Bonner Springs police seek help to locate robbery suspect

James A. Vaughan

The Bonner Springs Police Department has requested and obtained an arrest warrant for James A. Vaughan as a suspect in the aggravated robbery March 15 of Advance America, 609 Tulip, Bonner Springs.

Bonner Springs police are asking the public’s help in locating Vaughan. The public is asked not to attempt to apprehend him as in the past he has been known to carry a firearm.

Persons with information may call 911, the Tips hotline at 816-474-TIPS or the Bonner Springs Police Department at 913-596-3000.

Sporting KC takes on Cruz Azul tonight in Mexico City

Sporting Kansas City holds a 1-0 lead on aggregate as it travels to Mexico City to face Cruz Azul in the second leg of the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

Sporting KC qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League by defeating the Seattle Sounders FC in a penalty kick shootout in the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Sporting KC was then drawn into Group 2 along with Real Esteli FC and CD Olimpia.

With two wins and two draws in the group stage, Sporting KC advanced to the quarterfinals.

Cruz Azul — currently in first place in the Liga MX Clausura — finished as runners-up in the 2013 Clausura Liguilla to qualify for the 2013-14 edition of CCL.

La Maquina held a perfect 4-0-0 record in Group 3, beating Herediano and Valencia two times each to earn the No. 2 overall seed for the Championship Stage.

Sporting Kansas City defeated Cruz Azul 1-0 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals last Wednesday at Sporting Park.

Sporting KC homegrown defender Kevin Ellis scored the game’s lone goal, his first as a professional in a competitive match, and Eric Kronberg recorded his fourth shutout of the tournament.

Three players will be suspended for the second leg due to caution accumulation: Sporting Kansas City defender Seth Sinovic, Cruz Azul defender Rogelio Chavez and Cruz Azul midfielder Alejandro Castro. Aurelien Collin will be available for Sporting Kansas City after serving his one-game suspension during the first leg.

Sporting KC will advance to the semifinals with a win or draw in Mexico City.

If Sporting Kansas City lose on Wednesday , the club can advance if they score a road goal and limit the loss to a one-goal margin.

A 1-0 defeat would force overtime and potentially penalty kicks if still deadlocked, while a defeat by two or more goals would see Sporting KC eliminated from the tournament.

Wednesday’s winner will advance to face either the LA Galaxy (USA) or Tijuana (MEX), who meet in Mexico tonight at 9 p.m.  on FOX Sports 2 (English) and Galavision (Spanish), in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals.

The two-game series will be played April 1-3 and April 8-10 with Sporting Kansas City or Cruz Azul holding home field advantage.

The match tonight will be nationally televised on FOX Sports 2 (English) and Galavision (Spanish) beginning at 9 p.m.

Johnny’s Tavern in the KC Power and Light District (1310 Grand Boulevard) will hold the club’s official Watch Party on Wednesday.

KCK tax preparer indicted on charges of preparing false tax returns

A tax preparer in Kansas City, Kan., was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges of preparing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Ahferom Goitom, 34, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with fourteen counts of preparing false tax returns.

The indictment alleges that Goitom was a professional tax return preparer who worked in Kansas City, Kan., and was the manager of a franchise business that prepares tax returns.

He used commercial tax preparation software at the business to file returns electronically with the Internal Revenue Service.

He prepared at least 34 Form 1040s containing false and fraudulent education credits, charitable deductions, medical and dental expenses, home mortgage interest deductions, gross receipts for a sole proprietorship business, expenses for a sole proprietorship business and deductions for rental real estate.

For example, count one of the indictment alleges Goitom filed a return for a taxpayer in calendar year 2009 claiming medical and dental expenses of $5,050; gifts to charity of $8,200; and job expenses and miscellaneous deductions of $5,821. He knew that the taxpayer was entitled to claim medical and dental expenses of only $226, gifts to charity of approximately $2,000 and no job expenses or other miscellaneous deductions, according to the indictment.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.

Other indictments by the grand jury include:

–  Lamar Lynch, 41, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with 13 counts of stealing government funds by filing false and fraudulent federal income tax returns and nine counts of aggravated identity theft.

The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2011 and 2012 in the state of Kansas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of filing a false tax return, and a penalty of not less than two years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of aggravated identity theft.

The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Secret Service and Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt is prosecuting.

–  Randy A. Cornelius, 21, Kansas City, Mo., Allen J. Williams, 23, Kansas City, Mo., and Alvin J. Williams, 23, Kansas City, Mo., have been indicted on bank robbery and federal firearms charges.

A federal criminal complaint filed Feb. 28 in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., charged each of the defendants with one count of bank robbery in the Feb. 27, 2014, robbery of Inter-State Federal Savings at 8620 Metcalf in Overland Park, Kan.

Today’s indictment adds a charge against each defendant of using a firearm during the robbery.

In addition, Allen J. Williams is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the bank robbery charge, and a penalty of not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of using a firearm in the robbery.

In addition, the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction carries a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Overland Park Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt is prosecuting.

–  Jose Angel Aquilera-Franco, 20, Bonner Springs, Kan., and Darin Glassburn, 44, are charged in a second superseding indictment with one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The crime is alleged to have occurred Dec. 5, 2013, in Kansas City, Kan.

In addition, Aguilera-Franco is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of St. Peter’s Catholic School in Kansas City, Kan., one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of dealing in firearms without a federal license.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

  • Distributing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school: A maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $2 million.
  • Distributing methamphetamine: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
  • Dealing in firearms without a license: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
  • Attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Tomasic is prosecuting.