Jesse Akins pleaded guilty to rape, attempted rape and several counts kidnapping and assault charges related to an attempted rape rape in December 2013 and a rape in July 2014.
During sentencing on Thursday in a Johnson County courtroom, the two victims faced their attacker.
One woman was raped in her third story apartment. Akins admitted to climbing the side of the building and getting into her apartment through an unlocked sliding glass door
She told the judge, "That night I felt myself fading. Every cell in my body fought to live, that fight was bigger than the pain, bigger than the fear, just up your will to survive."
She looked at Akins sitting at the defense table in the courtroom and said, "I told everyone and look how many people know and hate you. Thanks to those cameras, thousands more people will know and they will hate you."
Another victim told told the judge that Akins threatened her and told her not to tell. She continued, "To remember those words of you threatening to come back and finish what you started if we were ever to turn you in, and for us to be here, for you to be there, is one of the greatest feelings I will ever know."
The judge praised the women for their courage to survive and testify against Akins. The judge then ordered Akins to spend the next 27 1/2 years in prison.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at cynthia.newsome@kshb.com.
