Former Handyman Guilty in Sex Slave Case

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (June 10) -A retired handyman pleaded guilty Tuesday to holding five women captive as sex slaves in an underground bunker over a 15-year period.

John Jamelske, 68, pleaded guilty before Onondaga County Judge Anthony Aloi to five counts of first-degree kidnapping for each of the victims.

Under a plea deal, Jamelske could serve 18 years to life. Sentencing is scheduled July 15.

Jamelske stared straight ahead and answered the judges questions in one word answers

Each count carried a maximum penalty of 25 years to life in prison, which meant Jamelske could have served up to 125 years behind bars if the sentences were combined.

Jamelske was indicted on the five kidnapping charges two weeks ago.

He has been held without bail since he was arrested April 7 on charges of holding a 16-year-old girl hostage for nearly seven months in a two-room concrete dungeon he built under the back yard of his suburban Syracuse home. The two small rooms contained a small tub, a bucket for a toilet, a microwave oven and a mattress.

Following Jamelske's arrest, police identified four other women who said they were abducted and raped by him dating back to 1988.

Authorities say the victims included a 14-year-old girl taken in 1988, a 13-year-old girl in 1995, a 53-year-old woman in 1997, a 26-year-old in 2001 and the 16-year-old freed in April.

According to investigators, some of the victims said they went willingly with Jamelske after being offered a ride or coaxed into his car. Both teenagers had histories of running away from home. The 26-year-old woman told police she was high on drugs when she accepted a ride from Jamelske in 2001.

She went to police after she was released following two months of captivity, but was unable to lead investigators to the house. The older woman, who was held nine months, also was unable to tell police where she was held.

One of the teens was held for nearly two years, the other for 13 months, police said.

AP-NY-06-10-03 1037EDT