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Rapist gets eight-year sentence
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| Oddo |
Guy Mario Oddo hid his disabled girlfriend and infant in a camper-trailer
published Oct. 30, 2003
Combined local, wire reports
A man convicted of holding his developmentally disabled girlfriend and an infant child captive in a trailer near Sprague River has been sentenced to eight years and four months in prison.
The sentence imposed by Klamath County Circuit Judge Cameron Wogan on Guy Mario Oddo, 47, was the bare minimum required under mandatory sentencing rules, said District Attorney Ed Caleb, who said he was disappointed with sentence.
Prosecutors recommended a 33-year prison sentence, but Wogan said a longer prison term would likely be overturned by a higher court.
Wogan said Oddo's crimes were "reprehensible to our society and a shock to the conscience."
Oddo was convicted by a jury in July of rape, criminal mistreatment, custodial interference and perjury.
The prison sentence was imposed for first-degree rape. Oddo was placed on probation for the length of the prison sentence on five other counts, two each of first-degree criminal mistreatment and perjury and one of custodial interference.
Oddo met his girlfriend about seven years ago when he was a taxi driver in California. He often drove her parents, who were also developmentally disabled. The woman's father eventually signed responsibility for his daughter's care over to Oddo, who then received her disability checks. She was 16 at the time.
Prosecutors said Oddo brainwashed the woman, telling her the world outside was a scary place which, for a woman with an IQ of 51, it was.
The woman's name was not released because of her disabilities.
The woman and child were kept hidden for three months in a small camper-trailer in the woods outside of Klamath Falls, while Oddo lived in a separate trailer nearby. Neither trailer had electricity, a refrigerator or phone service. The windows were kept covered, Deputy District Attorney Sharon Forster said.
Authorities became concerned when the woman stopped attending juvenile dependency hearings for a previous child and they suspected the couple had another baby, Forster said.
When asked where his girlfriend was, Oddo told authorities he didn't know, Forster said.
An anonymous tip alerted authorities to the woman's whereabouts. Forster said authorities had to obtain a search warrant since the woman would not answer the door.
''When the baby was brought outside, it began to yell and cry as it had never seen sunlight in its life,'' she said.
Forster said Oddo and the woman had a first child together in California. She gave birth to the baby on a toilet, and authorities immediately took the child from their care.
They moved to Sprague River in May 2001. The couple had a second child, born in a neighbor's living room and quickly taken into state care.
Oddo's girlfriend gave birth to their third child on Feb. 19, 2002. The woman then attempted to cut the umbilical cord by herself, a feat for somebody who had trouble brushing her own teeth, Forster said.
The woman was a few weeks pregnant at the time of Oddo's arrest and has since had a fourth child.
Oddo claimed they were married in a tribal ceremony without having obtained a legal marriage license.
The woman and her children, who range in age from 6 months to 5 years, are all in the custody of state agencies, three in Oregon and one in California, Forster said.
It's expected all of the children will be adopted, Forster added.
Oddo had previously been married to another developmentally disabled woman.
The perjury counts against Oddo accused him of lying under oath to Judge Rodger Isaacson, who heard a child safety case brought against Oddo by the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Caleb said he was frustrated by the sentence imposed by Wogan.
"The integrity of our justice system was victimized in this case," Caleb said. "I'm disappointed that Oddo's sentence doesn't reflect some additional punishment for lying to Judge Isaacson.
"The good news is Oddo won't be able to hurt anyone for next eight plus years. The bad news is he'll be out after eight plus years and he could have been kept in longer," Caleb said.
Oddo's defense attorney, Peter Richard, said his client's biggest offense was attempting to keep his family out of sight from Child Protective Services. ''They had already taken one child,'' he said.
published Oct. 30, 2003
Combined local, wire reports
A man convicted of holding his developmentally disabled girlfriend and an infant child captive in a trailer near Sprague River has been sentenced to eight years and four months in prison.
The sentence imposed by Klamath County Circuit Judge Cameron Wogan on Guy Mario Oddo, 47, was the bare minimum required under mandatory sentencing rules, said District Attorney Ed Caleb, who said he was disappointed with sentence.
Prosecutors recommended a 33-year prison sentence, but Wogan said a longer prison term would likely be overturned by a higher court.
Wogan said Oddo's crimes were "reprehensible to our society and a shock to the conscience."
Oddo was convicted by a jury in July of rape, criminal mistreatment, custodial interference and perjury.
The prison sentence was imposed for first-degree rape. Oddo was placed on probation for the length of the prison sentence on five other counts, two each of first-degree criminal mistreatment and perjury and one of custodial interference.
Oddo met his girlfriend about seven years ago when he was a taxi driver in California. He often drove her parents, who were also developmentally disabled. The woman's father eventually signed responsibility for his daughter's care over to Oddo, who then received her disability checks. She was 16 at the time.
Prosecutors said Oddo brainwashed the woman, telling her the world outside was a scary place which, for a woman with an IQ of 51, it was.
The woman's name was not released because of her disabilities.
The woman and child were kept hidden for three months in a small camper-trailer in the woods outside of Klamath Falls, while Oddo lived in a separate trailer nearby. Neither trailer had electricity, a refrigerator or phone service. The windows were kept covered, Deputy District Attorney Sharon Forster said.
Authorities became concerned when the woman stopped attending juvenile dependency hearings for a previous child and they suspected the couple had another baby, Forster said.
When asked where his girlfriend was, Oddo told authorities he didn't know, Forster said.
An anonymous tip alerted authorities to the woman's whereabouts. Forster said authorities had to obtain a search warrant since the woman would not answer the door.
''When the baby was brought outside, it began to yell and cry as it had never seen sunlight in its life,'' she said.
Forster said Oddo and the woman had a first child together in California. She gave birth to the baby on a toilet, and authorities immediately took the child from their care.
They moved to Sprague River in May 2001. The couple had a second child, born in a neighbor's living room and quickly taken into state care.
Oddo's girlfriend gave birth to their third child on Feb. 19, 2002. The woman then attempted to cut the umbilical cord by herself, a feat for somebody who had trouble brushing her own teeth, Forster said.
The woman was a few weeks pregnant at the time of Oddo's arrest and has since had a fourth child.
Oddo claimed they were married in a tribal ceremony without having obtained a legal marriage license.
The woman and her children, who range in age from 6 months to 5 years, are all in the custody of state agencies, three in Oregon and one in California, Forster said.
It's expected all of the children will be adopted, Forster added.
Oddo had previously been married to another developmentally disabled woman.
The perjury counts against Oddo accused him of lying under oath to Judge Rodger Isaacson, who heard a child safety case brought against Oddo by the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Caleb said he was frustrated by the sentence imposed by Wogan.
"The integrity of our justice system was victimized in this case," Caleb said. "I'm disappointed that Oddo's sentence doesn't reflect some additional punishment for lying to Judge Isaacson.
"The good news is Oddo won't be able to hurt anyone for next eight plus years. The bad news is he'll be out after eight plus years and he could have been kept in longer," Caleb said.
Oddo's defense attorney, Peter Richard, said his client's biggest offense was attempting to keep his family out of sight from Child Protective Services. ''They had already taken one child,'' he said.
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| Judge weighs murderer's fate |
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