A repeat sex offender has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Brian K. Keeling, 55, of Kansas City, received the sentence on Dec. 16 after being found guilty by a Platte County jury in August of two counts of first degree statutory sodomy and one count of second degree statutory sodomy.
“This man is a dangerous sexual predator who hurt many people on too many occasions,” Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said. “It’s only appropriate that he will finally spend the rest of his life in prison where he can’t hurt another girl.”
In the Platte County case, prosecutors proved that Keeling took two sisters, ages 12 and 14, to his home in the Platte County portion of Kansas City where he sexually abused them during summer 2021. The girls were treated at Children’s Mercy Hospital, where they told employees that Keeling made them take off their clothes so he could take pictures of them. Further examination revealed one of the girls had injuries consistent with sexual assault.
Keeling had previously been convicted of forcible rape, forcible sodomy, and kidnapping in Jackson County in 1995. He received probation in that case.
In 2003, also in Jackson County, Keeling was convicted of statutory rape and two counts of statutory sodomy. He was sentenced to seven years in prison on those charges but was paroled in 2006.
“A serial sex offender, who targeted young victims, will spend life in prison due to the coordinated efforts of law enforcement partners,” Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said. “The FBI, KCPD and Platte County Prosecutor’s Office were committed to keeping our community safe and persistent in ensuring this dangerous offender was held accountable.”
Both victims in the Platte County case were interviewed by an FBI Child-Adolescent Forensic Examiner, and they disclosed further sexual abuse by Keeling. Charles Dayoub, Special Agent in Charge of the Kansas City field office of the FBI said, “This sentence validates the work done by the FBI and Kansas City Police Department to bring Mr. Keeling to justice for his heinous crimes. Make no mistake about it, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything we can to prevent and bring to justice those who prey on those most vulnerable in our community. This outcome reiterates our promise to protect our nation’s children from exploitation and ensures Mr. Keeling will face accountability for his actions.”
Because Zahnd’s office charged Keeling as a persistent sexual offender, the only possible sentence in the case upon Keeling’s conviction was life in prison without the possibility of probation or parole.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City Police Department. It was tried by First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mark Gibson and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kaitlynn Donnelly.