ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minnesota man who raped a woman he had previously burglarized has been sentenced to more than 25 years in prison.
Curtez Deshawn Graham, 18, of St. Paul was sentenced Tuesday.
"We seldom see crimes as completely inhumane as this," prosecutor C. Ryan Tennison said in court. "This man raped the victim in her home in front of her loved one. ... (He) earned every day of this lengthy prison sentence."
Graham pleaded guilty Sept. 30 to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, first-degree burglary and kidnapping, the St. Paul Pioneer Press (http://bit.ly/189g1et) reported.
Authorities said Graham was on furlough from prison when he removed an ankle bracelet that monitored his whereabouts, returned to the home of his prior burglary victim and raped her in June.
The victim told police that Graham was mad with her because she sent him away for 14 months.
Defense attorney Murad Mohammad said that Graham never minimized or deflected his behavior.
"He knows he robbed the victims of their confidence, privacy and safety. Curtez knows he has many years now to reflect on what he did, and to come out as a member of society, rather than a scourge," Mohammad said.
According to the complaint, Graham was placed on a 10-day furlough in June and was being monitored by an ankle bracelet, but he cut it off. The 65-year-old woman and her male companion were awakened by Graham, who was naked in their bedroom, holding a pair of scissors. After ordering the man to tie himself up, Graham raped the woman, then ordered her to take a shower.
___
Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
