CHESAPEAKE, Va. – A man in Virginia has been sentenced to over 34 years in prison for a brutal assault on a woman at a hookah lounge where she was working alone. Romon Millner, 32, of Chesapeake, was convicted of 17 felonies in connection to the attack that took place in May of 2021. The sentencing occurred three years after the assault on July 23.
Authorities stated that Millner was found guilty of various offenses, including abduction with the intent to defile, strangulation, robbery, forcible sodomy, rape, and object sexual penetration. The incident took place in the early morning hours of May 25, 2021, when Millner entered a hookah lounge on Eden Way and encountered a woman who was working solo. He proceeded to hold her against her will and repeatedly assaulted her physically, even driving her to a second location where the attack continued.
Despite the severity of the assault, Millner tried to claim to detectives that the sexual acts were consensual. The victim sustained serious injuries as a result of the attack. A judge ultimately sentenced Millner to 34 years and 10 months in prison, with a protective order issued to prevent him from contacting the victim or her family. Additionally, Millner will be obligated to register as a sex offender.
Chesapeake Police Department Special Victims Unit conducted the investigation, with Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Kerry McArdle handling the prosecution. In light of this distressing case, the National Sexual Assault Hotline stands ready to provide confidential support to those impacted by sexual violence, offering assistance 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673.