KANSAS CITY — A DNA test demanded by a man convicted of sexually assaulting a Catholic nun more than a decade ago has confirmed his guilt, Jackson County prosecutors said Wednesday.
Prosecutors said they would seek sanctions against Jerry J. Owens for filing the “frivolous” motion.
Owens, 52, is serving a sentence of life plus 60 years in prison for the crime, which occurred May 6, 1997, at the Holy Rosary convent in the 500 block of Campbell Street.
The next year a Jackson County jury convicted Owens of forcible sodomy, attempted forcible rape, sexual abuse, first-degree assault, first-degree burglary and armed criminal action.
Owens consistently maintained his innocence and last September filed a motion seeking DNA testing of evidence from the crime scene. Prosecutors opposed the testing, but in November a judge granted Owens' request and ordered that hair collected by police at the time be tested.
This week, prosecutors received the test results, which they said confirmed that the hair matched a more recent DNA sample taken from Owens.
Prosecutors can seek to put a lien on Owens' in-prison account or seek additional time.
