KANSAS CITY MAN SENTENCED IN THEFT OF NIKE SHOES

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City man was sentenced Monday to three years probation for his part in stealing a truckload of Nike athletic shoes.

James Peoples, 43, Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia.

“Mr. Peoples’ sentence includes 4 months home detention with electronic monitoring,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. “In addition, he is required to pay $6,840 in restitution.”

Peoples pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to receive and possess stolen goods. In his plea, he admitted that on Feb. 25, 2003, a driver took a tractor-trailer load of Nike athletic shoes from a railroad yard in Kansas City, Kan., to the yard of a trucking company in Kansas City, Mo. The shoes were a new model that had not yet been released for sale to the public. The next morning, the shipment was missing.

Relying on a telephone tip, investigators located a woman in Kansas City, Kan., who admitted that she obtained and sold some of the shoes. She showed police where the trailer had been left in Kansas City, Mo. Peoples was her step father. On March 4, 2003, he sold some of the shoes to co-defendant Darrell Lawson.

Lawson was sentenced Nov. 15 to 36 months probation, home detention for 6 months and $1,440 restitution.

Melgren commended the U.S. Secret Service, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton for their work on the case.

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