A Hollister man faces sentencing after pleading no contest to raping two local women after using a social networking website to lure them.
Mathew Jacobs, 21, pleaded no contest Monday in two separate rape cases and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, where a judge would have decided if there is enough evidence for a trial.
He accepted the plea bargain in the two cases – stemming from the July incidents – on related sexual assault charges. Jacobs faces between eight years and eight months to 11 years in state prison for each of the cases, according to the judge’s notes in court records.
Jacobs is scheduled for a sentence hearing at 9 a.m. Feb. 16 at the San Benito County Courthouse, while there is no bail set in the case.
Jacobs is represented by public defender Greg LaForge, while the prosecutor Monday was Deputy District Attorney Karen Forcum.
Jacobs was arrested by Hollister police in July and then again in September for the separate, suspected allegations.
The victim from the September arrest reported she was sexually assaulted at a residence in Hollister. Police alleged that Jacobs met the victim on July 8 and is suspected of sexually assaulting her, according to police.
Police previously arrested Jacobs on July 22 in Hollister for a suspected rape the prior day. Investigators believe Jacobs had used social media to get in contact with his victim in both reported incidents.
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