Serial groper sentenced to three years in prison

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 13WF2913

Date: January 22, 2015

MAN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON FOR FALSE IMPRISONMENT BY VIOLENCE AND GROPING FOUR WOMEN WITH SEXUAL INTENT

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced todayto three years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration for false imprisonment by violence and groping four women by grabbing them on the buttocks with sexual intent in public. Matthew Andrew Linville, 20, Westminster, pleaded guilty today to one felony count of false imprisonment by violence and four misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.

At approximately 6:45 a.m., on Aug. 28, 2013, Linville approached 34-year-old Jane Doe #1 as she was jogging through a neighborhood in Huntington Beach. Linville grabbed the victim on the buttocks, pushed her to the ground, and groped her. He then fled the scene.

On Sept. 13, 2013, at approximately 10:40 a.m., Linville approached 43-year-old Jane Doe #2 at a Burlington Coat Factory in Huntington Beach. The defendant grabbed the victim’s buttocks as she was shopping and again fled the scene. Sometime after that, at approximately 11:20 a.m., Linville approached 34-year-old Jane Doe #3 at a parking structure across the street from the Bella Terra outdoor shopping mall. The defendant lifted the victim’s skirt up from behind and caused her to fall. Linville then grabbed the victim’s buttocks and fled the scene. Less than half an hour later, at approximately 11:45 a.m., Linville approached 48-year-old Jane Doe #4 in the parking lot at Hoover Golf Center in Westminster as she was preparing for golf lessons. Linville then walked up to the victim from behind and grabbed her buttocks.

None of the victims knew Linville and each reported the crimes to the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) and Westminster Police Department, who investigated this case. HBPD officers were able to identify Linville by reviewing surveillance video recorded at Burlington Coat Factory, which matched the description of Jane Doe #2’s incident. On Sept. 18, 2013, HBPD located Linville at Bella Terra and arrested him.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Chrisopoulos of the Felony Panel Unit prosecuted this case.

###

TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

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

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

See Full Bio