HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole in 15 years for a 2019 rape and kidnapping.
Almost 4-1/2 years after Jesse James raped a 13-year-old girl in Dededo, he appeared in the Superior Court of Guam to plead guilty to his charges.
James was initially indicted on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct as first-degree felonies, three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony, kidnapping as a first-degree felony, strangulation as a third-degree felony and terrorizing as a third-degree felony.
In the hearing, Judge Alberto Tolentino confirmed with prosecutor Christine Tenorio that the victim’s family had been consulted and they were satisfied with the plea agreement, which specified James would plead guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony while the remaining charges were dismissed with prejudice.
Tolentino asked James how he would plead to the charges.
“How do you plead, guilty or not guilty?” Tolentino asked.
“I’m guilty,” James said while raising his right hand.
Rather than schedule a separate hearing, attorneys confirmed James was prepared to be sentenced for the charge.
“For the offense of first-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony you are to serve life imprisonment at the Department of Corrections in Mangilao with the possibility of parole after 15 years,” said Tolentino, who added James will be held liable for restitution to the victim, ordered to register as a Level 1 sex offender, stay away from the victim if released and James’ immigration status may be impacted because of the conviction.
Charged
James has been held at DOC since April 2022 on $100,000 cash bail after being charged.
Before the incident was reported in 2019, James was living in a Dededo home just down the street from the victim.
According to court documents, on Nov. 18, 2019, the victim was walking home from Papa Store on West San Antonio Avenue in Dededo when she was grabbed by James and raped in a nearby jungle. The minor told officers with the Guam Police Department that James threatened to kill the minor, put his hands around her throat and made multiple attempts to rape her and eventually sexually molested the child.
The teen allegedly told police that she scratched the suspect’s face and kicked his torso before she got away.
Authorities later found clothes at the scene, the minor’s pants, which the victim alleged were “far enough” into the jungle so “that nobody could see me,” documents state.
Following the minor’s report, GPD reviewed nearby video surveillance that led them to James, who was interviewed by GPD on Nov. 20, 2019. James again spoke to police Jan. 23, 2020, but allegedly denied owning the clothing at the crime scene or any involvement in the attack on the child.
According to Post files, the neighborhood was outraged and went searching for the suspect.
Meanwhile, police had sent the evidence found at the scene to be tested by the FBI. Results of the tests were not completed until April 2022 when James was arrested. GPD, at the time, stated they usually wait 18 to 24 months for evidence to be tested by the FBI due to there not being a functioning crime lab on the island.
The results of the test eventually showed a match that connected James to the incident, court documents state.
Jesse James
