Toledoan gets prison time for rape

7/10/2018

An East Toledo man convicted of rape was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison.

Devaun Vasquez, 19, of the 200 block of Graham Street also was classified by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Lindsay Navarre as a sex offender who must register his address with the county sheriff every 90 days for the rest of his life.

On June 21, a jury found Vasquez guilty of the first-degree felony for sexually assaulting a woman as she was sleeping at a friend's house Sept. 17.

Judge Navarre told Vasquez she found the victim's testimony at trial to be credible and found the defense witnesses to lack credibility. She noted that during the often-emotional trial, Vasquez handled himself respectfully.

“This act however, this rape, is far from that,” Judge Navarre said. “You displayed no respect, no regard whatsoever for [the victim], her body, or her privacy. The way you went into that bedroom and took something from her like it belonged to you was a brash display of aggression and control, one that this court and this community will not tolerate.”

Vasquez told the court he was innocent and would never rape anyone.

Defense attorney Frank Simmons said Vasquez intends to appeal.