Youth in gang rapes to be tried as an adult, authorities say
The juvenile arrested in Ventura County along with seven men on suspicion of gang-raping two teenage girls they lured from social networking sites was charged as an adult in the case, authorities said Tuesday.
The 15- and 16-year-old girls agreed to meet the suspects on separate occasions, one in March and one in April, said Det. Sgt. Ismael Cordero of the Santa Paula Police Department.
Cordero said the suspects gave the victims alcohol and possibly other substances. In both cases the girls passed out and awoke to find themselves being sexually assaulted, he said.
The suspects were identified as Santa Paula residents Esteban Oseguera, 18; Isaac Ek, 19; Joseph Sandoval, 18; Jonathan Gaona, 20; Dion Mendoza, 19; Carlos Ek, 22; Adrian Garcia, 19; and a boy whose name has not been released because he is a minor.
The charges include kidnapping, rape, conspiracy, street terrorism, unlawful intercourse with a minor and rape while a victim was asleep.
Seven of the suspects were arrested Friday. Garcia was arrested Sunday morning.
One girl came forward in April. During the course of that investigation, police said, they learned of the assault in March.
Several of the suspects are believed to be gang members or to have gang ties, but Cordero said it was unclear whether the attacks were committed in connection with the gang.
Some of the suspects were involved in both assaults, authorities said.
Based on the investigation, it is “reasonable to assume additional sexual assault victims may exist,” police said in a statement.
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