O.C. MySpace rapist sentenced to 24 years in state prison

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 09NF2881: October 15, 2013

SERIAL MYSPACE RAPIST SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN STATE PRISON

FULLERTON – A Yorba Linda man was sentenced Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, to 24 years in state prison for raping three women, two of whom he met on MySpace. The defendant was previously convicted after pleading guilty in the case but later withdrew his plea. Jason Ara Erpinar, 24, was convicted for the second time Aug. 30, 2012, by a jury of two felony counts of rape by intoxication and one felony count of forcible rape. The defendant was also sentenced to mandatory lifetime sex offender registration.

On March 26, 2008, Erpinar invited 22-year-old Jane Doe #2 on a date after meeting her on the social networking website, MySpace. He went with the victim to two Orange County parks and consumed alcohol with her, and the victim became severely intoxicated. Erpinar drove Jane Doe #2 to a Newport Beach hotel and raped her while she was unable to resist due to alcohol intoxication. When Jane Doe #2 woke up the following morning, she had a cracked tooth and several scrapes to her face. The victim went to the hospital and reported the case to the Newport Beach Police Department. A criminal case could not be filed due to a lack of sufficient evidence at that time.

Erpinar met 18-year-old Jane Doe #1 on MySpace. He contacted the victim by phone and e-mail and invited her to a house party in La Habra on March 7, 2009. At the party, Jane Doe #1 became severely intoxicated due to alcohol consumption and began to vomit. Erpinar raped her on the floor of a bedroom while she was unable to resist due to alcohol intoxication. Jane Doe #1 reported the rape the next day to the La Habra Police Department (LHPD).

During the investigation, Erpinar’s ex-girlfriend, Jane Doe #3, was contacted by LHPD. Erpinar was physically abusive toward Jane Doe #3 while they were in a dating relationship when she was 18 years old. Between May and October 2007, he forcibly raped her. The three victims do not know each other.

On Aug. 22, 2011, Erpinar pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced Aug. 24, 2011, to 15 years in state prison. Two of the victims, believing the case was resolved, gave impact statements to the Court at that time. Jane Doe #2 explained that she views Erpinar as less than human for what he did to her and two other women. She said that she now has trouble trusting people and is uncomfortable around people she doesn’t know. Jane Doe #1 told the Court, “It makes me sick to know that you were trying to say this was consensual. Were you deaf to the fact that I said NO. It was rape and you know it, otherwise you wouldn’t have pleaded guilty. You hurt me more then you know physically, mentally and emotionally.”

On Oct. 26, 2011, Erpinar made a motion to withdraw his guilty plea after changing his mind about the length of his sentence and the motion was granted by the Court. The case was sent for jury trial and the victims were informed that, despite having already been to the defendant’s sentencing, they would now have to relive their experience by testifying in a jury trial. All three victims testified during the trial, and on Aug. 30, 2012, Erpinar was convicted by a jury.

During Friday’s sentencing, Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 provided victim impact statements to the Court. Jane Doe #1 submitted a written impact statement which said in part, “You hurt me more than you know physically, mentally and emotionally. For the past two plus years, I have been forced to have to live with what you have done to me. I missed school and had to quit because I just couldn’t handle it as well as having to quit my job because I became so depressed and constantly felt like I was dirty.” Jane Doe #2 spoke before the Court and described the horror of having to be cross-examined by the person who raped her and spoke about her feelings of anger and guilt.

Erpinar’s mandatory lifetime sex offender registration will bar him from entering County recreational areas and City parks which have passed the Sex Offender Ordinance. Visit www.orangecountyda.com to read the prior press releases on the County’s Sex Offender Ordinance as well as the 14 other cities that have enacted the Child Safety Zone Ordinance.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney 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