Author: Brandon Peoples

For the second time this year, a Riley County jury was unable to reach a verdict in a rape trial against 28-year-old Dexter Robinson. According to the Manhattan Mercury, jurors deliberated for about four hours after receiving the case late last week. Robinson is charged with rape, two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery and two counts of aggravated burglary. The incidents are from a July 2018 alleged incident where a woman accused Robinson of raping her after she sought money from him. At a previous trial in October, she testified she did not resist because she…

The USD 383 Manhattan/Ogden School Board will receive a recommendation at Wednesday’s meeting to name the new elementary school in Blue Township. The recommended name for the new school is Oliver Brown Elementary School. Oliver Brown is the namesake and plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Topeka Board of Education. Brown challenged the plight of his daughter Linda being subject to a substandard education and conditions to attend a segregated school when another school was in her neighborhood which she was unable to attend due to her race. According to a release, the name promotes the district’s…

The Riley County Fire Department says a home is a total loss following a fire late Friday evening, on the eastern edge of Manhattan. Fire officials from the Manhattan Fire Department were initially called out just after 6:30 p.m. to a house fire at 720 Knox Lane. Upon arrival, the house was fully engulfed and firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control. The Riley County Fire Department took over and stayed on scene up until about 11 p.m. according to Fire Chief Pat Collins, who estimated damage to be approximately $85,000 to the structure and roughly $10,000…

A recent Associated Press article indicated more than 1,600 dams nationwide are rated high-hazard due to aging infrastructure and the potential for loss of life if they failed. Among them is the Samuel Rogers Detention Dam, located about a half-mile north of Manhattan, nestled in a wooded area behind the Kansas State University Animal Sciences equine unit. The dam is 33 feet high and 560 feet long and was built in 1961. It was included in a group of 26 Kansas dams rated in 2018 as poor or unsatisfactory. The university purchased the dam in 2015 and became aware of…

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Authorities in Texas have arrested a man on a Riley County, Kansas District Court warrant for a host of sex crimes. The Riley County Police Department indicated late Thursday that 41-year-old Sean Morgan was arrested Wednesday in New Braunfels, a suburb of San Antonio. Morgan is charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, attempted rape, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual battery. He remains jailed in Guadalupe County, Texas on a $200,000 bond. He is currently awaiting extradition to Kansas. RCPD says this is an active investigation and anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective…

A Manhattan woman originally from Texas has been given a three year probation sentence for her role in her boyfriend’s 2018 death. Riley County District Court Judge John Bosch on Tuesday handed down the 36-month sentence to 22-year-old Gregoria Baez. A jury found her guilty in September of involuntary manslaughter related to the death of 21-year-old Felix Florez, a former Geary County correctional officer. Initially charged with second-degree murder, Baez was convicted of the lesser offense after prosecutors failed to prove intent based on her reckless behavior. The couple reportedly had a history of jokingly pulling guns on each other…

The victim of a west Manhattan apartment complex shooting has been discharged from the hospital, according to the Riley County Police Department. The shooting took place Friday (Nov. 8) at The District Apartments in the 1400 block of Hartman Place near College Ave. and Claflin Road. The victim’s injuries were said to be non-life-threatening. RCPD PIO Hali Rowland said the victim was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon. His name hasn’t been released. As for the shooting suspect, police have not located the person who fired the shot. They continue to investigate and so far have not released any new…

The new director of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is settling into his new role since starting almost a month ago. Dr. Alfonso Clavijo is leading efforts to ensure a smooth transition from the Department of Homeland Security to USDA once the 574,000 square foot facility becomes fully operational. He brings years of experience to the position, most recently as Laboratory Executive Director of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s National Centres for Animal Disease in Winnipeg. He’s also worked in the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine with experience in laboratory diagnosis of Foot-and-Mouth disease, African swine fever and other…

A Manhattan man is jailed on charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated assault stemming from an incident Tuesday east of the K-State campus. Riley County Police say 30-year-old Ryan Calmes was arrested after a victim reported Calmes stole copper pipe and gained access to storage units in the 1400 block of Normandy Place, about three blocks east of campus. A criminal complaint alleges Calmes broke into a residential dwelling and used the copper pipe to assault two male victims. In addition to the three felony counts, Calmes also faces a misdemeanor count of theft and a misdemeanor charge of criminal…

Riley County Police say a report of a possible hostage situation at Lee Elementary School early Wednesday turned out to be a hoax. Police received the initial call around 1 a.m. from a man stating he was inside the buidling with a hostage. Officers immediately arrived on scene, setting up a perimeter in the 700 block of Lee Street. Nearly six hours later, RCPD and Kansas Highway Patrol officials were able to safely make it into the school. The man in question reportedly continued to make contact with RCPD and a local news station stating he committed several felony crimes…