TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Savannah Guthrie</a>&nbsp;told the potential kidnappers of her mother&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-nancy-042abd04a6d87e14eecb22f0bc2893d1">Nancy Guthrie</a>&nbsp;on Saturday that the family is prepared to pay for her safe return, as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-arizona-tucson-0d6b55fd24f54b2526fd5f8894a52ff2">frantic search</a>&nbsp;for the 84-year-old has entered a seventh day.

“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” she said in a video posted on social media, flanked by her siblings. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

It was not immediately clear if the longtime host of NBC's “Today” show was referring to a new message from someone who might have kidnapped Nancy Guthrie. The Associated Press reached out to the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department seeking additional details.

Tucson TV station KOLD on Friday that it received a message via email that was tied to the Guthrie case, the contents of which it could not disclose. The FBI said it was aware of a new message and was reviewing its authenticity.

Investigators think Nancy Guthrie was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-arizona-tucson-6c7b78d17d7b647c64f71f64ecaecf8b">taken against her will</a>&nbsp;from her home just outside Tucson last weekend. DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said. Authorities have not identified any suspects or ruled anyone out.

The sheriff said Friday that he was frustrated that a camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home was not able to capture images of anyone the day she went missing.

Investigators have found that the home’s doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday and that software data recorded movement at the home minutes later. But Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so none of the images were able to be recovered.

“It is concerning, it’s actually almost disappointing, because you’ve got your hopes up,” Nanos told The Associated Press in an interview. “OK, they got an image. ‘Well, we do, but we don’t.’”

President Donald Trump, speaking on Air Force One on Friday, said the investigation was going “very well.”

“We have some clues that I think are very strong,” Trump said, while en route to his Florida estate. “We have some things that may be coming out reasonably soon.”

They were back in Nancy Guthrie’s neighborhood on Friday.

The sheriff’s department posted on social media to say access was restricted to the road in front of the home to give investigators space. Journalists staked out there were directed to move.

The Catalina Foothills Association, a neighborhood group, told residents in a letter that authorities were resuming searches in the area immediately.

“I know we all stand together in our collective disbelief and sadness and greatly appreciate your willingness to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow searches of your properties,” the association president said in the letter.

The sheriff said Thursday that investigators have not given up on trying to retrieve camera recordings.

“I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that here’s a picture, here’s your bad guy. But it’s not,” Nanos told the AP. “There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say ‘this is what we have and we can’t get anymore.’”

The sheriff also said he had no new information about the note to the TV station or other purported ransom letters sent to some media outlets, saying the FBI is handling that side of the investigation.

Meanwhile concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health condition has grown, because authorities say she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

“Her conditions, I would imagine, are worsening day by day,” Nanos said. “She requires medication. And I have no way of knowing whether they’re getting that medication to her.”

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a previous video message, on Wednesday, saying they were ready to talk but wanted proof of life. Camron Guthrie repeated that in a video Thursday.

It is not clear if all of the ransom notes were identical. Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said details included a demand for money with a deadline that passed Thursday evening and a second deadline for Monday if the first one was not met. At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Guthrie’s home and an Apple watch, Janke said.

The kidnapping has captured the attention of Americans, including Trump, who said he was directing federal authorities to help investigate.

<p>TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Savannah Guthrie</a>&nbsp;told the potential kidnappers of her mother&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-nancy-042abd04a6d87e14eecb22f0bc2893d1">Nancy Guthrie</a>&nbsp;on Saturday that the family is prepared to pay for her safe return, as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-arizona-tucson-0d6b55fd24f54b2526fd5f8894a52ff2">frantic search</a>&nbsp;for the 84-year-old has entered a seventh day.</p><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUeZsDfkhFp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUeZsDfkhFp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUeZsDfkhFp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Savannah Guthrie (@savannahguthrie)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” she said in a video posted on social media, flanked by her siblings. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”</p><p>It was not immediately clear if the longtime host of NBC's “Today” show was referring to a new message from someone who might have kidnapped Nancy Guthrie. The Associated Press reached out to the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department seeking additional details.</p><p>Tucson TV station KOLD on Friday that it received a message via email that was tied to the Guthrie case, the contents of which it could not disclose. The FBI said it was aware of a new message and was reviewing its authenticity.</p><h2>No suspects identified</h2><p>Investigators think Nancy Guthrie was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-arizona-tucson-6c7b78d17d7b647c64f71f64ecaecf8b">taken against her will</a>&nbsp;from her home just outside Tucson last weekend. DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said. Authorities have not identified any suspects or ruled anyone out.</p><p>The sheriff said Friday that he was frustrated that a camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home was not able to capture images of anyone the day she went missing.</p><p>Investigators have found that the home’s doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday and that software data recorded movement at the home minutes later. But Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so none of the images were able to be recovered.</p><p>“It is concerning, it’s actually almost disappointing, because you’ve got your hopes up,” Nanos told The Associated Press in an interview. “OK, they got an image. ‘Well, we do, but we don’t.’”</p><p>President Donald Trump, speaking on Air Force One on Friday, said the investigation was going “very well.”</p><p>“We have some clues that I think are very strong,” Trump said, while en route to his Florida estate. “We have some things that may be coming out reasonably soon.”</p><h2>Investigators return to scene</h2><p>They were back in Nancy Guthrie’s neighborhood on Friday.</p><p>The sheriff’s department posted on social media to say access was restricted to the road in front of the home to give investigators space. Journalists staked out there were directed to move.</p><p>The Catalina Foothills Association, a neighborhood group, told residents in a letter that authorities were resuming searches in the area immediately.</p><p>“I know we all stand together in our collective disbelief and sadness and greatly appreciate your willingness to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow searches of your properties,” the association president said in the letter.</p><p>The sheriff said Thursday that investigators have not given up on trying to retrieve camera recordings.</p><p>“I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that here’s a picture, here’s your bad guy. But it’s not,” Nanos told the AP. “There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say ‘this is what we have and we can’t get anymore.’”</p><h2>TV station receives note</h2><p>The sheriff also said he had no new information about the note to the TV station or other purported ransom letters sent to some media outlets, saying the FBI is handling that side of the investigation.</p><p>Meanwhile concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health condition has grown, because authorities say she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.</p><p>“Her conditions, I would imagine, are worsening day by day,” Nanos said. “She requires medication. And I have no way of knowing whether they’re getting that medication to her.”</p><h2>Pleas from family</h2><p>Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a previous video message, on Wednesday, saying they were ready to talk but wanted proof of life. Camron Guthrie repeated that in a video Thursday.</p><p>It is not clear if all of the ransom notes were identical. Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said details included a demand for money with a deadline that passed Thursday evening and a second deadline for Monday if the first one was not met. At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Guthrie’s home and an Apple watch, Janke said.</p><p>The kidnapping has captured the attention of Americans, including Trump, who said he was directing federal authorities to help investigate.</p>

🎥'Today' show host's new video plea to kidnapper: We will pay

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent incident at a Kansas home.

Just before 10:30a.m. Feb. 5, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a reported domestic disturbance in the 6600 block of SW Montara Northway, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

Upon arrival, deputies determined the adult male suspect identified as 39-year-old Stephon S. Taylor had left the residence. 

A search of the area began, utilizing K-9 units, drones, and additional personnel from law enforcement agencies. Stephon S. Taylor, 39, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department

of Corrections (SNDOC) on the requested charges of Aggravated battery; knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner with a weapon

The sheriff's department thanked the Auburn Police Department, Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 Police Department, Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority, Kansas Highway Patrol, Shawnee Heights Fire District and American Medical Response for their assistance.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770491531362.png" alt="Taylor photo Shawnee County" />
                        <figcaption>Taylor photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an alleged violent incident at a Kansas home.</p><p>Just before 10:30a.m. Feb. 5, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a reported domestic disturbance in the 6600 block of SW Montara Northway, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.</p><p>Upon arrival, deputies determined the adult male suspect identified as 39-year-old Stephon S. Taylor had left the residence. </p><p>A search of the area began, utilizing K-9 units, drones, and additional personnel from law enforcement agencies. Stephon S. Taylor, 39, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department</p><p>of Corrections (SNDOC) on the requested charges of Aggravated battery; knowingly use physical contact in angry/rude manner with a weapon</p><p>The sheriff's department thanked the Auburn Police Department, Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 Police Department, Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority, Kansas Highway Patrol, Shawnee Heights Fire District and American Medical Response for their assistance.</p>

Drone, K9 help track down Kan. domestic violence suspect

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/dee-ann-durbin">DEE-ANN DURBIN</a><br>Associated Press

Pizza Hut plans to close 250 U.S. restaurants in the first half of this year as its parent company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pizza-hut-yum-brands-sale-review-ba818d29eb38fd91af5bed8a8d8ea59c">considers a sale</a>&nbsp;of the chain.

Yum Brands said Wednesday it’s targeting underperforming Pizza Hut restaurants in its system. Pizza Hut has more than 6,000 locations in the U.S.

Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum Brands said in November it was conducting a formal review of options for Pizza Hut, which has struggled with outdated stores and growing competition. The chain’s U.S. same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell 5% last year, Yum said.

Rival Domino’s, the world’s largest pizza company, hasn’t yet released its full-year earnings, but its U.S. same-store sales were up 2.7% in the first nine months of last year.

Internationally, Pizza Hut’s results have been stronger. International same-store sales were up 1% last year, with growth in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, Yum said. China is Pizza Hut’s second-largest market outside the U.S., accounting for 19% of sales.

Yum CEO Chris Turner said Wednesday that the company plans to complete its review of options for Pizza Hut this year. He declined to share further updates on the process.

Pizza Hut ended 2025 with 19,974 stores globally, which was 251 fewer than it had the previous year. Pizza Hut opened nearly 1,200 stores across 65 countries last year, but closures outpaced that. Yum said Wednesday that Pizza Hut plans more global openings in 2026 but it didn’t give details.

Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas. PepsiCo acquired the chain in 1977 but spun off its restaurant division — which became Yum Brands — in 1997. Yum Brands also owns KFC, Taco Bell and Habit Burger &amp; Grill.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770346303084.png" alt="Pizza Hut -google image" />
                        <figcaption>Pizza Hut -google image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/dee-ann-durbin">DEE-ANN DURBIN</a><br>Associated Press</p><p>Pizza Hut plans to close 250 U.S. restaurants in the first half of this year as its parent company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pizza-hut-yum-brands-sale-review-ba818d29eb38fd91af5bed8a8d8ea59c">considers a sale</a>&nbsp;of the chain.</p><p>Yum Brands said Wednesday it’s targeting underperforming Pizza Hut restaurants in its system. Pizza Hut has more than 6,000 locations in the U.S.</p><p>Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum Brands said in November it was conducting a formal review of options for Pizza Hut, which has struggled with outdated stores and growing competition. The chain’s U.S. same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell 5% last year, Yum said.</p><p>Rival Domino’s, the world’s largest pizza company, hasn’t yet released its full-year earnings, but its U.S. same-store sales were up 2.7% in the first nine months of last year.</p><p>Internationally, Pizza Hut’s results have been stronger. International same-store sales were up 1% last year, with growth in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, Yum said. China is Pizza Hut’s second-largest market outside the U.S., accounting for 19% of sales.</p><p>Yum CEO Chris Turner said Wednesday that the company plans to complete its review of options for Pizza Hut this year. He declined to share further updates on the process.</p><p>Pizza Hut ended 2025 with 19,974 stores globally, which was 251 fewer than it had the previous year. Pizza Hut opened nearly 1,200 stores across 65 countries last year, but closures outpaced that. Yum said Wednesday that Pizza Hut plans more global openings in 2026 but it didn’t give details.</p><p>Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas. PepsiCo acquired the chain in 1977 but spun off its restaurant division — which became Yum Brands — in 1997. Yum Brands also owns KFC, Taco Bell and Habit Burger &amp; Grill.</p>

Why Pizza Hut is closing hundreds of locations across the US

RENO COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after 10a.m. Saturday in Reno County.

According to the Reno County Sheriff's Office, preliminary information indicates that a silver Jeep Liberty was North bound on Kansas 14 Highway one half mile north of US 50.&nbsp; The Jeep and southbound&nbsp; Chevy Malibu&nbsp; were involved in a collision. Both drivers were pronounced deceased by emergency medical personnel.

A passenger from one of the vehicles was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. The sheriff's office did not have details on the condition of the passenger early Saturday afternoon.

The cause of the crash remains under active investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the names of the victims.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770493838406.png" alt="Photo by Sean Boston" />
                        <figcaption>Photo by Sean Boston</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>RENO COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just after 10a.m. Saturday in Reno County.</p><p>According to the Reno County Sheriff's Office, preliminary information indicates that a silver Jeep Liberty was North bound on Kansas 14 Highway one half mile north of US 50.&nbsp; The Jeep and southbound&nbsp; Chevy Malibu&nbsp; were involved in a collision. Both drivers were pronounced deceased by emergency medical personnel.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770493888239.png" alt="Photo By Sean Boston" />
                        <figcaption>Photo By Sean Boston</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A passenger from one of the vehicles was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. The sheriff's office did not have details on the condition of the passenger early Saturday afternoon.</p><p>The cause of the crash remains under active investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the names of the victims.</p>

2 dead, 1 injured in 2-vehicle Kansas crash

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a>

The images have become ubiquitous in the Trump administration’s campaign for mass deportations of immigrants.

Masked agents, swathed in tactical gear and carrying semiautomatic firearms, menace protesters with chemical sprays and smash car windows while dragging immigrants from their vehicles.

Critics label the aggressive actions by unidentifiable agents as a calculated effort by the Department of Homeland Security to send a paramilitary force into select American cities.

But the cheapest and most basic part of federal agents’ gear — face coverings of knit and cloth masks — is the focus of legislation at the federal level, in statehouses and smaller municipalities across the nation, including in Jackson County.

“We’re going to have to deal with the issue before the issue deals with us,” said Jackson County Legislature Chair Manny Abarca IV.

Abarca introduced a proposal requiring law enforcement to keep their faces and badges visible and is backing an amendment narrowing the focus to federal agents conducting immigration enforcement within the county.

County legislators are scheduled to hear public comments at 3 p.m. on Feb. 9.

The Jackson County ordinance mirrors efforts nationally, carving out exceptions for SWAT and other specialty teams, undercover work and the use of helmets with shields for officer safety. Those efforts have gained momentum since the recent shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good during an ongoing immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis.

Supporters believe mask bans will help deescalate tensions between the community and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by ensuring that immigration agents are identifiable and accountable.

Decades of social science research supports the contention that masking a person can facilitate aggressive behavior. Outcomes have been studied with children, in law enforcement, in the military and in conflicts around the world.

Homeland Security is pushing back against local and state bans.

Primarily, the government cites the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which guards against state laws that conflict with federal.

Legal experts disagree on the legality of banning mask-wearing by law enforcement.

They are split on whether the Supremacy Clause is a full shield for an immigration agent’s use of masks while detaining immigrants.

In Jackson County, legal counsel is continuing to study the issue, acknowledging that this is a new type of law.

National policing agencies are also weighing in, at times moderating prior messaging. They seek to strike a balance between maintaining public trust by having officers identifiable and supporting officer safety in an era of doxing.

Municipal police have long worked to differentiate themselves from federal immigration agents. They emphasize that members of immigrant communities can be perpetrators of crime, witnesses or victims. Maintaining trust and relationships is imperative.

Police departments have a tradition of requiring identifiable uniforms, badges and having the officer’s name prominently displayed.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2026-02-02/jackson-county-sheriff-mask-ban-ice" target="_blank">Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté</a>&nbsp;believes the proposed ordinance is unenforceable.

Forté is concerned about scenarios where his deputies would be required to issue citations to federal agents. He doesn’t want deputies accused of interfering with federal investigations, noting “it could create a situation where both deputies and federal agents attempt to detain one another, leading to a dangerous confrontation.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/resources/document/face-coverings-and-police-community-engagement" target="_blank">International Association of Chiefs of Police</a>&nbsp;recently issued a statement underscoring that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.

The organization cautioned officers during COVID to be aware of the impact of masks, noting that facial coverings, even surgical ones for health reasons, can be intimidating and diminish transparency to the public.

The organization hasn’t backed off from that stance.

“The use of face coverings and the absence of visible identification during enforcement operations can create confusion, fear and mistrust among community members and responding agencies, potentially increasing operational risks and eroding public confidence,” a recent statement read.

But the association is also addressing doxing fears and suggests substituting officer names in some cases for alphanumeric codes or badge numbers.

In late January, the association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/news/official-statements/iacp-calls-on-white-house-to-convene-joint-federal-state-local-discussion" target="_blank">asked the White House to convene&nbsp;</a>national, state and local policing representatives for policy discussions to find “a constructive path forward.”

Democrats, in recent budget talks, demanded that immigration agents stop masking in exchange for votes to end a partial federal government shutdown.

U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri quickly replied to the demand in a video posted on social media.

“There is no way in hell we’re going to let Democrats kneecap law enforcement and stop deportations in exchange for funding DHS,” Schmitt said.

Public trust balanced against threat of doxing&nbsp;&nbsp;

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-state-senate-passes-mask-ban-to-curb-federal-immigration-enforcement-tactics" target="_blank">Washington state</a>, proposed legislation to ban law enforcement’s use of masks has passed out of the Senate. Washington is among at least six states that have or are considering banning masks for law enforcement, including Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Tennessee and Michigan.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/29/kansas-democrats-tout-bill-requiring-ice-to-display-ids-shed-masks-and-forego-warrantless-searches/" target="_blank">A mask ban is included in a Democrat-backed measure in the Republican-controlled Kansas House.</a>

California was the first state to pass a law in 2025. The No Secret Police Act bans the use of face masks by law enforcement in California. Exceptions include health considerations, such as a face covering to protect officers against fumes or dangerous chemicals.

The California measure was quickly challenged in November 2025 with a lawsuit by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.

The federal government said the California law is unconstitutional, anti-cop and a danger to law enforcement.

DHS stresses that agents clearly identify themselves as police, usually by their vests, which are marked “ICE/ERO” or “Homeland Security.”

“The sanctuary politicians of California want to make it easier for violent political extremists to target our brave men and women of federal law enforcement for enforcing immigration laws and keeping the American people safe,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“This demonization is going to get somebody killed.”

Threats to public officials, both elected and law enforcement, were underscored with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/two-kansans-indicted-making-threats-against-federal-officials-separate-unrelated" target="_blank">two indictments returned by a federal grand jury in late January.</a>

A 23-year-old Wichita man was accused of posting a video on social media threatening to assault and murder federal ICE agents working in Wichita.

In a separate case, the same grand jury also returned an indictment for a 60-year-old Wichita man who is accused of stating his intention to murder U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-were-learning-about-the-man-arrested-in-the-attack-on-rep-ilhan-omar" target="_blank">Omar, a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump</a>, was rushed and sprayed with a liquid by a man during a town hall on Jan. 27.

Her attacker was tackled, taken into custody and has since been charged in the incident. Omar was unharmed.

U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser issued a statement along with the two Kansas indictments, underscoring an intolerance to political violence, no matter the target.

“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate,” Kriegshauser said. “For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”

Gaiters, simple tubular pieces of cloth that cover the neck and face, can be purchased in packs of two for less than $10.

Balaclavas, which also cover the head, are similarly affordable.

Both garments are commonly used to protect hunters and others from cold and sun. But they have been adopted by federal agents detaining immigrants for deportation.

Gas masks are often worn also, further obscuring the agents’ faces.

Supporters see the bans on such apparel as a method to help deescalate tensions, forcing the agents to be identifiable and accountable for actions like shoving people or spraying them with chemical irritants.

Anonymity, a reprieve from being held accountable for individual actions, has long been studied.

The process that researchers study is deindividualization. They attempt to measure how shielding identity can make people less self-conscious and more vulnerable to groupthink and has an impact on the ego.

The research looks at what types of things can change a person’s psychological state so that they are more likely to inflict harm on other people, said Lauren Yan, a Kansas City resident.

Yan was among more than 150 people who testified at a recent town hall on Jackson County’s proposed ordinance.

Yan’s own research on migration has taken her around the world. Her dissertation focused on Syrian refugees living in Jordan.

“Anthropologists have looked at this across cultures comparing war practices,” Yan said. “The groups that changed their appearance before battle, either using paint or masks or something similar, tended to inflict higher aggression in many ways.”

A Harvard study, “Investigation Into Deindividuation Using a Cross-Cultural Survey Technique,” found that self-control can be lost with “a feeling of anonymity and a consequent lack of concern over social evaluation which allows the individual to act aggressively.”

Other studies have focused on specific conflicts, like Ireland.

And some were completed in lab conditions. Researchers measured actions when people wore lab coats with hoods to conceal their faces and were asked to administer electric shocks to other people. The victims were portrayed as nice or obnoxious.

The hooded participants were much more likely to administer the shocks than people whose identities were not hidden.

Even supporters of the Jackson County proposal question whether the county’s efforts will result in a failed, and expensive, legal challenge.

The point was made repeatedly at the recent town hall.

The Supremacy Clause instructs that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws.

The State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been studying the issue.

In January, it updated a deep legal analysis first issued in October 2025, reflecting new ordinances being proposed to counter ICE.

“Because the legal doctrine is murky, it is difficult to predict how legal challenges to mask bans might play out,” according to the paper, “<a href="https://statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/2025/explainer-states-prohibit-federal-law-enforcement-masking-on-the-job/" target="_blank">Can States Prohibit Federal Law Enforcement From Masking on the Job?</a>”

The Supremacy Clause says states can’t interfere with or control the operations of the federal government, an obvious hurdle for any ban.

The paper doesn’t downplay the challenges of the Supremacy Clause.

But the research also points out that states — or in this case a county — have their own constitutionally grounded powers and interests, including interests in safeguarding the well-being of their residents and preventing federal overreach.

The courts will likely weigh whether masking is necessary for federal agents to do their work, and whether a ban would equate to a state trying to regulate the federal function of immigration enforcement.

The paper also cites Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional scholar and dean of University of California Berkeley School of Law. Chemerinsky&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article311087665.html" target="_blank">has written opinion articles</a>&nbsp;assessing the constitutionality of the California law that is now before a court.

In addition to deep legal analysis, he also points to how ICE agents have operated under previous administrations.

“ICE agents have never before worn masks when apprehending people, and that never has posed a problem,” Chemerinsky wrote.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2026/02/04/masks-ice-jackson-county-immigration/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770432344015.png" alt=" Protesters carrying signs and the American flag at Mill Creek Park near the Country Club Plaza (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon)." />
                        <figcaption> Protesters carrying signs and the American flag at Mill Creek Park near the Country Club Plaza (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a></p><p>The images have become ubiquitous in the Trump administration’s campaign for mass deportations of immigrants.</p><p>Masked agents, swathed in tactical gear and carrying semiautomatic firearms, menace protesters with chemical sprays and smash car windows while dragging immigrants from their vehicles.</p><p>Critics label the aggressive actions by unidentifiable agents as a calculated effort by the Department of Homeland Security to send a paramilitary force into select American cities.</p><p>But the cheapest and most basic part of federal agents’ gear — face coverings of knit and cloth masks — is the focus of legislation at the federal level, in statehouses and smaller municipalities across the nation, including in Jackson County.</p><p>“We’re going to have to deal with the issue before the issue deals with us,” said Jackson County Legislature Chair Manny Abarca IV.</p><p>Abarca introduced a proposal requiring law enforcement to keep their faces and badges visible and is backing an amendment narrowing the focus to federal agents conducting immigration enforcement within the county.</p><p>County legislators are scheduled to hear public comments at 3 p.m. on Feb. 9.</p><p>The Jackson County ordinance mirrors efforts nationally, carving out exceptions for SWAT and other specialty teams, undercover work and the use of helmets with shields for officer safety. Those efforts have gained momentum since the recent shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Macklin Good during an ongoing immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis.</p><p>Supporters believe mask bans will help deescalate tensions between the community and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by ensuring that immigration agents are identifiable and accountable.</p><p>Decades of social science research supports the contention that masking a person can facilitate aggressive behavior. Outcomes have been studied with children, in law enforcement, in the military and in conflicts around the world.</p><p>Homeland Security is pushing back against local and state bans.</p><p>Primarily, the government cites the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which guards against state laws that conflict with federal.</p><p>Legal experts disagree on the legality of banning mask-wearing by law enforcement.</p><p>They are split on whether the Supremacy Clause is a full shield for an immigration agent’s use of masks while detaining immigrants.</p><p>In Jackson County, legal counsel is continuing to study the issue, acknowledging that this is a new type of law.</p><p>National policing agencies are also weighing in, at times moderating prior messaging. They seek to strike a balance between maintaining public trust by having officers identifiable and supporting officer safety in an era of doxing.</p><p>Municipal police have long worked to differentiate themselves from federal immigration agents. They emphasize that members of immigrant communities can be perpetrators of crime, witnesses or victims. Maintaining trust and relationships is imperative.</p><p>Police departments have a tradition of requiring identifiable uniforms, badges and having the officer’s name prominently displayed.</p><p><a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2026-02-02/jackson-county-sheriff-mask-ban-ice" target="_blank">Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté</a>&nbsp;believes the proposed ordinance is unenforceable.</p><p>Forté is concerned about scenarios where his deputies would be required to issue citations to federal agents. He doesn’t want deputies accused of interfering with federal investigations, noting “it could create a situation where both deputies and federal agents attempt to detain one another, leading to a dangerous confrontation.”</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/resources/document/face-coverings-and-police-community-engagement" target="_blank">International Association of Chiefs of Police</a>&nbsp;recently issued a statement underscoring that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.</p><p>The organization cautioned officers during COVID to be aware of the impact of masks, noting that facial coverings, even surgical ones for health reasons, can be intimidating and diminish transparency to the public.</p><p>The organization hasn’t backed off from that stance.</p><p>“The use of face coverings and the absence of visible identification during enforcement operations can create confusion, fear and mistrust among community members and responding agencies, potentially increasing operational risks and eroding public confidence,” a recent statement read.</p><p>But the association is also addressing doxing fears and suggests substituting officer names in some cases for alphanumeric codes or badge numbers.</p><p>In late January, the association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theiacp.org/news/official-statements/iacp-calls-on-white-house-to-convene-joint-federal-state-local-discussion" target="_blank">asked the White House to convene&nbsp;</a>national, state and local policing representatives for policy discussions to find “a constructive path forward.”</p><p>Democrats, in recent budget talks, demanded that immigration agents stop masking in exchange for votes to end a partial federal government shutdown.</p><p>U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri quickly replied to the demand in a video posted on social media.</p><p>“There is no way in hell we’re going to let Democrats kneecap law enforcement and stop deportations in exchange for funding DHS,” Schmitt said.</p><h2>Public trust balanced against threat of doxing&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2><p>In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-state-senate-passes-mask-ban-to-curb-federal-immigration-enforcement-tactics" target="_blank">Washington state</a>, proposed legislation to ban law enforcement’s use of masks has passed out of the Senate. Washington is among at least six states that have or are considering banning masks for law enforcement, including Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Tennessee and Michigan.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/29/kansas-democrats-tout-bill-requiring-ice-to-display-ids-shed-masks-and-forego-warrantless-searches/" target="_blank">A mask ban is included in a Democrat-backed measure in the Republican-controlled Kansas House.</a></p><p>California was the first state to pass a law in 2025. The No Secret Police Act bans the use of face masks by law enforcement in California. Exceptions include health considerations, such as a face covering to protect officers against fumes or dangerous chemicals.</p><p>The California measure was quickly challenged in November 2025 with a lawsuit by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.</p><p>The federal government said the California law is unconstitutional, anti-cop and a danger to law enforcement.</p><p>DHS stresses that agents clearly identify themselves as police, usually by their vests, which are marked “ICE/ERO” or “Homeland Security.”</p><p>“The sanctuary politicians of California want to make it easier for violent political extremists to target our brave men and women of federal law enforcement for enforcing immigration laws and keeping the American people safe,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.</p><p>“This demonization is going to get somebody killed.”</p><p>Threats to public officials, both elected and law enforcement, were underscored with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/two-kansans-indicted-making-threats-against-federal-officials-separate-unrelated" target="_blank">two indictments returned by a federal grand jury in late January.</a></p><p>A 23-year-old Wichita man was accused of posting a video on social media threatening to assault and murder federal ICE agents working in Wichita.</p><p>In a separate case, the same grand jury also returned an indictment for a 60-year-old Wichita man who is accused of stating his intention to murder U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.</p><p><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-were-learning-about-the-man-arrested-in-the-attack-on-rep-ilhan-omar" target="_blank">Omar, a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump</a>, was rushed and sprayed with a liquid by a man during a town hall on Jan. 27.</p><p>Her attacker was tackled, taken into custody and has since been charged in the incident. Omar was unharmed.</p><p>U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser issued a statement along with the two Kansas indictments, underscoring an intolerance to political violence, no matter the target.</p><p>“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate,” Kriegshauser said. “For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”</p><h2>Gaiters, balaclavas and gas masks</h2><p>Gaiters, simple tubular pieces of cloth that cover the neck and face, can be purchased in packs of two for less than $10.</p><p>Balaclavas, which also cover the head, are similarly affordable.</p><p>Both garments are commonly used to protect hunters and others from cold and sun. But they have been adopted by federal agents detaining immigrants for deportation.</p><p>Gas masks are often worn also, further obscuring the agents’ faces.</p><p>Supporters see the bans on such apparel as a method to help deescalate tensions, forcing the agents to be identifiable and accountable for actions like shoving people or spraying them with chemical irritants.</p><p>Research supports that contention.</p><p>Anonymity, a reprieve from being held accountable for individual actions, has long been studied.</p><p>The process that researchers study is deindividualization. They attempt to measure how shielding identity can make people less self-conscious and more vulnerable to groupthink and has an impact on the ego.</p><p>The research looks at what types of things can change a person’s psychological state so that they are more likely to inflict harm on other people, said Lauren Yan, a Kansas City resident.</p><p>Yan was among more than 150 people who testified at a recent town hall on Jackson County’s proposed ordinance.</p><p>Yan’s own research on migration has taken her around the world. Her dissertation focused on Syrian refugees living in Jordan.</p><p>“Anthropologists have looked at this across cultures comparing war practices,” Yan said. “The groups that changed their appearance before battle, either using paint or masks or something similar, tended to inflict higher aggression in many ways.”</p><p>A Harvard study, “Investigation Into Deindividuation Using a Cross-Cultural Survey Technique,” found that self-control can be lost with “a feeling of anonymity and a consequent lack of concern over social evaluation which allows the individual to act aggressively.”</p><p>Other studies have focused on specific conflicts, like Ireland.</p><p>And some were completed in lab conditions. Researchers measured actions when people wore lab coats with hoods to conceal their faces and were asked to administer electric shocks to other people. The victims were portrayed as nice or obnoxious.</p><p>The hooded participants were much more likely to administer the shocks than people whose identities were not hidden.</p><h2>Pondering the Supremacy Clause</h2><p>Even supporters of the Jackson County proposal question whether the county’s efforts will result in a failed, and expensive, legal challenge.</p><p>The point was made repeatedly at the recent town hall.</p><p>The Supremacy Clause instructs that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws.</p><p>The State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been studying the issue.</p><p>In January, it updated a deep legal analysis first issued in October 2025, reflecting new ordinances being proposed to counter ICE.</p><p>“Because the legal doctrine is murky, it is difficult to predict how legal challenges to mask bans might play out,” according to the paper, “<a href="https://statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/2025/explainer-states-prohibit-federal-law-enforcement-masking-on-the-job/" target="_blank">Can States Prohibit Federal Law Enforcement From Masking on the Job?</a>”</p><p>The Supremacy Clause says states can’t interfere with or control the operations of the federal government, an obvious hurdle for any ban.</p><p>The paper doesn’t downplay the challenges of the Supremacy Clause.</p><p>But the research also points out that states — or in this case a county — have their own constitutionally grounded powers and interests, including interests in safeguarding the well-being of their residents and preventing federal overreach.</p><p>The courts will likely weigh whether masking is necessary for federal agents to do their work, and whether a ban would equate to a state trying to regulate the federal function of immigration enforcement.</p><p>The paper also cites Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional scholar and dean of University of California Berkeley School of Law. Chemerinsky&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article311087665.html" target="_blank">has written opinion articles</a>&nbsp;assessing the constitutionality of the California law that is now before a court.</p><p>In addition to deep legal analysis, he also points to how ICE agents have operated under previous administrations.</p><p>“ICE agents have never before worn masks when apprehending people, and that never has posed a problem,” Chemerinsky wrote.</p><p>This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2026/02/04/masks-ice-jackson-county-immigration/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p>

With no-masks proposal, Jackson County joins push to restrain ICE

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a fatal shooting at an American Legion Hall in Wichita was due back in court Friday.

The preliminary hearing for Darrell E. Buckner, Jr., 52, Wichita, in Judge Rodger Woods courtroom was delayed, according the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

He was charged with First degree murder and aggravated battery, according to the District Attorney's office.

Just before 7:30p.m. October 11, police responded to a report of a shooting inside the American Legion, 1135 North Hydraulic in Wichita, according t a media release.&nbsp; First responders found 55-year-old Anthony Grayson from Wichita unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 7:55 p.m.

A second victim, a 56-year-old man, arrived at a hospital by private vehicle with a gunshot wound to the torso.&nbsp;

Investigators confirmed that the suspect, identified as Buckner, and Grayson were involved in a fight inside the bar. Buckner then left, retrieved a firearm from his vehicle, and returned. Employees attempted to prevent him from reentering, but he pushed past them and went back inside, where another fight broke out. During the altercation, Buckner fired the gun, striking Grayson and the second victim, who was attempting to intervene.

Buckner was taken into custody at the scene and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a one-million dollar bond, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760102689111.png" alt="Buckner-photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Buckner-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a fatal shooting at an American Legion Hall in Wichita was due back in court Friday.</p><p>The preliminary hearing for Darrell E. Buckner, Jr., 52, Wichita, in Judge Rodger Woods courtroom was delayed, according the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.</p><p>He was charged with First degree murder and aggravated battery, according to the District Attorney's office.</p><p>Just before 7:30p.m. October 11, police responded to a report of a shooting inside the American Legion, 1135 North Hydraulic in Wichita, according t a media release.&nbsp; First responders found 55-year-old Anthony Grayson from Wichita unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 7:55 p.m.</p><p>A second victim, a 56-year-old man, arrived at a hospital by private vehicle with a gunshot wound to the torso.&nbsp;</p><p>Investigators confirmed that the suspect, identified as Buckner, and Grayson were involved in a fight inside the bar. Buckner then left, retrieved a firearm from his vehicle, and returned. Employees attempted to prevent him from reentering, but he pushed past them and went back inside, where another fight broke out. During the altercation, Buckner fired the gun, striking Grayson and the second victim, who was attempting to intervene.</p><p>Buckner was taken into custody at the scene and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a one-million dollar bond, according to the district attorney's office.</p>

Hearing delayed for Kan. suspect in deadly fight at American Legion Hall

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/barbara-ortutay">BARBARA ORTUTAY</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/ed-white">ED WHITE</a><br>Associated Press

When Savannah Guthrie made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-guthrie-mom-missing-88e8731270d05e6e667730d2ed8633d3">heart-wrenching plea</a>&nbsp;to the kidnapper of her 84-year-old mother to send “proof of life,” she addressed the possibility of people creating deepfakes.

“We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated,” she said.

Before artificial intelligence tools proliferated — making it possible to realistically impersonate someone, in photos, sound and video — “proof of life” could simply mean sending a grainy image of a person who’s been abducted.

That’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-deepfake-trump-espionage-hack-scammers-da90ad1e5298a9ce50c997458d6aa610">no longer true.</a>

“With AI these days you can make videos that appear to be very real. So we can’t just take a video and trust that that’s proof of life because of advancements in AI,” Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said at a news conference Thursday.

Hoaxes — whether high or low-tech — have long challenged law enforcement, especially when it comes to high-profile cases such as Nancy Guthrie’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-nancy-042abd04a6d87e14eecb22f0bc2893d1">disappearance last weekend</a>&nbsp;from her home in the Tucson area.

As technology has advanced, criminals have grown savvy and used it to their benefit, confusing police and the public and masking their identities. The FBI in December&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA251205" target="_blank">warned that people</a>&nbsp;posing as kidnappers can provide what appears to be a real photo or video of a loved one, along with demands for money.

Police have not said that they have received any deepfake images of Guthrie. At least three news organizations have reported receiving purported ransom notes that they have given to investigators, who said they are taking them seriously.

Investigators said they believe she’s “still out there,” but they have not identified any suspects.

Separately, a California man was charged Thursday with sending text messages to the Guthrie family seeking bitcoin after following the case on television. There’s no indication that he’s suspected of having a role in the disappearance, according to a court filing.

Savannah Guthrie appeared in an emotional video on Instagram, sitting between her sister and brother. Her voice cracked as she spoke directly to the kidnapper, saying the family is “ready to talk” and “ready to listen” but that they also want to know that their mother is alive. The brother, Camron Guthrie, posted a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-guthrie-mom-missing-2765f354b498e6146b955162c3b71d4f">similar video</a>&nbsp;on social media Thursday.

Images of Nancy Guthrie, publicly shared by family, could be used to create deepfakes, said former FBI agent Katherine Schweit.

She said ransom demands over history have evolved from phone calls and handwritten notes to email, texts and other digital tools. A century ago, ransom notes were analog. For example, when the toddler son of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped, a piece of paper demanding $50,000 was found on a windowsill.

“Investigative techniques accumulate over time,” Schweit said. “There’s never less to do as years go by; there’s more to do. Digital and forensic work is a perfect example. It just adds to the other shoe-leather work we would have done in years past. ... Nothing can be dismissed. Everything has to be run to ground.”

Schweit said directly addressing a kidnapper, like Savannah Guthrie did in her video, is a tactical move.

“The goal is to have the family or law enforcement speak directly to the victim and the perpetrator, and ask the perpetrator: What do you need? How can we solve this? Let’s move this forward,” she said.

Janke suggested to reporters that the FBI may have had some influence on Guthrie’s decision to release a video message.

“We have an expertise when it comes to kidnappings, and when families want advice, consultation, expertise, we will provide that,” he said. “But the ultimate decisions — on what they say and how they put that out — rests with the family itself.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770317606483.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/barbara-ortutay">BARBARA ORTUTAY</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/ed-white">ED WHITE</a><br>Associated Press</p><p>When Savannah Guthrie made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-guthrie-mom-missing-88e8731270d05e6e667730d2ed8633d3">heart-wrenching plea</a>&nbsp;to the kidnapper of her 84-year-old mother to send “proof of life,” she addressed the possibility of people creating deepfakes.</p><p>“We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated,” she said.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/pMc1cIX8iA">pic.twitter.com/pMc1cIX8iA</a></p>&mdash; FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIPhoenix/status/2019895248852234370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Before artificial intelligence tools proliferated — making it possible to realistically impersonate someone, in photos, sound and video — “proof of life” could simply mean sending a grainy image of a person who’s been abducted.</p><p>That’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-deepfake-trump-espionage-hack-scammers-da90ad1e5298a9ce50c997458d6aa610">no longer true.</a></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770257612535.png" alt="NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie and her sister and brother released a video this week in an attempt to communicate with kidnappers" />
                        <figcaption>NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie and her sister and brother released a video this week in an attempt to communicate with kidnappers</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“With AI these days you can make videos that appear to be very real. So we can’t just take a video and trust that that’s proof of life because of advancements in AI,” Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said at a news conference Thursday.</p><p>Hoaxes — whether high or low-tech — have long challenged law enforcement, especially when it comes to high-profile cases such as Nancy Guthrie’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mother-missing-nancy-042abd04a6d87e14eecb22f0bc2893d1">disappearance last weekend</a>&nbsp;from her home in the Tucson area.</p><p>As technology has advanced, criminals have grown savvy and used it to their benefit, confusing police and the public and masking their identities. The FBI in December&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA251205" target="_blank">warned that people</a>&nbsp;posing as kidnappers can provide what appears to be a real photo or video of a loved one, along with demands for money.</p><p>Police have not said that they have received any deepfake images of Guthrie. At least three news organizations have reported receiving purported ransom notes that they have given to investigators, who said they are taking them seriously.</p><p>Investigators said they believe she’s “still out there,” but they have not identified any suspects.</p><p>Separately, a California man was charged Thursday with sending text messages to the Guthrie family seeking bitcoin after following the case on television. There’s no indication that he’s suspected of having a role in the disappearance, according to a court filing.</p><p>Savannah Guthrie appeared in an emotional video on Instagram, sitting between her sister and brother. Her voice cracked as she spoke directly to the kidnapper, saying the family is “ready to talk” and “ready to listen” but that they also want to know that their mother is alive. The brother, Camron Guthrie, posted a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-nancy-guthrie-mom-missing-2765f354b498e6146b955162c3b71d4f">similar video</a>&nbsp;on social media Thursday.</p><p>Images of Nancy Guthrie, publicly shared by family, could be used to create deepfakes, said former FBI agent Katherine Schweit.</p><p>She said ransom demands over history have evolved from phone calls and handwritten notes to email, texts and other digital tools. A century ago, ransom notes were analog. For example, when the toddler son of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh was kidnapped, a piece of paper demanding $50,000 was found on a windowsill.</p><p>“Investigative techniques accumulate over time,” Schweit said. “There’s never less to do as years go by; there’s more to do. Digital and forensic work is a perfect example. It just adds to the other shoe-leather work we would have done in years past. ... Nothing can be dismissed. Everything has to be run to ground.”</p><p>Schweit said directly addressing a kidnapper, like Savannah Guthrie did in her video, is a tactical move.</p><p>“The goal is to have the family or law enforcement speak directly to the victim and the perpetrator, and ask the perpetrator: What do you need? How can we solve this? Let’s move this forward,” she said.</p><p>Janke suggested to reporters that the FBI may have had some influence on Guthrie’s decision to release a video message.</p><p>“We have an expertise when it comes to kidnappings, and when families want advice, consultation, expertise, we will provide that,” he said. “But the ultimate decisions — on what they say and how they put that out — rests with the family itself.”</p>

Demand for mom's 'proof of life' is complicated in era of AI and deepfakes

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly put a signature to a bundled law enforcement bill Friday elevating consequences for conviction of buying sexual relations, misuse of a laser pointer and crimes of vehicle and gift-card theft.

The legislation was a holdover from the 2025 legislative session that required final negotiations by the House and Senate. The deal was passed in January by a 119-4 margin in the House and a vote of 39-0 in the Senate.

“This bipartisan&nbsp;bill&nbsp;takes reasonable steps to ensure that Kansans are safe and that crime is being addressed in our communities,” the Democratic governor said. “Enhancing public safety is essential to building a Kansas where businesses and families want to put down roots.”

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2347/" target="_blank">House Bill 2347</a>&nbsp;created the crime of unlawful use of a laser pointer so individuals could be charged with assault or battery if accused of knowingly directing a beam at law enforcement officers performing official duties or into the flight path or cabin of aircraft. Exemptions were added to the bill for aviation research, operations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Defense or for a person using a laser in an emergency.

A measure also increased criminal penalties for purchasing sexual relations and limited use by prosecutors and defendants of diversion agreements. The offense would be classified as a level nine felony, even on the first offense, and the minimum fine would rise from $1,200 to $2,000. Individuals convicted of the offense would be required after July 1, 2027, to participate in a treatment program approved by the office of the state attorney general.

Kansas statute was amended so gift cards would be on the list of financial cards for which a prosecutor could charge individuals for illegally obtaining money, goods or services.

The last piece of the bill, which was recommended by the Wichita Police Department, altered theft of a motor vehicle valued at $500 to $1,500 to target a person who “has reason to know” a vehicle was stolen rather than a person “knowing” the vehicle was stolen.

Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said he supported the bipartisan legislation because it made broad reasonable changes to combat crime and make communities safer in Kansas.

Sen. Kenny Titus, R-Manhattan said the&nbsp;bill&nbsp;“will reduce the demand for human trafficking and allow for easier prosecution of scamsters using gift cards to take advantage of vulnerable Kansans.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770432118779.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, signed a bipartisan bill approved overwhelmingly by the House and Senate that alters state law on criminal offenses of purchasing sexual relations, use of laser pointers and theft of a vehicle or gift card. In this Jan. 14, 2026, image, Kelly speaks during a rally in the Kansas Capitol. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, signed a bipartisan bill approved overwhelmingly by the House and Senate that alters state law on criminal offenses of purchasing sexual relations, use of laser pointers and theft of a vehicle or gift card. In this Jan. 14, 2026, image, Kelly speaks during a rally in the Kansas Capitol. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly put a signature to a bundled law enforcement bill Friday elevating consequences for conviction of buying sexual relations, misuse of a laser pointer and crimes of vehicle and gift-card theft.</p><p>The legislation was a holdover from the 2025 legislative session that required final negotiations by the House and Senate. The deal was passed in January by a 119-4 margin in the House and a vote of 39-0 in the Senate.</p><p>“This bipartisan&nbsp;bill&nbsp;takes reasonable steps to ensure that Kansans are safe and that crime is being addressed in our communities,” the Democratic governor said. “Enhancing public safety is essential to building a Kansas where businesses and families want to put down roots.”</p><p><a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2347/" target="_blank">House Bill 2347</a>&nbsp;created the crime of unlawful use of a laser pointer so individuals could be charged with assault or battery if accused of knowingly directing a beam at law enforcement officers performing official duties or into the flight path or cabin of aircraft. Exemptions were added to the bill for aviation research, operations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Defense or for a person using a laser in an emergency.</p><p>A measure also increased criminal penalties for purchasing sexual relations and limited use by prosecutors and defendants of diversion agreements. The offense would be classified as a level nine felony, even on the first offense, and the minimum fine would rise from $1,200 to $2,000. Individuals convicted of the offense would be required after July 1, 2027, to participate in a treatment program approved by the office of the state attorney general.</p><p>Kansas statute was amended so gift cards would be on the list of financial cards for which a prosecutor could charge individuals for illegally obtaining money, goods or services.</p><p>The last piece of the bill, which was recommended by the Wichita Police Department, altered theft of a motor vehicle valued at $500 to $1,500 to target a person who “has reason to know” a vehicle was stolen rather than a person “knowing” the vehicle was stolen.</p><p>Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said he supported the bipartisan legislation because it made broad reasonable changes to combat crime and make communities safer in Kansas.</p><p>Sen. Kenny Titus, R-Manhattan said the&nbsp;bill&nbsp;“will reduce the demand for human trafficking and allow for easier prosecution of scamsters using gift cards to take advantage of vulnerable Kansans.”</p>

Gov. signs 4-piece crime bill raising penalty for buying sexual relations in Kansas

KANSAS CITY —A woman was rescued from a storm drain Wednesday near the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City. Fire crews released additional details on the pipe.

Just before 7:30p.m., Kansas City Fire Department crews&nbsp;responded to a reported confined space rescue at 3250 N. Ameristar Drive, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

On arrival crews reported a woman, in her forties, was stuck in a storm drain. She was trapped several hundred feet in the pipe.

KCFD's rescue division secured the scene and sent a team into the pipe to free and retrieve the victim.

After 90 minutes, at 9:30p.m. fire department crews were able to finally rescue the victim. The woman had been stuck for several hours and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. 

On Friday,&nbsp; the Rescue Chief returned to the location and measured the length of the pipe to the rescue location, and it was significantly further than originally reported. The actual distance was 764 feet from the entrance to where the rescuer made contact with the victim.&nbsp;

Officials still do not have any information as to why she entered the pipe, according to Hopkins.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770288412885.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC&nbsp;" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC&nbsp;</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —A woman was rescued from a storm drain Wednesday near the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City. Fire crews released additional details on the pipe.</p><p>Just before 7:30p.m., Kansas City Fire Department crews&nbsp;responded to a reported confined space rescue at 3250 N. Ameristar Drive, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.</p><p>On arrival crews reported a woman, in her forties, was stuck in a storm drain. She was trapped several hundred feet in the pipe.</p><p>KCFD's rescue division secured the scene and sent a team into the pipe to free and retrieve the victim.</p><p>After 90 minutes, at 9:30p.m. fire department crews were able to finally rescue the victim. The woman had been stuck for several hours and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. </p><p>On Friday,&nbsp; the Rescue Chief returned to the location and measured the length of the pipe to the rescue location, and it was significantly further than originally reported. The actual distance was 764 feet from the entrance to where the rescuer made contact with the victim.&nbsp;</p><p>Officials still do not have any information as to why she entered the pipe, according to Hopkins.</p>

New details on woman rescued from storm drain in Kansas City

WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump’s social media post featuring a video about election conspiracy theories and a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-obama-racist-video-a48a6b8884a88f9ec30cd4913e352b51">primates in a jungle has been deleted</a>.

The Thursday night post was deleted Friday and blamed on a staffer after widespread backlash, from civil rights leaders to veteran Republican senators, for its treatment of the nation’s first Black president and first lady.

On his social media page, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was critical of the President's post.

The deletion of the post is a rare admission of a misstep by the White House and came hours after press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there was nothing offensive about the post. An Obama spokesperson said the former president, a Democrat, had no response.

The White House released audio of two statements from the Presdient on the controversy.

Trump said later Friday that he won’t apologize for the post. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he said.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736438157279.png" alt="Former President Obama and President Trump at the memorial service for former President Jimmy Carter- image image courtesy CSPAN  video" />
                        <figcaption>Former President Obama and President Trump at the memorial service for former President Jimmy Carter- image image courtesy CSPAN  video</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump’s social media post featuring a video about election conspiracy theories and a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-obama-racist-video-a48a6b8884a88f9ec30cd4913e352b51">primates in a jungle has been deleted</a>.</p><p>The Thursday night post was deleted Friday and blamed on a staffer after widespread backlash, from civil rights leaders to veteran Republican senators, for its treatment of the nation’s first Black president and first lady.</p><p>On his social media page, Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was critical of the President's post.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The video has rightfully been removed from the President&#39;s social media. It should not have been posted in the first place. The content was racist and offensive and not who we are as a nation.</p>&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/2019880479605059963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The deletion of the post is a rare admission of a misstep by the White House and came hours after press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there was nothing offensive about the post. An Obama spokesperson said the former president, a Democrat, had no response.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I just looked at the first part. It was about voter fraud...2020 voter fraud...and I didn&#39;t see the whole thing...then I gave it to [my] people. Generally, they&#39;d look at the whole thing, but I guess somebody didn&#39;t...We took it down as soon as we found out about it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/jwl0QnH0EZ">pic.twitter.com/jwl0QnH0EZ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2019966002042110064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The White House released audio of two statements from the Presdient on the controversy.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Reporter: The WH says a staffer sent that video. Are you going to fire the staffer? <br><br>Trump: No. I looked at it. I didn’t see the whole thing. I gave it to the people, they posted it. <br><br>Reporter: Are you going to apologize?<br><br>Trump: No, I didn’t make a mistake. <a href="https://t.co/VH1qmEOmb2">pic.twitter.com/VH1qmEOmb2</a></p>&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2019934969146311081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Trump: I’m the least racist president you’ve had in a long time. <a href="https://t.co/kG8ZrKSf6v">pic.twitter.com/kG8ZrKSf6v</a></p>&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2019937352748265889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump said later Friday that he won’t apologize for the post. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he said.</p><p>-The Associated Press contributed to this report.</p>

🎧Kan. U.S. Senator critical of Trump's racist post about Obamas 

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations.

Just after 10:30p.m. Feb. 8,&nbsp;&nbsp;a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2015 Dodge Journey for multiple alleged traffic violations on U.S. Highway 75 near 118th&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp; The driver of the vehicle identified himself as Irving Dawayne Edwards, 26, of Topeka and the passenger was identified as Juantario Isia Roberts, 22, of Topeka.&nbsp;

During the course of the traffic stop, a Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 (PSD) alerted to the presence of illegal drugs within the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted and resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs and narcotics.

Edwards was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested&nbsp; charges of Distribute Certain Stimulant; &lt;3.5 grams, Distribute Marijuana; 25&nbsp;-&lt; 450 grams, Distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of Marijuana; 1 prior conviction, Possession of Drug paraphernalia, Taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance, Driving while suspended, Driving without vehicle insurance and License plates; Unlawful display; material affecting visibility or reflectivity.

Juantario was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of Distribute Certain Stimulant; &lt;3.5 grams, Distribute Marijuana; 25&nbsp;-&lt; 450 grams, Distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of Marijuana; 1 prior conviction, Possession of Drug paraphernalia and taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770236906332.png" alt="Roberts photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Roberts photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple drug allegations.</p><p>Just after 10:30p.m. Feb. 8,&nbsp;&nbsp;a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2015 Dodge Journey for multiple alleged traffic violations on U.S. Highway 75 near 118th&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.</p><p>&nbsp; The driver of the vehicle identified himself as Irving Dawayne Edwards, 26, of Topeka and the passenger was identified as Juantario Isia Roberts, 22, of Topeka.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770236928763.png" alt="Edwards photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Edwards photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>During the course of the traffic stop, a Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 (PSD) alerted to the presence of illegal drugs within the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted and resulted in the discovery of illegal drugs and narcotics.</p><p>Edwards was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested&nbsp; charges of Distribute Certain Stimulant; &lt;3.5 grams, Distribute Marijuana; 25&nbsp;-&lt; 450 grams, Distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of Marijuana; 1 prior conviction, Possession of Drug paraphernalia, Taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance, Driving while suspended, Driving without vehicle insurance and License plates; Unlawful display; material affecting visibility or reflectivity.</p><p>Juantario was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of Distribute Certain Stimulant; &lt;3.5 grams, Distribute Marijuana; 25&nbsp;-&lt; 450 grams, Distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of Marijuana; 1 prior conviction, Possession of Drug paraphernalia and taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance</p>

Sheriff: 2 suspects accused of selling drugs in Kansas

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams” actor Timothy Busfield has been indicted by a grand jury on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under age 13, a New Mexico prosecutor announced Friday.

The allegations are tied to Busfield's work as a director on the set of the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024.

Busfield has denied the allegations, initially filed in court by police, and a defense attorney on Friday said he would “fight these charges at every stage.”

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced the indictment in a social media post.

Busfield had turned himself in to authorities in January on related charges by police and was released from jail by a judge who found no pattern of criminal conduct or similar allegations involving children in Busfield's past. The grand jury indictment allows the case against Busfield to proceed toward possible trial without a preliminary courtroom hearing on evidence.

Larry Stein, an attorney for Busfield, did not comment directly on the sexual contact charge in the indictment but said the grand jury declined to endorse grooming charges sought by prosecutors. Prosecutors declined to comment on what accusations it brought before the grand jury.

Stein said in a statement that a detention hearing already “exposed fatal weaknesses in the state’s evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure.”

“Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court,” the statement said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768347111074.png" alt="Busfield photo Albuquerque Metro Detention Facility" />
                        <figcaption>Busfield photo Albuquerque Metro Detention Facility</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — “West Wing” and “Field of Dreams” actor Timothy Busfield has been indicted by a grand jury on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a child under age 13, a New Mexico prosecutor announced Friday.</p><p>The allegations are tied to Busfield's work as a director on the set of the TV series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024.</p><p>Busfield has denied the allegations, initially filed in court by police, and a defense attorney on Friday said he would “fight these charges at every stage.”</p><p>Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced the indictment in a social media post.</p><p>Busfield had turned himself in to authorities in January on related charges by police and was released from jail by a judge who found no pattern of criminal conduct or similar allegations involving children in Busfield's past. The grand jury indictment allows the case against Busfield to proceed toward possible trial without a preliminary courtroom hearing on evidence.</p><p>Larry Stein, an attorney for Busfield, did not comment directly on the sexual contact charge in the indictment but said the grand jury declined to endorse grooming charges sought by prosecutors. Prosecutors declined to comment on what accusations it brought before the grand jury.</p><p>Stein said in a statement that a detention hearing already “exposed fatal weaknesses in the state’s evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure.”</p><p>“Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court,” the statement said.</p><p>An investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department said a boy reported that Busfield touched his private areas over his clothing when he was 7 years old and again when he was 8, according to the initial criminal complaint from police. The boy’s twin told authorities he was also touched by Busfield, but he didn’t say anything right away because he didn’t want to get in trouble, the complaint said.</p><p>The indictment — filed Friday in state District Court — reiterates allegations that Busfield “touched or applied force to the intimate parts” of one of the boys on several occasions.</p><p>At a detention hearing last month, Busfield’s attorneys pointed out that the children initially said during interviews with police that Busfield didn’t touch them inappropriately. Busfield’s attorneys then accused the boys’ parents of coaching their children toward incriminating statements after the boys lost lucrative roles on the show.</p><p>But Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch has called evidence of abuse against Busfield strong and specific, with support from medical findings and the boys' therapist. She also said witnesses expressed fear about potential retaliation and professional harm.</p><p>Prosecutors have outlined what they said was grooming behavior and abuse of power by Busfield over three decades.</p><p>Each count in the indictment against Busfied carries a possible penalty of six years in prison that can be enhanced if it involves a sexual offense, according to prosecutors.</p><p>In freeing Busfield on Jan. 20, state District Court Judge David Murphy said that while the crimes Busfield is accused of inherently are dangerous and involve children, prosecutors didn’t prove the public wouldn’t be safe if he’s released.</p>