Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana - A 60-year-old Iowa man received three consecutive life sentences without parole for aggravated rape charges in Calcasieu Parish court this week, ending a case that spanned nearly a quarter-century.
Judge Bobby Holmes sentenced Choi Van Leo of Spirit Lake, Iowa, on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, to three life sentences without the possibility of parole, probation or suspension of sentence on each aggravated rape charge. Leo also received 15 years in prison at hard labor on each of four molestation of a juvenile charges. All sentences will run consecutively.
The charges stem from crimes committed between 1992 and August 28, 2000, when Leo raped and molested seven children ranging in age from 4 to 12 years old. Law enforcement initially issued an arrest warrant on September 15, 2000, for charges including aggravated rape, aggravated oral sexual battery, and aggravated sexual battery.
However, Leo learned about the arrest warrant before authorities could apprehend him and fled Louisiana, remaining a fugitive for almost 24 years. The Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office finally located Leo after receiving information from a source about his possible whereabouts. Authorities arrested him in Spirit Lake, Iowa, on May 24, 2024.
Chief of Litigation Charles Robinson and Deputy Chief of Litigation Taylor Alexander prosecuted the case for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office.
The consecutive sentencing structure means Leo will serve each sentence one after another rather than simultaneously, effectively ensuring he will remain incarcerated for life. Aggravated rape carries some of the harshest penalties in Louisiana's criminal justice system, particularly when involving child victims.
Leo's capture in Iowa required coordination between Louisiana and Iowa law enforcement agencies. The arrest came after nearly a quarter-century of investigation work by the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office.