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The man was convicted of raping three women in Southern California and sexually assaulting them.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Charles Edward Gaines III, 32, of Aurora, Colorado, attacked casualties in Los Angeles and Ventura counties between February 2019 and May 2020.
The first attack took place in Northridge on February 27, 2019. Gaines used fake names on a dating app and picked up female victims for the movie date. Instead of going to the theater, he picked up the woman’s phone and demanded that she do sexual acts. When she refused, Gaines raped her violently. After the attack, he dropped her off at a fast food restaurant, returned the phone and left.
The victim called 911 and took a sexual assault test where DNA evidence was collected. A few weeks after the attack, Gaines contacted the woman again and texted her to denounce what had happened, expressing her desire to engage in additional sexual acts. When the woman declined, he sent her a threatening message.
On December 10, 2019, Gaines targeted homeless women in Encino. He offered to warm her up in his car. As she entered the back seat, Gaines also moved backwards and grabbed her. The woman struggled to release herself, but Gaines threatened her and raped her.
Charles Edward Gaines III, 32, of Aurora, Colorado, can be seen in a Ventura County District Attorney’s Office reservation photo.
At one point, the woman was able to escape from the car and grabbed Gaines’ cell phone. She ran towards the grocery store and the staff let her in. He eventually grabbed the phone and ran away. Later that day, the victim reported the assault and took a sexual assault test in which DNA from the attack was collected.
The third victim, the 16-year-old girl, was targeted by Gaines on March 27, 2020 in Simi Valley. The teen met Gaines on a dating app that used fake names. After agreeing to meet, he picked up the girl from her house and drove a little further away before the parking lot. They both moved to the back seat of the car.
“What started as an agreement quickly became Gaines, enforcing the victim,” court documents said. When the girl cried out at him to stop, he ignored her and raped her. She continued to struggle and eventually grabbed the handle of the door and escaped from the car.
Gaines jumped into the driver’s seat and rushed. Shortly afterwards, Gaines texted the girl and threatened to kill her. The teenage reported the attack and took a sexual assault test in which DNA was collected.
On May 23, 2020, Gaines attempted to rape a fourth woman in Canoga Park, where she had previously agreed to sex. When she refused to have sex with him again, he sent her violent messages unless she agreed to have sex with him, including threatening to send nude photos of her to her family and friends.
He also said that he would ruin her life if he were outside her house with a woman outside her house and she was out and having sex with him.
In May 2020 and February 2021, the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) provided three suspected DNA matches for sexual assault. Data confirmed that all three attacks were committed by the same suspect.
In August 2022, Gaines was arrested in Aurora, Colorado on unrelated matters. During his arrest, DNA samples were collected and uploaded to Codis. Based on that upload, Gaines’ DNA was linked to three attacks, authorities said.
In October 2022, Gaines was arrested in Colorado in connection with a sexual assault crime. He was handed over to Ventura County and has been in custody ever since.
On February 25th, Gaines was convicted by a forced sodomy ju-san judge and attempted to rape two victims. The ju apprentice got stuck with other fees.
On May 7, Gaines pleaded guilty to forcibly raping two additional victims, and admitted that one of the victims was a minor at the time of the attack.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 6th, where he will face 19 years in prison.
“Gaines targeted vulnerable women,” said Brent Nivecker, the Ventura County District Attorney who charged the case. “However, it was their courage that he had not relied on, and the courage these women showed by supporting this investigation and coming to court to share what he did was exceptional.
Learn more about the Ventura County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative here.
Victims of past sexual assaults can also use the website to find support services and receive help to find out if a sexual assault kit has been tested.
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