SLO County man who attacked 3 women in home invasions sentenced to prison
A man who violently attacked three women in San Luis Obispo was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
Arthur Tiofilo Rocha, 43, was convicted in August of four violent felony sex crimes against three women in 2018.
According to testimony during a 2019 preliminary hearing, Rocha broke into a San Luis Obispo apartment in the middle of the night, put a knife to the female resident’s throat, raped her and forced her to perform oral sex on him in July 2018.
He broke into a different apartment in the middle of the night five days later and attempted to rape two young women while waving a knife, but they were able to fight him off.
“These young women survivors are courageous and are to be commended for their enduring strength throughout the lengthy court process,” District Attorney Dan Dow said in the release. “This strong sentence sends a clear message that sexual predators will be held accountable to the maximum extent of the law in San Luis Obispo County.”
Deputy District Attorney Julie Antos, who was previously assigned to the District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit, prosecuted the case.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department investigated the case with the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations.
