SAN JOSE
– A Superior Court judge sentenced self-admitted Morgan Hill
serial rapist Hector Sanchez this morning to consecutive life
prison terms, making him ineligible for parole until the year 2111,
according to prosecutors.
SAN JOSE – A Superior Court judge sentenced self-admitted Morgan Hill serial rapist Hector Sanchez this morning to consecutive life prison terms, making him ineligible for parole until the year 2111, according to prosecutors.
Sanchez, 40, sparked a countywide manhunt in December 2001 after sexually assaulting, raping and robbing a Gilroy woman, a Morgan Hill woman and two San Jose women at knife point.
In March, Sanchez pleaded guilty to charges of sexually assaulting all four women. The plea came following the prosecution’s opening statements in the trial, and his Public Defender Randy Danto said her client made the decision to plead guilty so his four victims would not be forced to take the stand.
But at the Hall of Justice in San Jose this morning, a shackled and orange and brown prison jumpsuit-clad Sanchez asked Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Marilyn Zecher to withdraw his guilty plea.
Zecher denied his request, citing a lack of legal basis, and then sentenced Sanchez to 108 years in state prison without the chance of parole.
“I’m glad he’s not going to hurt anyone else, but my nightmare keeps going,” said one of Sanchez’s victims following the sentencing. The 70-year-old victim and former Morgan Hill resident, who asked not to be identified, was the only of Sanchez’s victims to attend the sentencing.
“He ruined my life,” the woman said with emotion. She was accompanied by her daughter and son-in-law. “I don’t trust people now.”
Sanchez’s string of sexual assaults began in Gilroy on Dec. 9, 2001, when he abducted a 42-year-old Gilroy woman at knife point, drove her to a secluded area and attempted to rape her. The woman eventually escaped the car and called police.
During the following two weeks Sanchez raped and robbed a 48-year-old San Jose woman at her home, and he sexually assaulted a 46-year-old San Jose woman at her office.
On Jan. 8, 2002, Sanchez attacked the then 68-year-old Morgan Hill woman at her home. Sanchez blindfolded and raped the woman before tying her up.
Three days later Sanchez was arrested when police spotted a vehicle he had stolen from one of his victims parked outside a motel on Monterey Road in San Jose.
“I think this defendant is the most dangerous serial rapist the South Bay has seen in many years,” said Deputy District Attorney Ben Field, who prosecuted the case. “Like the judge said, he presents a clear danger to society. So we’re satisfied he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.”
But the 70-year-old victim whose detailed work with a police sketch artist helped lead to Sanchez’s arrest is still a long way from finding peace with Sanchez.
“He stole everything from me, even my (tooth) bridge,” the woman said this morning, pointing to a large gap in her lower row of teeth. The victim has since moved from Morgan Hill, although she said the value of her house dropped dramatically following newspaper articles about the incident.
“When he was there, I didn’t fight back because I was afraid he would hurt my cats if I did,” the 70-year-old victim said. “Those cats saved my life. Now I know he would’ve hurt me if I fought back. … I’m glad I got a good look at his face.”
Sanchez is a divorced father and his family lives in Morgan Hill, although he was a transient at the time of his crimes.
Sanchez’s attorney Danto was not available for comment following the sentencing, but in earlier interviews she said she agreed with Sanchez’s decision to plead guilty due to the “overwhelming” evidence against her client.
This morning Danto told Judge Zecher she agreed with her ruling not to revoke Sanchez’s earlier guilty plea, also citing the lack of legal basis for the withdrawal request.
