VAN NUYS : Man Accused of 2 Rapes to Face Trial

Scott Artamenko, who is accused of sexually assaulting two North Hollywood women who lived next door to each other, was ordered Thursday to stand trial for rape, burglary and forcible oral copulation.

During a preliminary hearing held in Van Nuys Municipal Court, Judge Jessica Perrin Silvers ordered Artamenko to appear in Superior Court for an arraignment Sept. 16.

After allegedly raping one woman, police said, Artamenko returned the next night and raped her neighbor.

Authorities say they don’t know where Artamenko is from, but that he is about 26 years old.

The victim in the first attack testified that she was surprised during the early morning hours of June 30 by a man who had broken into her apartment.

The man, who attempted to cover his face with a T-shirt, repeatedly assaulted the woman before wrapping his arms around her and saying, “I’m sorry,” according to her testimony.

In court Thursday, the first victim identified Artamenko as her attacker. She had previously identified him when he was taken into custody.

The victim testified that the night after she was attacked, she heard screams from the apartment next door and called the police. Officers were able to interrupt the second attack, Deputy Dist. Atty. Gloria Marie Mas said.

A naked Artamenko was taken into custody as he attempted to flee the building, police said.

The keys to the apartment in the first attack were found in Artamenko’s pocket outside the residence of the second victim, according to evidence presented at Thursday’s hearing.

In the two incidents, Artamenko is charged with 10 counts of rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, two counts of burglary and two counts of copulation with a foreign object. He is being held in lieu of $1-million bail.

If convicted on all counts, Artamenko faces more than 100 years in prison.