Sonoma County prosecutors drop charges in sexual assault case

Sonoma County prosecutors have dropped rape charges against a man accused of tricking his friend’s lover last year into having sex with him.

Jesus Reyes-Perez, 22, of Santa Rosa was alleged to have switched places with his friend, Enrique Velasquez, 20, who was in bed with the woman in a darkened room.

The 22-year-old Santa Rosa woman testified she didn’t realize Reyes-Perez was lying next to her until a roommate turned on a bathroom light.

She said in a preliminary hearing he made the switch when Velasquez left the room to give someone a cigarette. She had oral sex and intercourse with Reyes-Perez before discovering who he was, she said.

A judge ruled Reyes-Perez could be tried on three felonies including raping a person who thought he was her romantic partner.

But prosecutors announced Wednesday they could not proceed to trial because they could not locate Velasquez, who remains at large.

Without him, there is insufficient evidence against Reyes-Perez, said Brian Staebell, a spokesman for District Attorney Jill Ravitch.

Reyes-Perez was facing up to 12 years in prison if convicted. He was released from jail where he had been held since May.

His lawyer, Justin Milligan, said Reyes-Perez had been unable to make his $300,000 bail.

“Rape is a terrible crime and it should be prosecuted but no such crime occurred here,” Milligan said.

“We believe (the case) should have been dismissed a long time ago.”

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 707-568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com.