A 29 YEAR-OLD MAN HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SPEND 35 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR RAPING A 20 YEAR-OLD WOMAN AT KNIFEPOINT IN SANTA CRUZ IN MARCH OF 2001. LEANDRO BAUTISTA PEREZ REPORTEDLY MET THE WOMAN AT A FRIEND’S HOUSE, AND WHEN THEY TOOK A WALK THAT NIGHT HE PUSHED HER TO THE GROUND AND RAPED HER. PEREZ WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE ATTACKER 8 YEARS LATER (IN 2009), AFTER HIS D.N.A. MATCHED A SAMPLE TAKEN FROM THE VICTIM….BUT HE WASN’T FOUND AND ARRESTED UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR (2010), AFTER HE CALLED POLICE…SAYING HE HAD BEEN CHASED FROM HIS WATSONVILLE HOME BY A GROUP OF MEN.
