Man imprisoned for
prostitute assaults

Michael L. Carter gets a 10-year term after
admitting in April that he raped four women

A 37-year-old former Navy engineer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for picking up prostitutes whom he acknowledged beating and raping because he thought they deserved it and were not "real people."

Circuit Judge Michael Town also ordered Michael L. Carter of Waialua to serve a mandatory minimum of three years and four months as a repeat offender.

Carter was paroled in February 2004 after serving a 10-year term for beating and sexually assaulting a prostitute shortly after his arrival from San Diego in 1993, nearly breaking her back. About a month later, he resumed his former activities and was later identified in the rapes and beatings of four women.

Carter pleaded guilty in April to 13 counts including kidnapping and impersonating a police officer and reduced charges of second-degree sexual assault and attempted second-degree sexual assault involving the four victims. In at least three of the incidents, he claimed he was a police officer.

Deputy Prosecutor Thalia Murphy said Carter is described by mental health professionals on the mainland and here as a high-risk, dangerous and "psychopathic offender" and by sex therapists as a repeat offender with characteristics of a true predator.

"He feels he has a need to punish women, so he picks them up (and) beats them because they deserve such treatment," she said.

One of his victims, now a 27-year-old mother of a 2-month-old boy, said she still remembers the night last August after she agreed to have sex with Carter in exchange for money. She said she had a boyfriend but worked as a prostitute, believing sex was all that men wanted from her.

Carter lulled her with his friendly manner, but things changed when he told her he was a police officer when he drove her up to Tantalus.

Murphy said, "He's claiming to be a public servant who's supposed to protect people. And on top of it, the prostitute is engaged in illegal activity, and it strikes the fear of God in them when he says he's a police officer."

When the woman told Carter to go ahead and arrest her, he struck her in the face as he did the other three women, beat her up and forced himself on her, Murphy said.

The woman had to find her way back and immediately reported the incident to her boyfriend and police. In the ensuing weeks, she said, she was unable to function and was sick and terrified when she learned later that she was pregnant. She said she is thankful to be alive and is getting her life together, especially after the birth of her son, who she learned was not born from that night of violence.

"I prayed for you and ask God to forgive us both," she told Carter. "Know that I have God's love in me. I forgive you."

Carter later addressed the woman, saying "I'm a monster" and that he was sorry. He thanked her for forgiving him.

Defense attorney Myles Breiner said Carter realizes he is ill, that he "dehumanizes women in his life" and needs help. But Carter took responsibility by pleading guilty to avoid putting the women through a trial, he said.

Murphy said she has little hope that Carter will benefit from further sex offender treatment, given his track record. He completed treatment for the 1993 case, but that did not stop him from re-offending after he was released from prison, she said.

She will ask the Hawaii Paroling Authority to order that Carter serve the entire 10-year term.