This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Rapist Sentenced to Life in State Prison

Jose Perez, who attacked five women in the San Fernando Valley included a SOCES student, was sentenced today to 17 years plus two life terms in state prison Wednesday.

A Reseda man convicted of attacking four teenage girls and an 18-year-old woman in the San Fernando Valley in the span of a year was sentenced Wednesday to 17 years plus two life terms in state prison.

Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Michael Kellogg imposed the term on Jose Perez, 25, who was convicted April 4 of nine felony counts.

Jurors deliberated about two hours before convicting Perez of one count of attempted forcible rape, three counts of attempted kidnapping and five counts of assault with intent to commit a felony, according to Deputy District Attorney Pamela Revel. Perez also was convicted of a misdemeanor assault charge.

Find out what's happening in Sherman Oakswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The attempted rape charge involved a March 19, 2009, attack on a 10th grade student at the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies.

The girl, who was 16 at the time, was sitting at a table after school when she was attacked and dragged into some bushes, according to LAPD Detective Ninette Toosbuy.

Find out what's happening in Sherman Oakswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The girl suffered three fractures to her eye socket during the attack, in which the assailant tried to pull her pants down as she screamed for help, according to the detective.

The other attacks involved a 15-year-old girl in Reseda in May 2009, a 14-year-old girl in Reseda in November 2009, an April 2010 attack on a 14-year- old girl waiting for her brother in front of a Van Nuys elementary school and an 18-year-old woman walking home in Northridge on April 28, 2010, the detective said.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?