In a surprise move, a former sheriff and law enforcement instructor convicted and sentenced to 27-and-half years in prison in a child sex case has dropped the rest of his Habeas Corpus motion, which is a civil filing seeking relief from his conviction and sentence.

This decision by 34-year-old James Ryan Bloom comes one day after Judge Trish Rose had agreed with the state that Bloom’s claim of ineffective counsel during plea negotiations is moot because only the state can decide on whether to make a plea offer, not the court.

Judge Rose did agree to leave the door open when it comes to ineffective counsel at sentencing. The judge agreed to try to arrange for one of Bloom’s attorney’s at sentencing be present on Monday to consider that issue. Sarah McKinnon with the Regional Public Defenders Office would be that attorney. His other attorney, Kiehl Rathbun has been disbarred since that sentencing hearing, and no one is sure where he is, so he would not be available. But, that doesn’t matter now with Bloom dropping the rest of his civil filing.

Bloom was found guilty of one count of rape, six counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and one count of lewd and lascivious conduct. The victim in the case was a 12-year-old girl. The crimes occurring while he was instructor at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center near Yoder and happened over a period of time in 2006. He’s not eligible for parole until the year 2029.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell, who at the time the case was at trial worked for the Attorney General’s Office, but he prosecuted the case here in Reno County. He says with Friday’s decision, this case is now finished.