(KAIR)--Guilty.
That's the plea entered by the Atchison man accused of taking a young girl from her home and killing her while engaged in a standoff with police.
According to a joint statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall and Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, 32-year-old Marcas McGowan entered the plea Thursday, admitting his guilt to the federal charges of one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The prosecution says McGowan, in his plea, admitted that on July 18th, 2014, he shot and killed the 5-year-old girl after he kidnapped her and exchanged gunfire with police.
That fatal shot was fired on Leavenworth's Metropolitan Avenue, after McGowan's vehicle became ensnared in a work zone. That followed a high-speed pursuit that began in Atchison, crossed into Missouri, and ended in Leavenworth. Authorities say it stemmed from a domestic dispute between McGowan and his girlfriend at her Atchison residence. Threatening her with a gun, prosecutors say McGowan drove off with her daughter as police arrived.
Sentencing for McGowan is set for September 6th, with an agreement having been reached to recommend a life sentence for the kidnapping charge, which is the statutory minimum penalty.
The firearm-related count requires a statutory minimum penalty of 10-years consecutive to the other sentence.
© Many Signals Communications
You will need to be logged in to leave a comment.
Please Login
The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited.
Click here to review our Terms of Use.
Comments
Scott (05/27/2016 11:18 AM)
Now that he had admitted guilt stop calling him accused. Call him what he is, a child killer. He should be shot in the head on the courthouse steps.
MOST VIEWED STORIES
Holton man killed in Jackson Co crash
Morrill pair arrested on drug, child endangerment charges
Cold case investigation leads to Holton warrant
Horton City Clerk's resignation accepted Monday
Effingham owner regains truck following theft, arrest
Falls City man sentenced to Federal Prison
Ground Broken for new Sac and Fox Trad'n Post
Local residents avoid injury in chain reaction crash
Jackson Co traffic stop leads to arrest
One held for past Atchison shooting
90 mph+ downburst winds blamed for Thursday damage
Wamego man sentenced in second fentanyl-related death
Mayetta pair arrested on meth, child endangerment charges
Stolen trailer, 4-wheeler, recovered in Atchison
Early Thursday storms leave damage, outages, locally
Juveniles face charges following Atchison break-in
Atchison Co's Oswald named honorary bailiff for KS Court
LATEST STORIES
Sheriff's Office to take part in drug take back event
Council hears report from golf course
Commission approves agreement for budget help
Pawnee City School Board approves personnel changes
Hazard mitigation planning meeting set for Atchison County MO
Effingham owner regains truck following theft, arrest
Cold case investigation leads to Holton warrant
Senator Slama on tax relief efforts