Man gets 15 years for 1999 attack on Eugene couple.

Byline: Bill Bishop The Register-Guard

A South Korean man who skipped bail and left the country after his arrest five years ago for breaking into a couple's apartment, raping the woman, beating the man and stealing property, was sentenced Wednesday in a plea deal to 15 years in prison.

Dogged police work by Eugene Detective Tony Veach and the FBI found Jong Won Lim serving in the South Korean Marines in 2001, almost two years after the Sept. 12, 1999 break-in and attack, according to court records.

Diplomatic efforts to arrange Lim's extradition under a little-used international treaty went on without Lim's knowledge, resulting in his arrest and return to Oregon in July. Veach credited the FBI and federal officials for bringing Lim to justice.

"They kept the case alive," Veach said.

He said the victims, both foreign students at the time, are now out of the country. The woman has indicated that she supports the sentence arranged for Lim, he said.

Wearing green jail clothes, handcuffs and a chain locked to his ankles, Lim, 25, entered Alford pleas to one count each of first-degree rape, unlawful sexual penetration, burglary, robbery and second-degree assault. Lim said nothing when Lane County Circuit Judge Gregory Foote asked whether he wished to comment.

Under the Alford plea, Lim does not admit guilt, but agrees to be convicted of certain charges to avoid possibly harsher punishment if he were to be tried and found guilty. Six charges, all Measure 11 crimes with mandatory sentences, were dropped in the plea deal.

On the night of the crimes, Lim returned to the couple's Eugene apartment about 1:15 a.m. after having stopped there earlier in the evening under the guise of asking directions to another residence. He found the door ajar and attacked the couple in an hourlong assault during which he pulled a butcher knife.

After binding and gagging the man, Kim assaulted the woman and ransacked the apartment, according to police and court records.

The victims did not know Lim, but the woman had seen him with acquaintances. Her knowledge helped Veach and Detective Jeff Donaca quickly identify and arrest Lim, who confessed to the crimes, according to court records. The detectives learned that Lim had lived in Oregon since his early teen years, when his parents moved here under a missionary visa. They have since left.

Lim's family posted $100,000 in cash to secure his release from jail before trial. The money was forfeited to the county general fund when Lim failed to appear for court. About $25,000 was allocated to help track down Lim, Donaca said.

Under terms of the plea deal, Lim was sentenced to 200 months in prison - half of it mandatory under Measure 11, the other half subject to reduction for good behavior. The sentence will be 15 years if Lim earns the maximum time off the sentence.