FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 8, 2015
Contact: Heather F. Williamson
Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office
20 East Market Street
Leesburg, VA 20176-2809
(703) 777-0242
MAN SENTENCED IN ASHBURN ATTEMPTED RAPE AND ABDUCTION
JUDGE IMPOSES TEN YEAR PRISON TERM
LEESBURG, Virginia – May 4, 2015. Tchalim Koboya Lidawo., 22, appeared before Judge Jeanette A. Irby in Loudoun County Circuit Court for sentencing on one count of attempted rape and one count of abduction by force. Irby imposed a total active sentence of ten years in the Virginia Department of Corrections and a fine of $5,000.
During the evening hours of June 14, 2014, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of an attempted rape at an Ashburn apartment complex. The victim advised law enforcement that she was taking out her garbage, a man approached her as she neared the apartment dumpster, he grabbed her, and pulled her into the woods. A struggle ensued, the victim fell to the ground, and the suspect got on top of her. The victim’s screams attracted the attention of a passerby who stopped at the dumpster to see what was happening, which caused the suspect to get up and run into the woods. The victim was able to provide law enforcement with a description of the suspect, who was later identified as Lidawo, and subsequently arrested.
Lidawo pleaded no contest to one count of attempted rape and one count of abduction with force on December 4, 2014.
Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gigi B. Lawless urged the Court to deviate from the Virginia Sentencing Guidelines in this case because they did not reflect the egregious nature of the offenses. Lawless directed the Court’s attention to the fact that Lidawo had only been in the United States for nine days at the time incident. Further, he didn’t show any hesitation at committing an offense where the risk to human life was high, and that his only intent was to gratify himself for his own sexual pleasure.
Judge Irby agreed with the Commonwealth and imposed nearly double the high end of the recommended Virginia Sentencing Guidelines. “You engaged in violent, unacceptable, completely inappropriate behavior,” Irby told Lidawo. “When you commit a violent offense, you should be punished commensurate with the offense,” continued Irby.
Lidawo received an additional five years of suspended time. Upon his release, he will be placed on three years of supervised probation, and he must successfully complete a sex offender treatment program.
Pursuant to Virginia’s Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry Act, Lidawo will also be required to register as a sex offender. Information about the Virginia’s Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry and those on it can be found on the Virginia State Police website: http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov,
Lidawo, a native of Togo, may be subject to a Federal Immigration Detainer, which would direct his removal from the United States upon his release.
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