WICHITA, KAN. – An Oklahoma man was indicted Wednesday on charges of robbing a bank in Newton, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Martin L. Paris, 50, Yukon, Okla., was charged with the April 9, 2018, robbery of the First Bank of Newton at 1404 S. Kansas Avenue in Newton, Kan. According to court records, Paris gave a teller a note directing her to “be calm” and “start with hundreds.” The note ended with, “Thank you and have a nice day.”

Paris was identified from bank surveillance photos and arrested the day after the robbery. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Newton Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

 

OTHER INDICTMENTS

 Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple, 47, Ness City, Kan., is charged with three counts of wire fraud and one count of selling a firearm to a convicted felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2013, 2016 and 2017.

The indictment alleges that Whipple faxed reports to the Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training (CPOST) falsely certifying that deputies had received training. The indictment also alleges he sold a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition to a man he knew was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a prior felony conviction.

If convicted, Whipple faces up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each wire fraud count and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.

Chaelyn Nicole Aaron, 28, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawfully possessing firearms following a felony conviction and one count of stealing firearms from a licensed firearms dealer. The indictment alleges that on March 28, 2018, she stole seven firearms from a display case at Atwoods Ranch & Home Store at 6235 North Broadway in Park City, Kan.

If convicted, she faces up to 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 Matt Treaster is prosecuting. This case is being prosecuted under the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood program.

Anthony R. Melton, 31, who is in custody at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, is charged with one count of possession of child pornography. The crime is alleged to have occurred Dec. 26, 2017, in Rice County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Manuel J. De La Cruz, 30, Wichita, Kan., is charged with stealing mail from the U.S. Postal Service. The indictment alleges that while he was working as a contract driver for the postal service he stole items from the mail including parts for firearms and scopes for rifles. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2016 and 2017 in Butler County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

 

Adrian Lashawn Perkins, 41, Garden City, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin (count one), one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (count two), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count three), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction (count four) and one count of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm (count five). The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 11, 2018, in Finney County, Kan.

 

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

          Counts one and two: Not less than five years in federal prison and a fine up to $2 million.

          Count three: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.

          Counts four and five: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Garden City Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting. This case is being prosecuted under the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood program.

Hector Dominguez-Herrera, 47, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully entering the United States after having been deported. He was found in Barton County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.

Jose Rojas, 27, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully entering the United States after having been deported. He was found in Ford County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

Fernando Neave-Ceniceros, 43, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully entering the United States after having been deported. He was found in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

Omar Barajas-Diaz, 21, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally in the United States. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 17, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigate. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

Stormy Laflin, 48, Victoria, Kan., is charged with stealing money orders while she was an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 10, 2017, in Ellis County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000, The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

Reynaldo Silva-Campos, 51, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found in Wichita April 16, 2018.

If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

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