A judge ordered Joseph Marlow on Tuesday to serve a lifetime sentence in the Kansas Department of Corrections for child sex crimes against a girl he knew. A jury in February convicted Marlow, 26, of Manhattan of aggravated indecent liberties with a child under 14 years old following his trial in Riley County District Court. The victim was a girl Marlow knew, who was five years old at the time of the crime. Last March he was in the same bed as the girl when he touched her buttocks underneath her clothing. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Author: Rose Gruenbacher
A former Manhattan CBD store owner is facing federal drug distribution charges. Law enforcement officers arrested Donald Ince, 47, on a U.S. Marshals Service warrant last July for charges in Wake County, North Carolina. Ince is the former owner of American Shaman in Manhattan. Online records for North Carolina’s federal court system did not give details of the alleged offenses. The Mercury contacted Ince’s attorney to determine his charges. He is charged with at least two counts: one of distributing 1,000 or more kilograms of marijuana and one of possession with intent to distribute 1,000 or more kilograms of marijuana.…
A Manhattan man arrested for multiple counts of alleged crimes against two elders or dependent adults pleaded not guilty to his charges on Monday in Riley County District Court. Nathan Christopher Bell, 30, entered not guilty pleas to charges of aggravated residential burglary with the intent to commit aggravated battery, two counts of mistreatment of a dependent adult or elder person, aggravated assault with a charging cable, aggravated battery, criminal threat, four counts of domestic battery and three counts of criminal damage to property. Riley County police arrested him on Oct. 30, and he’s been held in jail on a…
Riley County police director Brian Peete is pushing back against the notion that the proposed police budget increase is too high. Peete was responding to criticism from police board members during last week’s meeting, some of whom said the city and county governments — which fund the police department in an 80-20 split — might not be able to pass a similar increase for their budgets. Jim Morrison, a Manhattan city commissioner and member of the Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board, had said the initial police budget proposals for 2027 can be set up in a better way. He…
A Riley County District Court judge sentenced a St. George man to more than 66 years in prison for rape and other crimes Tuesday in Riley County District Court. Ricky Dunklin, 30, was convicted of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated domestic battery in connection with an incident in April 2021. All four charges involve the same victim. The Mercury does not identify victims of sexual crimes. Dunklin’s previous counsel had made a motion for durational departure. Defense attorney Aaron Gipson elected not to present argument, saying, “Five minutes of talking wouldn’t help my client or the court.”…
Riley County District Court granted an Ogden man a bond modification Monday after he entered a plea agreement with Riley County prosecutors. Ashton Daniel Troughton, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault of law enforcement officers and agreed to take anger management classes. He will also register as a violent offender. In exchange for his plea, attorneys for the state dropped Troughton’s remaining charge of reckless driving. Police arrested Troughton Dec. 21 for the crimes after he drove his vehicle toward two Riley County Police Department officers who were leaving a call for service at 20949 Tuttle Creek…
Development in the Manhattan Business Park near the Manhattan Regional Airport is moving along, according to the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. Daryn Soldan, director of economic development for the chamber, briefed the Riley County Commissioners during their meeting Thursday on progress in the area. Soldan said work on the new Amazon facility is nearing completion, with landscaping work being done currently. He did not give an exact date for the facility’s expected completion. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Members of the Riley County Health Department are preparing for a possible influx of foreign or unseasonable diseases this summer as soccer fans from across the globe travel to Kansas City for the FIFA World Cup. Michelle Horstmeier, public health emergency preparedness coordinator, said she’s been attending weekly FIFA updates and webinars updating the state on possible infectious diseases that may be introduced by incoming visitors. She said the main focus of the webinars have been outbreaks, foreign diseases, cyber security and active shooter training. One main concern for the department is respiratory syncytial virus and flu season. To view…
The jury in a Riley County District Court case against a former Junction City Middle School wrestling coach decided the man was not guilty Thursday morning of sexual misconduct against two girls he knows. Mason Dusseault, 23, of Junction City was found not guilty for one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and one count of indecent liberties with a child. He was accused of inappropriately touching two 7th grade girls involved with the wrestling team. Dusseault maintained his innocence throughout the court proceedings.
A Junction City man took the witness stand Wednesday in Riley County District Court and denied claims that he had inappropriate sexual contact with two Junction City Middle School girls. Mason Dusseault, 22, was an assistant wrestling coach at JCMS when, prosecutors for the state said, he fondled two girls aged 13 and 14 years old who were involved with the team. Police arrested Dusseault April 29 and charged him with aggravated indecent liberties with a child and indecent liberties with a child. He was released from jail on a $50,000 bond. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.