Area man scams victims out of cash totaling as much as $100,000
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — An area man was in Reno County District Court Friday morning where he was read the formal charges in two cases, one where he is accused of stealing $100,000 or more.
Mahlon Stutzman is charged with theft by deception. The state alleges between Jan. 1, 2011 and Jan. 1, 2014, he scammed five men out of the money. Hutchinson Police Detective Dean Harcrow didn’t go into specifics of the scam, but the state alleges he gave false representation to the victims to deprive the victims of their money.
In a seperate case, Stutzman is charged with forgery and theft by deception for forging a check from one victim and presenting the check to another victim where he received $200. This crime is alleged to have occurred back on March 24, 2014
While in court Friday morning, he was told of the charges and was represented by Wichita Attorney Chris O’Hara. His case will now move to a waiver-status docket. Stutzman is jailed on a bond of $100,000.
Hutch man enters plea in child sex case
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A 34-year-old Hutchinson man accused of aggravated indecent liberties with a child entered a plea this morning in front of Judge Tim Chambers
David Baldwin pleaded guilty to a single count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, which he admitted occurred some time between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30, 2012. The case involves the inappropriate touching of a 7-year-old child.
The case falls under Jessica’s Law, which mean a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years, however as part of a plea agreement, both sides will recommend a downward departure to the regular sentencing guidelines grid box and sentence him on a level one felony.
Sentencing is set for Feb. 27.
Hearing for burglary suspect pushed back to next Thursday
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The man suspected of committing 19 local burglaries back in the early morning hours of May 14 of last year was scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Friday with the trial scheduled to begin later this month, but that was continued.
Joseph Paul Jones Jr. is charged with a total of 45 charges, including the original 19 counts of burglary. The state added two additional felony counts of theft and criminal damage to property. The rest are various misdemeanor charges of criminal damage and theft.
The hearing has been pushed back to Thursday according to District Judge Trish Rose. She tells us that the state has filed a motion requesting that they be allowed to include prior bad acts testimony at trial, in this case, the crimes he committed in Missouri. They plan to argue that motion during the Thursday hearing.
The case centers on the allegations by the state that Jones committed the crimes. It was between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. when 20 local businesses were entered by prying open doors or breaking the glass windows with a crow bar. The state believes Jones is the one who cut the telephone lines at several of the businesses before making entry.
The trial is still scheduled to get under way on Jan. 20.