On Friday (Mar 17), Circuit Judge Donna McIntosh sentenced Ngan Hyunh PHAM (37), to thirty (30) years in state prison after a Seminole County Jury convicted him on February 22, 2023, for Sexual Battery of a Physically Helpless Person (F1), and False Imprisonment (F3), stemming from a violent attack in 2021.

In a one-day trial with evidence presented by Assistant State Attorneys Matthew Futch and Elena Vazquez, the jury deliberated just 90 minutes before returning with the guilty verdicts.

On March 28, 2022, the victim who is disabled and wheelchair dependent, was living homeless and responded to an ad on social media of an RV for sale. The seller was PHAM, who stated that RV was sold, but then offered to find her another RV or a place to stay. PHAM then met with the victim and drove her to a motel in Altamonte Springs on the pretense she would be staying there. After initially being friendly, PHAM attacked the victim and repeatedly sexually battered her.

Having been denied access to her wheelchair, the victim still broke free and fled the room. However, she fell and was caught by PHAM who forced her back inside. After the attack was over, PHAM released the victim who went to a local hospital for treatment and to report the incident to law enforcement.

PHAM was later found in the same motel room and told investigators that the sexual activity had been consensual. Security video however confirmed the victim’s escape attempt and PHAM forcing her back into the room.

In a statement after the sentencing ASA Futch thanked the jury for believing the victim and holding PHAM responsible for his horrific crimes. “Mr. PHAM is the worst kind of predator. He used a false offer of help to brutally victimize someone struggling with very real-life challenges.  Protecting our community from violent predators like PHAM is of the utmost importance; the safety and well-being of our citizens must always come first.  I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the jury for their diligent service and their commitment to upholding justice.  Their verdict has undoubtedly made our community a safer place. The jury’s decision and the Court’s sentence sends a clear message to PHAM and others like him, that such heinous acts of violence will not be tolerated, and that justice will be served.”

Judge McIntosh also ordered that PHAM be classified as a Sexual Predator and sentenced him to five (5) years of supervised sex offender probation to be served upon his release from prison. PHAM was also ordered to pay court costs totaling $2622 and credited with 719 days of time served. PHAM was remanded to custody and will be transferred to the Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.