Leavenworth man sentenced to life for raping child: ‘This is not about revenge’
A Leavenworth man convicted of several child sex crimes received several life sentences Wednesday for attempting to rape a child in July.
Following a two-day jury trial in February, a Leavenworth County jury found Garfield C. Ross III, 35, guilty of attempted rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated criminal sodomy.
After denying Ross a new trial Wednesday, a judge sentenced him to three 25-year sentences, according to a news release from the Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office.
Two of the sentences will run consecutively, while one will run concurrently, the news release said. Ross is required to serve a mandatory 50 years in prison before he can be eligible for parole.
Under Kansas’ version of Jessica’s Law, certain sex offenses involving children under 14 are considered off-grid felonies, according to a handbook from the Kansas Sentencing Commission. Off-grid felonies include “the most serious of criminal offenses,” and are not subject to typical sentencing guidelines.
A life sentence is the mandatory sentence for such convictions, according to the handbook.
In Kansas, a life sentence does not necessarily mean an individual will remain incarcerated for the rest of their life, according to the sentencing commission. Individuals will serve a mandatory minimum prison sentence before they can become eligible for supervised parole.
If granted, Ross would remain on supervised parole for the rest of his life, according to a sentencing document.
Ross’ attorney filed a motion for a new trial on Feb. 24, according to a Leavenworth County court document. The motion was filed on the basis that the victim wasn’t a qualified witness because of their age and language listed in a criminal complaint was “insufficient.”
The motion was denied March 3, according to the court document.
On July 22, 2025, a woman was returning home from work when she discovered Ross and the victim, who was under 14, in a bedroom, the news release said.
After demanding that Ross leave the residence, the woman went to the Leavenworth Justice Center to report the incident, the news release said. DNA evidence collected from the victim’s clothing was linked to Ross.
Prior to Ross’ jury trial, three women, all with ties to the man, submitted separate letters to first judicial district Judge Gerald Kuckelman, alleging Ross perpetrated escalating instances of domestic abuse and assault against them.
All three asked Kuckelman in their letters to impose a hefty sentence in Ross’ case. They wrote that the child at the center of the case “deserves justice” and to know that their “pain was taken seriously.”
In an impact statement submitted to the court, the woman who initially reported the assault asked Kuckelman to ensure Ross “is never given the opportunity to harm another child again.”
“This is not about revenge. This is about accountability,” the woman wrote. “This is about protecting every other child he could ever have access to. His actions have shown that he is capable of harming the innocent. That makes him a danger.”
Ross is set to appear for a review hearing on April 1, according to a court document.
An attorney for Ross was not immediately available for comment Thursday.
