Kenyan man jailed for 20 years for sexually assaulting elderly woman in US

A Kenyan national will spend the next two(2) decades behind bars in a US prison for sexually assaulting a 70-year-old woman who was working as a receptionist in an apartment building in 2023.

In a statement, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced on Friday that Brian Kibiwot Chuchuney was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the assault.

The incident occurred on December 17, 2023, when the victim worked a night shift.

According to official documents, Chuchuney knocked on the complex's window at around 4:30am on Sunday.

The victim, mistakenly believing Chuchuney lived in the building, let him in.

Once inside, Chuchuney asked a few seemingly innocent questions, and if he could use the toilet, before asking for water.

When she went to get him water, Chuchuney followed the unsuspecting victim and attempted to sexually assault her before sexually assaulting her.

In a further act of humiliation, he stole the victim's clothes before fleeing the scene.

Police tracked down Chuchuney while searching the area and arrested him a few hours after the brutal attack.

Authorities say Chuchuney poses a significant threat to public safety. 

District Attorney Mitchell says his actions and lack of remorse clearly demonstrate his danger to the community.

“This defendant’s heinous actions and lack of remorse make it clear that he poses a significant danger to the community,” said Mitchell.

“Thanks to the work of Deputy County Attorney Maren Soreson, he will now spend decades in prison, facing the consequence of his actions.”

Chuchuney pleaded guilty in July 2024 to one(1) count of kidnapping and two(2) counts of attempted sexual assault.

His sentence includes 20 years in prison for kidnapping and lifetime supervised probation for the attempted sexual assault charges.

According to the District Attorney, the victim's impact statement conveys the profound suffering caused by Chuchuney's actions.

She describes the physical, financial, and emotional toll of the assault, emphasizing how it has devastated her life, and her ability to work, and deeply affected her family.

Following the incident, community advocacy groups called for stricter security protocols, including improved screening practices for building access and increased education on sexual violence prevention.

“Your cruelty has hurt me physically, and financially, but above all, the emotional blow you inflicted has shattered my life, and capacity to work and severely wounded my family,” reads the impact statement.