Baxter Springs man pleads to financial crime

A Baxter Springs man earlier this week pleaded no contest to one felony count of securities fraud, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

James Hall, 50, Baxter Springs, pleaded no contest to the charge, which stemmed from an incident that occurred in Johnson County in March 2013. The loss to the investor was $150,000. Johnson County District Court Judge Charles Droege accepted the plea and ordered Hall to pay a total of $150,000 in restitution.

Sentencing has been scheduled for May 31 at 10 a.m.

The case was investigated by the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner. Assistant Attorney General Stacy Edwards of Schmidt’s office is prosecuting the case.