CENTERVILLE — The 34-year-old man who attacked and seriously hurt a teen on the bike path at Iron Horse Park in September 2020 was sentenced to 15 years in prison today, which was the maximum penalty under a plea agreement.
Johnny Hansen, pleaded guilty April 8 to two counts each of felonious assault, tampering with evidence, and kidnapping, according to Montgomery County court records.
During today’s sentencing, the victim’s mother spoke to the court.
She read a letter written by her 17-year-old daughter, where she described almost passing out, bleeding and finally hearing a neighbor come to help. The teen believes that neighbor saved her life.
Sobbing could be heard from those in the audience as the victim’s mother continued to read the letter, where the victim wrote it’s Hansen’s turn to have everything taken away from him, like the attack took everything from her.
Hansen apologized for his actions and said he’s willing to accept the punishment handed down to him.
Hansen’s attorney said the attack was Hansen’s first criminal record and told the judge his client had undiagnosed mental health issues that don’t excuse the act, but might explain it to some degree.
Prior to changing his plea earlier this month, in October he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and the judge ordered a sanity and mental evaluation for Hansen.
According to court records, “the victim reported that she was attacked from behind by a male she had passed on the bike path and she was hit multiple times in the head.” She had “numerous large open gashes on her head and was covered in blood,” when police found her.
“He was hitting her on the head with a mallet,” a 911 caller said after that 17-year-old girl was able to escape from Hansen, but not before she was severely hurt.
The crime led to a long list of charges, which he recently pleaded guilty to, including felonious assault with a sexual motivation specification and kidnapping.
Ahead of today’s sentencing, prosecutors wrote the judge saying the 34-year-old revealed he attacked the teen because he “gets off on pain” and “wanted the victim to feel pain” then “back up to get a picture” of it, which he would use for sexual purposes, court records read.
Hansen is “nothing short of a monster” and “no one is safe from his actions” unless he gets the maximum sentence for the attack, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
Hansen’s attorneys argue in their own sentencing memorandum that he is “very remorseful and “knows that he committed a terrible crime.”
Hansen’s attorney said the crimes came after a childhood with physically abusive relatives and adult years with a “mood disorder that becomes severe at times,” a sentencing memorandum read.