Man Pleads Guilty to Attack With Needle

A 38-year-old Northridge man pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual battery in connection with an incident in which authorities said the defendant used a livestock needle to inject a woman with unknown substances.

Fernando Ramos was originally charged with assault with a deadly weapon and another count of sexual assault in the Feb. 24 incident involving a 30-year-old Chatsworth woman. Those charges, however, will be dismissed as part of a plea agreement, Deputy Dist. Atty. Meredith Rust said.

The victim met Ramos when he answered an ad she placed in a newspaper seeking a roommate, according to court documents. Ramos told the woman he was a registered nurse and a professional masseur and offered to treat her for back pain, the documents said.

Ramos injected the victim with the high-gauge veterinary needle while pinning her down and sexually assaulting her, Rust said. Authorities were unable to determine what substance was used in the injection.

Ramos is free on $20,000 bail and was ordered to return to court on June 8 for sentencing. Rust said she will seek a minimum of six months in County Jail and three years probation.