Kent teen pleads guilty to two rapes; sentenced to minimum of 20 years in prison

A 16-year-old Kent boy pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree rape for attacks in 2011 near Kent-Kangley Road and was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison with a possibility of life in prison.

Chrisean Cressel entered his plea Jan. 17 in King County Superior Court, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

“It is extremely rare to see an offender this young become a predatory serial rapist,” said King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg in a prepared statement. “The victims of his crimes were courageous throughout the process and their strength and cooperation ensured that this young man will be incarcerated for at least 20 years, up to life.”

Because Cressel committed a Class A felony, the Washington Indeterminate Sentence Review Board will determine whether he gets released after serving his sentence. The board evaluates the offender's risk of reoffending and compliance with treatment programs in prison to determine whether to allow the release of the inmate.

Cressel pleaded not guilty in August to the rapes. He attacked a 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman on separate nights in October 2011 on the East Hill along Kent-Kangley Road.

A judge ruled ruled in August that Cressel should be tried as an adult. Because Cressel was 15 when the rapes occurred, the Juvenile Court first handled the charges. Judge Barbara Mack ordered adult prosecution for the boy and declined the case, sending it to King County Superior Court.

Under state law, an offender who commits a serious violent offense is automatically charged in adult court if they are 16 or 17 years old when the alleged crime occurred. If convicted in Juvenile Court, the teen would have been incarcerated up to his 21st birthday,

Cressel attended Kentwood High School in Covington, where Kent Police arrested him in November 2011.

In each incident, Cressel approached the woman and the girl after they had exited a bus, according to charging papers. The boy told the woman and the girl he had a gun and threatened to shoot them if they did not cooperate and go with him to a secluded spot. He raped both women while continuing to threaten them with what he said was a gun.

The girl and woman provided similar descriptions of the teen. Kent Police released sketches of the suspect. The drawings generated a number of tips that helped detectives track down Cressel.

Detectives said state crime lab investigators matched DNA from Cressel with evidence collected from each rape victim.

Contact Kent Reporter Courts, government reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@kentreporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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