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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, November 30, 2006

'I didn't rape her,' driver insists

By Ken Kobayashi
Advertiser Courts Writer

Anton Myklebust II

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A 28-year-old man accused of luring a teenage girl into a delivery van, injecting her with crystal methamphetamine and repeatedly sexually assaulting her pleaded guilty yesterday to kidnapping and other charges.

But he insisted he never raped the 17-year-old girl.

Anton Myklebust II, who was a driver for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu, agreed to a prison term of 6 2/3 to 20 years and must register as a sex offender.

But as part of a plea deal, the sexual assault charges will be dropped.

"I didn't rape her and I didn't have plans to rape her," Myklebust told Circuit Judge Karl Sakamoto yesterday.

Myklebust's lawyer, Keith Shigetomi, said his client acknowledges he gave ice to the girl and used her credit card, but that the sex was consensual.

Myklebust admitted that he kidnapped the girl with the intent to "inflict bodily injury on her or to subject her to a sexual offense."

Shigetomi said his client's intent was only to inflict bodily injury.

Thalia Murphy, city deputy prosecutor, said the case was one of the "most heinous" she has handled in her 18 years as a sex-crimes prosecutor, but said the plea agreement was offered to spare the victim of facing the defendant in court in trial and reliving the trauma of her ordeal.

As to the defendant's assertion that he didn't rape the girl, Murphy said the victim suffered bruises "all over her body" and "genital trauma."

"The defendant can say what he wants; the evidence speaks for itself," she said.

Murphy said the victim approved the plea agreement.

Myklebust, who was hired about a month earlier by Big Brothers Big Sisters, has a 1999 federal conviction related to a house break-in and repeatedly tested positive for ice while on federal supervisory release in that case, according to court records.

He was accused of getting the 17-year-old girl into the van by asking her for directions to School Street, holding her captive in the van, injecting her with ice and repeatedly sexually assaulting her during an eight-hour ordeal.

The girl was "disarmed by the fact that it was a Big Brothers donation truck," Murphy said. "She thought it was safe."

Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO Dennis Brown did not respond to a request for comment.

Myklebust changed his plea before the start of what was expected to be a two-week trial.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery, credit-card theft, giving ice to a minor and kidnapping. The charges carry a maximum 20-year prison term. City prosecutors agreed not to ask for consecutive sentences or an extended life term with parole based on the number of offenses. They also will drop multiple first-degree sexual assault charges, which each carry a maximum 20-year term.

Murphy said the girl was a high school senior on her way to one of two jobs to save money for college, which she now attends.

"She's a very good kid," she said.

Myklebust, who has been in custody unable to post bail, is to be sentenced March 6.

The Hawai'i Paroling Authority will determine when he can be released for parole after he serves at least 6 2/3 years.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.