San Clemente Man Sentenced For Forcibly Raping 2 Women In 'Spiritual Cleansing Acts'
SANTA ANA (CBSLOCAL.com) — A 39-year-old man was sentenced Thursday for forcibly raping two women under the false pretense of performing spiritual cleansing acts on them in 2012, officials said.
Alberto Flores Ramirez, 39, of San Clemente, was found guilty by jury on April 22. Officials say he was charged with two felony counts each of forcible rape and oral copulation. He was also found guilty of one felony count each of sexual penetration by foreign object by force, attempted forcible oral copulation, and a sentencing enhancement for sex crimes against multiple victims.
Ramirez faces 45 years to life in a state prison for the lewd acts he committed to the two women back in 2012 at a motel in Santa Ana.
The first rape victim, a 33-year-old female, met Ramirez through an online dating website. Ramirez offered to help bring the woman's children from Mexico to California by performing a spiritual cleansing to remove her negative vibes. On April 3, 2012, they met in person at a parking lot at a McDonald's in Santa Ana, and shortly after drove to the Aloha Motel nearby. After the sexual assault, the victim drove away from the parking lot and reported it to the Santa Ana Police Department.
Based on the media coverage of this first rape victim's case, law enforcement learned of a second victim who came forward to tell her story.
The second rape victim, a 49-year-old female, met Ramirez on Facebook and began communicating through text messages and talking online. He also offered here a spiritual cleansing, to help her with her love life. On Feb. 17, 2012, the woman traveled by bus from Las Vegas, Nev., to Orange County, Calif., with a friend to meet with Ramirez at the same Santa Ana motel. After the sexual assault, the victim left with her friend but did not report the case until after seeing coverage of the first rape suspect.
At Thursday's sentencing, the first rape victim gave an impact statement to the court, describing how she hopes the crimes Ramirez committed were worth him spending the rest of his life locked up in prison, officials said.
