Man Suspected of Armed Rape-Extortion Arrested

IRVINE — A man who raped a 23-year-old woman and then threatened to tell her husband unless she paid $3,000 was arrested Wednesday when he arrived apparently to pick up the money, police said.

“In the Korean culture, that type of a crime is very shameful and could be grounds for breaking up a marriage, even though it wasn’t her fault,” Police Lt. Sam Allevato said.

Police said the attack has similarities to the robbery of another Korean woman last month, and they are looking for other possible victims.

The Irvine woman had put an advertisement in a Korean newspaper offering violin lessons. She was contacted last week by a man who wanted her to teach his two daughters, Allevato said. The man called several times to ask questions about her lessons and asked to meet her about 9:45 p.m. on Monday at what he claimed was his liquor store at Beach Boulevard and the San Diego Freeway in Westminster, Allevato said.

After his arrival, he offered to drive both of them in her car to his home so she could meet her potential students, Allevato said.

On the way, near Alondra Boulevard and Bloomfield Avenue in Cerritos, he pulled out a handgun and ordered her to put her hands behind her back. The man used a stun gun to shock the woman on her left leg and told her that he would kill her if she didn’t comply, police said. He handcuffed her, drove her to an unknown location, and raped her, Allevato said. He also stole $60 from her, then drove her back to the liquor store.

She told her husband, who reported the attack to police, Allevato said.

On Wednesday, the attacker called the woman and threatened to tell her husband unless she paid him $3,000, police said. She called police, who set up a surveillance crew of eight officers in and around her home.

At about 3 p.m. near the home, the officers saw a black sedan with gold trim, which fit the description of a car used in a September crime also victimizing a Korean violin instructor, Allevato said. Detectives followed it about a block and arrested the driver as he was taking the license plate off the car, Allevato said.

A handgun, a pair of handcuffs and a stun gun were recovered from the car, and the victim identified Jung Wan Hong as her attacker, Allevato said.

The man has refused to give any information other than his name, so police don’t know his age or address, Allevato said. Nor are they sure that is his name, Allevato said.

In a similar attack last month, a man used the same mode of operation to rob another Korean violin instructor who had put an advertisement in a Korean newspaper.

On Sept. 15, a man called the instructor and asked if he could meet her at her home, Allevato said. There, he pulled out a handgun and handcuffed her before taking her $10,000 violin, investigators said.

In the earlier case, the woman said she was not raped, Allevato said. Detectives are trying to determine whether Hong is a suspect in that case, Allevato said.

Hong was scheduled to be booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of kidnaping, rape, robbery and extortion.