WICHITA, KAN. - A former public employees union treasurer was indicted Tuesday on federal charges of embezzling $65,000, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Shelly Sutton, formerly known as Shelly Burngardt, 46, Augusta, Kan., is charged with one count of bank fraud. The alleged crime took place while she was the treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 477 in Wichita. The indictment alleges Sutton:
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Forged signatures on union checks.
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Made unauthorized cash withdrawals from the union’s accounts.
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Made electronic payments from the union’s account to her own creditors
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Used the union’s debit card to make unauthorized purchases.
The indictment seeks a $65,000 personal money judgment against Sutton.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million. The U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Labor-Management Standards investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
OTHER GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS
Hector M. Birrueta, 31, Pasco, Wash., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately 57 pounds of methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 17, 2015, in Ellis County, Kan.
If convicted he a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting
Joshua A. Haskins, 40, Wichita, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of attempted production of child pornography, and one count of distributing child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in February and July 2015 in Wichita.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution count, and a penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the other counts. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
Raymundo Ochoa-Ortiz, 34, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Oct. 28, 2015, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 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 Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Genaro Ruvalcaba-Sandoval, 30, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Oct. 21, 2015, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 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 Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Juan Salmeron-Acevedo, 37, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Nov. 4, 2015, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 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 Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Sostenes Sanchez-Isidoro, 37, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of making a false statement on a passport application, one count of misusing a passport, one count of making a false claim of U.S. citizenship, two counts of misusing a Social Security number, one count of using false documents to be employed in the United States, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of unlawful production of an identification document. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from 2007 to 2013 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
False statement: A maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Misuse of a passport: A maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
False claim of citizenship: A maximum penalty of three years and a fine up to $250,000.
Misusing a Social Security number: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Using false documents: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years to run consecutively and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Unlawful production of an identification document: A maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Kansas Department of Revenue and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Luis Mendoza-Ortiz, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with two counts of using a false document to be employed in the United States, two counts of making a false statement, two counts of misusing a Social Security number, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony and deported. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2014 and 2015 in Cowley and Montgomery counties.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
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Using false documents: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
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False statement: A maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
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Misusing a Social Security number: A maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
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Unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony and deported: A maximum penalty of 10 year and a fine up to $250,000.
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Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years to run consecutively and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
The Kansas Department of Labor and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Homero Arambula, 28, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of wire fraud. The indictment alleges he fraudulently collected more than $8,900 in unemployment benefits from the Kansas Department Labor. The crime is alleged to have occurred in 2013 and 2014 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Department of Labor investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.
Mark D. Capps, 55, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of wire fraud. The indictment alleges he fraudulently collected more than $17.000 in unemployment benefits from the Kansas Department of Labor. The crime is alleged to have occurred at various times from 2007 to 2012 in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Department of Labor investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.
Joseph Bussart, Jr., 24, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction and one of unlawful possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 7, 2015 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of felon in possession, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.
Pamela Randle, 37, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of wire fraud. The indictment alleges she fraudulently collected more than $36,000 in unemployment benefits from the Kansas Department of Labor. The crime is alleged to have occurred at various times from 2008 to 2014 in Wichita, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Department of Labor investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
