Man who was convicted of rape of 3 women in violent crime in Southern California

A man was convicted of rape and sexual attacks by three women in South California.

Charles Edward Gaines III, 32, from Aurora, Colorado, had attacked the victims between February 2019 and May 2020 in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, according to Ventura County's public prosecutor.

The first attack occurred on February 27, 2019 in Northhridge. Gaines used a wrong name in a dating app and decreased the female victim for a film date. Instead of going to the theater, he took the woman's phone and demanded that she carry out sexual actions. When she refused, Gaines raped her violently. After the attack, he let her down to a fast food restaurant, returned her cell phone and drove away.

The victim called in 911 and underwent an examination of sexual attacks in which DNA was collected. Weeks after the attack, Gaines contacted the woman again and sent text messages that blamed them for that while he expressed the wish to do additional sexual actions. When the woman rejected, he sent her threatening messages.

On December 10, 2019, Gaines targeted a homeless woman in Encino. He offered to have her warmed up in his car. When she entered the back seat, Gaines also moved back and grabbed her. The woman troubled to free herself, but Gaines threatened her and then raped her.

At some point the woman was able to flee from the car and at the same time grab Gaines' cell phone. She ran to a grocery store and an employee let her in. Gaines followed and began to wrestle the woman for the cell phone. He finally reached the phone and fled. Later on that day, the victim reported the attack and underwent a sexual abuse test in which DNA was collected from the attack.

A third victim, a 16-year-old girl, was targeted on March 27, 2020 in the Simi Valley of Gaines. The teenager met Gaines in a dating app in which he had used a wrong name. After he had agreed to meet, he picked up the girl from her house and drove a short distance from parking. Both went to the back seat of the car.

“What started as mandatory quickly turned into Gaines and forced the victim,” said court documents. When the girl shouted at him that he stopped, he ignored her and raped her. She continued to fight and finally grabbed the door handle and fled out of the car.

Gaines jumped into the driver's seat and raced away. Shortly afterwards, Gaines wrote an SMS to the girl and threatened to kill her. The teenager reported on the attack and underwent a sexual abuse test in which DNA was collected.

On May 23, 2020, Gaines tried to rape a fourth woman in Canoga Park, with whom he had previously mutually acceptable sex. When she refused to have sex with him again, he sent her violent news, including threatened to send her family and friends naked pictures of her unless she agreed to have sex with him.

He also told the woman that he was outside her house and if she didn't get out and had sex with him, he would ruin her life.

In May 2020 and February 2021, the combined DNA index system (codis) delivered suspicious DNA overtime for the three sexual attacks. The data confirmed that all three attacks were committed by the same suspect.

In August 2022, Gaines in Aurora, Colorado, was arrested in a non -related matter. During this arrest, a DNA test was collected and uploaded to Codis. Based on this upload, Gaines' DNA was associated with the three attacks, the authorities said.

In October 2022, Gaines was arrested in Colorado in connection with the crimes with sexual assault. He was delivered to Ventura County and has remained in custody since then.

On February 25, Gaines was convicted of a jury of Sodomie and a rape of two victims. The jury met with others.

On May 7, Gaines owed the two additional victims to violently raped and admitted that one of the victims was minor at the time of the attack.

A hearing from the court hearing is planned on May 6th, where he faces 19 years in prison.

“Gaines aimed at women who were vulnerable,” said Brent Nibrecker, a district prosecutor of Ventura who pursued the case. “But what he did not take into account was her bravery. The courage that these women showed in the support of this investigation and then came to court and were communicated what he did to them was extraordinary. Her actions served to protect others from the victim of Gaines.”

Further information on the “Sexual Assault Kit” initiative from Ventura County can be found here.

Victims of earlier sexual attacks can also use the website to find supporting services or to receive help to find out whether their sexual attack kits have been tested.

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