Topeka Man Sentenced For Lying to Investigators After Deadly Standoff

TOPEKA, KAN. - A Topeka man was sentenced Monday to 42 months in federal prison for lying to investigators in a 2016 interview following a stand-off between federal law enforcement officers and fugitive Orlando J. Collins, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said today.

Quentin Kirk Lawton, 37, pleaded guilty in May to one count of making a false statement. In his plea, he admitted that on April 23, 2016, he visited Collins in a room at the Country Club Motel at 3732 S.W. Topeka Boulevard. Lawton left the motel shortly before a standoff between Collins and federal agents. When the FBI questioned Lawton about Collins’ whereabouts, Lawton denied he had been to the motel and seen Collins. In fact, Lawton was captured on video surveillance entering and leaving Collins’ room shortly before members of a federal task force attempted to arrest Collins.

When members of a task force tried to take Collins into custody he shot two U.S. Marshals and an FBI agent. A fire ignited from inside Collins’ room during the gunfight and spread throughout the motel. After the fire, Collins’ body was found in the motel room.

Beall commended the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Topeka Police Department, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.