Man gets 107 years in prison after raping women in Irvine and Newport Beach

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 11HF1885: May 23, 2014

MAN SENTENCED TO 107 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO WOMEN IN IRVINE AND NEWPORT BEACH

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced today to 107 years to life in state prison for sexually assaulting two women in Irvine and Newport Beach. Travis Dewayne Batten, Jr., 32, Irvine, was found guilty by a jury March 27, 2014, of two felony counts of forcible rape, one felony count each of assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense during the commission of first degree burglary, sodomy by force, sexual penetration by foreign object by force, and kidnapping to commit a sex offense. The sentencing enhancement allegations for committing sexual offenses during the commission of a burglary and tying up or binding a person were found true.

Between May 2005 and November 2006, Batten broke into the residences of two women, whom he did not know, while wearing a mask. He raped an Irvine woman and sexually assaulted a woman who lived in Newport Beach.

At approximately 9:00 p.m. on May 20, 2005, Batten, then-23, wore a mask and broke into the Newport Beach residence of 40-year-old Jane Doe #1 while she was out. When the victim arrived home, the defendant attacked her and threw Jane Doe #1 to the ground. Batten forced the victim to her bedroom and duct taped her hands and mouth. He sexually assaulted Jane Doe #1’s breasts and vagina. Batten then punched the victim twice in the head and threatened the victim by stating he would come back and get her if she contacted police. He then fled the scene. Jane Doe #1 called 911.

Newport Beach Police Department officers responded to the scene and investigated the case. Batten left DNA at the scene, which was collected by police, processed by Orange County Crime Laboratory (OCCL), and entered in the local DNA database.

At approximately 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2006, Batten wore a dark mask and broke into the Irvine apartment of 21-year-old Jane Doe #2. While the victim was showering, the defendant waited outside the victim’s bathroom. He raped Jane Doe #2 as she exited her bathroom after he threw her to the ground and tied her hands. Batten sodomized the victim and raped her a second time. Before fleeing the scene, the defendant ordered the victim to get into the shower and not contact police.

Irvine Police Department (IPD) officers investigated the case. Batten left DNA at the scene, which was processed by OCCL and entered into the local DNA database. The DNA was matched to the DNA collected in the 2005 sexual assault.

Based on the DNA, the two sexual assaults were linked to the same person. Batten was linked to the crimes as a result of further investigation and arrested July 21, 2011, while driving to Fletcher Jones Motorcars dealership in Newport Beach, where he worked as a mechanic.

At the sentencing today, Jane Doe #2 gave a victim impact statement to the court and said that everyone must make choices in their lives, and those choices have consequences. The defendant now has to pay the consequences for his crimes. Jane Doe #2 also said that, the night she was sexually assaulted, she had to make a choice whether to let this crime ruin her life and her future, or not to let it define her. She said that she chose to be defined by her success and by making something of herself instead of letting Batten’s attack destroy her.

The Honorable Sheila Hanson said at the sentencing that the defendant is a dangerous man, and it was necessary for her to impose a sentence that would prevent him from ever being released from prison so that he could never harm another person.

Deputy District Attorney Whitney Bokosky of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

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

Farrah Emami
Spokesperson
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486