MESA – A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to a combined 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman, then threatening to harm her and her family unless she continued to have sex with him.
Raymond Rukonwitz was convicted in August 2026 following an investigation by the Mesa Police Department and Maricopa Community Colleges Police Department.
The case came to light during the summer of 2024, when Maricopa Community Colleges police were investigating a separate threats complaint. During that investigation, the victim disclosed that Rukonwitz had sexually assaulted her several months earlier. College police notified Mesa Police, who launched a sexual assault investigation.
According to investigators, the victim met Rukonwitz at a college earlier in 2024. One evening in April, as she was leaving work near Dobson Road and Rio Salado Parkway, she discovered Rukonwitz had parked his vehicle next to hers.
Rukonwitz demanded that she get into his car. When she refused, he took her glasses and cellphone, threatened her and forced her into his vehicle. He then removed her clothing and sexually assaulted her before eventually allowing her to leave.
But the abuse did not end there.
Following the assault, Rukonwitz began sending threatening text messages demanding that the victim have sex with him. He threatened to physically harm her, burn down her home, destroy her vehicle and hurt members of her family. He also threatened to publicly release a partially nude photograph of her if she refused his demands.
In August 2026, a jury found Rukonwitz guilty of seven felony offenses and one misdemeanor:
- One count of sexual assault, a Class 2 domestic violence felony.
- One count of attempted sexual assault, a Class 3 felony.
- Four counts of sexual extortion, Class 3 felonies.
- One count of harassment, a Class 1 domestic violence misdemeanor.
A judge sentenced Rukonwitz to 25 years in prison and lifetime probation in connection with the case.
The judge also revoked Rukonwitz’s probation in a previous criminal case and imposed an additional five-year prison sentence. The sentences will run consecutively, bringing his total prison term to 30 years.
“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,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Thank you to Mesa Police and Maricopa Community Colleges Police for their collaboration in building a strong case, and to the prosecutors for ensuring this victim’s voice was heard and justice was served.”
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