Wichita

Former Century II director pleads guilty

The former director of the Century II Convention Center pleaded guilty Tuesday to two federal counts, U.S. Atty. Eric Melgren announced.

Larry Lahaie admitted to mail fraud and making false statements to a police officer. The charges stem from what prosecutors called corrupt oversight of the Central Ticket Agency, a private contractor that sold tickets and collected money for Century II events, and the Wichita Canteen Company, which provided food services at Century II.

Lahaie could not be reached for comment by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Burlington

Nuclear plant expected to be back at full power

The Wolf Creek nuclear plant was expected to return to full power production Tuesday night after it unexpectedly shut down two days earlier.

The generating station went into an emergency mode Sunday, though plant officials said there was no reason for such a shutdown.

It began producing electricity again Monday.

During the shutdown, the three electricity companies that own the plant replaced energy normally provided by Wolf Creek with reserve electricity from other sources, plant officials said.

Kansas City, Kan.

Fraud lands executive 37-month sentence

A former employee of trucking company Yellow Roadway was sentenced Tuesday to more than three years in prison for an embezzlement scheme that netted him more than $4.2 million, U.S. Atty. Eric Melgren announced.

Frederick McBride, 47, of Overland Park, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison without parole, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay restitution of $172,804.84 to his former employer and $4,059,776.71 to Twin City Insurance Co., its insurer.

McBride pleaded guilty June 1 to two counts of wire fraud.

For eight years beginning in February 1995, the former cargo claims adjuster submitted false claims for damage to shipments, according to Melgren. He had checks sent to his office and deposited them in various personal accounts.

No telephone number was listed for McBride; he could not be reached for comment.