Indictment: Wichita Man Was Armed In Robberies at Two Hotels

WICHITA, KAN. - A federal grand jury Tuesday returned an indictment charging a Wichita man with brandishing firearms during robberies at two local hotels, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

 

Darrell E. Black, 24, Wichita, Kan., is charged with two counts of commercial robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

 

The indictment alleges that on May 27, 2017, Black robbed the Extended Stay America at 9450 E. Corporate Hills, and on May 29, 2017, he robbed the Days Inn and Suites at 7321 E. Kellogg, both in Wichita.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Robbery: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Brandishing a firearm: Not less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Felon in possession of a firearm: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 

Darnell F. Brown, 21, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of possession with intent to distribute alprazolam (Xanax). The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 14 and Aug. 2, 2017, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession with intent to distribute marijuana: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.

Unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Possession with intent to distribute alprazolam: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

 

The FBI and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

 

 

Luis Arturo Melendez-Vargas, 36, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with two counts of making a false claim of U.S. citizenship, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of misusing a Social Security number. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in May and June 2017 in Ford and Sedgwick counties.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

False claim of U.S. citizenship: Up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Misusing a Social Security number: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

 

The Department of Homeland Security’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

Mario Ailon-Ailon, 33, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of unlawful re-entry after deportation, one count of misusing a Social Security number, one count of making a false written statement on a W-4 withholding form and one count of aggravated identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2015 and 2017 in Ford County, Kan.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Unlawful re-entry: Up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Misusing a Social Security number: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

Making a false written statement to the government: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000.

 

The Department of Homeland Security’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

Jose Antonio Sandoval-Nava, 38, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person who is not legally in the United States. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 14, 2017, in Ford County, Kan.

 

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Department of Homeland Security’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

Blanca Maria Torres, 31, Garden City, Kan., is charged with three counts of passing counterfeit checks, two counts of theft of tax refunds obtained by fraud, two counts of misusing a Social Security number and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in July and August 2016 in Finney County, Kan.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

 

Passing counterfeit checks: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Theft of tax refunds: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Misusing a Social Security number: Up to five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

Aggravated identity theft: Mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

 

The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

 

 

Regina Marie Razo, 42, Garden City, Kan., and Ramon Rascon-Mendoza, 59, Garden City, Kan. are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

 

In addition, Razo is charged with four counts of distributing methamphetamine; and Rascon-Mendoza is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person not legally in the United States. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in May, June and July 2017 in Finney County, Kan.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $5 million on each count.

Possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.

Unlawful possession of a firearm: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

 

The Garden City Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.

 

 

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.