For a year, starting in 2008 and finishing in 2009, I worked as the editor and one-man-operator of The Ledger newspaper, which serves Moundridge and Inman, Kan.
I liked it there and left just because I felt it was the right time to enter the education world. That being said, I left behind a lot of people I thought were upstanding citizens.
I apparently judged one person wrong.
Inman Police Chief Mike Leland Akins Jr. was arrested a little before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in his home. McPherson County sheriff’s deputies had to forcibly enter his home, according to McPherson County Sheriff Larry Powell. He has been charged with as many as 19 crimes.
The Wichita Eagle reported Akins is accused of abusing three girls and one boy, all under the age of 14, and the alleged crimes were reported to have happened between December 2008 and December 2009.
The Hutchinson News reported that “Akins is charged with one count of rape of a child, 12 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, two counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child, one count of indecent solicitation of a child, one count of lewd and lascivious behavior, and two counts of misdemeanor battery [. . .] Six of the charges fall under Jessica’s Law, mandating a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years upon conviction, according to the (criminal) complaint (filed Tuesday night by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office).”
To see the complaint filed against Akins, click here for a PDF.
The Hutch News also reported that Wednesday morning the Inman City Council voted to suspend Akins without pay until the investigation was complete, at which time a final decision would be made based upon what the investigation determined. Police Officer Bob Herron has been appointed the acting chief.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Attorney General’s Office are handling the investigation.
According to The Eagle, a preliminary hearing for Akins is slated for 3 p.m. Jan. 15. A Salina judge will try the case because the McPherson judges know Akins.
When I first read about this Wednesday, I was appalled. I had liked working with Akins. He was always upfront and honest with me when I needed to interview him for stories I was working on.
I never would have guessed he was the type to perform actions disgraceful enough to get himself accused of being a child predator.
The most sicken part, as if just doing those perverted acts to child isn’t bad enough, is that he is accused of violating a young boy. It’s despicable.
Having this kind of news break, though, almost makes me wish I was still working there so I could cover it.
Instead, I will just have to watch from afar. I am very interested to see how this turns out, and if he is determined to be guilty, I hope he gets everything he deserves.
While I understand that you feel you “know” the accused I would like to tell you that you DO NOT.
This man could not and and would not have done anything of the sort to these children. I have known him since we we’re in diapers and know these accusations are FALSE!!! There is no doubt in my mind.
I do not understand what has driven these children to commit such a sad act against someone so underserving as he, but I fear for their conscience that has obviously become seared over a period of time.
Furthermore I would shutter to think that such ridiculous charges could not be leveled against a man of such stature without physical evidence that is coroborated by an unbiased source, but it seems that very thing has taken place in this situation.
I am a mother of two and I understand that we need to indure that the children of our community feel safe and that they can come to us (community as a whole) and feel that they will be believed and understood no matter what. But what kind of an example are we setting for them when we rush to judgement? And make no mistake that is exactly what has taken place.
As they say ” the truth WILL always come out” and this very ideal has always played itself out in everyones life no matter what side of the equation they’re on.
I would suggest that those interested parties think before they speak. Remember the “Golden Rule”: Do unto others as you’d have them to unto you. If you wouldn’t want others to jump to conclusions with regard to accusations against you why do that very thing to others.
Dear voice,
Your comment, “I always found him upfront and honest” is exactly right. I am saddened that you fall so easily to sheer accusation. You didn’t sense any ill will or foul play from Mike Akins, Jr. because he is simply NOT capable of such horrible acts.
I used to babysit Mike as a small boy, he was and has been around my children and grandchildren hundreds of times. NEVER, once has there been even a fraction of a hint of this in his character. He is the opposite, and people who know him are secure that he is one of the good ones. He is so protective, and this young girl knows that. Many residents have stated, “he was always professional and responsible.” I trust that you will not just fall for the sensational sale, and look for the absolute truth. I know the young girl’s family (they are very close) and it is my opinion that there is no way that these children would not have told their mother, long ago if there had ever been something like this happen to them. I also know that a few months ago, after the accused was disciplined by her mother and stepdad, she was very vocal about “making her stepdad pay.”
We all need to, as parents protect our children even from the recklessness of their own actions while they are angry. We have all seen cases, just this past year where children who wrongfully accused family members, etc. have turned around and said, “I LIED, I was mad.”
This is the public’s opportunity to protect THE GOOD ONES, who are in public service. Are there bad teachers, bad officers? YES, but not in this case!
Truth will always prevail, but do you want to be responsible for harming the reputation and the life of a good, innocent person, who truly only wanted to serve his fellow citizens?
Naomi Jackson
Dear voice,
Your comment, “I always found him upfront and honest” is exactly right. I am saddened that you fall so easily to sheer accusation. You didn’t sense any ill will or foul play from Mike Akins, Jr. because he is simply NOT capable of such horrible acts.
I used to babysit Mike as a small boy, he was and has been around my children and grandchildren hundreds of times. NEVER, once has there been even a fraction of a hint of this in his character. He is the opposite, and people who know him are secure that he is one of the good ones. He is so protective, and this young girl knows that. Many residents have stated, “he was always professional and responsible.” I trust that you will not just fall for the sensational sale, and look for the absolute truth.
I know the young girl’s family (they are very close) and it is my opinion that there is no way that these children would not have told their mother, long ago if there had ever been something like this happen to them. I also know that a few months ago, after the accuser was disciplined by her mother and stepdad, she was very vocal about “making her stepdad pay.”
We all need to, as parents protect our children even from the recklessness of their own actions while they are angry. We have all seen cases, just this past year where children who wrongfully accused family members, etc. have turned around and said, “I LIED, I was mad.”
This is the public’s opportunity to protect THE GOOD ONES, who are in public service. Are there bad teachers, bad officers? YES, but not in this case!
Truth will always prevail, but do you want to be responsible for harming the reputation and the life of a good, innocent person, who truly only wanted to serve his fellow citizens?
Naomi Jackson
I just wanted to thank everyone for their comments here, and I wanted to remind you that I never once said he did it. I just said the crimes he is accused of are horrible. I don’t know if he committed them, but if he did, he should be punished.
I have read several of the comments listed on several different webpages…now please forgive me for saying this… but the majority of comments here are from people in confident situations that have never been put into a compromising situation such as this…you know who I am refering to…those of you that are a 100% confident in yourself and would never have to worry about being in a situation like this…because you know within yourself that you would never be capible of something of this magnitude…you know one of “those” people that have total confidence in your husband, wife, father, child, teacher, doctor, or other family member…because you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that “they” would never hurt anyone…but yet your mouth goes at warp speed to completely demolish someone elses reputation without even considering the entire story…because after all you just never know…everyone is unpredictible… “ALL PEOPLE” are capible of anything…isn’t that what you said? but wait yourself and your family are excluded from that right? because in the end…you or the person you know aren’t capible of such behavior…you don’t know how you would handle yourself if you were put into a “pay back” type of situation…I understand that the officals involved would not have pressed this issue unless they saw fit…but I also know that they cannot just let this case go untill something is proven…taking into consideration this many charges…all I am saying is that what ever happened in Mikes case has yet to be determined…I also understand that these charges are very serious…but we as a society have no idea of the situation at hand…or the impact that the other parties could have on the officals involved with this case…police officers are not the only officals proven in some cases to be crooked…again…look around you…look at your so called “perfect” family lives and those of your fellow neighbors,and families…think about how easy it would be for someone to jump to conclusions about you…have you ever yelled at your child in public…? You were screaming!! but wait… your child was about to run out in front of a car in a busy parking lot… humm…those people didnt see you protecting your child…they just saw you screaming at them…and before you know it…it’s all over town that you verbally abuse your children…what about if you smacked your wifes rear-end at a BBQ…you love her…it was a friendly gesture…she even smiled and winked back at you…someone elses wife who was watching from across the yard found it appaling…and she told her neighbor over coffee that she saw you hit your wife…after all she told the “truth”…you did hit your wife right? I am just saying that it’s something to think about…take into consideration all of the facts before you judge someone of hear say…I know…not as an assumption…that the articles that have been released have not stated the entire story…therefore it’s very difficut to come to a solid conclusion…just think about it…you yourself could be put into several compromising scenarios…your life could be completely swept from under your feet tomorrow…your father, child, brother, someone you love could be in a difficult situation…but along with your confidence…wouldnt’ you want the entire truth to be told? How much anger and hurt would your heart be filled with? How would it make you feel to hear someone say to you that your child, sibling or parent should be hung…or that you should be ashamed of that person…your heart would ache…and you would be sickened from your inner core…please consider the damage that you could do to someones fragile heart…by throwing hurtful words…not only in this situation…but in your own lives…we as a society should not cast stones at glass houses…for we never know when our own could be shattered beneath your feet…
Annie,
You have hit the proverbial nail on the head! BRAVO I say! Bravo! This is the very point that has been lost in this ridiculous mess. Thank you for so diligently presenting this point.
Mike replaced me as the Police Officer in the City of Inman when I move on to bigger and better things. I called Mike to let him know about the investigations I was working on before I left, so he could pick them up where I left off. Mike then would call me from time to time to ask questions about things law-enforcement in nature.
When Mike became Chief I gave him log sheets, and whatever he needed to improve the Inman Police Department. Even though I didn’t work for the City of Inman anymore, I still served the community from behind scenes. Mike and I became good friends, and I felt I got to know him ever well.
I find it hard to believe this man would do this and betray his badge, and his community. He loved his job and community as much as I did when I work for the city. However, I also know that the McPherson Sheriff’s Office is a very professional law-enforcement agency. So who do I believe, I believe in my friend until proven wrong. An arrest doesn’t mean he’s guilty, it just means he is accused.
I pray that the kids have the strength to tell the truth whatever that is. I hope justice is done, and only the truth comes out in this case, if that means Mike is guilty or not. I firmly believe, you’re innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. I just hope whatever happen is the right thing.
Having read alot of article about mike I would like to clear a few things up.I know some very close friends of the family and they say he is a good person. It sadden me to see these false allegations that these step children are making. The reason I am making a point to mention it was step-children isnt to emphasize the “step” factor. The news mentioned four victims without explanation. If Mikie was accused of four separate random cases of child molestation it would be must more believable and less likely of cohercement from an older sister. Yes many children are abused by their biological parents or relatives and by step parents. This in itself doesn’t vindicate Mikie. I just want to make sure the point is made that this a family situation. I have knowledge from close friends of the children that would indicate that the 14 year old acted in anger because she was forced to break up with her boy friend. The brother is very protective and the sisters are very impressionable. None of this proves anything in absolute but I would like all of the facts on the table and not just what the AG wants to put out. The reason why I beleive that they arrested Mikie in the manner they did was because the mother works for the District Attorney and knows the Judge on a personal basis. The Sheriff that led the team to Mikie’s office is known to be a cowboy.