A Silver Spring man, who has a history of similar offenses and is a registered sex offender, has been sentenced to 26 years and 231 days in prison. He was convicted of two counts of second-degree assault and violating probation in a prior metrobus groping case. The defendant’s repeated acts of assaulting a woman on public transit led to his arrest and the imposition of the maximum sentence.
Kokouvi Apetoh, a 45-year-old resident of Silver Spring, has been sentenced to 26 years and 231 days in prison by the Honorable Bibi Berry in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD. The sentencing hearing concluded on February 28, 2025, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office. Apetoh pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree assault on February 6, 2024. Furthermore, he confessed to violating his probation for a second time in a previous metrobus groping case.
Apetoh, a registered sex offender, has been convicted in four previous cases related to the victimization of women on public transit. These incidents occurred in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, as well as the District of Columbia.
Judge Berry delivered a decisive blow to the defendant, declaring that this marked the ultimate culmination of the case. She handed down the harshest possible sentence, with ten years for each count of second-degree assault to be served consecutively. In addition, the defendant’s violation of probation incurred an extra six and a half years behind bars.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Jodie Mount.
“This defendant is a serial sexual offender who systematically targeted innocent women commuting to and from work. We are committed to protecting women in our community and making sure that those who take public transportation can do so safely. We applaud Judge Berry for recognizing the significance of the defendant’s abhorrent conduct and issuing the maximum penalty,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy.