An Orange County, California man, Juan Humberto Avila, has been sentenced to 363 years to life in prison for raping a 16-year-old girl. The sexual assault occurred while she was walking home in the early morning hours in 2008. prosecutors said.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said the 36-year-old man was convicted by a jury in March, 2013, for numerous felony sexual related charges along with dissuading a witness by force or threat.
The defendant, who lived in Santa Ana, has a 1997 conviction for his involvement in a criminal street gang.
In January, 2008, the victim was walking home from the In-N-Out Burger in Santa Ana. The defendant was hiding behind a sign as he saw her approach. When she came close by, he suddenly jumped out in front of her.
After the victim started screaming, he began punching her and threatened to kill her if she did not remain quiet. He then and pulled her behind some storage containers in a parking lot and raped her.
After the sexual assault, he took her bank card and told her to stay on the ground until he was gone. He then fled the scene. The victim ran home and called the Santa Ana police to report the sexual attack.
During the investigation, police recovered DNA evidence from the victim during a medical examination. However, it did not produce any leads and the case went cold. The defendant was later linked through the DNA evidence from a prior conviction for weapons possession in Arizona.
Any accusations of rape are a very serious legal matter. A rape conviction can have a long-lasting impact on your personal and professional life. You may even be required to register as a sex offender for life. If you have been accused of rape, an experienced Los Angeles sex crime lawyer from our law firm can help you the fight the charges by challenging the evidence against you. We will work hard to keep you out of prison. early intervention by our criminal lawyers can have a big impact on the outcome of your case. Call us for a free cases review and to learn how we can defend you.