Ex-LA County deputy sentenced to 9 years in prison for rape

LOS ANGELES

Jose Rigoberto Sanchez, 29, avoided trial by pleading no contest last month to one count each of rape under color of authority and soliciting a bribe.

The victim appeared in court to confront the man she called a "monster and predator."

"You essentially murdered a part of me and I'll never be able to get it back," she said tearfully as she read an impact statement at the sentencing hearing.

Sanchez was arrested in July after a six-month investigation into an incident on Sept. 22, 2010, in which he was accused of raping a woman who he had pulled over for an outstanding warrant.

According to prosecutors, Sanchez offered to not arrest the 24-year-old woman if she would have sex with him. He had her get into the back of the marked sheriff's vehicle and drove her to the desert, where he raped her.

Two nights later, he pulled over a 36-year-old woman on suspicion of driving under the influence and solicited a bribe in the form of sexual activity, prosecutors said.

"You deserve far more prison time than nine years," the victim said in court. "Still, I am incredibly happy and relieved by the fact that at least you got those nine years, because for that time I can have some relief in knowing I don't have to worry about you being loose on society."

The victim said that she feared Sanchez would shoot her that night in the desert.

"Try to imagine the terror I felt when it was over, and I was waiting to feel your gun against my head or hear the pistol being cocked, and I wondered if my parents would ever know what happened to me," she said.

Sanchez's nine-year sentence will actually be 3.5 years following guidelines. As part of the sentence, the former deputy will also be required to register as a sex offender.

"I know that at some point you will get out of your prison," the victim said. "But me? I am stuck in mine for the rest of my life."

Read the victim impact statement (PDF)

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