Hutch man sentenced nearly 13 years in solicitation case
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 21-year-old man who entered pleas to half of the 18 counts against him was sentenced Friday to nearly 13 years in prison.
Matthew O’Keefe was convicted of charges involving soliciting sex with a 13 year old and several others. He was convicted of seven counts of electronic solicitation, one count of attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a child and one count of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child
The solicitation of one of the victims started the investigation when the 13-year-old girl reported to police back on March 22 that he had solicited her for sex on Facebook. Police then became involved and Detective Scott Carlton made contact with O’Keefe on the site as a 15-year-old girl and began chatting with him. They decided to meet on April 4 at Rice Park on the city’s west side. O’Keefe showed up thinking he was going to meet the 15-year-old girl, but met police instead. O’Keefe apparently used the name John Curtis when contacting the six victims.
O’Keefe will get good time credits in prison, plus credit for time served while this made its way through the court. The sentence was handed down by Judge Tim Chambers.
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Wichita man granted corrections in drug distribution case
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — One of the defendants in a drug case who entered ‘guilty’ pleas to an amended complaint filed by the state was granted community corrections of a two and a half year sentence.
22-year-old Dwayne Lewis of Wichita and 24-year-old Rayland Brown were arrested and charged with possession of crack cocaine and marijuana, both with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to package.
But, Lewis entered pleas to possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Judge Tim Chambers had earlier ordered Lewis to prison for the sale of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and no tax stamp, and his attorney argued for the border box finding saying the current sentence would more than satisfy any punishment. The state agreed with the defense in recommending the border box finding and granting corrections. Lewis played a minor role in the incident according to his attorney Alice Osburn.
Brown had agreed to the plea offer and was convicted of possession of crack cocaine, possession of marijuana, both with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to package for sale. Brown was also convicted in another case and given 32 months in prison in each case. The two sentences were ordered to run concurrent to each other, but consecutive to a third case.
This latest case centers on a Hutchinson Police Officer making a traffic stop in the 500 block of East 1st. That allegedly led to the discovery of crack cocaine and marijuana, both allegedly in a distribution amount and occurring in May of 2013.