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Judge Sentences Kansas Prosecutor to Jail, Rejects Plea Deal

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A prosecutor from rural Kansas expressed remorse for his actions and acknowledged committing misdemeanors before being taken to jail on Wednesday after an extensive investigation into accusations of more severe wrongdoing. In a court where he spent nearly 16 years as a top prosecutor, Linus Thuston pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors and was sentenced to pay more than $3,000 and to serve a jail term. He stepped down as Neosho County attorney on Aug. 13. Judge Merlin Wheeler accepted a plea deal from Thuston’s attorney and the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, which prosecuted the case. He rejected their agreement to avoid jail time for Thuston, reports the Kansas Reflector. Under the deal, Thuston will avoid prosecution for any other cases the attorney general’s office investigated. Wheeler sentenced Thuston to 60 days in the Neosho County jail for misusing a county credit card and falsifying the purchase price of a vehicle to avoid paying sales tax. After serving 30 days, Thuston will be eligible for 12 months of supervised probation.


The charge of misusing public funds was linked to a payment Thuston made on Dec. 24, 2019, to a woman he claimed needed money for Christmas presents for her children. He said he paid her around $64 from his personal PayPal account, which was connected to his county credit card. Thuston requested and received nude photos from the same woman. Thuston told The Kansas Bureau of Investigation in July 2022 that he thought the payment was related to firearm expenses. Wheeler asked Thuston whether he thought to double-check the payment after being questioned. Thuston said he initially didn’t recognize the name associated with the payment but later identified it as the PayPal transaction. Thuston also admitted to violating the state Retailer’s Sales Tax Act when he bought a $17,500 Chevrolet Camaro for his wife but submitted paperwork that said it only cost $11,000, avoiding more than $600 in sales tax. Wheeler said Thuston’s actions destroyed his credibility. “It also impairs the credibility of everyone that holds public office,” Wheeler said.

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