Nov. 9 , 2006

DEFENDANTS WHO LED POLICE ON CHASE
CHARGED WITH BANK ROBBERY

In other cases, firearms, drug trafficking indictments
returned by federal grand jury meeting in Kansas City, Kan.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two men who were arrested after a chase with Leavenworth, Kan., police have been indicted on federal bank robbery charges.

James L. Morrison, 47, Kansas City, Kan., and Kevin Tommie Hall, 46, Topeka, were charged Wednesday with one count of bank robbery. The indictment charges that on Nov. 7, 2006, they robbed the Mid-American Bank and Trust Company, 401 Delaware in Leavenworth.

Leavenworth Police reported they arrested Morrison and Hall after a chase from the bank in downtown Leavenworth to Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, Morrison and Hall face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation prepared the case. Agencies that assisted in the arrest include Leavenworth Police Department, the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Christensen is prosecuting.

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

A federal grand jury meeting in Kansas City, Kan., Wednesday also returned the following indictments:

Michael Earl Frison, Jr., 38, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of bank robbery. According to the indictment, on Oct. 10, 2006, he robbed the US Bank, 8600 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Merriam, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation prepared the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.

Major C. Edwards, Jr., 27, Lawrence, Kan., is charged with three counts of unlawfully possessing a firearm after a felony conviction, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm that is not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and two counts of unlawfully possessing ammunition after a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times in August and October 2006 in Lawrence, Kan.

Edwards was arrested in October in Verona, Miss. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office was seeking him for questioning in the investigation of the Oct. 15 death of Anthony Vital of Lawrence.

If convicted on the firearms charges, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

Daniel Anita, 32, Kansas City, Kan., Fernando Garnica, 28, Kansas City, Kan., Leopoldo Garnica-Anita, 37, Kansas City, Kan., and Dulce Garcia, 19, Kansas City, Kan., are charged in a drug trafficking case.

Daniel Anita, Fernando Garnica and Leopoldo Garnica-Anita are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, two counts of distributing cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

Leopoldo Garnica-Anita and Dulce Garcia are charged with maintaining 3422 Longwood Ave. In Kansas City, Kan., for storing, using and distributing cocaine.

Fernando Garnica is charged alone with unlawful possession of a firearm for the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The crimes are alleged to have taken place at various times from April through November 2006 in Wyandotte County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

– Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years and not more than life in federal prison and a fine up to $4 million
– Distribution: A maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.
– Possession with intent to distribute: Not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.
– Maintaining a residence for drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $500,000.
– Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime: Not less than 5 years and not more than life in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.

Stephanie T. Soto, 28, Albuquerque, N.M., is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 29, 2006, in Miami County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and fine up to $2 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.

Darrick M. Warren, 19, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 22.7 grams of crack cocaine and one count of possession of 17.5 grams of marijuana. The crimes are alleged to have occurred April 11, 2006, in Wyandotte County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $2 million, and up to a year in prison and a fine of not less than $1,000 on the marijuana charge. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.

Brocke A. Graham, 20, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with two counts of distributing crack cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Sept. 12, 2006.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each count of distributing crack cocaine, not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million on the count of possession with intent to distribute, not less than 5 years and not more than life and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the other firearms charge. The Leavenworth Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead investigated.

Lee Andrew Smith, 25, Kansas City, Kan., Johnnie Smith, 36, Kansas City, Kan. and Dwayne Smith, 20, Kansas City, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to unlawfully purchase a firearm and one count of making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer in order to unlawfully obtain a firearm. In addition, Smith is charged with one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, 2006, at The Bullet Hole gun shop in Overland Park, Kan.

Upon conviction, the penalties are as follows: A maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the conspiracy charge, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a penalty up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.


Alfino Ponce-Ramirez, 33, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony and deported. He was found Oct. 5, 2006, in Johnson County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Christensen is prosecuting.

Barry L. James, 38, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of making false written statements to Metro Pawn, Inc., in order to purchase a firearm and two counts of unlawfully possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in December 2005, January 2006 and July 2006 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

James E. Spencer, 27, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Sept. 19, 2006, 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

Julie Nava, 31, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of theft of disability insurance benefits and supplemental Social Security income benefits. The crime is alleged to have occurred during March through December 2001 in Wyandotte County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison and fine up to $250,000. The Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General investigated.

As in any criminal case, a person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct

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