Briefly

Rapist gets 22 years for attacking toddler

Olathe — A Shawnee man convicted of sexually assaulting and beating a 16-month-old girl because she would not eat was sentenced Thursday to 22 years and eight months in prison.

District Judge John Anderson III ordered the sentence after denying Robert Michael Macias’ request to withdraw his guilty pleas to charges of rape and child abuse. Macias also asked for a new lawyer, but that request also was denied.

Macias, 22, told the child’s mother in a letter that he slapped the girl, held her underwater, hit her with a belt and abused her sexually because she would not eat.

During the sentencing, Macias asked the girl’s family for forgiveness but said he was not guilty of raping her. He claimed he was coerced into the plea because his lawyer told him he would “never see the light of day” if convicted at trial.

Roberts, Brownback to lead re-election effort

Washington, D.C. — Republican Kansas Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback have been picked to lead a Bush-Cheney re-election effort in the state they represent.

The campaign announced Thursday that the senators would serve as co-chairmen of the Bush-Cheney ’04 Kansas Leadership Team. According to a media release, the team “will help build a network of grass roots support and serve as messengers for the President’s re-election campaign.”