A young man accused of stalking a teen and taking her against her will last November was sentenced Wednesday in Outagamie County.
A judge sentenced 19 year old Toua Chang to five years probation for intimidation of a victim, with a condition of serving 10 months jail through "Huber" work release. He was also sentenced to 3 years probation for stalking, which can be served concurrently.
Court documents show the victim told officers she considered Chang as a friend, but had declined his interest to date.
Chang is accused of forcibly taking her as she left work on November 20. Records indicate he drove her to his home and closed the garage, when family heard arguments. They intervened and took her back to her car at work.
Toua apologized to the court.
"I know what I did was wrong and I regret my behavior,” said Chang. “I promise everyone and especially you judge Metropulos that this mistake will be my first one and will be the last."
Several community members spoke on Chang’s behalf.
"To hear him say that this something like a lesson learned… for him this will be the first and the last time he's going to be here, it’s pleasuring to hear,” said his friend Sheng Xiong.
The judge said the community response for Toua was remarkable, but his actions made the victim fearful.
"Your motivation very well may have been that you simply wanted to marry her and in your culture, in your native country that may have been a norm, but it's not the norm here and its unacceptable and I just want to be clear to you Mr. Chang that women are not property in this country," the judge said.
Chang's attorney said he felt it’s a fair sentence.
"I think he took into account all the factors that he needs to in making a decision,” said Attorney Jeffrey Oswald. “I wish there was a little less jail involved, but I think probation supervision makes sense and is a good idea in this case."
In the victim impact statement the victim said she believes it was a mistake and wrong. She feels community service is an appropriate sentence.
"He needs to understand things are changing and that we live by equality," she said in her statement.
Initials charges were amended in the plea deal. Chang plead "no contest" in March.
