| For Immediate Release Case # 08HF1345
March 15, 2010 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
MAN SENTENCED TO OVER 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FORCIBLY RAPING WOMAN HE MET ONLINE AND STALKING HER WITH HARASSING CALLS AND E-MAILS
SANTA ANA – An Oregon man was sentenced Friday to 15 years and eight months in state prison for forcibly raping and orally copulating an Orange County woman, whom he met online, and stalking her for the next year and half with harassing phone calls, e-mails and by showing up at her home. Tooraj Aghmiyouni Nakhei, 54, Hillsborough, OR, was found guilty by a jury Oct. 8, 2009, of one felony count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, stalking, one felony count of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, and one misdemeanor count of disobeying a court order.
In 2003, Nakhei and Jane Doe met through an online dating service. The defendant and the victim had sporadic contact until May 2007, when Nakhei flew from Oregon to Orange County to meet her. During his visit, the victim agreed to meet Nakhei for dinner at the Costa Mesa hotel where he was staying. After having dinner, Nakhei told Jane Doe he had flowers for her in his hotel room. Once the victim was inside his room, Nakhei forcibly raped and orally copulated the victim as she cried and begged for him to stop. The victim was embarrassed and did not report the rape at the time.
Over the course of the next year and a half, Nakhei called Jane Doe hundreds of times and sent several e-mails to her and her family. The content of his calls and e-mails ranged from apologizing to Jane Doe for what had happened to calling her vulgar names and saying he wished she were dead. The victim had hoped the harassment would stop, but finally filed a police report regarding the stalking in December 2007.
After an investigation into the report that Jane Doe was being stalked, Nakhei was arrested near the victim’s home on Oct. 12, 2008. On Oct. 14, 2008, a protective order was issued by the court barring Nakhei from contacting Jane Doe in any way. Bail was set at $100,000. While Nakhei was in custody, Jane Doe reported that she had been raped by the defendant on Oct. 22, 2008. On Nov. 7, 2008, Nakhei bailed out of jail. On Dec. 16, 2008, he was charged with the sexual assault of Jane Doe.
On March 12, 2009, Nakhei violated the court issued protective order by going to Jane Doe’s home. He approached her in the parking structure and attempted to get into her car while demanding that she tell the court that she had not been raped. Jane Doe attempted to call 9-1-1, but the defendant ordered her not to call the police.
On March 13, 2009, Nakhei was arrested for violating the court order and his bail was increased to $1 million. He has been in custody since that time.
Deputy District Attorney Tony Ferrentino of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.