Convicted rapist held to answer on new charges Monday
Jun. 14—Bakersfield Police Officer Jesus Gomez testified Monday that he found a victim shaking and crying in the 4600 block of Ming Avenue.
"I knew she was really nervous, really scared," Gomez said during a preliminary hearing Monday for a convicted rapist who now stands accused of kidnapping to commit robbery or rape, assault with an intent to commit a sex act, robbery and obstructing a peace officer.
The defendant, Sergio Venegas, 59, was held to answer on four new charges during a preliminary hearing Monday in Kern County Superior Court.
Venegas' 1999 conviction for rape is considered to be the first one of its kind in Kern County to be secured using DNA evidence.
Under direct examination by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Allen, Gomez testified the victim was walking home from work on Ming Avenue around 9 p.m. May 2, when she was dragged by her arm and hair behind some bushes taller than 6 feet and then sexually assaulted and robbed.
The Californian generally does not name alleged victims of sexual assault.
The woman began screaming, Gomez said, which prompted Venegas to say "Shut up, (expletive), it's going to be worse." Venegas continued holding her hair and the woman saw him manipulate the front of his shorts, Gomez testified.
The victim thought Venegas might expose himself, Gomez said. The woman told Gomez she wanted Venegas to stop, Gomez testified.
Venegas then touched her inappropriately, and then took her dark blue Apple Watch, wedding ring and her blue Jansport backpack, Gomez said. The woman eventually escaped after squeezing Venegas' throat, the officer added.
The woman began tracking her Apple watch from her phone, Gomez said.
BPD Officer Michael Angeloni said he found the Apple watch on Venegas, as well as a silver ring. Angeloni said officers also found a blade on him.
Deputy Public Defender Sabrina Harowitz asked Gomez under cross-examination if the victim said she couldn't identify the suspect because it was too dark, to which Gomez said yes. Gomez testified Venegas didn't attempt to remove the victim's clothing, nor did she see any of Venegas unclothed. Gomez added there were no cuts on the victim's body.
Venegas was dubbed the "supermarket rapist" by then-Kern County District Attorney Ed Jagels and then-Deputy District Attorney Lisa Green who accused him of terrorizing women in southwest Bakersfield grocery stores from 1988 to 1989. The 59-year-old was never charged with these crimes.
However, he was convicted of a separate 1989 rape case, which was called by a former Kern County judge "the most vicious rape he has ever seen," according to The Californian's archives. This conviction was tossed out, and Venegas was retried. Jurors found him guilty of four felony sex offenses, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon during the retrial. Venegas was sentenced in November 1999 to 56 years in prison.
The defendant was released on parole in July 2021.
He's due back in court June 23 for an arraignment on four charges stemming from the May 2 incident.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.
