WESTMINSTER, Colo. — A man who was convicted of burglary and stalking a 20-year-old woman from Westminster was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Friday.
The 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office (DA) said 30-year-old Jason Stiles entered the woman's home and attacked her in her bedroom on Nov. 12, 2018. After the woman struggled to fight him off, he eventually fled.
The DA's office said police arrested Stiles near the home where the attack took place and found he had a knife and latex gloves inside his pocket. Authorities also found his eyeglasses and a Beretta handgun that he purchased in 2016 outside of the home.
Police also discovered he had broken into the residence at least twice in October prior to the attack. He had also taken photos of the woman's belongings that included pages of her journal, according to the DA.
During the sentencing hearing, a detective shared with the court that Stiles had continued to stalk the woman after posting bond.
Westminster Police Detective Mathew Morgado said Stiles hid inside the woman's closet several times and would watch her.
“He would hide in her closet and watch her in her most intimate moments,” Deputy District Attorney Natalie Scarpella said. “The one question that remains is, 'Why?' What was he planning to do had she not successfully fought him off? That is a question that has haunted everyone who has worked on this case.”
The district attorney's office said Stiles did not know the woman prior to the attack.
An investigation revealed they attended a class together at Front Range Community College during the fall of 2017. The victim was unaware of this connection until the police figured this out, the DA said.
Stiles pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary, stalking and crime of violence using a weapon, a sentence enhancer.
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