A St. Paul man who raped a woman in front of two of her children was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.

Tyron J. Thomas, 26, entered the woman's apartment while she was sleeping, and raped her on March 23, according to court documents. Two of the woman's children were in the same room. He threatened to kill the woman if she didn't cooperate. Thomas and the woman did not know each other.

The woman's boyfriend came home and saw Thomas running from the building. The boyfriend and woman provided descriptions that led to Thomas' immediate arrest.

Thomas pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct in April. His record includes arrests in 2007 and 2008 in St. Paul for sexual assaults, and convictions for first-degree burglary and domestic assault.

Chao Xiong