ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0617

Date: March 30, 2015

MAN ARRAIGNED FOR KIDNAPPING AND THREATENING WOMAN AFTER CARVING HIS NAME ON HER CHEST

SANTA ANA – A man was arraigned today for kidnapping and threatening a woman that he had a romantic relationship with after carving his name on her chest. Sergio Joaquin Mendoza, 39, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of kidnapping, one felony count of criminal threats, two felony counts of domestic battery with corporal injury, and a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. At the time of the crime Mendoza had a romantic relationship Jane Doe. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 11 years and eight months in state prison. He is being held on $100,000 bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on April 8, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Between March 17, 2015, and March 20, 2015, Mendoza is accused of living in a room in a relative’s house in Santa Ana. During that time, Mendoza is accused of getting into multiple verbal arguments with Jane Doe and punching her on several occasions. The defendant is accused of forcing Jane Doe to sit in his car while he was at work and threatening her with violence in order to keep her from leaving the car.

On or around March 22, 2015, the defendant is accused of arguing with the victim and attempting to prevent her from leaving the house. The defendant is accused of telling the victim he would let her leave if she allowed him to carve his name onto her chest. Mendoza is then accused of using a razor blade to carve his first name onto the victim’s chest and forcing the victim to stay in the house after arguing with the victim. That same day, Mendoza’s relative told the defendant to move out of the residence.

That evening, the defendant is accused of forcing the victim into his vehicle and driving her to several parking lots in Santa Ana. Mendoza is accused of holding the victim against her will in his vehicle by intimidating and threatening her with violence if she attempted to leave the vehicle. Mendoza is accused of punching Jane Doe in the face, attempting to strangle the victim by putting his hands around her neck, head-butting her in the face, and trying to hold her in the vehicle by grabbing her arm. The victim was able to escape the defendant’s car and run to a local business where she reported the crime to an employee and called 911.

The Santa Ana Police Department investigated this case and arrested the defendant in a relative’s garage on March 26, 2015.

Deputy District Attorney Caroline Smith of the Family Protection Unit is prosecuting this case.

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718