Posted on: Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Soldier sentenced in abduction

By Ken Kobayashi
Advertiser Courts Writer

A 21-year-old man was sentenced to eight years in prison yesterday for abducting a woman in Kapi'olani Park and trying to rape her at knifepoint last year.

Circuit Judge Richard Pollack granted a defense request to sentence Robert Allen O'Neal to the prison term under the state's youthful-offender law and rejected the prosecution's request for a maximum 20-year term.

O'Neal, a soldier, pleaded guilty earlier to grabbing the 31-year-old woman and dragging her to a secluded area April 6 last year before she fought back, screamed and got help from a nearby police officer.

O'Neal's motive was to avoid being deployed to Iraq, according to city Deputy Prosecutor Chris Van Marter.

Also, O'Neal had disclosed to military mental-health officials that he was thinking about committing such a crime, Van Marter said.

O'Neal went to the park armed with a knife, stalked the victim and abducted her, Van Marter said.

O'Neal told the judge he'll serve whatever sentence he imposed, said his lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Debra Loy.

"He's very remorseful and has been from Day 1," she said.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at 525-8030 or kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.

Correction: Robert Allen O'Neal, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for kidnapping a woman at Kapi'olani Park and trying to rape her, was in the Army stationed at Schofield Barracks. A previous version of this story incorrectly said he was in another branch of the service.