Former Orange County Chef Charged With Raping Member of the Military
Seal Beach, Calif. – A former Orange County chef pleaded not guilty today with raping a member of the military in 2018 after she dined at the Seal Beach restaurant where he worked.
Darryl Lee Matanane, 55, of Seal Beach, was arrested on August 30, 2019 in Midland, Texas. Matanane was originally identified as a suspect in the sexual assault on February 18, 2018 and arrested. He was released with a request for further investigation.
After further investigation, a warrant was issued for Matanane’s arrest. He was arrested and subsequently extradited to Orange County by the Seal Beach Police Department on September 13, 2019 and he is currently being held at the Orange County Jail on $1 million bail.
Matanane has been charged with six felony counts in connection with the February 2018 sexual assault, including one felony count of rape by use of drugs, one felony count of rape of an unconscious person, one felony count of sodomy of an unconscious person, one felony count of sodomy by anesthesia or a controlled substance, one felony count of sexual penetration of an unconscious victim, and one felony count of sexual penetration by intoxicating or controlled substance.
“The Seal Beach Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office worked diligently to ensure that this perpetrator will be held accountable,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.
“I want to commend prosecutors from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Seal Beach Police Investigators for diligently pursuing justice for the victim,” said Seal Beach Police Chief Joe Miller.
Deputy District Attorney Ann Fawaz of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.