A 27-year-old man convicted of rape and other crimes was given 712-months in prison, roughly 60-years by Judge Tim Chambers.

Craig Lee Gooch was found guilty of forcing a Hutchinson woman into sex after he crawled into her van and pulled her hair forcing her to drive him to her home where the sexual assault occurred.

Defense Attorney Alice Osburn contended that they made an agreement for sex over a drug deal and that any sexual contact was consensual. But, Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell argued it was rape and in court called him a predator. Judge Chambers agreed with that and denied Alice Osburns motion for a departure. She had cited his age and that he was 19 at the time of his priors. She also told the judge that there was some time between the convictions in Leavenworth County and when these crimes occurred. But, while sentencing Gooch, Judge Chambers noted that he spend a good deal of time in prison, so couldn’t commit additional crimes.

Gooch refused to appear in court and the judge decided against have him bound and gagged and brought by force, so Gooch appeared on video, then halfway through the proceeding, he waived his right to be apart of the proceeding. The victim spoke to the judge giving a victim impact statement. During that point, Gooch hung up the phone receiver that allows him to hear what is going on. That cut off the video, but was quickly restored when jail staff had him pick up the receiver again.

The victim spoke of how doesn’t heal all wounds. She says she can’t work and often has anxiety attacks. She says she can’t work. They had to move and sell the vehicle they had when the kidnapping and attack occurred. She also the judge of being in therapy.

Her husband also spoke briefly and told of the disbelief when he first got word of what happened to his wife.

Maxwell wanted the maximum and consecutive sentencing for Gooch calling him a predator and told the judge that Gooch was looking for prey. He says he got what he wanted that morning.

The crimes occurred back on May 11, 2012 when the victim went into Dillon’s at 4th & Pershing and bought some groceries for a party, came out with her cart and says she loaded the groceries in her van, then pushed the cart back into the store. She then walked out but forgot to mail some letters, so entered the store a third time, but failed to lock it and that’s when he entered her vehicle.

Osburn says they have already filed a notice of appeal. But, Judge Tim Chambers called the evidence “overwhelming.”

Judge Tim Chambers ran the rape and aggravated robbery sentences consecutive to each other for a total of 712-months.

The sentences for the other convictions which included aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated sexual battery, aggravated burglary, aggravated Intimidation, criminal threat, interference with law enforcement and auto burglary ran concurrent to the 712-months.