UVSA former president, Bolsavik’s friend, sentenced to 30 years for rape of child

A former president of the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California (in Vietnamese: Tong Hoi Sinh Vien) was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for acts of rape and child molestation that took place when he was a student activist. Huy Ngoc Nguyen‘s victims were 17 and 13 years old. A third victim also testified but he was not prosecuted for that crime because the statute of limitations had run.

In his UVSA days Huy was a friend of the Bolsavik’s. Those were the days when the community was solidly unified. There were no factions, Van Tran was just starting his political career and nobody had any reason to oppose him. Janet Nguyen was nowhere. Trung Nguyen was still controversy-free as an engineer with interests in Vietnamese culture. The UVSA was a well-regarded community group and was not yet the super powerful entity that it is now thanks to the hugely successful Tet Festival.

After graduation, Huy opened a printing plant in Little Saigon. He continued to support community causes. A student literary group, being short of a place to meet, was given the use of the back of his office. Huy even set up living quarters for a 60-year-old homeless artist. After Huy’s arrest, his wife – also a former student activist - continued operating the printing plant and loyal friends continued to bring their businesses there.

Huy was arrested the day after his wedding. Everybody was shocked. Nobody had any idea of Huy’s dark side. According to evidence at trial, Huy had raped a 17-year-old girl in his office and a 13-year-old girl at a youth camp. The press release from the DA’s office relates:

On February 28, 2004, Nguyen asked 17-year-old Jane Doe #1 on a date after meeting her through a mutual friend.  During the date, Nguyen told the victim he wanted to stop by his office and took her inside. He took Jane Doe #1 into a locked room and forcibly raped her as she cried and told him “no.” Jane Doe #1 later told her friend about the assault. Her friend told the victim that Nguyen had sexually assaulted her sister and encouraged Jane Doe #1 to go to the police.

On or about January 1, 1997, Jane Doe #2, 13, was at a New Year’s Eve celebration with a youth organization in Big Bear. The defendant was at the camp because he had several friends in the youth group and was affiliated with the organization.  The defendant, then 31-years-old, molested Jane Doe #2 under a blanket after the lights had been turned off while the campers were telling ghost stories.

During the trial, a third victim, 37-year-old Jane Doe #3, testified that she had dated Nguyen when she was between the ages of 17 and 21. The victim testified that during the course of their relationship, Nguyen repeatedly forced her to have intercourse.  Jane Doe #3 made numerous attempts to avoid the defendant, but he would show up at her school, church and various social events and harass her.  Jane Doe #3 would unwillingly leave with him and he would take her to his uncle’s home and rape her.  On one occasion, the defendant assaulted Jane Doe #3′s friend at church, drove her to a motel and raped her. Charges could not be filed against Nguyen for Jane Doe #3 because the statute of limitations had run.  Jane Doe #3 came forward in an attempt to prevent this from happening to any more victims.