StarBulletin.com

Prosecutor will pursue life term for rapist


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POSTED: Thursday, July 30, 2009

A deputy prosecutor says he will seek to put 21-year-old John C. Veikoso behind bars for the rest of his life at his sentencing for kidnapping and raping two women three weeks apart.

; A state jury found Veikoso guilty yesterday of two counts of kidnapping, four counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 28.

The kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault counts are class A felonies punishable by mandatory 20-year prison terms. The prosecutor has already indicated he will ask the court to extend the prison terms to life with the possibility for parole or to run the 20-year terms back to back because Veikoso committed multiple crimes.

The women, both prostitutes, said Veikoso picked them up in downtown Honolulu and raped them at Maunawili Elementary School.

The first woman, 23, said she agreed to have sex with Veikoso Jan. 18 for $200. She said she jumped out of his moving vehicle on Pali Highway because Veikoso was hitting and threatening to kill her.

The woman testified she suffered a broken collarbone, a gash on her head and injuries to both knees. She said Veikoso dragged her back to his vehicle and took her to the school grounds where he washed off the blood from her injuries and raped her.

He later took her to Tripler Army Medical Center.

The second woman, 19, said she agreed to have sex with Veikoso Feb. 7 for $120. She also testified Veikoso hit her when she got into his car and threatened to kill her. The woman testified Veikoso let her go at the school after raping her. She said she ran and flagged down a motorist.

“;Mr. Veikoso preyed upon a highly vulnerable, a very unfortunate set of our population,”; said 1st Deputy Prosecutor Douglas Chin.

Veikoso is also facing sentencing for unlawful firearm possession in a previous, unrelated incident.