| For Immediate Release Case # 08NF3469 November 30, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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MALE NURSE’S ASSISTANT SENTENCED TO 21 YEARS FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO WOMEN IN HIS CARE
SANTA ANA – A male nurse’s assistant was sentenced today to 21 years in state prison for sexually assaulting two women while they were in his care. Alejandro Arias, 40, Cypress, was found guilty by a jury, July 20, 2012, of five felony counts of forcible lewd acts upon a dependent person by a caretaker, five felony counts of sexual battery on an institutionalized person, three felony counts of lewd acts upon a dependent person by a caretaker, one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object by force, and one felony count of attempted sexual battery.
Arias, a certified nursing assistant and assistant physical therapist at Anaheim Terrace Care Center, sexually assaulted two female patients while they were in his care and unable to resist due to medication and their medical conditions.
Between April 1, 2008, and July 18, 2008, Arias sexually assaulted 60-year-old Jane Doe #1 and 50-year-old Jane Doe #2 on separate occasions while they were in his care for temporary in-patient rehabilitation therapy. The victims do not know each other. He entered their respective rooms under the pretense of performing legitimate medical responsibilities. Arias assaulted the women including digital penetration, sexually touching their breasts and vaginas, and making them or attempting to make them masturbate his penis. Both victims reported the sexual abuse after leaving the care center.
At the sentencing today, Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 gave victim impact statements to the court. Jane Doe #1 stated that she suffers from panic attacks and feels uncomfortable around men she does not know and has lost her trust in people.
Jane Doe #2 stated she now has a “Do Not Resuscitate” order on file because she does not want to be victimized again and said in part, “I and the other victims were not protected, I will have to live with this nightmare for the rest of my life, while he will eventually be released from prison and will live his life like nothing happened.”
Arias’ lifetime sex offender registration bars him from entering County recreational areas and City parks which have passed the Sex Offender Ordinance. Visit www.orangecountyda.com to read the prior press releases on the County’s Sex Offender Ordinance as well as 15 other cities that have enacted the Child Safety Zone Ordinance. Arias would be allowed to enter Irvine and Fountain Valley City parks because its ordinance does not exclude sex offenders whose prior offense was not against a child victim.
Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Nichols of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.