Santa Barbara – Proving the truth of the lyrics to Huey Lewis’ 1985 song “Power of Love” (The power of love is a curious thing…It don’t need money, don’t take fame, Don’t need no credit card to ride this train, It’s strong and it’s sudden and it’s cruel…that’s the power of love), two Santa Barbara men stand accused of a late night violent sexual assault that allegedly occurred on October 23, 2013 at one of the accused’s residence.
According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, investigation pursuant to the 28 year-old female victim’s report of a forcible rape indicates that on the night in question, she was at the suspect’s residence with another female, both of whom were enjoying brewed libations in the company of Ubaldo De La Cruz-Gonzalez, 29, and Carlos Rojas-Villafana, 43. The other female abruptly departed, “leaving the victim with the suspects,” Harwood reported. Shortly thereafter, “the victim attempted to leave but was prevented from doing so and was forcefully and repeatedly sexually assaulted” for a period of some nine hours.
Ubaldo De La Cruz Gonzalez
It was not until the following morning, after the victim convinced her assailants that “she needed to be at work”, that they released her. Immediately upon her release, the victim reported the assault in person at Santa Barbara Police Department Headquarters, whereupon an investigation immediately ensued, which—over the next three months–involved a forensic medical examination, the collection of additional physical and testimonial evidence, and surveillance on the residence of the suspects.
Pursuant to that surveillance, both De La Cruz-Gonzalez and Rojas-Villafana were identified, and on January 24, 2014, both suspects were contacted by SBPD Detective Brian Larson, taken into custody, and summarily transported to Santa Barbara County Jail where they were booked on charges of rape by force, oral copulation by force, penetration with a foreign object by force, assault with intent to commit rape, and sexual battery upon a restrained person. Both men are currently held in custody on $100,000 bail each.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
Read more:
SB Independent: Pair arrested for October rape
EdHat: Sexual Assault Arrests
Noozhawk: Men arrested in alleged sexual assault at Milpas home
