Wichita Man and Woman Charged With String of Armed Robberies

WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man and woman were charged Tuesday in a string of armed robberies at local businesses, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

A federal grand jury indictment charged Savannah Cole, 20, Wichita, Kan., and Kenneth W. Cade, 28, Wichita, Kan., with four counts of robbery and four counts of using firearms to commit robberies. In addition, Cade was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

The indictment alleges Cole and Cade committed the following robberies:

•     Dollar General Store, 915 S. Glendale in Wichita, Nov. 22, 2017.
•     C-Store, 837 S. Oliver in Wichita, Feb. 7, 2018.
•     Arby’s, 4308 E. Harry in Wichita, Feb. 14, 2018.
•     Circle K Store, 515 N. Seneca in Wichita, Feb. 14, 2018.

If convicted, they face up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each robbery count, and no less than seven years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of using a firearm in a robbery. In addition, Cade faces up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of unlawful possession of a firearm. The FBI and the Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case as part Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative targeting violent crime.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Three Wichitans are charged with the sex trafficking of a minor.

Johnell Carter, 22, Wichita, Kan., Christian L. Dixon, 27, Wichita, Kan., and Jazmin Manuel, 21, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of sex trafficking a minor.

According to an affidavit filed in federal court, in June 2017 the Wichita Police Department interviewed a 16-year-old girl who had been the victim of sex trafficking starting at the age of 15. It is alleged Carter and Dixon arranged for the victim to engage in commercial sex acts, including approximately 50 encounters with men who paid to have sex with her. The defendants used Web-based advertising to offer the minor, including transporting the minor to San Antonio, Texas, where men paid to have sex with the minor.

If convicted, the defendants face not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI, the Wichita Police Department and the Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Nehemiah K. Jackson, 37, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of theft of mail by a U.S. Postal Service employee. It is alleged he stole cell phones that were being mailed to Assurion. The crime is alleged to have occurred in December 2017 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

Javier Guerrero-Garcia, 21, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person illegally in the United States. The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 2, 2018, in Wyandotte County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.