SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man convicted of child sex crimes involving a 14-year-0ld rescued from a closet in Wichita is going to prison for the rest of his life.
On Monday, Judge Jeff Syrios sentenced David Roark to a life sentence, followed by 122 months in prison. In October, Roark was convicted by a jury of 18 counts including Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Kidnapping, Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of a Child. Roark will be eligible for parole only after he has served 35 years in prison. This was the maximum sentence available to the court under Kansas law.
Just after midnight Dec. 14, 2022, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Wichita Police Officer Chad Ditch.
A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned. A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been seen in a convenience store with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.
Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area.
The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying.
Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.
A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.