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Press Release

Indictment: Attack by Hospital Worker Injured Two Women at Fort Leavenworth

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

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury Wednesday indicted a civilian hospital employee on charges of attacking and injuring two women, one who he set on fire and the other who he attacked when she tried to help the victim, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Clifford Currie, 54, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of assault with intent to commit murder and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.

A criminal complaint filed Sept. 8 in the case alleged that Currie threw gasoline or some other inflammable liquid on his supervisor, Katie Ann Blanchard, lit her on fire and assaulted her with a straight edge razor and scissors. Co-worker Deanne Killian came to the Blanchard’s aid when she heard screams and saw Blanchard on fire from the chest up. Killian was injured trying to put out the fire and stop Currie from continuing the assault on the Blanchard.

Currie was subdued by hospital employees and then arrested.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the attempted murder count, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The FBI and the U.S. Army Military Police investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan is prosecuting.

Other Indictments

Juan R. Torres-Arambula, 26, Louisburg, Kan., is charged with one count of failing to appear at the Correctional Institution Great Plains in Hinton, Okla., to serve a 16-month prison sentence.

If convicted, he faces an additional two years and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

Jamie Lee Roberts, 34, who is in custody, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Sept. 21, 2016, in Shawnee County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Topeka Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.

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

 

 

Updated September 28, 2016

Topic
Violent Crime
Component