TOPEKA: Drug trafficking draws 15-year prison sentence

A Salina man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Atty. Jim Flory announced Monday.

Francisco Banda, 25, pleaded guilty in May 2001. Banda admitted that he and two other Salina men were involved in drug trafficking to distribute meth in the Salina area from Oct. 2, 1999, through April 17, 2000, Flory said.

One co-defendant, Michael Albers, 26, was sentenced in November 2001 to 12 years and seven months in federal prison. The other co-defendant, Adam Guzman, 30, is to be sentenced Friday.

KINGMAN: Traffic stop nets 1/2-ton of marijuana

A woman stopped by police for a bad brake light found herself under arrest for allegedly having nearly half a ton of marijuana in her vehicle.

Police seized 905 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $1.8 million on Saturday.

Bethanny Walker, 24, of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell. She is in the Kingman County Jail. Police said Walker was arrested after an officer spotted several bricks of wrapped substances.