After entering a guilty plea to two counts, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child, last December, 17-year-old Tyler Buck, of Eureka, appeared before Greenwood County District Court by Chief Judge David Ricke last Wednesday, Jan. 31, for sentencing.
Buck was arrested on Aug. 12, 2023 and charged on seven counts including: Rape, Aggravated Criminal Sodomy x2 and Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child x4. The complaint noted that Buck knowingly engaged in sexual intercourse with one of the two children, both of which were noted as a child under 14 years of age. The complaint also noted that Buck engaged in sodomy and lewd fondling with both adolescents. The inappropriate activity was noted to begin in October 2022 and continued through August 2023. In December, Buck, represented by his attorney Stephany Hughes, entered a plea agreement with the state, where he plead guilty to Count 3 Aggravated Criminal Sodomy and Count 6 Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child. Both charges are Level III Severity and with Buck having no criminal history placed him in Category I, which listed a sentence ranging from 55-61 months, per count. Both the state and defense counsel asked the court to sentence Buck to the mitigated sentence of 59 months, with the sentences running concurrent or at the same time.
During impact statements, Buck’s mother addressed the court and asked the court to consider ordering the sentences be ran consecutive, or back to back, to represent the two minor children involved in this case, noting that both deserved justice in the matter. Before Judge Ricke sentenced Buck, Judge Ricke gave Buck the chance to address the court. As he tried to compose himself, Buck stated “I should be put away for life, I acknowledge that. All I can do is ask for forgiveness.”
As Judge Ricke pronounced his sentence, he shared that he concurred with Buck’s mother and believed the counts should be ran consecutive to represent the two separate children involved in this case.
Instead of sentencing Buck to the mitigated sentence of 59 months for the counts and running them concurrent; Judge Ricke sentenced Buck to 55 months on both counts and ordered him to serve the sentences consecutively, thus sentencing him to 110 months with the Kansas Department of Corrections. Buck will be eligible for 15% good time credit and will be required to have 60-months post release supervision. Buck was also ordered to register as a sex offender for his lifetime.
Questions were also addressed regarding Buck’s housing. Judge Ricke asked for clarification as, although Buck is a minor, he has been being housed at the Greenwood County Jail. Sheriff Heath Samuels stated that once the court adjudicates minors, it makes it difficult to find housing as most juvenile detention facilities will no longer house them as they are being tried as adults. Sheriff Samuels then noted that he didn’t have the facility to separate Buck from the others in custody; but, stated the jail staff is doing their due diligence to keep Buck safe.
Judge Ricke continued to note that he felt Buck should be in a juvenile facility. Following the court proceeding, County Attorney Jill Gillett shared state statutes that gave exemptions to pre- and post-sentence housing requirements for juveniles that allows for defendants to be detained in an adult facility. However, Judge Ricke ordered for Buck to remain in custody, but not to be held any longer in a jail if he can be transferred to a juvenile facility, until he was taken into custody by the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC). On Monday of this week, it was shared that Buck had been taken to a juvenile facility where he will be held until he is taken into custody by the KDOC to serve the remainder of his sentence.
