Kansas City, Mo. ? An Olathe man and former Fort Riley soldier has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting and cutting a prostitute more than three years ago.

A jury convicted James D. Baldwin last year of rape, sodomy and two counts of second-degree assault for the Nov. 1, 2004, attack.

Jackson County Judge Brian Wimes sentenced Baldwin on Friday, saying he had attacked prostitutes because he thought people wouldn’t believe them or care about their injuries.

“That jury cared and this court cared,” Wimes said.

Baldwin had originally been charged with attacking three prostitutes. Sexual assault charges in one case were dropped when the woman died of a drug overdose and a weapon charge is still pending in connection with the third woman.

All three women said they were attacked by a man in a white van. Baldwin, 37, was considered a suspect. He later joined the Army and went to Iraq but was sent back to jail.

Court records said Baldwin’s DNA matched evidence found at the scene of the attack on the woman whose case went to trial and the woman got the license plate number of his van.

Baldwin on Friday continued to claim he was innocent and is not a violent person, and his wife and members of his church testified on his behalf. His defense attorney sought probation or the minimum of 10 years in prison.

But assistant prosecutor Tricia Lacey said court records showed Baldwin has a history of consorting with prostitutes and once was robbed by one.

She asked for a 27-year prison term for Baldwin.

Wimes said Baldwin hadn’t shown his friends and family his darker side.

“You were a predator,” he said.