Month: July 2017

Business owner pleads guilty to theft

An area business owner has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of theft from an employee benefit fund, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

Brenda Wood, 48, Leavenworth, Kan., pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of theft from an employee benefit program. In her plea, she admitted the crime occurred while she was owner of PCI, a building cleaning service, and CDM, a construction and property management service.

She set up a 401K plan, encouraged PCI and CDM employees to participate and began withholding employee contributions.

In 2011, employees learned that no contributions had been deposited in their accounts. Wood falsely assured employees that their funds were being held in escrow. In fact, she used their contributions for her own benefit and without their permission.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 24. She faces up to five years in federal prison and restitution.

A separate trial is set for Dec. 5 on 21 other counts including bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and committing a felony while on supervised release.

Beall commended the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, the Special Investigator General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.

Rain, storms possible today

Morning raindrops on a tomato plant in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Mary Rupert)
National Weather Service graphic

Wyandotte County saw some morning thunderstorms and rain on Thursday, with most of the storm activity to the north of the region.

According to the National Weather Service, 3 to 7 inches of rain has fallen across a portion of the area to the north overnight, leading to some road closures and flooding along some rivers, creeks and streams. The main rivers in Wyandotte County are not high and are well below flood stage currently.

Strong storms are possible late tonight and early tomorrow morning, according to the weather service. There could be lightning, hail and wind, and possibly flash flooding, with the storms.

The forecast for Wyandotte County calls for a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. today. The high will be near 91, with a heat index as high as 100. An east southeast wind of 5 to 8 mph will become light and variable in the afternoon. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected.

Tonight, expect a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 71 with a north northeast wind of 3 to 6 mph. Between a quarter and half an inch of rain is possible.

Friday, expect a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 a.m., the weather service said. It will be mostly cloudy with a high near 84 and an east wind of 3 to 6 mph. Between a tenth and a quarter of an inch of rain is possible.

Friday night, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 67 with an east wind of 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday, it will be sunny with a high near 89, according to the weather service. A calm wind will become southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday night, expect a low of 68 with mostly clear skies, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny with a high near 91, the weather service said.

Sunday night, the low will be around 69 with mostly clear skies, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be sunny with a high near 91, the weather service said.

For more weather information, visit www.weather.gov.