Sex Crimes & Stalking Division
The Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Division is comprised of a highly-trained and specialized team of Deputy District Attorneys, District Attorney Investigators, paralegals and secretaries dedicated to aggressive and just prosecution of perpetrators of sexual assault and human trafficking crimes. Guided by Division Chief John Rice and Assistant Chief Kristen Spieler, the division strives to treat the victims of sexual assaults with compassion, dignity, and respect.
Attorneys and staff in this division handled numerous significant cases including prosecutions for sexually motivated homicide; sexual assaults by strangers, acquaintances or family members; lewd acts with children; non-domestic violence stalking; human trafficking; pimping; pandering; failing to properly register as sexual offenders; indecent exposure and civil commitments of sexually-violent predators.
We continue to see a rise in the prosecution of human trafficking, primarily in conjunction with pimping and pandering charges. Felons intent on profiting from this illicit business seduce vulnerable young women and minors into the underworld of prostitution throughout the county. The division not only prosecutes offenders, but it works with law enforcement and community-based organizations, which try to rehabilitate the victims and re-integrate them back into society.
The division is committed to protecting the community from sexually-violent predators through the pursuit of civil commitment petitions resulting in hospitalization and treatment of those offenders found to be a substantial danger to the public. The division works to keep the public safe and informed as sexually-violent predators reach the community treatment phase through community notification and public meetings.
Significant cases in 2013 included:
People v. Curtis Garry Searcy
Between February 2006 and December 2008, four separate sexual assaults were reported by women who were living on the streets in San Diego. All the victims reported the crimes immediately and forensic sexual assault examinations were conducted resulting in a common DNA profile for the assailant in all four cases. The defendant was arrested for a drug offense in 2011 and his DNA was entered into the Combined DNA Indexing System which matched the profile in the rape series. The defendant was interviewed in State Prison where he was serving time for the drug offense. He acknowledged living on the streets in San Diego during the time of the series but denied any forcible sexual encounters. On March 12, 2013, the defendant pled guilty to three counts of forcible rape and one count of forcible oral copulation, each count involving a separate victim. The defendant was sentenced to 24 years in state prison.
People v. Manual Sanchez
A 23-year-old woman reported a history of molestation by her stepfather when she was between the ages of eight and 12. She also reported similar offenses were committed against her older sister. The older sister confirmed that she was also victimized and charges were filed as to both victims. The defendant also sexually assaulted a third victim, his ex-wife's younger sister, but that crime was outside the statute of limitations for charging. At the first trial in 2012, the jury convicted the defendant of offenses involving one victim and hung 11-1 as to the charges involving the second victim. At the initial sentencing the defendant was sentenced to 18 years in state prison. The case was re-tried in 2013 resulting in convictions on all remaining counts involving the second victim. As a result of the retrial, the defendant was re-sentenced to a combined term of 99 years in prison.
People v. Thomas Henderson
Police on patrol at 2:00 a.m. in Colina Park observed the victim jump out of a parked van naked and screaming that she was being raped. The victim was crying and had visible injuries to her face. It was later determined she suffered a broken nose, chipped teeth, a collapsed lung and eight broken ribs. The defendant said the victim was lying and that they were having consensual sex. He was convicted of forcible sodomy and assault. He was sentenced to 85 years in prison.
People v Catherine Doyle
The defendant and a male accomplice kidnapped the victim and beat her, in retribution for having sexual relations with defendant's husband. During the attack, Doyle sexually penetrated the victim with a golf club and threatened to kill her and leave her body in the desert. Doyle released the naked victim on the freeway where she was rescued by passing motorists. After the trial, the defendant was convicted of kidnapping, criminal threats and rape with a foreign object. She was sentenced to 35-years-to-life.
People v. Mdandu and Phelps
The victim in this case and her friends took a party bus to downtown San Diego for a night out. The victim was separated from her group and passed out in a doorway. The defendants found the victim, woke her up and convinced her to share a cab with them. Defendants and victim went to Mdandu's home to get his car keys from his wife, who refused to give him the keys because he was too drunk. Defendant Mdandu then proceeded to rape the victim in the enclosed garbage area of his parking garage while Defendant Phelps acted as lookout. The jury convicted both defendants. Mdandu was sentenced to eight years and Phelps was sentenced to three years.
