By William Cole
Advertiser Courts Writer
A 20-year-old Mililani man apologized in court yesterday for attacking three women from Japan near Dole Plantation in October.
Ralph P. Cuesta was sentenced in Circuit Court to 10 years in prison as part of a plea agreement. Cuesta pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree robbery, three counts of kidnapping and driving a stolen car.
City deputy prosecutor Wayne Tashima previously said Cuesta, along with a male and female companion, followed the three tourists by car after they left the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa on Oct. 28. At a traffic stop, Cuesta jumped into the victims’ convertible and told them to "keep driving," Tashima said.
Cuesta used a stun gun on a back-seat passenger and also on the driver after she was directed to make a U-turn, Tashima said. The women were able to flee and were not seriously injured.
Cuesta yesterday apologized and sought his victims’ forgiveness. "He took full responsibility," said Tashima, who called the sentence a fair resolution to the crime. Cuesta also was ordered to pay $4,600 restitution.
Cuesta said he was using crystal methamphetamine at the time of the attack but did not use the drug use as an excuse for his actions.
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