Five years after a series of kidnappings, robberies and sexual assaults that shook New Castle County, a Wilmington man was sentenced to over 75 years in prison. Two of the women he terrorized shared their stories before the courtroom, asking that Kwesi Hudson be held accountable for his crimes — ones that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
Deputy Attorney General Jenna Milecki described Hudson as “calculated.” She said he searched for women who appeared to live alone, and then kidnapped them where they felt they could let their guard down. Court records show Hudson forced his victims into their cars at gunpoint, made them withdraw cash from ATMs and sexually assaulted them.
Hudson was eventually caught in Pennsylvania, a state where he was previously imprisoned for convenience store robberies. He was indicted in Delaware in 2018.
BACKGROUND:Wilmington man convicted in 2017 series of kidnappings and rape at 3 apartment complexes
“He stole a sense of safety from the entire community,” Milecki said.
One of the women Hudson kidnapped said she “came to terms with (her) own death” while she was trapped in her car with him. At the same time, she wasn’t unprepared.
“As a woman, you spend your life considering these things,” she said.
And while she was eventually able to escape Hudson, she said she “would never be the same.”
“I will always be hurting, and I will always be healing.”
She said she hopes that Hudson has the chance to heal, too, and that she forgives him. Her statements before the court left some of the officers standing by wiping away tears.
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Defense attorney Raymond Armstrong said Hudson “understands (the victims’) pain.” However, he said his client maintains his innocence. Hudson plans to appeal.
Hudson was convicted of 15 charges related to the kidnapping, robbery and sexual assaults of three women.
“I do what I can to help women, not hurt women,” Hudson said.
Superior Court Judge Calvin Scott Jr. cited Hudson’s “lack of remorse” as a factor in his sentencing. In addition to Hudson’s prison sentence, he will have to pay restitution and have no contact with the victim’s, their families or their residences.
While the judge did not say whether all of the sentences would run consecutively, some of the charges — including kidnapping and rape — cannot be counted at the same time. Hudson will spend at least 75 years behind bars.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.
