Lawrence man convicted of one count of rape

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict on one count of Rape, a Severity Level 1 Person Felony, against Erick Ogwangi, 36, of Lawrence.

Charges stemmed from an incident early Jan. 27, 2017, in which Ogwangi forced himself on a woman who was staying in his home. He was convicted for assaulting the woman under circumstances when she was overcome by force or fear.

“Two things were clear in this case from the beginning: The victim was overpowered, and she said no. Everyone needs to understand that no means no, and this office will prosecute accordingly,” Valdez said.

The State was represented by Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily Hartz and Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden. The case was investigated by the Lawrence Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Sentencing for Ogwangi will occur at the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center on a date to be determined. Bond was revoked, and he will undergo a Presentence Investigation. Depending on criminal history, Ogwangi faces a sentence of 147-653 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.