PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A 30-year-old Portland man who earlier rejected a plea offer has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for brutally beating and sexually assaulting a woman he kidnapped a year ago.
Under the plea offer, Kip Kawamoto would have gotten a 16-year sentence.
The Oregonian reports (http://is.gd/QNI1UX) that Kawamoto’s parents, Ernest and Debbie Kawamoto, described him Friday in court as a bright student who grew up in the Seattle area. But they say he later dropped out of the University of Washington, turning to drugs and alcohol.
Prosecutors say the victim told police Kawamoto forced her to take drugs, then assaulted her over two days in April 2111. A detective read text messages that the defendant sent to friends during the two days describing what he did to the victim. Police finally broke down his door and rescued her.
He was convicted of charges including kidnapping and assault.
Kawamoto told the judge he was “deeply sorry,” adding he was withdrawing from heroin and high on PCP, cocaine and alcohol at the time.
