Life in prison for rapist
By JEREMIAH O’HAGAN Staff Reporter
Bryan Ross
Bryan Ross was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday, after being convicted of second-degree rape in March.
Ross must serve a minimum of 102 months, or eight-anda half years, and complete sex-offender treatment before he is eligible to be considered for parole for good behavior, said Island County Detective Laura Price.
“Quite a few people were there (at the sentencing) to support the victim,” Price said, including family from out of state, two previous victims who never testified against Ross, and law enforcement officials.
On Ross’s side, only his father showed up. The man said a few words on his son’s behalf.
“He said he was sorry the victim felt this was something that had harmed her,” Price recounted, adding that Ross’s father used the wrong last name in reference to the victim.
Ross was arrested for a rape that occurred last Easter, at Ross’s Camano Island resi- dence. The victim had been approached by Ross in a parking lot weeks prior, where they had exchanged phone numbers and eventually set up a date on Easter.
The woman brought her daughter and son-inlaw with her to Ross’s home, but then stayed later to watch a movie with Ross. The rape occurred after the other two left for the evening.
Over the course of the investigation, Detective Price said she discovered other rape victims, all of whom had chosen, for one reason or another, not to follow through in testifying against Ross.
Price also looked up several of Ross’s many former wives, as well as past girlfriends. All of them attested that Ross was aggressive and displayed controlling behavior.
Price believes Ross’s sentencing will bring relief to these women, as well as others she doesn’t even know about.
Price’s timeline of events pertaining to Ross and his involvement with women contains gaps of several years here and there.
“I think there are lots of other victims out there who have never talked about it,” she said.
Price and Island County Sheriff Mark Brown said they’re pleased to have brought this case to a close, and they are proud of the victim for speaking out and following the difficult ordeal through to a conclusion.
