Man Found Guilty of 2 Sherman Oaks Carjackings, Assaults

A man accused of carjacking two couples and sexually assaulting the women in a busy commercial area of Sherman Oaks faces the possibility of life in prison, his prosecutor said Tuesday.

Joseph Navar Downey, 23, was found guilty on all 10 counts of rape, robbery and kidnapping for two attacks in the same block of Ventura Boulevard, Deputy Dist. Atty. Ed Abele said.

The jury in the Van Nuys courtroom of Superior Court Judge Michael Hoff deliberated for little more than a day before returning the verdict Monday.

“I’m sorry what the victims had to go through, but justice was done,” Abele said.

Downey’s attorney, Linda Wieder, deputy alternate public defender, declined to comment.

The conviction was applauded by residents in the area.

“Our Ventura Boulevard is very precious to us. That’s our main street,” said Jules Feir, vice president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn.

“We were all very fearful. It was right in our neighborhood,” Feir said of the incidents that police at the time described as vicious and inhuman.

“It makes us feel better that they’re taking [criminals] off the street,” he added.

In February 1999, Downey and another man carjacked a young married couple from Covina who were sitting in their pickup truck parked in an alley behind the Ventura, a private banquet hall in the 13900 block of Ventura Boulevard near Stern Avenue. The couple had been visiting relatives in the area.

As one of the men held a gun to the husband’s head, the other raped the wife in the cab of the truck, police said. The two men then switched places.

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During the attack, which lasted 2 1/2 hours, the men forced the victims to drive to an automatic teller machine, but there was no money in the account, according to police.

Brian Lyn Richie, 24, the alleged accomplice, is scheduled for trial April 11.

In a similar incident in March last year, Downey struck again in the same block on Ventura Boulevard, this time approaching a couple as they sat in a four-door car in a parking lot.

Pointing a handgun, Downey--who acted alone--forced his way into the car, then ordered them to drive him around the Sherman Oaks area. He pistol-whipped the man, sexually assaulted the woman, then tried to get them to withdraw money from an ATM, police said.

While in line, the male victim alerted another bank customer that he was being robbed and the customer called police.

During the trial, which lasted two weeks, both couples testified.

“It was extremely emotional, particularly the testimony of the sexual assault victims,” Abele said.

Because Downey was convicted of kidnapping for the purpose of robbery, Abele said, “There is the possibility he will be spending life in prison.”

Downey’s sentencing is scheduled May 10.