Westside Rapist Sentenced to 50 Years to Life in Prison

After writing letters telling his seven victims that he had raped them because he felt unloved and rejected, the man who terrorized the Westside for five months was sent to prison Thursday for 50 years to life.

Jelani Efron King, 22, known as the Westside Rapist, pleaded no contest on Oct. 5 to seven counts of rape. The plea came in exchange for Thursday’s sentence.

Because King is required by law to serve 85% of his sentence, he won’t be eligible for his first parole hearing until he is 64. Without the agreement, he would have faced the possibility of life behind bars without the possibility of parole.

“There’s a great feeling of relief,” said one 35-year-old victim.

She and King’s other victims said they were unmoved by King’s letters, or by his claim that he had found God.

King wrote virtually the same letter to all his victims, only switching around paragraphs.

“It was a little tacky, especially saying he had found God,” she said. “But I would like him to get help.”

Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Karla Kerlin said the plea agreement let his victims avoid testifying in a trial.

King was arrested in April. He was charged with 63 felony counts, including 23 burglaries, 15 counts of forcible rape and five counts of robbery.

The unemployed man raped women in Santa Monica, Venice and Palms, and broke into dozens of homes near UCLA. He attacked in different neighborhoods and used varying methods. Over time, he grew more violent. To catch him, law enforcement officials set up a special task force.

Det. Maureen Ryan Correa of the Los Angeles Police Department was one of the lead investigators. She said the hunt consumed her.

At times, Correa wasn’t certain whether the crimes were the work of one suspect or two. Eventually, she and her partner decided one man was responsible.

When King was finally caught, Correa said, she was shocked by his age and demeanor. King did not fit the image of the demon she had imagined.

“We were looking for this monster,” Correa said. “What we found was a 20-year-old soft-spoken kid who told us he did it.”