San Diego : Suspect in Rape Spree Pleads Not Guilty to Charges

The suspect in the “bolder than most” series of rapes pleaded innocent Wednesday to 28 charges stemming from seven incidents.

Alvin Ray Quarles, 25, of San Diego, was ordered held in County Jail on $500,000 bail.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard Lewis asked for the high bail amount, saying that Quarles could receive a state prison term of 80 to 100 years if convicted of all charges now.

“This defendant has shown himself to be a substantial danger to the community,” Lewis said.

Lewis told San Diego Municipal Judge Linda Quinn that Quarles is a suspect in a total of 19 incidents with women victims, but is now only charged in seven incidents.

The 28 counts include rape, forcible oral copulation, armed robbery with a butcher knife, burglary and receiving stolen property.

Police have dubbed the series “bolder than most” because the rapist attacked women victims in their homes even though their husbands or boyfriends were nearby. Authorities say the man forced couples to perform sex acts while he watched and sometimes joined in. Lewis said the first incident occurred Sept. 12, 1987, and the last incident was Feb. 22.

Quarles was arrested Monday in National City around a motel in the early morning hours.

A preliminary hearing was set for March 9 and a bail review for Monday.

Both Lewis and Quarles’ attorney asked the judge to prohibit news photography of the defendant’s face because other potential victims still have not viewed him in a lineup. Quinn ordered television cameramen and a Times photographer to photograph Quarles only from the back.