Olathe

Second teacher guilty in student sex case

A former Blue Valley High School drama and forensics teacher was found guilty of engaging in a sexual relationship with a student.

Thomas E. Gault, 30, is the second former Johnson County teacher in two days to be found guilty of the misdemeanor charge of contributing to a child’s misconduct.

William Van Hecke, a former Bishop Miege High School teacher and coach, pleaded guilty Tuesday to the same charge.

Both cases involved girls who were 16, the age of consent in Kansas. They helped prompt the Kansas Legislature to enact a law last year making it a felony for a school employee to have sex with a student younger than 18.

Hutchinson

Suspect found guilty in attempted kidnapping

A Hutchinson man was found guilty Thursday of attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old boy from his bed and fondling the child in a crime attorneys for both sides called bizarre.

Melvin Claphan, 34, was convicted of attempted aggravated kidnapping, attempted aggravated indecent liberties with a minor and aggravated burglaries.

A Reno County jury took just 2 1/2 hours Thursday to reject Claphan’s insanity defense and find him guilty. Claphan’s attorney, Rick Roberts, argued that Claphan suffered from a mental disability that prevented him from forming intent for the crimes. Claphan could face 112 months in prison or a state hospital.

Kansas City, Mo.

Police must give back $34,000 to drug user

Police must return more than $34,000 to a convicted drug user after the Missouri Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a lawsuit.

The Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the appeal means a Missouri Court of Appeals decision last year stands. The appeals court had upheld a lower court ruling that the Kansas City Police Department must repay money seized from Vincent Karpierz in a 1998 drug raid.

The courts had found police illegally transferred the money seized from Karpierz to federal authorities, then got a large portion of the money back. Under a state law meant to prevent illegal searches and seizures, the money should have gone to public education.