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Press Release

Johnson County Man Convicted Of Tampering With Federal Witness

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Kansas

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Johnson County man has been convicted of tampering with a witness in a federal criminal case, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

A jury found Gary Sparks, 61, Edgerton, Kan., guilty of one count of tampering with a witness. During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Sparks attempted to persuade his granddaughter to lie to investigators who were investigating his daughter, Stacy Ashley, on drug charges. Ashley pleaded guilty to one count of distributing Oxymorphone. In her plea, she admitted that on July 30, 2011, she distributed Oxymorphone to Joshua Auclair, who died from a drug overdose. Ashley is set for sentencing Dec. 10.

Sparks will be set for sentencing at a later date. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Grissom commended the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken for their work on the case.

Updated December 15, 2014
Component
USAO - Kansas

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