FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 29, 2008

TOPEKA – The Kansas House of Representatives voted 123-0 today to approve House Bill 2732, designed in response to a number of high profile criminal cases in which serious offenders were granted probation.  

The legislation is a result of a series of community meetings hosted by Representative Joe Patton (R-Topeka) this past summer. “The current sentencing guidelines allowed criminals to walk the street, to prey on the poor, the weak, the innocent and the elderly and it was time we did something about it. I’m proud that the House took action with these measures.” Rep. Patton said.

Currently under Kansas law, judges may depart from the guidelines set forth by the Legislature down to and including probation even for serious crimes. The bill would not allow probation for crimes of extreme sexual violence. It would also limit departures for the most serious crimes, and for those with the most serious criminal history. The measure allows departures only for the reasons expressly stated in the law.  

In the Community meetings this past summer citizens expressed alarm over the disposition of certain cases including the following:
 
• Orlando Paul Cisneros, a 38-year-old Topeka man convicted by a jury of 17 counts of raping and sodomizing a 14-year-old girl, was granted only a three-year probation. He later had his probation revoked, after a public outcry.
• Probation was granted to Nicholas Lee Crites after he was convicted of aggravated indecent liberties against a 15-year-old girl. Sentencing guidelines called for a prison term of nearly five years.
• Federico Mendoza, a 34-year-old man convicted of electronic solicitation of a child; Mendoza was only granted a three-year probation term.

Representatives Virginia Beamer (R-Oakley), Elaine Bowers (R-Concordia), Richard Carlson (R- St. Marys), Don Dahl (R- Hillsboro), Rocky Fund (R-Hoyt), Kasha Kelley (R-Arkansas City), Dick Kelsey (R-Goddard), Lance Kinzer (R-Olathe), Peggy Mast (R-Emporia), Judy Morrision (R-Shawnee), Rob Olson (R-Olathe), Marc Rhoades (R-Newton), Arlen Siegfreid (R-Olathe), Jene Vickrey (R-Louisburg), Jason Watkins (R-Wichita), also have sponsored the bills. 

House Bill 2732 now moves to the Senate for possible debate and vote.

Rep. Patton represents Topeka’s 54th district, covering southwest Topeka and Shawnee County. He serves on the Health and Human Services, and Judiciary committees as well as the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations.

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