St. Louis man sentenced to 175 years in prison for Perryville rape

EDITOR'S NOTE: The article originally stated the sentences were to run concurrently, but they will actually run consecutively.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A Perryville sexual assault case came to a close Monday when Circuit Court Judge William L. Syler sentenced a St. Louis man charged in the crime to 175 years in prison.

James E. Mueller was charged in August 2008 with two counts of forcible rape, two counts of forcible sodomy, one attempted forcible sodomy charge and five counts of armed criminal action.

At a Perryville apartment complex, Mueller repeatedly attacked a female victim, who said Mueller entered her bathroom, where she was showering and showed her a box cutter. He held the blade to her throat and raped her and also abused the victim numerous times in the bathroom.

A jury found Mueller guilty of all charges in March. Syler's ruling included five 25 year sentences and five 10-year sentences, all to run consecutively.