For about 15 years, convicted child sex offender Michael A. Stephens eluded Hawaii authorities, eventually becoming a restaurateur in Mexico until he was caught last December in his house with several boys.

Stephens, 57, who had been given three chances at probation in Hawaii before fleeing, was sentenced yesterday in Oahu Circuit Court to 20 years in prison.

Judge Randal Lee, noting Stephens' continual nature to re-offend while on probation, imposed two 10-year consecutive terms in prison.

“;You blew the opportunities,”; Lee said.

An Oahu Circuit Court jury convicted Stephens in 1991 of multiple felonies, including kidnapping and three counts of second-degree sex assault on a 16-year-old boy.

He was placed on five years' probation by Judge Ronald Greig and put on probation two other times, including once in 1993 by Judge James “;Duke”; Aiona Jr.

A probation officer said Stephens violated the terms of his probation in 1991 by drinking alcohol on three occasions, violating curfew and having contact with a 13-year-old boy.

Stephens was charged with second-degree sexual assault on a minor boy in a separate incident at his residence.

But jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the sex assault and eventually found him guilty in 1994 of providing liquor to a minor.

He was facing probation revocation when he fled Hawaii.

The parents and the victim of the 1991 sex assault, now 27, testified they were upset when Stephens received probation without prison time.

“;I want him to spend the rest of his life in jail for what he's done,”; the victim's mother said.

After his sentencing, she said in an interview that she was satisfied for now.

“;But I don't know how I'm going to feel in 20 years when he gets out,”; she said.

Stephens apologized in court to the family.

“;I'm so ashamed of what I've done. ... I'm a different man now,”; Stephens said.

Deputy Prosecutor Thalia Murphy described Stephens as a danger to the community and a sexual predator who continued to target young boys.

Glenn Ferreira, a supervising deputy U.S. marshal, said when authorities entered Stephens' residence, they found six to seven young boys there.