissom commended the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Assistant Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
Blue Devils home Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, all at WyCo Sports Complex
Brittany Gustin by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College rode a near flawless pitching performance by Brittany Gustin to a sweep of Missouri Valley Friday.
A sophomore righthander from Raytown, Gustin pitched a no-hitter in a 5-inning 10-0 win in the opener and then threw four more innings of hitless relief in a 12-2 win in the nightcap. Just to add to her big day, Gustin belted a 2-run home run in the nightcap.
“Brittany pitched very well for throwing three days in a row, then having one day off and then pitching two more,” said KCKCC coach Kacy Tillery.
The Blue Devils also got a big performance from sophomore Tiffany Killam, who had two home runs and five runs-batted-in in the opener and a three-run homer in the nightcap.
“In eight games this week, Tiffany had six home runs, 21 RBI’s and batted .648,” Tillery said.
The sweep extended the Lady Blue Devils’ winning streak to six and nine wins in their last 11 games heading into three straight home games this week, all at WyCo Sports Complex. Jayhawk rival Fort Scott will come in Tuesday and Ottawa junior varsity Wednesday, both at 2 and 4 p.m. On Thursday, KCKCC will host a University of Kansas Club team under the WyCo lights at 6 and 8 p.m.
Killam drove in the first five runs in the opener with a 2-run homer in the first and a 3-run round-tripper in the second and Geena Harris led off the third with a solo home run for a 6-0 lead. The Blue Devils put the game out of reach in the fourth with four runs that included run-scoring doubles by Morgan Oroke, Megan Carlson and Kennedy Rasmussen and an RBI single by Gustin. Carlson finished with three hits and Harris, Oroke and Killiam two each in a 14-hit attack.
Gustin, who struck out eight and allowed only one runner on a hit batsman in the opener, came on in relief after a leadoff home run in the second inning and gave up one walk and struck out two in four hitless innings.
Geene Harris drove in four runs in the nightcap with a triple and double, Kaylynn Stratton rapped out three singles and Gustin, Rasmussen and LaTisha Thomas each had two hits in the nightcap. Killiam’s 3-run home run in the first gave KCKCC a 3-1 lead and Harris doubled in two more runs in the second after a walk and Mekayla Guerero single. Stratton’s single and Thomas’ double made it 6-2 in the third and the Blue Devils scored six more runs in the fourth. Harris tripled in two, Gustin homered with a runner on and Carlson, Rasmussen, and Stratton had singles.
