Judge ordered Oregon rape victim to be held in jail for nine days to compel testimony against her attacker
Warning: This article contains details of incidents of sexual assault that some readers may find traumatic. Discretion is advised.
MEDFORD, OREGON: An Oregon rape victim was held in jail for nine days by the order of a judge until her suspect was found guilty. The woman was raped by Christian Alexander Sanchez, 30, who was convicted of multiple sex crimes. Judge Lorenzo Mejia ordered the woman to stay in Jackson County Jail from September 6 to 15, 2022 to make sure she would testify against Sanchez during his trial from September 13 to 16.
The anonymous woman was one of the rape victims whom Sanchez held against their will in 2020 by the use of weapons like of hammer, lighter, and screwdriver, according to the Jackson County District Attorney's office. Sanchez was found guilty on September 16 on numerous counts of crimes that included rape, sodomy, coercion, assault, weapon use, and kidnapping between February and September 2020. "It was a horrific situation," Deputy District Attorney Nick Geil told the Mail Tribune. Sanchez will be sentenced to Jail on October 6 and is being held without bond.
READ MORE
Oregon law permits district attorneys to hold a 'material witness' which includes the use of a person that contains viable evidence against the defendant. Whilst the victim's attorney insisted on the use of an ankle monitor. Judge Mejia wanted to make sure she would be present for the testimony since the woman has a track record of disappearing due to her battle with addiction and detained the victim until Sanchez's trial. Sanchez was previously arrested in 2012 and pleaded guilty to sex crimes against minors in 2013 and was sentenced to six years in prison.
At the time he sent nude pictures to adolescent girls, met more than 13 of them online, and raped three, according to Mail Tribune. "It was a very involved, complicated case," Lt Mike Budreau said. He was arrested in 2012 during a traffic stop and was under investigation for months. The suspect's father, Rick said, police are also investigating his previous behavior when he was in high school and said his son's actions are not "malicious." "It was high school and high school parties that they're at and high school things that they did," Rick said. "They're basically attacking a high school student." The police found evidence of sexts between Sanchez and minors 13 and 16.
Sanchez currently remains in Jail without bond until his sentencing on October 6.