WICHITA, KAN. – A Butler county man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal charge of stealing more than $1.2 million from Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, a Wichita-based company that owns assisted living centers in Kansas and Missouri, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

In Kansas, the company has facilities in Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, Olathe, Lawrence, Emporia, Salina, Dodge City, Fort Scott, Parsons, Arkansas City, Newton, Sterling and Clay Center.

Brent A. Shryock, 44, Augusta, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he was employed as information systems director for the company. He was in charge of all computers, telephones, video information and electronic equipment, including the purchase of new or replacement equipment for PMMA, Presbyterian Manor, Aberdeen and Ashfield facilities.

In his plea, Shryock said he created four fictitious companies and used them to submit fraudulent invoices to PMMA. As a result, the company was defrauded out of more than $1.2 million.

Sentencing is set for Aug. 6. The parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of three years in federal prison and restitution to be determined by the judge.

Shryock’s wife and co-defendant, Lori A. Shryock, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing May 22.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Hollister, Mo., man and a Republic, Mo., man have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in separate and unrelated cases, for producing child pornography.

USA v. Tyson

Michael Shane Tyson, 30, of Hollister, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Tyson on April 24, 2015.

The federal indictment alleges that Tyson used a minor, identified as Jane Doe, to produce child pornography from Jan. 30 to April 7, 2015.

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Tyson to forfeit to the government any property used to commit the alleged offense, including an Acer laptop computer and a Droid Razr Maxx cell phone.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI.

USA v. Hopper

Benjamin Michael Hopper, 22, of Republic, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

The federal indictment alleges that Hopper used a minor, identified as “Jane Doe #1,” to produce child pornography between Jan. 21 and 25, 2015.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI and the Republic, Mo., Police Department.

Dickinson cautioned that the charge contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

JEFFERSON CITY – The flags of the United States and the State of Missouri at all government buildings in Missouri will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday (May 15) in honor of Missouri’s Peace Officers Memorial Day, so designated by a 1996 state law.

The day commemorates the sacrifices of the federal, state, county and municipal peace officers who have been killed or disabled in the performance of their duties.

“Each and every day, Missouri law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way in order to protect the people of this state. Sadly, there are times when this selflessness has come at a great cost,” Gov. Jay Nixon said. “When Missourians see the lowered flags on Friday, it will serve as a reminder of the courage of those who guard our safety every day.”

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Lawrence man has been charged with devising a simple – and illegal – scheme that allowed him to collect more than $143,000 in credit card rewards, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Thursday.

Jawad Obaid, 31, Lawrence, Kan., was indicted Wednesday on ten counts of wire fraud. The indictment alleges he obtained credit cards with Capital One, Chase and U.S. Bank and accessed their rewards program Web sites for the purpose of making Internet purchases from businesses selling goods and services on the sites. In that manner, he generated tens of thousands of reward points from the credit card companies. He cancelled the purchases within 24 hours and used the reward points from the cancelled purchases to redeem cash awards in the form of checks and direct deposits to his accounts.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.

By Mike Lear (Missourinet) – The Speaker of Missouri’s House of Representatives has reportedly carried on intimate text exchanges with a former intern from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, according to the Kansas City Star.

The Star obtained images of texts between the freshman intern and John Diehl, Junior (R-Town and Country) that included sexually suggestive messages and a picture of the intern in a bikini.

The University pulled its four interns out of the Capitol in the spring but declined to specify why, citing student privacy laws.

Diehl has not commented on the situation but is presiding over the House as it debates a so-called ‘right to work’ proposal.

The intern told the Star the text messages were not real. It reports she told confidants she had an ongoing relationship with Diehl, and the Star reports it has confirmed the texts originated from her phone. She has hired an attorney.

Read the rest of the story and see images of the text messages on the Star’s website.

The story has been seized upon on social media. House Democrat Gina Mitten (St. Louis) said on Twitter, “Leaders are supposed to PROTECT our young women, not prey upon them.” Representative Stacey Newman (D-St. Louis) said, “As a mom of a college daughter, I am beyond appalled.”

By Kyle Loethen (Missourinet) – A national settlement has been reached with Sprint and Verizon Wireless, and Missourians may be eligible for a refund.

Mobile cramming is the practice of charging mobile customers for unauthroized add-on services, such as premium text messaging (PSMS) for celebrity news, horoscopes, trivia, and sports scores.

“Cramming” is the practice of charging mobile customers for unauthroized add-on services, such as premium text messaging (PSMS) for celebrity news, horoscopes, trivia, and sports scores.

Missouri, along with the other 49 states and the District of Columbia, reached a settlement with the two communications companies over allegations of cramming – the practice of charging mobile customers for services they didn’t ask for, like premium text messaging (PSMS) for celebrity news, horoscopes, trivia, and sports scores. The two companies have been accused of placing unauthorized charges from third-party services on customers’ mobile telephone bills. More than $438-thousand will come to Missouri out of the $158-million total settlement.

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division Spokesman Joe Bindeutel said mobile cramming has been a big problem over the last several years. Bindeutel said similar settlements were reached with AT&T and T-Mobile in 2014.

“We now have all four of the major telephone carriers under a court ordered resolution addressing this practice of cramming,” said Bindeutel. “It was a very aggressive marketing practice by these carriers, they took responsibility for it, and they’re going to pay back consumers across the country for charges that were illicitly put on their mobile phone bills.”

Bindeutel recommends consumers read phone bills carefully and regularly. Bindeutel said it’s important to understand what commitments consumers are signing up for before clicking yes.

“People were signed up for these services and they never knew it, and they had a heck of time trying to get the charges off the bills or the services stopped,” said Bindeutel. “Consumers were put in a position to fight very hard to stop them, and that’s not the way commerce should be.”

Bindeutel said it’s a fairly easy process for victims to claim a refund.

“You do have to fill out a claim form, but we urge Missourians to do that, so that they can get their money back,” said Bindutel. “We did get some penalties in the case, but the biggest resources that were acquired are going to go to restitution to see that consumers are not financially harmed by this practice.”

Consumers can submit claims, find information about refund eligibility, learn how to obtain a refund, and request a free account summary that details PSMS purchases on their accounts by clicking the links below.

Sprint
Verizon Wireless

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has designated May 2015 as Move Over and Slow Down Awareness Month in Missouri.

In 2002, the Missouri Legislature passed a law aimed at insuring the safety of the men and women who work roadside in emergency services, including state, county, and local law enforcement, fire and rescue workers, ambulance personnel, and tow truck operators. At the time, this legislation—commonly referred to as the “Move Over” law— directed motorists to take one of two courses of action upon approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying lighted red or red and blue lights. Motorists must proceed with caution and yield the right-of-way, if possible, with due regard to safety and traffic conditions by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the stationary vehicle, if on a roadway having at least four lanes with not less than two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle. If it is not possible to change lanes, motorists must proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of their vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for traffic conditions.

Nine members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol have been killed in the line of duty and several others seriously injured after being struck by vehicles in the performance of their duties. Four of those line of duty deaths occurred after the Move Over law passed. Emergency personnel working on the side of the road remain in danger of death and serious injury from being struck by a vehicle.

In 2012, the Missouri Legislature expanded the Move Over law. The law was amended to include vehicles owned by the State Highways and Transportation Commission and operated by Missouri Department of Transportation employees. Thus, drivers of motor vehicles approaching stationary MoDOT vehicles displaying amber or amber and white lights “shall proceed with caution by making a lane change away from the stationary vehicle, if possible.” The act further modified the definition of “emergency vehicle” to include any vehicle owned by the commission and operated by a Department of Transportation employee that is marked as an emergency response or motorist assistance vehicle (Section 304.022 RSMo.).

“Missouri’s Move Over law is designed to protect the people who are serving and protecting all motorists,” said Colonel J. Bret Johnson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “May is Move Over And Slow Down Awareness Month. Every day our safety is in the hands of each motorist on the road. Please pay attention when you drive. Recognize that flashing lights of any color warrant careful reaction from you, the driver.”