Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Relying heavily on forensic evidence Santa Clara police have arrested a black man who sexually assaulted and robbed a woman

The woman was assaulted while walking by herself, police said. The victim was pulled behind some mechanical boxes away from the street in a more secluded area, Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Powell, who is prosecuting this case, said. People who were walking by caught sight of the assault and called the police, Powell added. The black suspect, Leonard Charles Easton, 52, is a previously convicted sexual offender temporarily residing in the Santa Clara-San Jose area, according to police. "Right now he could get 190 years to life in prison if he is convicted on all three charges and prior allegations," Powell said. "It is a horrific crime that the victim was subjected to and we are going to prosecute it to the furthest extent of the law." Easton was identified by the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Crime Lab's scientific testing of semen found on the victim, according to Powell. He has been arrested and arraigned at Santa Clara County Superior Court. Easton is being charged with forced penetration with a foreign object, forced oral copulation, robbery and other charges related to his prior convictions, according to Powell. He also has two prior strikes for oral copulation and rape for which he served time in jail.

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