Northeast Kansan Covers For Criminal

Christi Marie Hout is a bank teller in Lawrence, Kansas who was charged with embezzlement and will most likely have to face whatever music Kansas plays for that crime, but something of which enablers of all stripes should take note is that her boss, Karolyn J. Stattelman, is also charged in this crime.....not initially for stealing anything herself, but for covering for Hout.

Something the friends and relatives of crooks and criminals do not seem to clearly understand is that when a crook is violating the law and violating the rights of his or her victim, it is unlawful to stand by and watch, without saying anything. It becomes perjury, false statements, and sometimes contempt of court when a "loyal friend" not only enables the crook, but hides evidence and covers for the crook. This applies to small indiscretions, such as allowing someone who is on probation for drunk driving (ahem......Quail Road, Frankfort Kansas) to take the wheel despite active alcoholism, to the Catholic priest who covers for parishioners who commit hate crimes or sex crimes and counsels the victims to blame themselves! Yeah, hello Northeast Kansas, once again.



Here in the video is another case of aiding and abetting. This one involves a teenage girl named Danielle Locklear, who disappeared in March of this year, and was found in April, in the South River, in North Carolina. Her boyfriend murdered her and tossed her in the river, and his buddy knew about it and said nothing. Later, after she was found, the truth came out, and even though the "loyal friend" did not commit the actual murder, he is facing murder charges.

Karolyn J. Stattelman is planning to appear in court today, to change her plea. It's hard to say whether this strategy will actually help her case or not.

Cierra Swodeck Is Missing

 

 

Cierra Swodeck, of Lawrence, Kansas, is seventeen years old and was last seen on October 6. She was in foster care in Russell, Kansas, and it was "reported" to her natural mother that a "friend"drove Cierra from Russell to Topeka. It has been almost twenty days since this young lady has been seen by anyone who knows her. That's long time for a seventeen your old to be missing.

 

There are some questions that do not appear to have been addressed by the media in Cierra's case. First; why did law enforcement and the media wait until over two weeks had elapsed to publicize this case? Second; why isn't law enforcement airing this case? Why isn't social services doing more about it? Why is the natural mother, whose parental rights had been suspended by the foster care system, the only person who cares enough about Cierra to pass out flyers, talk to the media, and look for her? Third; Where were the foster parents when Cierra went missing, and what is their timeline on October 6? When a child or an adult is missing, and is being held against his or her will, if the missing person is going to be murdered, it usually happens within the first three hours. Two and a half weeks is way too long of a time to wait to give the case attention. Social Services and the foster parents also have a share of responsibility in this; the taxpayers should not have to think that child protective services will snatch children from parents who love them, place them in living situations hundreds of miles away from home, and not lift a finger, or a phone, when children disappear. There is a Marshall County Kansas foster parent who allows foster children to drink and drive drunk, and even though the police are required by law to arrest any child in DCF custody caught drinking, they never bother.....so it comes as no surprise, here, when law enforcement takes twenty days to start publicizing a foster child's missing persons' case. And, of course,  what were those foster parents doing on October 6, did Cierra have a cell phone, and why did they not have enough control over the goings-on in their state approved foster home to ensure that Cierra did not leave without asking? Finally, did Cierra really go to Topeka with a friend?

 

Anyone with information about Cierra or her whereabouts should call the number to the Russell County Sheriff's office on the poster above.

 

Food Hub: A Project Worth Consideration

Officials in Douglas County Kansas have begun studying the possibilities of starting a food hub in Lawrence, Kansas. Food hubs are distribution centers that showcase and market locally grown foods in an area, and Lawrence Kansas has a lot of potential for a food hub. A food hub would increase the availability of locally grown foods to the area, and it would also increase opportunities for new businesses to start in an area that is mostly farms.

Food hubs in urban areas sometimes have problems with lack of land for agriculture, which is why Douglas County, Kansas appears an ideal location for such a business. Lawrence has the KU campus, and is very much a college town, yet it is surrounded by farms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has given Douglas County a grant to study the feasibility of a food hub in Lawrence which would include Douglas County and fifteen surrounding counties.

 

Disbarred Kansas Attorney

Jon Michael King, Esquire, of Lawrence Kansas just surrendered his license to practice law and is now disbarred.  While working full time as a trust officer for the Trust Company Of Kansas, he also collected fees as a private attorney, which was against his contract. Because of this conflict of interest, there is disciplinary action pending and he surrendered his license. Had he just chosen corporate clients, such as the bank, who did not insist upon a contract disallowing private practice at the same time, he probably would have been fine.

Stevie Drake Missing From Kansas

Stevie Drake, sixteen, has been missing from Lawrence, Kansas since January 31. There is some speculation that he could be in Topeka, and his mother, shirley Moriss, has custody of him. To the left is a recent picture of Stevie. If you see him or know where he is, please cann 785-843-TIPS(8477) or the police in Lawrence at 785-832-7509. It seems that this is not the first time this has happened with Stevie; Stevie was found at the residence of his noncustodial father a couple of years ago, after have been missing for over a week.