A federal judge has sentenced two Lawrence men to serve lengthy prison sentences for their role in making counterfeit money and trafficking drugs.
Donald Milton Steele, 52, was sentenced to a 25-year prison sentence, and Randy J. Dyke, 52, received a sentence to serve 19 years and six months, said Jim Cross, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom. U.S. District Judge John Lungstrum handled the case.
The men were charged following a 2010 raid on a house east of Lawrence. Both men were convicted last July of six counts total, including possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
During a trial, federal prosecutors accused Steele of developing a plan in 2009 to pay for a large shipment of marijuana with counterfeit money, and prosecutors said he and Dyke set up a house he owned in Topeka for the counterfeiting.
Steele provided stolen checkbooks, identification documents and credit cards. The checks were used to purchase equipment for the operations, and in February 2010 Dyke passed what he believed to be one of the counterfeit bills at Harper Corner Liquor, 2200 Harper St.
Prosecutors said also that month Steele directed Dyke and another man to retrieve $10,000 in counterfeit money and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine that Steele and Dyke had conspired to have manufactured from the Topeka house.
On Feb. 17, 2010, authorities raided Steele’s residence, 1706 N. 1500 Road. The property was also home to All Seasons Tree Service, a business Steele owned. After the raid, Steele’s family sold the property, which contained a house, as well as dozens of old cars and trucks.
Robert D. Billinger, of Missouri, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge last June, and Anthony Wayne Sims, also of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy count last October. Kimberly M. Cline, of Lawrence, also pleaded guilty to fraud in June in connection with the case.
Comments
focusonlaw 1 year, 11 months ago
Some of these postings are from the heart, some not. Most are founded in rumor and second-guessing, however none of the negative comments come from people who really knew Scooter. It really didn't matter if you were a millionaire or scratching in the dirt, Don was always there to help. Some say it was for a nefarious reason, I know different. I won't be able to clear his name in this forum nor do I presume to do so, as there are some that claim to know all and spew their venom as if fact. We all know the type. That aside, Don was an Eagle Scout; he had hopes of 'making it big' some day as most of us do. He was trusting and gullible, and yet would be reluctant to take advice from family to avoid people that were on the 'other' side of the law. At some point, an individual from North Lawrence was being investigated by the Federal Government and correctly so. Seems he (the North Lawrence individual) was wanting to print up counterfeit bills. He was caught and was squeezed (threat of 25 years incarceration) unless he coughed up someone of interest. It was suggested to him that Don would be a prime candidate. Since this (North Lawrence) person had been acquainted with Don for over 20 years and knew of his ongoing fight with the Ordinance Enforcement officer for Lawrence he correctly assumed that he had leverage to provide Federal authorities with enough information to extract himself from his fix. He was correct. The entire process was quick to complete. Don was encouraged to 'merely rent his house in Topeka' to some individuals who had been introduced by this North Lawrence person. From there it was easy. Don has always had a messy yard; an easy target in an affluent community. Secondly, many of his prize cars had been hauled off by the City of Lawrence including a1970 454 Chevy Monte Carlo, all of which made someone happy. This had been Don's retirement. A return of any of them would be a Godsend. He had accrued these vehicles for over 30 years only to have them taken under the auspices of ordinance violations. Following that effort, it was determined that most people would easily accept a drug situation at Don's house due to its accumulation of clutter. However, all drugs were provided by the Lawrence Police Department from their evidence locker. It is public record. There was no drug lab. Jeez, do I have to get the crayons out? So how does this turn into a 25 year sentence you ask. I encourage you to dig a little deeper. Who could have possibly returned one of his prize cars from the Police impound lot that had been seized? And who but a trusted friend of 20 years could grease the wheels for Don's demise? Like I said, I won't convince anyone of Don's innocence, but if you want to respond to this, I would suggest you read the court's transcript. Don will be serving 25 years. The North Lawrence chap has been freed as a result of his cooperation. The Lawrence PD has been praised for closing down a drug lab.
RoeDapple 2 years, 1 month ago
Yeah, classclown, that's where I left off when this article came out. There ain't a judge out there who will publicly tell you you're innocent then pass sentence on you. The BS was smelling so bad I couldn't comment at the time. Funny thing about folks who are truth challenged, if they repeat the lie often enough they even start believing it themselves.
Deja Coffin 2 years, 1 month ago
Just commenting on this real fast so I can easily come back and read all the comments while my cupcakes are baking!
classclown 2 years, 1 month ago
My favorite part so far is the statement about the judge saying the defendant is innocent yet mistakenly sentencing him to prison anyway.
Those crazy facts...
JackMcKee 2 years, 1 month ago
I've had numerous business dealings with this type of Lawrence resident. The type that thinks they have the system figured out and that they are a heck of lot smarter than they actually are. To say they are a waste of air is giving them way too much credit. They contribute nothing of value to their community. They are your typical dumb criminals. Who in their right mind tries to use ex-cons as slaves labor , then tries to act like some kind of Saint? What kind of moron tries to buy weed with bad counterfeit currency? How do people this dumb manage to accumulate enough money to own two houses? Then you have their relatives on the local paper's website making even bigger fools out of the entire lot. This surreal episode belongs on America's Dumbest Criminals.
jonas_opines 2 years, 1 month ago
Extreme violations of Internet Forum Rule Alpha detected.
"Nothing good ever comes from posting on threads that you have a personal connection to. Nothing good ever comes from family members or friends posting in defense of their relatives."
JackMcKee 2 years, 1 month ago
Lawrence needs to fumigate these losers. Send them to Topeka or Wichita. It would go a long way to having a decent community.
Roland Gunslinger 2 years, 1 month ago
http://th967.photobucket.com/albums/ae156/clynchhh/th_2dv61wh.gif
irieart 2 years, 1 month ago
Like I said, I have known Donnie for a long time, he is really not a bad guy, he was always quick to help if you were in need, and was generous to a fault, and he could be a charmer. But more often then not his desire for easy money clouded his thinking. I still find it hard to believe he had anything to do with the manufacture of meth or counterfeiting, that would be too much work.
JLDyke 2 years, 1 month ago
She is very upset as we ALL should be!!! Our Government wants us to trust in them and yet they pull this kind of stuff every day...I am pretty sure that she is going off my post..I am one of her older sisters...You are very right about the fact that him being in there...It will be very short lived but only because we have the evidence to prove it and then all of the people on here that seem to think they know what is going on with out being there or reading the CORRECT paper work will hopefully realize that they owe a lot of people an apology...We are not saying that he is perfect or that he has never done anything thing wrong. All we are saying is that in this case it was truly a set up, as we have said from the begining...Please feel free to go to 6newslawrence.com and look at the news report.. Our government is corrupt and needs to be outed...If we continue to let them get away with doing this kind of stuff to people then what is to say that you won't be next...
irieart 2 years, 1 month ago
SDyke, who are you talking to? I know you're upset, your father is going to prison. But honestly, if he IS innocent, his time in the big house will be short, right? I personally don't think any involved are totally innocent, but I think the sentence was a bit heavy, esp. in Donnie's case.
SDyke85 2 years, 1 month ago
well if you all claim to know the facts then here is the perfect fact for you....
My dad was in trial and guess what the JUDGE said he was innocent and said a number of times that he messed up with the sentencing my dad has never done drugs before in his life he is by all means not perfect. However it was proven in facts with hard evidence that he really is innocent.... Know the facts before you start with the crap again I am done with this website its just people wanting to get a rise out of people. Maybe you guys really should find out everything before you think you know it all Good Bye and may God be with you all.
irieart 2 years, 1 month ago
I have known Donnie since 1975, went to high school with him, and from what I have heard from friends who were closer to him than I, (I had lost touch with him since around '85) that this has more to do with over-zealous lawmen, trumped up charges and Donnie's grandiose ideas than actual crime. 25 years? Sounds a little extreme to me,, Donnie always had get-rich-quick schemes when he was younger, looks like this one went way south. I seriously doubt he was manufacturing meth, and all but certain wasn't involved that heavily in counterfeiting. I wish him and the others peace while they are incarcerated.
JLDyke 2 years, 1 month ago
I am Jammie Dyke...My father is Randy Dyke. I would just like you all to know that I was at the sentencing and even the Judge said that MY DAD did NOT do what he has been charged with...Here is some advice Go to the federal courts and ask for the court transcipts from the case..They will tell you that it was a set up. They will tell you that the government that you all are defending paid for everything, the government that you all are putting your faith in made the money NOT MY DAD!!!! Grow up and get your facts straight before you start posting on a gossip website. As for God...It clearly says IN THE BIBLE thou shall not judge least ye be judged in the same measure that ye judge...SO it does NOT just talk about the dead..When even the judge is willing to say in a court of law that the judicial system failed my dad then it can't be to much for us to ask that you keep your noses out of OUR business unless you have ALL the facts to back up what you have to say. Thank you for not being educated enough to know that you are very hurt people and need to get a life.
Cindy Yulich 2 years, 1 month ago
None2 got it right:
"If you truly have a belief in God, then I suggest you consider praying for those whose lives are ruined by drug addiction, not the ones who sell drugs. The addicts are the ones who need prayers."
JackMcKee 2 years, 1 month ago
The LJW needs a disclaimer for relatives of local scumbags and criminals. Nobody is convinced that your relative is a 'nice guy' or that he was just a victim of the circumstances. Your time would be better spent helping them pack for their stay at the concrete motel. These guys weren't just criminals, they were stupid criminals. Hopefully they move somewhere else upon their release from prison.
mustrun80 2 years, 1 month ago
Racism has to be involved in this somehow. Anything with the cops always is.
Rara_Avis 2 years, 1 month ago
The best friendships are always based on drugs. I bet Scooter is a good friend.
smitty 2 years, 1 month ago
Still, not a word about all the ex-cons living on the property at the time of the arrests....and no charges against any of the ex-cons.
eotw33 2 years, 1 month ago
I hate it when I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time and accidently manufacture meth and fake money to buy a semi full of pot. I really need to start being careful
Boston_Corbett 2 years, 1 month ago
"i pray that when this happens in your life you feel the pain that you have inflicted with your nasty comments you make. . ."
Liberty275 2 years, 1 month ago
Seems a tad harsh. A rapist just got his freedom after part of 25 years.. How can our justice system equate rape with printing money and conspiring to sell dope? Sure, the second is bad, but the first was a violet attack against a human.
Something else must be going on I don't know about. You Lawrecers are a clickish bunch. One of you spill the beans for us out-of-towners.
SDyke85 2 years, 1 month ago
I have thought about that as well and you know what I know my dad and if you look there was clearly other people that were involved.....I dont need somebody to correct my spelling I am sorry but seriously were you guys involved? did you know any of these guys personally? did you know who they where at all? no you dont all you know is what they choose to put on here and personally with me and the rest of my sisters and my brother that do have somebody we care about involved so we know slightly more of the facts than what everyone posting up here does....and if you guys cant see that the seriously open your eyes. The only stuff that gets printed to to start a bunch of crap and its NOT the whole thing, NOT all of the facts are out there and NOT ALL of the facts are online.....so before you guys condemn people maybe you should get ALL of the facts. Everyone knows that sometimes people are at the wrong place at the wrong time, it happens its part of life.
patkindle 2 years, 1 month ago
they need a lawyer like the ku basketball player had the fans pay for
juma 2 years, 1 month ago
shannon, i understand your love for your family BUT have you thought about the harm the drugs, meth, causes to other families? it is wrong, illegal and immoral what your family did. love them as you want but don't act religious and pious. by the way .. the context of weather should have been spelled ' whether '
pigballin 2 years, 1 month ago
life can be cruel by false rumors and accusations. So many of us have bones in our closets that we have no room to say we are clean as a whistle.
Jayhawker07 2 years, 1 month ago
So if you are going to sell someone drugs. You go and meet them to sell the drugs. When you meet them and they pull a gun on you and steal your drugs. Now let me get this straight. So if they steal your drugs you can call the cops and file charges against them for holding you up with a weapon and stealing your stash? Is that the way the system works? So was the guy that admitted to selling the drugs, was he charged with an admitted crime?
Sorry, this page just made me think of another incident that was just in the paper.
SDyke85 2 years, 1 month ago
MAY GOD BE WITH THIS FAMILY WHILE EVERYONE MAKES A CHOICE TO TRASH AGIANST THEM....Yes I am Shannon Dyke. I am proud of whom I am and weather or not you guys want to make your own choices you WILL NEVER break the FAITH the Lord has given my family or myself.....We love our family NO MATTER WHAT. everyone deserves love and as for you guys judging us I am sorry that you feel the need to judge the familys as well as the men that were mentioned here. I PRAY THAT GOD OPENS YOUR EYES AND JUDGE YOU WITH THE SAME MEASURE THAT YOU HAVE JUDGED US!!!!!!!!!!! I pray that when this happens in your life you feel the pain that you have inflicted with your nasty comments you make GOOD BYE and remember God is the only person that can judge NONE OF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flap Doodle 2 years, 1 month ago
I'm not sure that paying bad dudes with counterfeit money is a wise business plan.
RoeDapple 2 years, 1 month ago
crickets
Boston_Corbett 2 years, 1 month ago
But the relatives told us everyone was innocent! How could this be?
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