Category: Overland Park

Former Army explosives expert charged with unlawful possession of grenades

A former Army explosive ordinance disposal technician was charged in federal court Friday in Kansas City, Kan., with unlawful possession of grenades, acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

John A. Panchalk, 42, Overland Park, Kan., was charged with one count of possessing two M-67 fragmentation grenades that were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

According to an agent’s affidavit, the investigation began May 19 when police were called to the Parkville Self Storage Facility in Parkville, Mo. They found several trailers and vehicles had been vandalized. In and around one trailer, they found ammunition canisters, rocket fins, blasting caps, C-4 explosive and military grenade simulators. They determined Panchalk was the owner of the trailer.

When investigators contacted Panchalk at home in Overland Park, he was evasive when they asked him about the contents of the trailer, a U.S. attorney’s spokesman said. When they executed a search warrant at Panchalk’s home, they found 38 pounds of C-4 explosive, detonation cord, blasting caps, grenade simulators, incendiary devices and the two M-67 fragmentation grenades.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated with assistance from the FBI, the Parkville, Mo., Police Department and the Overland Park Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

Overland Park couple arrested in bank fraud, citizenship fraud case

A married couple from India who allegedly obtained U.S. citizenship by fraud have been arrested on bank fraud and immigration charges, acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

The couple, Ajay Dave, 60, and Parul Dave, 59, who live in Overland Park, are scheduled to make an initial appearance in the case at 2:30 p.m. today in Kansas City, Kan., before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara. A federal grand jury returned a sealed indictment against the Daves last week in which the Daves are charged with two counts of bank fraud, two counts of making false statements on their applications to become U.S. citizens, and four counts related to obtaining their U.S. citizenship by fraud.

If convicted, the defendants face up to 30 years in prison, $1 million in fines, and forfeiture of residential real estate identified in the case. They also face revocation of their United States citizenship and possible deportation to India.

The indictment alleges that the Daves provided false financial information and bogus tax returns in April 2010 to First Federal Bank in Overland Park to obtain a $417,000 mortgage loan on an Overland Park residence. It also alleges they engaged in similar conduct in July 2010 to obtain a $238,500 refinance of a home they own in Topeka, Kan., from Topeka’s Heritage Bank.

Then, starting in 2012, when the Daves, who came to the United States in 1999, began the process of seeking naturalized citizenship, they failed to disclose their alleged false statements to the banks, according to the indictment. Parul Dave became a U.S. citizen on October 26, 2012; Ajay Dave, who before he was naturalized was known as Ajaykumar Balwantrai Dave, was sworn in as a U.S. citizen on August 23, 2013.

Beall said the case arose from a joint investigation of the Kansas Department of Revenue; the Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship and Immigration Services (Fraud Detection and National Security Office); Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation; Kansas Department of Labor Fraud Investigation Division; Kansas Alcoholic Beverage Control; and the Overland Park Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson.

Two persons indicted on charges of using stolen identities to buy iPhones at a discount

Two people were charged Wednesday with using stolen identities to sign phone service contracts qualifying them to buy iPhones at a deep discount, acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Ashley K. Lavallee, 29, Candia, N.H., and Jay Leon, 22, Englewood, N.J., were charged in separate indictments with one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. One indictment alleges Lavallee used a stolen identity to sign up for phone service at an AT&T store in Overland Park, Kan. The other indictment alleges Leon used a stolen identity to sign up for phone service at a Best Buy in Overland Park.

If convicted, each of them faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the wire fraud count, and two years consecutive to other counts and a fine up to $250,000 on the aggravated identity theft charge. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.

Other grand jury indictments:

– Gabriel Soto-Zamudio, 27, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred March 24, 2016, in Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ward is prosecuting.

– Donta R. Tanner, Jr., 23, Lawrence, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 24, 2016, in Wyandotte County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Lawrence Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

– Julio Cesar Perez-Madrigal, 23, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with three counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person who is not U.S. citizen, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2015 and 2016 in Wyandotte County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Count one, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: not less than five years and not more than 20 years, and a fine up to $5 million.
Count two, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Counts three and seven, alien in possession of a firearm: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Counts four and eight, unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Counts five and six, possession and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.