StarBulletin.com

Man could get 30 years in assault, kidnapping


By

POSTED: Sunday, December 14, 2008

HILO » Big Island resident Rodney Bohol, accused of attempted murder for allegedly tying a woman to a tree and shooting her with a shotgun, has pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of assault, plus kidnapping and possession of an illegal firearm.

The plea agreement allows the prosecution to seek a 30-year sentence for Bohol, 35. The minimum his defense attorney can argue for is 20 years.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 26.

In July 2007, Bohol's 23-year-old victim was found after she had been wandering five days in a remote forest 60 miles south of Hilo. Court documents say she had been kidnapped by Bohol and his two cousins, Jody Lassen and Danolin Souza.

The documents say the case started when the victim, Bohol's girlfriend, sent Bohol a text message on July 31, 2007, saying she wanted to leave him. Lassen told police, “;It's all to do with drugs.”;

The victim told police Bohol thought she was going to turn him in to “;the feds.”;

Lassen said Bohol, Souza and herself kidnapped the victim, smoking “;ice”; or crystal methamphetamine while they looked for her.

Then they took her to the remote area in the Kau district and tied her to a tree. Bohol then shot her from behind with a shotgun, according to a document by Bohol's attorney, Steve Strauss.

The sentencing by Judge Glenn Hara will hinge on whether he orders the 20-year sentence for kidnapping to be served after the two concurrent 10-year sentences for assault and an illegal firearm, or whether all three sentences will be served at the same time.

Bohol is being held without bail because he was on probation for a previous kidnapping.

Lassen and Souza earlier pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter and will be sentenced Jan. 9.