South City Man Pleads No Contest to Sexual Assaults

A South San Francisco auto body worker today pleaded no contest to eight felony charges stemming from a series of sexual assaults against female joggers, San Mateo County's district attorney said.

Raul Contreras, 33, was arrested in February 2007 after attacking a woman in a bathroom stall in South San Francisco's Orange Park, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

The victim, who had been jogging through the park, stopped at the restroom and Contreras allegedly crawled under the stall door, Wagstaffe said. She was able to fend him off and call police.

Contreras was arrested and later linked to three other sexual assaults against female joggers in South San Francisco in 2006 and 2007.

In a deal reached between the four victims and the defendant's attorney, Contreras pleaded guilty to eight felony counts, including rape, forcible sodomy, forcible oral copulation, assault with intent to rape, threatening a witness, making general threats, attempted rape and felony false imprisonment, Wagstaffe said.

"The victims were all in agreement," Wagstaffe said. "They didn't want to testify."

At his July 14 sentencing, Contreras will be sentenced to 33 years in state prison, Wagstaffe said.

Contreras will only be eligible to reduce his sentence by 15 percent—or just under five years—for good behavior, Wagstaffe said.

-Bay City News