A federal court has sentenced a Manhattan man to 60 years in prison after he led a conspiracy to produce child pornography. Joel Womochil, 39, a former Burns police chief, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John Broomes on March 28 for two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child — production of child pornography. Broomes ordered Womochil to serve a term of 30 years for each count, running consecutively for a total of 60 years, with restitution of $529,000. He also recommended Womochil be held in a facility with a Sex Offender Management Program. To…
Author: KMAN Staff
On April 4, 2025, the Riley County Police Department responded to various incidents across Manhattan, Kansas. Significant incidents included an aggravated burglary at Highland Ridge Apartments, resulting in the arrest of Kasiem Tyrone Walker, 33, from Junction City. Walker faces charges for burglary and violation of a protection order, with a bond set at $20,000. Another arrest involved Alexander Jay Sanner, 63, of Manhattan, charged with criminal trespass at Speedwash Laundry with a $500 bond. Additionally, drug-related charges were brought against Story Lee Stanley, 44, involving possession of marijuana, driving without a valid license, and distribution of heroin or fentanyl,…
By Tim Everson of The Manhattan Mercury Kansas State women’s basketball took another hit on Friday after losing another prominent player and a untapped freshman to the transfer portal. Sophomore point guard Zyanna Walker, a Wichita native and Louisville transfer, and freshman guard Finley Ohnstad entered the portal Friday morning. Walker, a Wichita Heights graduate, was recently named a member of the 2024-25 All-Big 12 Defensive Team. She set career single-seasons high for points, field goals made and attempted, 3-pointers made and attempted, free throws made and attempted assists, blocks and steals. Read the rest of the article and get…
The Riley County Police Department made two arrests Thursday, in connection with a robbery and connected shootings on November 30 and December 1 last year. Delron Tyree Jr, 17, of Topeka was arrested on a warrant for charges of two counts of attempted first-degree murder, criminal use of weapons, criminal discharge of a firearm, and three counts of criminal damage to property. He received no bond for this warrant. Tyree was already confined at the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility at the time of arrest for a previous arrest. He was arrested for charges of aggravated robbery armed with…
Chana Cuchy, 34, of Manhattan was arrested on April 3rd at approximately 2:15pm. The charges were Possession of Opiate and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $15,000. At the time of this report Cuchy was still confined. Delron Tyree Jr, 17, of Topeka was arrested on a warrant on April 3rd at Approximately 2:05pm. The charges were two counts of Attempted Murder in the 1st degree, Criminal Use of Weapons, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, and three counts of Criminal Damage to Property. Tyree was already confined at the time of arrest for a previously released robbery arrest . This…
By Tim Iverson After two seasons in Manhattan, sophomore Macaleab Rich will play his college career somewhere else. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound wing was the last member of Jerome Tang’s second freshman class to leave the program after Dai-Dai Ames and RJ Jones transferred after the 2023-24 season. Rich seemed poised to have a promising sophomore season after flashing his high-flying athleticism several times as a freshman. But instead, following an offseason where he was cited for marijuana possession in September, the East St. Louis, Illinois, native struggled to find playing time. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here…
From The Manhattan Mercury After leading Manhattan High girls’ basketball to a 14-8 record and sub-state championship berth this winter, a pair of Indians have landed on all-state 6A honors rosters. Junior Kat Ball placed on Sports in Kansas’ second team all-state, Kansas Basketball Coaches Assocation’s third team and KSHSAA’s third team. Fellow junior guard Delaney Larson was named honorable mention by each outlet. To finish reading this story, subscribe to The Manhattan Mercury!
From the Manhattan Mercury Ulric Maligi, a three-year associate head coach under Jerome Tang, is leaving K-State for a assistant coaching job at Texas. Maligi was a member of Tang’s initial staff, and will be returning to Austin after coaching there under Chris Beard during the 2021-22 season. Texas fired head coach Rodney Terry in March after three seasons, replacing him with former Xavier and Arizona head coach Sean Miller. To read the rest of the story, subscribe to The Manhattan Mercury!
A portion of U.S. 24 near Manhattan is scheduled to close next week, as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s roundabout projects at the K-113 and K-13 junctions. In a news release, KDOT stated that in this phase of the project, U.S. Highway 24 between the two junctions will be closed to through traffic beginning on or around Monday, April 7, until December, conditions permitting. Local access to properties in the closure area will be made from the west, at the U.S. 24/K-113, or Seth Child Road, junction. KDOT says the access point will switch this summer to the…
Tim Everson teverson@themercury.com A second Kansas State women’s basketball player has hit the transfer portal. Senior Brylee Glenn will play her final season basketball somewhere other than Manhattan after choosing to redshirt during the 2024-25 season. Glenn came to Manhattan as a freshman in 2021 with her twin sister Jaelyn and childhood friend and AAU teammate Serena Sundell, both of which wrapped up their college careers less than a week ago with a loss to USC in the Sweet 16. To read the rest of this story, subscribe to The Manhattan Mercury!