Alpine

A transient who kidnaped an 18-year-old San Diego State University student, raped her and slit her throat was sentenced Thursday to life in state prison plus 32 years.

“There’s no question in the court’s mind, based on his record, he’s a threat on the life of women he may come in contact with,” San Diego Superior Court Judge Norbert Ehrenfreund said in sentencing James Wednesday Mosley, 27, of Tyler, Tex.

The incident occurred Sept. 30, when the freshman was abducted outside a bakery in San Diego and taken to the Alpine area, where she was raped. Her throat was cut three times and she was left for dead in a ditch while Mosley drove away in her car.

The woman was helped by Freida and Jim Worley of Alpine, who lived nearby. Worley is a California Highway Patrol officer. Mosley was arrested shortly afterward, while driving the victim’s car.

The judge noted that Mosley was released from a Texas prison about three months before the incident. He had served six years of a 15-year sentence for rape of a 19-year-old woman who had given him a ride.

Ehrenfreund added five years to the sentence because of the prior rape conviction.

The victim cried softly in the audience but did not speak.

“Mr. Mosley has committed horrible crimes and is an extremely dangerous individual,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Mike Carpenter.

Speaking to the judge, Carpenter said: “Rarely are you going to have someone as bad as Mr. Mosley. We’ve got to make sure he’s not free to reoffend.

“Mr. Mosley devastated the life of a young, vibrant SDSU freshman. Her life has been devastated, but she’s going to get it back together.”

Mosley’s attorney, Elliot Lande, argued that the judge should only sentence him to the life term. “A life sentence to me seems pretty heavy,” said Lande. “(The extra years) doesn’t seem fair in the scheme of things.” Prisoners serving life sentences are eligible for parole after seven years.

Mosley pleaded guilty Feb. 18 to kidnaping for robbery, which carries a mandatory life sentence, and to rape. He pleaded no contest to forcible sodomy. Attempted murder and robbery charges were dismissed.

Mosley declined to speak when Ehrenfreund asked him if he wished to make a statement.