DOZENS HELD IN WARRANT SWEEP AT APARTMENTS

Federal and local authorities teamed up Wednesday to continue a
crime-fighting effort aimed at public housing developments in the area.

Kansas City police conducted a warrant sweep at Stonegate Meadows
apartment complex near Interstate 70 and Sterling Avenue.

And U.S. Attorney Todd Graves was on hand to announce several
indictments tied to the Public Housing Safety Initiative, a program
funded by a federal grant that focuses on crimes inside or near public housing.

"The vast majority of people in public housing are good, upstanding
citizens," Graves said. "We're trying to focus on the one bad apple."

In the warrant sweep, police cleared 50 warrants with the arrests of
at least 25 persons, nine for felonies, including a drug possession
charge, seven for state misdemeanors and 34 for municipal
infractions, said police Sgt. Jeff Klienow.

Those arrested were handcuffed and loaded on a bus while children ran
and played nearby. The bus headed downtown to Police Headquarters for
processing.

Arnetha Sampson, who has lived at Stonegate Meadows for four years,
said the arrests needed to be made.

"I think anytime you've got a warrant it's something bad," she said.

Macie L. Houston, regional director of the Department of Housing and
Urban Development, said several initiatives had improved Kansas
City's public housing. But sometimes it's tough to keep unwanted elements away.

"When they take applications, they do screening," she said. "But what
we find happening is that people who become problems are outsiders
and their names aren't even on the applications."

Graves' office announced the initiative in September. Since then it
has secured nine felony indictments against 12 persons.

The program is funded by a $400,000 federal grant and allows federal
prosecution of those who commit crimes within 200 feet of public
housing. Gravess said that in addition to the warrant sweeps and the
indictments, his office would try to find those who commit welfare fraud.

Those named in indictments announced Wednesday:

[names redacted]