Teen Sentenced For Rape In Cleveland Parking Garage

CLEVELAND — Michael Hutchins was sentenced to 33 years in prison for raping a woman in downtown Cleveland. He was also sentenced for charges of robbery, burglary and more.

Hutchins, 18, pleaded guilty to a string of offenses which happened between October 2018 and February 2019. He was sentenced on Monday.

“This individual repeatedly ignored every single rehabilitation opportunity afforded to him as a juvenile,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “No form of punishment or amount of time behind bars will ever repair the damage that he has caused.”

According to prosecutors, on October 9, 2018, Hutchins ran away from staff at the Cleveland Christian Home. Less than a month later, court documents said, Hutchins stole a laptop from a Cleveland State University student.

Then, on Feb. 14, 2019, at the 5th Street Arcade, Hutchins snatched a woman's cell phone from her purse and took off running. The woman chased after him and Hutchins threw her cell phone on the ground and escaped, prosecutors said.

Two hours after the incident at the 5th Street Arcade, prosecutors said, Hutchins walked into a gym on Prospect Avenue and stole a man's car keys.

After stealing the car keys, Hutchins walked into a nearby parking garage on Prospect. A woman walking to her car after work got into the same elevator as Hutchins. As she walked off the elevator, Hutchins attacked her, threatened to shoot her and then raped her, prosecutors said.

The woman tried to escape but Hutchins dragged her into a car, prosecutors said. Hutchins attempted to drive away but crashed the car into a wall of the parking garage. He then stole the woman's cellphone, credit card and cash. He said he would return and kill the woman if she called the police, prosecutors said.

Cleveland police took Hutchins into custody five days later. He was bound over from Juvenile Court on May 3.