Newly Released Man to Stand Trial for Rape
A Canoga Park man was ordered to stand trial Thursday on a charge of raping a 20-year-old woman three days after being released from jail on another rape charge.
Stephen Arnold, 31, who also is known as James Mack, could be imprisoned for up to 54 years if convicted on all 10 charges for which he was held to answer, said Deputy Dist. Teri M. Hutchison.
At a preliminary hearing before Van Nuys Municipal Judge Leslie Dunn, the 20-year-old woman identified Arnold as the man who pushed his way into her apartment on July 12, then raped her in front of her two male roommates.
Arnold was released from jail July 9 after prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to try him on another rape charge. They cited the lack of physical evidence to corroborate the first victim’s allegations against Arnold.
Dunn ordered Arnold to stand trial on both rapes and related charges of burglary and robbery. He is to be arraigned in Superior Court on Sept. 19.
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