Suspected ‘Ski Mask Rapist’ Faces 101 Counts

A city sewer worker accused of being the “Ski Mask Rapist” was arraigned Friday on 101 felony counts as he listened from an adjoining room guarded by bailiffs.

George Anthony Sanchez, 26, faces a maximum penalty of 625 years plus life in prison if he is convicted on all counts, according to Alan W. Nudelman, supervising prosecutor for the Santa Clara County district attorney’s office.

The charges stem from 25 separate cases and include allegations of sexual abuse, burglary and weapons violations. Police blame the “Ski Mask Rapist” for at least 33 rapes over the last three years.

The court hearing was concluded in less than two minutes as Sanchez listened through an open door guarded by four bailiffs. Reporters were required to pass through a metal detector before entering the courtroom.

To ‘Preserve Integrity’

Attorney J. Bruce Newby, who represented Sanchez at Friday’s session, said Sanchez stayed out of sight to “preserve the integrity” of a planned police line-up. Newby said another attorney, Ronald L. Ruiz, will take over the defense.

Municipal Judge Hugh F. Mullin III continued the arraignment until Jan. 6, when Sanchez is expected to enter pleas to the charges.

Sanchez, married and the father of two, was arrested Wednesday, seven months after police received a tip from a woman who thought a police sketch of the suspect resembled a man who victimized her in 1985.

Investigators following Sanchez said he prowled residential and business neighborhoods by night and, earlier this week, tried and failed to enter a woman’s home.

Limited Manpower

Nine rapes have been attributed to the “Ski Mask Rapist” since police received the first tip last May, but authorities say they followed up on the information as quickly as possible given their limited manpower.

Evidence taken from Sanchez’s car and home included black panty hose tied into a mask with eye slits, dark gloves and a pellet gun, according to police. Investigators said they also recovered jewelry and purses belonging to some of the victims.

Additional evidence had been sitting in the Foster City police storage room, 25 miles away, since 1985. It includes a red-trimmed blue ski mask, dark gloves and a pellet gun--evidence used to convict Sanchez of the attempted burglary of a woman’s house in 1985.

He was sentenced to six months of weekends in jail in that case.

At least 16 rapes attributed to the “Ski Mask Rapist” occurred since Foster City police found the mask, gun and gloves Sanchez used two years ago.