Credit Specialist Indicted on Charge of Stealing $465,000 from Employer

KANSAS CITY, KS—A credit specialist who worked for G.E. Consumer Finance in Merriam, Kansas has been indicted on federal charges of diverting $465,000 worth of the company’s checks into his mother’s bank account, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Ronald Kiser, 40, is charged with bank fraud. The indictment alleges the crime occurred in 2009 and 2010 while Kiser was handling the Lowe’s Home Improvement store account for G.E. Consumer Finance. Kiser’s duties included mailing checks to businesses that had a credit with Lowe’s. When a check was returned to G.E. Finance because the business no longer existed Kiser was supposed to shred the check and record the information in a spreadsheet. Instead of shredding checks, he arranged for the checks to be changed to his mother’s name and addressed to her home in Michigan. He then cashed the checks or deposited the checks into a checking account he held jointly with his mother. He used ATMs in Kansas, Missouri and Michigan to withdraw the stolen funds.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.

Other Indictments

A grand jury meeting in Kansas City, Kansas also returned the following indictments:

Steven Warren, 45, Kansas City, Mo., is charged with one count of bank robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during the robbery, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.

The indictment alleges that on May 5, 2011, Warren robbed the National Bank of Kansas City, 3510 W. 95th, Leawood, Kan. He brandished a Glock .40 caliber handgun. At the time, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions in Jackson County, Mo.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 25 years and not more than life on the charge of brandishing a firearm in a crime of violence, a maximum penalty of 25 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the bank robbery charge, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other charge. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt is prosecuting.

Jeramy Lee Davidson, 20, who is in federal custody, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 16, 2011, in Wyandotte County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom is prosecuting.

Ruben James Zeller, 29, who is in custody in the Douglas County Jail, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Sept. 23, 2010, in Shawnee County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Lawrence Police Department investigated. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom is prosecuting.

Phillip E. LaScola, 43, Olathe, Kan., is charged with destroying, delaying and detaining mail while he was working for the U.S. Postal Service. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 7, 2010, in Wyandotte County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.

Martin Humberto Gastelum Ibarra, 24, Riverside Calif., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 6, 2011, in Wabaunsee County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $10 million on the possession charge and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the immigration charge. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley are prosecuting.

Luis Francisco Nevarez-Gomez, 31, Kansas City, Kan., and Alejandro Franco, 22, Kansas City, Kan., and Laurie Louise Reed, 47, Leavenworth, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Reed is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and Nevarez-Gomez and Franco are charged with distributing methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred from December 2010 to April 2011 in Kansas City, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

• Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $10 million.
• Possession with intent to distribute: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
• Distribution: Not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $10 million.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.

Juan Guiterrez-Luna, 27, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found March 27, 2011, in Kiowa County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Disney is prosecuting.

Irvin Pinzon-Aguilar, 27, Dodge City, Kan., is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found March 3, 2011, in Ford County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Disney is prosecuting.

Roman Gutierrez-Guzman, 37, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felon.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Disney is prosecuting.

Sergio Alvarez, 27, a citizen of Mexico, Mario Alvarez, 26, a citizen of Mexico, and Mariano A. Herrera, 38, a citizen of Mexico, are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 11 and May 12, 2011, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom is prosecuting.

Souraxay Tonsavanh, 29, Kansas City, Mo., is charged with failing to register as a sex offender as required by federal law. The crime is alleged to have occurred in February and March 2011 in Kansas.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.

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