‘Bad Breath Rapist’ sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for brutal rape of Quincy waitress

DEDHAM, Mass. — A man known as the “Bad Breath Rapist” was sentenced Thursday to up to 20 years in prison for the brutal rape of a restaurant waitress in Quincy, nearly 20 years after committing his crime.

Tuen Kit Lee, 55, was sentenced in Norfolk Superior Court after a jury convicted him of charges including aggravated rape and kidnapping for the 2005 assault of a waitress who worked at Kagawa, his family’s restaurant, according to Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey.

Assistant District Attorney Lisa Beatty asked Norfolk Superior Court Judge Joseph Leighton to sentence Lee to 28 to 30 years in state prison, but a sentence of 18 to 20 years, followed by probation, was ultimately handed down.

Lee was masked when held the victim at knifepoint, zip-tied her to a bed face-down, and sexually assaulted her after breaking into her home on Feb. 2, 2005, according to prosecutors. He left the victim zip-tied to the bed where she was found several hours later by her boyfriend.

Lee vanished during his rape trial in 2007 and remained on the run for nearly 16 years before he was captured in California in late May after a lengthy manhunt that included work by U.S. Marshals, Quincy police officers, and a special task force.

Although Lee was masked during the assault, the victim recognized his putrid breath, which was attributed to his use of traditional herbal medicines. Officials say he was subsequently dubbed by media as the “Bad Breath Rapist.”

Lee’s identity was further established at trial.

“The State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section and Quincy Police never forgot about this case, and that persistence finally led to Lee’s capture in California,” Morrissey said. “Judge Leighton imposed a sentence of 18 to 20 years in state prison, followed by 5 years’ probation with substantial conditions. We strongly believed that a substantial period of incarceration was appropriate given the brutality of the crime and demonstrated lack of remorse.”

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