Two sentenced for kidnapping, raping in metro Detroit

(WJBK) - Two men were sentenced over two decades behind bars Tuesday for abducting and raping several women in Metro Detroit.

Aaron Steward, 22, was sentenced to 27-50 and Quentin Flemons, 19, was sentenced to 25-50 years, originally charged in three separate incidents in Highland Park, Detroit and Hamtramck, but charges in the Highland Park case were dropped this past November.

The first alleged incident took place at 3 a.m. July 18, 2017 in the area of Second Avenue and West McNichols. Stewart is accused of pulling a 31-year-old woman off her bicycle, forcing her into an alley, sexually assaulting and robbing her.

Steward was charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, unarmed robbery and stealing/retaining a financial transaction device. Flemons was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, third-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, unarmed robbery and stealing/retaining a financial transaction device.
This case was dismissed but a reason wasn't given in court.

The second incident happened at 6:21 p.m. Sept. 30, 2017 on East Milwaukee near Orleans in Detroit. Police say a 24-year-old woman was attacked while riding her bike, forced into a vehicle, robbed and sexually assaulted by Steward and Flemons. She was released and called 911.

Both men were charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, unarmed robbery and stealing/retaining a financial transaction device without consent. Steward was also charged with receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle.

The third incident took place at 6:03 a.m. Oct. 8, 2017 in Hamtramck in the area of Denton and St. Aubin streets. Police say Steward and Flemons kidnapped a 27-year-old Hamtramck woman riding her bike and forced her into a vehicle. Then she was taken to an abandoned property the 1600 block of Leslie, then assaulted and robbed before she got away.

Steward was charged with kidnapping, assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct, receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, receiving and concealing a stolen firearm, felony firearm, unarmed robbery, and stealing/retaining a financial transaction device. Flemons was charged with kidnapping, assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct, receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, unarmed robbery, and stealing/retaining a financial transaction device.

On Tuesday during the sentencing, victims were able to speak before defendants learned their fate.

"The vicious acts implemented on both the victims and myself is a testimony to the lack of empathy in these men," one female victim said.

She said it left her fantasizing around revenge; the trauma made her into a violent force of nature.

"If you feel hopeless with no where to turn, may you be dragged down deeper."

A second victim called them weak, calling it pathetic they had to steal hard earned money the women had worked for.

"There is nothing behind either of your eyes, just hatred and contempt."

As Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway handed down her sentence, she could only sum it up to one thing: "it's just evil."

"Most of the time we can't explain evil. We can't get to an understanding of ... where evil comes from and why does it cause someone to hurt others as much as these victims have been hurt," she said.

She added she was impressed with both victim impact statements.

"Both showed strength that probably 10 years ago we didn't hear from victims of criminal sexual conduct," she said.

Before his sentencing, Flemons made a quick statement: "I would just like to tell the victims that I'm sorry."