Month: July 2019

Jury finds defendants guilty in KCK meth lab fire

A federal court jury today returned guilty verdicts against two defendants who were arrested after their meth lab caught fire, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

The jury verdicts:

Orlando Cortez-Nieto, 42, Kansas City, Kansas: Guilty on count one (conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine), count two (manufacturing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground), count three (possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground) and count four (maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Jesus Cervantes-Aguiler, 22, Kansas City, Kansas: Guilty on count one (conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine), count two (manufacturing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground, count three (possession with intention to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of Klamm Park playground and count four (maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking.

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that on Dec. 1, 2017, firefighters responded to a house fire at 2739 Cleveland in Kansas City, Kansas. They discovered a methamphetamine conversion lab inside the house.

Prosecutors introduced evidence tying the defendants to the drug lab, including a blue spiral notebook in which cash transactions were recorded, as well as business surveillance video showing a defending buying items found in the meth lab.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 29. The counts on which the defendants were convicted carry the following penalties:

 Counts one, two and three (conspiracy, manufacturing and possession with intent to distribute): Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $20 million.
 Count four: Maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than a year and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $1 million.

McAllister commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug for their work on the case.

Training sessions planned on open meeting, open records laws

Free training sessions on Kansas open government laws will be offered on July 24 at the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government are offering the sessions to the public.

“Open access to the functions of government is important to self-government,” Schmidt said. “As our office investigates complaints of violations of open government laws, most often we find the violations were inadvertent and can be avoided through better education. I encourage public officials, candidates for public office, staff, members of the media and the public to participate in these training sessions to learn more about how these laws work.”

The free training session will be held from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, at the Main Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, second floor auditorium, 625 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

The sessions are open to the public. Space at each location is limited, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants can register on the Kansas Attorney General’s website, www.ag.ks.gov/open-gov, or by calling 785-296-2215 or 888-428-8436.

The training about the Kansas Open Records Act and the Kansas Open Meetings Act will be conducted by attorneys in Schmidt’s office who have experience in open government laws and who are charged by law with training and enforcement of them. Panelists will include Kansas Sunshine Coalition members, local government officials and media representatives.

Today at the fair …

The Wyandotte County Fair opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds, 137th and Polfer Road, Kansas City, Kansas. The fair features increased entertainment this year.

The Wyandotte County Fair runs from July 9 through July 13 at the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds at 137th and Polfer Road in Kansas City, Kansas. Gates open at 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, and close at 10 p.m.

Tuesday events at the fair:

5:30 p.m., Chris Stewart, Main Stage.

5:30 p.m., Magic show, Red Barn.

7 p.m., Magic show, Red Barn.

7:45 p.m., Kerosene 6, Main Stage.

7 p.m., The Big Dave Show, Entertainment Tent.

5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fair attractions including Hedricks Pig Races, food concessions and a marketplace.

5 p.m. to 10 p.m., carnival rides, $20 wristband night at the carnival, with those attending able to ride all carnival rides for $20.

Tickets to the fair are $5 per person at the gate from July 9 to July 13, with ages 12 and younger free. Parking is $5.
More information, including a schedule of events, is online at https://www.wycofair.com/.

Wyandotte County 4-H events on Tuesday at the fair:

1 p.m., pet and cat show.

2 p.m., demonstrations and public speaking.

5:30 p.m., sheep show.

7 p.m., goat show.

The Wyandotte County Fair runs from July 9 through July 13 at the Wyandotte County Fairgrounds at 137th and Polfer Road in Kansas City, Kansas. Gates open at 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, and close at 10 p.m. Go north on K-7, continue on K-7 north of Leavenworth Road and north of Hollingsworth Road, and turn east on Polfer Road, to 137th. The fair was founded in 1863, and opened at this location at 137th and Polfer Road in 2011.