![[Masthead]](http://www.fstribune.com/images/nameplate.png)
RSS
Print
Email link
Respond to editor
Read comments (34)
Share link
Facebook
Twitter
del.icio.us
Digg
StumbleUpon
Technorati
Newsvine
Reddit
Google
 Kansas Attorney General Steve Six, (foreground), announces the arrest of nearly 20 individuals on Tuesday in Southeast Kansas in a multi-jurisdictional methamphetamine bust. Six, along with representatives of local law enforcement agencies, including (left to right) Bourbon County Sheriff Ron Gray and Fort Scott Police Chief Ron Puterbaugh, were at the Neosho County Sheriff's Office Wednesday to make the announcement. (Michael Pommier/Tribune) [Click to enlarge] |
During a press conference Wednesday, Six and representatives of 13 law enforcement agencies announced the results of a large anti-meth operation conducted over the past eight months which culminated Tuesday with officers executing 10 search warrants. Prosecutors from Six's office filed charges against 20 people from Chanute, Iola, Stark, Thayer, Buffalo, Paola, and Fort Scott with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of the materials to make meth, possession of meth, conspiracy to distribute meth, and other crimes.
"One thing I saw when I was a judge is that meth really ruins lives and destroys families and makes our communities unsafe," Six said.
Fort Scott Police Chief Ron Puterbaugh added, "It will make a big impact on our community. We are very appreciative of what they've done."
Law enforcement believes that the following 17 individuals were obtaining large quantities of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, using it to cook meth and selling that meth in Kansas communities.
The 17 individuals arrested Tuesday and their charges according to Six's office are:
Karl D. Ahrens, 40, of Chanute, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and bond was set at $20,000.
Gary W. Bever, 55, of Chanute, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), one count of possession of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, and two counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative two counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000.
Sheila Lynn Bohrer, 34, of Chanute, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), one count of possession of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, and one count of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative one count of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000.
Travis Eugene Booe, 27, hometown unknown, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), and two counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative two counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000.
Brandi Nicole Brown, 33, of Stark, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and bond was set at $20,000.
Charles Elmer Bruce, Jr., 26, of Iola, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and one count of possession of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Bond was set at $50,000.
Melanie Laree Bruneau, 53, of Stark, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and bond was set at $20,000.
Deborah Donnelly, 45, of Thayer, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and one count of possession of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Bond was set at $50,000.
Danny Lee Gallagher, 44, hometown unknown, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), four counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative four counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000.
Ryan Terrance Galt, 34, of Chanute, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and one count of possession of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Bond was set at $50,000.
Gary Eugene Green, 34, of Paola, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), eight counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative eight counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000.
Barbara S. Hutson, 46, of Buffalo, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), one count of possession of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, one count of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative one count of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000.
Darin Russell Lansdown, 35, of Iola, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), one count conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, one count distribution of methamphetamine, three counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative three counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance, two counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the possession of methamphetamine or in the alternative two counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to possess methamphetamine. Bond was set at $50,000.
Frank Lynn Miller, 34, of Fort Scott, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, six counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative six counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $100,000.
Jessica Danielle Miller, 32, of Chanute, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), three counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative three counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000.
Bonnie Michelle Padilla, 25, of Chanute, was charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance (methamphetamine), one count of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the manufacture of a controlled substance or in the alternative one count of the use of communication in a conspiracy to commit the manufacture of a controlled substance, four counts of the use of a communication facility to facilitate the possession of methamphetamine or in the alternative four counts of the use of communication in a conspiracy to possess methamphetamine. Bond was set at $50,000.
According to Six, one additional man was arrested on probable cause and charges are pending. Charges against Duane Eugene Lansdown and Justin Chad Seabolt last week were also part of this anti-meth operation. Additional arrests and charges are expected. According to Puterbaugh, the Fort Scott Police Department is currently looking for Daniel Miller (see sidebar) who has a felony warrant in Neosho County.
Thirteen law enforcement agencies participated in the eight-month multi-jurisdictional operation primarily impacting Neosho, Allen and Bourbon Counties, according to Six. The operation involved the serving of 10 search warrants resulting in the filing of charges against 20 people.
The Attorney General's Office, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the Neosho County Sheriff's Office, along with the Chanute Police Department, Allen County Sheriff's Office, Iola Police Department, Crawford County Sheriff's Office, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, Fort Scott Police Department, Paola Police Department, Coffey County Sheriff's Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Kansas National Guard Counterdrug Program participated in the operation. Many of these agencies are members of the Southeast Kansas Drug Enforcement Task Force.
"This large meth bust, which started with good police work and was executed because law enforcement agencies worked together, is a perfect example of how beneficial programs like the Kansas Meth Initiative and the Southeast Kansas Drug Taskforce can be to the safety and health of our communities," Six said.
Neosho County Sheriff Jim Keath added, "The team effort of all the agencies in Southeast Kansas was what made this possible."
This past year, Six announced the Kansas Meth Initiative, which provided $1 million additional funding for two prosecutors to be based in Southeast Kansas and support the taskforce as well as training for law enforcement officers on the ground.
"This effort will ensure that as law enforcement does their work and investigate these crimes, we'll have the prosecutors here to go for the tough sentences and to lock these guys away and to get them to prison and get them off our streets," Six said.
Six said the recent KBI shooting, on Jan. 27, of an individual driving a vehicle at law enforcement officers in rural Neosho County as they were attempting to investigate a possible methamphetamine laboratory could be related to this project.
"We saw in the recent events this past week how dangerous fighting drugs can be ... how dangerous people trafficking in meth can be," Six said.
Six later added, "We are continuing to investigate and follow up on that officer involved shooting. As you can see from the charges, the cities involved, the scope of this; we believe that's related to the ongoing project."
Six said these are only allegations and these individuals should be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
FSPD Looking for suspect
 Miller |
Miller is 22-years-old and lives at 304 Ford St. in Fort Scott. His height is 6-feet, 4-inches and he weighs about 220 pounds.
If seen, contact the FSPD at (620) 223-1700, or the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office at (620) 223-1440.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Thanks to the agencies involved in this operation, we appreciate the hard work put into getting rid of meth in area. It does nothing but ruin lives. Thanks again.
Thanks guys for helping keep our streets and communities safe. Hope they throw the book at these people and lock them up for a long time. Meth is a horrible drug, and these suppliers need to be in jail.
Some ppl need to shut their damn mouths.. i actually know frankie and daniel miller and they are the nicest ppl you could possibly meet...dont get on here calling ppl skum when you dont even know them personally..yea drugs are foolish but instead of name calling i hope these ppl learn from their mistakes when its all said and done.
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR DOING A GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF WE COULD JUST RID THE WORLD OF DRUG PUSHERS & DRUG USERS AND THOSE THAT DEFEND THE ABOVE, WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE THAT WOULD BE.
I'm sure Adolph Hitlers friends thought he was a nice person also.
Well that is some meth off the street now when they gonna get some life-time drug dealing crack dealers????? Someone who really has been selling for years. I am wondering if there is some difference in who they try to stop??? They probably would not have done anything if they were not pushed into it. All the meth in this town and they target one family ???? We all no Carolyn has been caught several times and where did she go?? Out on bail and probably back at it again. I do not no anything about Frank Miller but why is his bond so high??? And no one else's is???
3dn74... runnin ur mouth again huh...
you do kno i kno exactly who you are..and you've done drugs before..currently still doing drugs...yea like you have room to talk about this situation.. haha
this law enforcement should be gettin ur nasty crack ass too...
Thanks to all how were involved with taking these people off of the streets. Now lets clean up our town and be proud of it.
Hats off to our law enforcement for doing a GREAT job! As you can see from most of the letters above, you do have respect from the communities. Thanks for all you do. God bless and keep you safe.
I'm sure all these folks who were arrested are nice and have lots of friends. Evidently they other habits which just happen to be against the law.
Hopefully they'll have some time to be able to think about the path they're taking and turn their lives around.
If you don't know these people personally, I don't believe you should be calling them scum. As with claytonsdaughter! I personally know both Frankie and Daniel Miller and they are truely the nicest people you could ever meet and would do anything for ANYONE!, They are always going out of THEIR way to try to make others happy. Sure, i don't agree with their way of life, but everyone has to make a living, and not everyone choses the right way to do so, but it was all they knew, they had kids to feed, had families to support, they had to keep their lifes in good order. Money is money when it comes down to it, If the goverment doesn't want people to sell/make drugs, they need to start working on something to increase the job rate, and work on boosting back up the economy, mabye then people wouldn't be "scum on the streets!"
You couldn't have said it better "onetruelove08"
I jus dont understand how some of the ppl leavin comments on here are jus as quilty but they haven't got caught yet, but i guess law enforcements dont wanna catch diseases goin into 3dn74's house..nobody wants to risk something like that..I do wish the best for frankie and daniel! My heart goes out to bobby anne and tinker miller for all the bullshit they've been dealt in the past year! It really is jus horrible what they have to deal with right now!
The right thing to do is to pray for these people.
The wrong thing is to become part of an "internet lynch mob" mentality.
The reason Frank Miller's bond is so high is cuz he has been arrested many times for drug related charges. Has anyone ever heard that the younger siblings can and almost always will follow the older siblings??? even if the path leads into trouble. I feel that no matter what the suitation is all charges should be equal and time should be done for these charges. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. What will theirs be. My heart and prays go out to the Miller family.
Amen!
I was saying amen to "like to be onree", Thankfully God is merciful.fshso7 could you explain this statement?"To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
they better scope out independence,kansas.....
I will pray for their families (especially their children), but I have a hard time sympathizing with someone who has been arrested on meth charges several times. Apparently he's not trying to better himself as a person, and doesn't care about setting a good example for his children. I will pray that his children choose a different path in life than he has. I do wonder what has caused this family to go down the path they have chosen? Every one of their four boys has been in trouble.
>>scope out independence,kansas.
They don't need to go that far,try Garland Kansas....LOL.
fort scott mom,
Nothing wrong with praying for a conversion and having a little sympathy. Def to have compassion. I bet you already are a compassionate person. Praying for him is good, not just for him, but it does your own soul good too.
Praying for his children is "a really good idea"!. Leave it to women to think of that!
I do pray for the Miller family. This is really sad. I just want to see if they get anyone else besides the one's on or selling Meth as they say. Is it okay to smoke crack but not do meth it destroys people too. Come on FSPD we are watching you!!!! And I do have to agree they mess with the Miller family all the time. They should have sold crack they would not get in any trouble. Look around one is close to your grade school. For some reason they like to be by schools. hummm. Look close to Eugene Ware????? Glad my kids go to Winfield Scott.
>>Glad my kids go to Winfield Scott.
Ignorance is bliss.
Kids have been dealing dope at Winfield Scott for over twenty years.
If the kids are dealing dope why don't you report it?? I no there is a dope house by Eugene Ware and I have reported it. So yes knowledge is the key and ignorance to kids dealing drugs is plain stupid. Kids can be stopped and turn there lifes around it is up to us as adults to show them the way sometimes. I take it you don't have any children???? If you no something is going on and you do not report it then you really have no room to talk. People who just gossip about what is going on and then don't report it are just that gossip's then when there kids get on drugs they want to complain PLEASE!!!!
What makes you think it was not reported and investigated?
Ain't my job to police the school grounds.
Besides my kids have been out of H.S. since 2000.
Point is, if you know someone is dealing drugs, especially close to a school then you have an obligation to report it. If not, then the people who know about it, and don't report it, are just as guilty as the dealers themselves.
Well here we go. let me just tell you how much of an ass you all are makin yourselves look like when you talk down on the miller family... I happen to be pretty close to that family and when someone comes around and you have to defend yourself like robert i promise you would do the same so theres one of the four boys that got in trouble.. ya Frank and Daniel both got in trouble for this meth bull**** but you need to open your eyes and realize that the way this country is gettin ran i bet you that all the preist and nun will be smokin or dealin a drug within the next few years.. We live in a small town but these are big charges but im pretty sure there is this saying that goes , They are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!! Thats a lie.. My thoughts and prayers are with the miller family INCLUDING ALL FOUR OF THOSE TERRIBLE BOYS.. HAHAHA They are no different than you and me.. maybe even a little better.. They werent thos piles of crap sellin around schools. you dont even know if they have anything to do with drugs.. i bet its all just a bunch of crap flowing out of fort scotts mouths.. i think this is the end of this comment until next tim MILLER BOYS KEEP YA HEADS UP AND PARTY LIKE ROCKSTARS since i guess now your famous!!! sincerely the kid that lived with peanut
Just to be clear, I do not know the Millers, and I don't think I know anyone who knows the millers. I am not comenting on the Millers, or if even a crime was comitted or not. I was responding to an earlier post about drugs at and around schools. If you know it is being done, report it. As for the Millers, they should be considered innocent. If a court later decides otherwise then that is for the courts. People should not be convicted on a blog page and in my opinion, comments should be neutral or supportive.
First of all I would like to say that I dont agree with anyones entire point but I can't say that I disagree with all that is being said. First and formost meth is a terrible drug. These days it seems that it is easier to start then it is to get off of it! Secondly that addiction is a disese but there are cures. I say cures because it not like the flu no two cases are the same or treatment! But you must hit bottom. It Is not something that you can be pushed in to. Some people hit bottom at different places. For the lucky few a simple scare is enough but for some they have to lose everything and some never hit bottom. Thirdly this is a problem that we have to deal. Not as a faimaily or communty but as a country! The main problem in this world is that it is easier to look the other way than it is to deal the problem at hand . Have you ever heard that it takes a entire village to raise a kid. There it is. The problem is not one family it is the community in whole. Now I am not going to point out one person or famaily. I do know some of the people involved and some of their famaily. To be honest with you they are nice people . But that is not the problem at hand. We as a community need to take the blind folds off and look around there are a lot problems here in southeast kansas............
I am so sick and tired of people making a living by stealing what other people have worked for and then justifying it by say they have to make a living and feed their kids. I get up out of bed every morning and go to work while these people stay in bed and steal all night.Their kids get free health care, Pell Grants for college, free food and on and on. I am not talking about the Millers I am talking about all of the people in town that are doing drugs and have been for years. I don't understand why they keep arresting some and then letting others get away with it. I personally know that kids are not dealing drugs at Winfield Scott School, that comment was very uncalled for. As for the Millers, they have been stealing and dealing for years and they along with the others need to be stopped. I am tired of paying these people's way, then they get free lawyers and of course we have paid for that too. Their parents are wonderful people I agree, but when you have four boys and most of them are in jail then you have definitely done something wrong. I hope and pray that they get themselves straightened out. By the way, where did they get the money for the 10,000 bond? Middle Class people like me wouldn't have been able to pay for it because we are paying for people like the Millers.
ok i halped pay for the 10,000 dollar bond i dont do or sell drugs. obviously you dont know the millers. at all.you need to keep there nemes out of your mouth because you dont know what your talkin about.. those four boys are not all bad.. and to be honest all for of them have honest paying jobs they bust there ass at to provide for there familys.you dont need to get on here and run your mouth. i dont know who you are and you dont know who the millers are obviously.. so shhhh. tlw
u who r without sin cast the first stone..
FOREDUCATION--- you give me a headache..jus go to work and shut up already..haha
I disagree when ppl think its the parents fault, their children are grown and making choices for themself..so jus stop there..
It doesn't matter what anybody on here actually thinks..it matters what i think.
Frankie and Daniel..your amazing!
THE END!
Well, here is my 2 cents worth. First off, I want to thank our law enforment personal for doing a great job in attempting to slow down the drug trade.
Second,opinions are like the head on your shoulders, everyone has one.
I would like everyone in the form to calm down and stop the name calling. This does not help the people concerned in this issue.
My parents brought me up to treat everyone the way I would like to be treated.
I believe in the power of prayer and I believe if we all pray for these individuals (if prayer is your thing) God can change a persons heart.
wow! what a topic...anyone who is messing with drugs whether it is selling or useing them should know that you are gonna get caught sooner or later. Every time the law enforcement busts another bunch dealing with drugs...that's just a few more that arent going to be making this world a horrible place for other children. KUDOS TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT! And another thing, I don't care if a family has kids and they do need the money...GET A REAL JOB! mythoughts4u
Kudos to law enforcement. Proud of you. What a weak defense that the Millers are "nice" people. Hello!!!!! Bottom line, they have been arrested and charged with dealing drugs which is illegal! Let the legal system proceed and decide if there is enough evidence. I don't know the Millers, but I would imagine there is sufficient evidence or these people would not have been arrested.