Man Sentenced 23 Years for Rape and Kidnapping

By the Office of the Santa Barbara County District Attorney

Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced that on September 14, 2023, Victorino Ramirez, 42, of Santa Maria was sentenced to 23 years in state prison. 

On August 17, 2023, the defendant pled guilty to violations of Penal Code section 261(a)(2), Forcible Rape and Penal Code section 207, Kidnapping.  The defendant also admitted a sentencing enhancement for using a deadly weapon to commit the rape.

The charges stemmed from the defendant’s rape of an adult female survivor on July 24, 2020 on West Newlove Drive in Santa Maria.  The defendant followed Jane Doe as she was on a walk and attacked her at knifepoint.  She immediately reported the attack to law enforcement. 

Biological evidence collected from Jane Doe’s body was analyzed and entered into the Combined DNA Offender Identification System (CODIS), a database containing DNA profiles of convicted offenders.  The defendant’s DNA profile was in the database following his 2006 felony conviction for vehicle burglary.  Detectives obtained a new DNA sample from the defendant in 2021 and confirmed that defendant’s DNA profile matched the biological evidence on Jane Doe’s body.

District Attorney John T. Savrnoch noted that the defendant could not have been held accountable for this vicious crime without the survivor’s outstanding bravery and strength. The collaboration between the Santa Maria Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, forensic nurses, and criminalists from the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Forensic Science was also invaluable to achieving this outcome.

SMPD Detective Rocio Cazares, DA Investigator Ronnie Murillo, Senior DA Investigator Mike Huffman, and Maria Gutierrez from Victim Witness played vital roles in this case, guided by Supervising Deputy District Attorney Lara Clinton’s leadership. This case underscores the impact of teamwork and unwavering dedication in our pursuit of justice.