LARNED, Kan. – Jeffrey S. Bates, 64 of Larned, and Sandi K. Bates, 62 of Larned, appeared on bond Thursday morning before Pawnee Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell for Felony First Appearances/Bond Appearances.
The Bates are charged each with one Count of Conspiracy to Commit Financial Mistreatment of a Dependent Adult/Elder Person, with an aggregate value of at least $100,000, but less than $250,000, alleged to have occurred between July 15, 2015, and December 31, 2022. This charge is a severity level 6 person felony.
Jeffrey Bates faces an additional count of Physical Mistreatment of a Dependent Adult/Elder Person, by allegedly knowingly inflicting physical injury, unreasonable confinement or unreasonable punishment upon a dependent adult or an elder person, alleged to have occurred on or about November 26, 2022. This charge is a severity level 5 person felony. In the alternative he is charged with Criminal Restraint, a Class A Person Misdemeanor.
The charges stem from a two-and-a-half-year investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department initiated by a report of alleged elder abuse. The sheriff department was assisted in the investigation by the Kansas Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Unit.
The Bates were arrested by the sheriff’s department without incident at their Larned residence on December 1, 2025, and released later that day after posting surety bonds.
At the First Appearance Judge Cowell advised the defendants of the charges, the possible penalties if convicted, and their constitutional rights, including their right to counsel. Under the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines, the Conspiracy charge carries a sentence between 17 months and 46 months in the custody of the Department of Corrections depending on criminal history. The Bates remain free on bond. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for January 21, 2026.
Under Kansas law, “elder person” means a person 60 years of age or older. As charged, the crime of Financial Mistreatment of a Dependent Adult/Elder Person means the intent to knowingly take the personal property or financial resources of a dependent adult or an elder person for the benefit of the defendant by taking control of the personal property or financial resources of said dependent adult or elder person through undue influence, coercion, harassment, duress, deception, false representation, false pretense or without adequate consideration to such dependent adult or elder person.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Douglas W. McNett
Pawnee County Attorney
Pawnee County Courthouse
715 Broadway
Larned KS 67550
