Leavenworth Woman Charged with Theft from Government

KANSAS CITY, KS—A Leavenworth woman has been charged with stealing government funds while she managed a facility that handled outpatient pharmacy services for the Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Helen Farquhar, 51, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with four counts of theft of government funds. The indictment alleges that Farquhar committed the crimes in 2009 and 2010 while she was a facility manager for TeamStaff Government Solutions, Inc, at the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy in Leavenworth, Kan. The Consolidated Outpatient Pharmacy provides mail order prescriptions to veterans. The Dept. Of Veterans Affairs had a contract with TeamStaff Government Solutions to operate the facility in Leavenworth.

The indictment alleges Farquhar supervised employees and had direct access to timekeeping and payroll activity for employees. She manually entered hours for employees who were no longer working for the company. She used the money for personal purchases and financial transactions. The amounts cited in the four counts total a little more than $8,000.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on three of the counts, and a maximum penalty of one year and a fine up to $100,000 on one of the counts. Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.

Other Indictments

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

Rodolfo Perez-Guerro, 22, Wichita, Kan., and Dagoberto Arreola-Gonzalez, 21, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute approximately 1,400 marijuana plants. The crime is alleged to have occurred Aug. 9, 2011, in Greenwood County, Kan.

If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $4 million. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot is prosecuting.

Joshua J. Parker, 19, Kansas City, Mo., and Dennis E. Bowen, 40, Kansas City, are charged with bank robbery.

The indictment alleges that Parker twice robbed the US Bank, 6940 Mission Road in Prairie Village, Kan., first on Aug. 23, 2011, and then again on Oct. 21, 2011. The indictment alleges Bowen took part in the Oct. 21 robbery.

Parker and Bowen initially were charged in a criminal complaint filed Oct. 24, 2011, in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan.

Upon conviction, each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.

David Ridley, 40, Shawnee, Kan., is charged with one count of producing marijuana, one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred April 20, 2011, in Johnson County, Kan.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

• Producing marijuana: A maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
• Unlawful possession of a machine gun: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.

Sobhi Dana, 57, Wichita, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Dept. Of Agriculture, 12 counts of food stamp fraud, 12 counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from March 2010 to February 2011.

Dana initially was charged in an indictment filed in March. The superseding indictment alleges Dana had a credit account with Alnoor Groceries, 5220 E. 21st, in Wichita, where he obtained cigarettes, cash and other items. He used a Kansas Vision card to complete fraudulent transactions to make it appear he had purchased eligible food items in amounts ranging from $100 to $500. In fact, few, if any, food items were purchased. Instead, he purchased cigarettes at $6 a pack. Federal law prohibits retailers from exchanging Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for cash, credit or ineligible items including tobacco products, calling cards, liquor and beer.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy: A maximum penalty of five years without parole and a fine up to $250,000.
Food stamp fraud: A maximum penalty of five years without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Wire fraud: A maximum penalty of 20 years without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Making a false statement: A maximum penalty of five years without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Rafael Regaldo, 39, Wichita, Kan., and Jesus Ruiz-Caudillo, 33, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute approximately five pounds of methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 21, 2011, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, they face a penalty of 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 Mona Furst is prosecuting.

Armando Velasquez-Bustillo, 33, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the country after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found June 15, 2011, in Johnson 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 Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.

Juan Manuel Araujo-Gutierrez, 26, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 10, 2009, in Hutchinson, Kan.

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

Marcial Lopez-Lopez, 46, 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 Oct. 18, 2011, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

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

Adan Cruz-Santos, 29, Lawrence, Kan., who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony and deported. He was found Sept. 2, 2011, in Lawrence, Kan.

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

Juan Rocha-Roman, 25, 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 July 14, 2011, in Johnson County, Kan.

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

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