Sept. 29, 2010

KANSAS MAN SENTENCED IN FARM EQUIPMENT THEFTS

WICHITA, KAN. – Matthew T. Jones, 32, Colby, Kan., has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stealing farming equipment, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today. He also was ordered to pay $496,311 in restitution.

Jones pleaded guilty to three counts of interstate transportation of stolen farm equipment and agreed to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution. In his plea, Jones admitted that on June 1, 2006, he and co-defendant Ryan Hanzlick traveled to Oklahoma looking for a combine to steal. They found a Gleanor R65 combine, which they loaded onto a trailer attached to their truck and took the combine to Jones’ farm in Kansas.

On April 26, 2008, Hanzlick called Jones and told him about a John Deere 8530 tractor and John Deere 1720 prototype planter located near Elsie, Neb. They transported the tractor and planter to Jones’ farm in Kansas.

Earlier this month, Hanzlick was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison.

Grissom commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas Attorney General’s office, law enforcement agencies in Thomas, Wichita, Sherman, Wallace, Greeley, Rawlins and Cheyenne counties and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.