Four charged in gang rape of 15-year-old Bay Area student [Updated]

Rape and robbery charges were filed this afternoon against four suspects in the gang rape of a 15-year-old Bay Area student who struggled against her attackers as more than a dozen people passed by but did nothing.

The girl was repeatedly raped, beaten and eventually robbed Saturday night at Richmond High School after she left a homecoming dance, according to police. The crime has sparked outrage and focused national attention on Richmond, a city of 104,000 northeast of San Francisco.

Manuel Ortega, 19, was charged with assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury and rape while acting in concert, said Dara Cashman, Contra Costa County senior deputy district attorney. [Updated 9:27 p.m.: An earlier version stated incorrectly that Ortega was charged with rape with a foreign object while acting in concert.]

She said three minors were also charged but declined to release their names. Two of them, 15 and 17, were charged with rape with a foreign object while acting in concert. A 16-year-old was charged with robbery and rape by a foreign object while acting in concert, Cashman said.

All four suspects were also charged with special enhancements that could result in life sentences if they are convicted, according to Cashman.

A fifth suspect, Salvador Rodriguez, 21, was arrested in connection with the crime but was not charged.

Cashman declined to discuss to discuss any pending charges, citing the ongoing investigation. 

Police said today that more suspects will be taken into custody.

"We still have more arrests to make and a lot of work to do," said Lt. Mark Gagan of the Richmond Police Department.

The department, he said, was pleased that prosecutors filed charges quickly.

"This woman's life is ruined by this unnecessary act," he said.

Police said that at least seven males took part in the rape, which began about 9:30 p.m. and lasted two to 2-1/2 hours. Some of the attackers allegedly laughed and took photos of the girl as she was being raped, according to police.

Authorities were finally alerted after a student overheard people talking about a girl being raped in a dark alley behind the campus. Cashman said bystanders who witnessed the attack could be prosecuted only if their actions aided the crime.

"Generally," she said, "just observing a crime is not an offense."

-- Robert J. Lopez

Comments

[James Gerrick]

I don't speak Spanish, but if I did, I would tell these sad excuses for human beings that I hope to watch them burn the day they've exhausted their miserable time on this earth. GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Katie]

These cowards deserve to go to jail for the rest of their lives, and the people who stood by and did nothing deserve jailtime as well. Why are we raising such spineless, self- absorbed children who lack compassion for others? This is a major societal problem at work here. What on earth could be so frightening So as to stop someone from stepping in ?! God bless this poor child, let her not live with shame or guilt.

[c. walker]

Outrageous! Whoever thinks it is okay to witness or even have knowledge of a crime being commited and do nothing shame on you!. To think that it is okay to take a picture of a helpless female and do nothing damn you! I hope you are never the victim of a crime hoping that someone will come to your aid. You should remember what goes around, comes around. It scares me to think of what the future generations think is acceptable or entertaining. I will pray they find the error of their ways,and pray for the poor victims recovery and pray that I can make a difference for the better for future generations.

[Verballistic]

Life in prison sounds too lenient for these guys, but I guess it will have to do!!

[tobygrill]

I pray that God will heal this poor girl's heart and that she will forgive her perpetrators and that this will be used as a stepping stone for her to help others who have been through traumatic events like this. I pray God will use her greatly for HIS Glory in Jesus Name!!! AMEN AND AMEN!!!!

[John]

This entire incident is ridiculous. 2 hours?! That's insane. It certainly reflects the efficacy of the school's officials. No doubt more will be prosecuted once the pictures make their way onto 'MySpace' and 'Facebook'.

[Tara]

"Generally," she said, "just observing a crime is not an offense."

!!! This is an offense to whatever god you believe in, an offense against every norm of decency and humanity. I am disgusted by the predatory woman haters who raped and beat the girl, and appalled by the cowardice of their peers who stood by. I'm sure that the guilty will meet someone in prison who has a 15 year old sister out there and street justice will prevail.

[bsbfankaren]

I still cannot wrap my mind around this heinous crime, and the more information that comes out, the more I know that if I had a daughter in that school district, she would not be there anymore.

There has got to be a way to prosecute those who watched, as they were partipants as far as I am concerned, and it seems to me that there must be some legal way to make that point.

If anyone knows of a fund being set up to assist this young woman as she struggles to have a life, please post the information everywhere possible, and if there is a way to send her cards of flowers, please post that information as well.

[Rick]

This is crime is just sickening and wrong. Even the bystanders are wrong. Not one person had the decency to call 911 or something. Bunch of ruthless pigs. They should all be charged as adult and sent to state prison.

[princess]

Tara, one sin dosnt rule out another.

John : Hope your right!! I pray your right!

tobygrill , Katie & verballistic (amen.)

[jodi]

20 people standing and watching were blocking the view of people that would have reported the crime. Therefore all of those standing there should be prosecuted for aiding in the crime. Also the operator of every phone that recorded images should be prosecuted for recording child porn except those that sent the images to the police and no one else. Beyond that I as a business owner want to see the pictures of all those that stood watching and did nothing to help this girl because I want to know that I never hire such trash as a person that could watch and do nothing to help the girl.

[Dual Threat Quarterback#10]

She was intoxicated. She had full understanding of the consequences that were llikely to occur if she decided to drink. It is against the law to have sex with a intoxicated women yes but, it also is illegal to drink while your under the age of 21. The people who walked by deserve no punishment do to the fact that they felt that it was consensual. High School students and College students have sex at parties all the time. People stand around and watch but, nothing bad ever happens to them. These men that were under the age of 18 deserve little to no punishment. On the other hand the gentlemen that were over the age of 21 deserve to be charged with statchatory rape to a minor.

[Joe Hyun]

Why are Latinos and Blacks more prone to violence?

[Carlos]

This is an outrage, My family lives 5 miles from Richmond and this is not the first time something of this nature has taken place. Richmond has always been known for high crime rate but this takes it to a higher level; disgusting.
My prayers go out to the family of the victim and to her as well.
This is also a sad lesson and example for the parents who are letting the children be raised by school, society and strangers. We need to step in and be parents in all ways.

[asdf]

I like to be in both sides before I make my judgement. If you can imagine 5+ people raping a poor girl, they would be considered violent and dangerous. Stepping in would be risky.

HOWEVER

Not alerting others or alerting police is outrageous! How can you possibly just stand there and watch a girl get raped? For those people that just stood and watched, YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

American society is slowly dwindling in my opinion.

[Tanya P]

In response to Joe Hyun's question, I believe that every race is subject to any crime/violence. However, it is the blue-collar crime that is mainly reported, more than white-collar crime. Most of the crime that involves blue-collar crime involves minorities because of their social class. On the other hand, white-collar crime isn't always reported, most of it is done by the majority race(caucasions). We all are subject to commit a crime regardless of an individual's race.

[tenzin]

good thing it's not my sister... other wise.. there will be more to 12 dead bodies...

[JESSICA]

YOU PEOPLE ARE SICK INDIVIDUALS AND YOU SHOULD GO AFTER THE PARENTS OF THESE DISGUSTING BOYS. I HOPE THEY ROT IN JAIL SICKOS

[JESSICA]

these boys parents should be prosecuted as well they taught there children how to be rapist. you people make me want to vomit. i wish pain on all who did this to the girl, sickos shame on you and now your own lives will be ruined for your disgusting judgement and actions...

[Mitzi]

No conscience, no remorse...this is the new generation...Entitlement and no consequences. I've seen this coming, I see how young adults act and treat people. They know what sex is, they are doing the adult act, then they should be tried and convicted as adults.

[curious]

"Why are Latinos and Blacks more prone to violence?

Posted by: Joe Hyun | October 29, 2009 at 12:46 PM"

Well, lets see...a white male was one of those arrested in this rape thing. Just a few days ago, a white male was arrested for killing the Asian girl in the Standford research lab. A white male (Tim McVeigh) in Oklahoma was responsible for the most violent incident of domestic violence. White mobs of men, women and children routinely tortured and killed blacks during the decades long era of lynching in America. Two white male students at Columbine gunned down several students and teachers. White males are constantly in the news for raping and killing children, and aren't the most violent episodes (World Wars, the Crusades, slavery and extermination of the Native American, so forth) attributed to while male agitators? Please answer.

[curious]

"Why are Latinos and Blacks more prone to violence?

Posted by: Joe Hyun | October 29, 2009 at 12:46 PM"

As for Asians, while not so much in America, Asians have been a very violent people now, and in the past. Lets consider what the Japanese did to the Chinese pre-WWII. How about what the Japanese did to the Filipinos during the Bataan Death March. Or how about what the Koreans have done to each other, so to for the Vietnamese and Cambodians. How about the Dynasty eras in early Asia.

[Curt Selser]

I really hate to bring politics into this, but the theoretical statistics are overwhelming.

How much you want to bet. All supporters and parents are supporters of Obama. Tell me I'm wrong.

[Michael]

Dual Threat Quarterback#10 , I hope that you're just trying to make some kind of sick joke. Otherwise, you are a sexist on par with the worst fiends found in the Taliban. The authorities are seeking rare life imprisonment of these criminals for good reason. You are just like one of the hateful macho morons who watched, laughed, took pictures as the *victim* lay screaming, fighting and bleeding. You're upbringing must have been atrocious for you to have so little respect for females and any concept of human rights.

Unless you are saying that males are brainless animals (which they aren't), then it is time to stop whining that the victim caused this. The fact that she had some alcohol in no way forced a group of men to beat, rob, and repeatedly rape her until she was nearly killed.

Blaming the victim may make some you feel superior and in control of your life, but guess what? You're not. Criminal things can happen to all of us, no matter what we do or don't do, and it's time to focus the blame and personal accountability completely on the criminal.

It doesn't matter who you are, where you are, or what you might have screwed up and done (especially if you're a kid), nothing gives anyone the right or call to commit a crime against you.

[Connie Smith]

I am totally shocked that these young men would rape this poor girl then add more damage by people standing there by watching or recording this demonic acts without even offering to call for help. I pray that all those involve rot in HELL and those who stood by as this helpless young woman was being ravaged have guilt that cause rot that festers from the insideout....Shame on you people...It is just horrible that the new society is so evil and unkindly to not evenmake a simple phone call...May all involve be punished beyond the realm of what the law will allow. As for the victim. I was raped when,I was 16. You never really get over it but you learn to overcome it and move on with all the love around you and trust in your own stregth. Don't ever let them win !!! God Bless Connie