Chemical castration possible for repeat sex offender
By John Coté Staff Writer Posted
May 20 2005
A Boynton Beach man was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in prison and possible chemical castration for molesting a woman as he gave her a massage at a West Palm Beach salon.
It was the second sexual battery conviction for Phu Tran, who was accused of fondling two women at the Nail Boutique on North Military Trail during separate 2003 incidents.
Tran was sentenced to eight years in prison in the first case and Thursday had an additional 12 years tacked on. Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Jack Cook denied a defense request to allow the sentences to run concurrently, saying "it would be an insult, frankly, to the victims in the case" because the second offense happened while Tran was free on bond for the first incident.
"I'm still suffering every single day from what he did to me," the victim in the second case said.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel does not identify victims of sex crimes.
Tran did not appear in court for sentencing after he refused to be transported from the county jail, Cook said. Defense attorney Nellie King appeared surprised at that development but said Tran had become "very detached from the process" and was now "very religious" after converting from Buddhism to Christianity in jail.
Prosecutor Marci Rex dismissed that as a valid reason to miss sentencing, saying: "He knew what was happening today. He chose not to come." Rex had sought the 15-year maximum sentence.
Cook also ordered Tran to undergo a chemical treatment to depress his sex drive, contingent on a court-appointed medical expert determining whether he was an appropriate candidate for the procedure. After that examination, the judge said he would rule on how long Tran will undergo the treatment.
John Coté can be reached at jwcote@sun-sentinel.com or 561-832-6550.
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