District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Gabriel Munoz-Hernandez (DOB 7/1/1998), of Ventura, was sentenced to 15 years to life in the California Department of Corrections after his conviction of rape of an unconscious person in violation of Penal Code section 261(a)(4) and kidnapping to commit rape or sexual penetration in violation of Penal Code section 209(b)(1).

On February 20, 2017, Munoz-Hernandez connected with the 17-year-old female victim on social media. The next day, Munoz-Hernandez met the victim in person and took her to a friend’s home where he encouraged her to drink a lot of alcohol. The victim eventually lost consciousness. After the victim lost consciousness, Munoz-Hernandez carried her to a dumpster enclosure nearby where he raped her. An independent witness, who attempted to intervene, was able to capture some of the assault on camera. Another independent witness called 911. Ventura Police officers quickly arrived on scene to find Munoz-Hernandez assaulting the unconscious victim behind the dumpster.

After hearing arguments by both the prosecutor and defense attorney, Judge Gilbert Romero of the Ventura Superior Court, County of Ventura, sentenced Munoz-Hernandez to the maximum possible sentence.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims.