A man convicted of sexually assaulting a woman, threatening her with violence, and distributing an intimate image has been sentenced to 25 years in prison with lifetime probation, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office stated on Thursday.
Raymond Rukonwitz, 35, was also sentenced to an additional five years after a judge revoked his probation in a previous case for which he had already served time. The sentences will run consecutively, for a total of 30 years in prison.
The case began in April 2024, when Rukonwitz allegedly approached the woman as she left work at Dobson Road and Rio Salado Parkway in Mesa.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the victim informed officers that she had met Rukonwitz earlier that year at a college. On the night of the assault, his car was parked next to hers. When she refused to get into his car, he grabbed her glasses and cellphone before threatening her and pushing her inside.
Rukonwitz then allegedly removed the victim’s clothes and sexually assaulted her before letting her go. After that, he texted the victim, threatening to physically harm her, harm her family, and burn down her house and car. He also threatened to reveal a half-naked image of her if she did not have sex with him.
The victim reported the assault in summer 2024, when the Maricopa Community Colleges Police Department was investigating a different threat case against Rukonwitz. The department alerted Mesa police, who then initiated an investigation into the sexual assault.
In August 2026, a jury convicted Rukonwitz of one crime of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, four counts of sexual extortion, and one count of harassment.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell praised the victim for coming forward despite threats.
“It took tremendous courage for the woman to come forward in the face of threats so that this defendant could be held accountable and not harm anyone else,” Mitchell stated.
Leave a Reply