Man convicted of stabbing, raping woman in Costa Mesa

A Santa Ana man was sentenced to seven years in state prison for stabbing a woman in the temple after raping her in a Costa Mesa parking lot, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Juan Quintas, 31, pulled up to a 26-year-old woman on Harbor Boulevard approaching McFadden Avenue about 10:30 p.m. May 8, 2008, and offered her a ride, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

The victim directed Quintas to a Motel 6 on Harbor Boulevard where she had a room, but Quintas drove his red pickup truck into Costa Mesa, parking in a secluded commercial parking lot, prosecutors said. There, Quintas pulled a switchblade knife out and pressed the blade to the woman’s throat demanding sex or money, according to the DA.’s office.

Quintas raped the woman, then stabbed her in the temple, cut her from her cheek to her neck and stabbed her in her stomach, prosecutors said.

The woman fled the truck naked and ran to a nearby motel, according to prosecutors. She was treated for her injuries at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

About three weeks before attacking the woman in Costa Mesa, Quintas attacked a woman on Harbor Boulevard in Santa Ana, prosecutors said.

In that attack, Quintas parked his truck at the curb and ran up to a 23-year-old woman, grabbing her by her neck while holding a 4-inch blade, prosecutors said.

Quintas demanded sex or money from the victim, and forced her to orally copulate him at knifepoint, according to the D.A.’s office.

On Aug. 30, 2008, Santa Ana officers spotted Quintas driving a truck matching the description of the one in both attacks. He was pulled over for driving without a driver’s license, prosecutors said. DNA later taken from Quintas linked him to both assaults, prosecutors said.

Quintas pleaded guilty to one felony count of forced oral copulation, one felony count forcible rape and two felony counts of aggravated assault with a knife, the D.A.’s office said. He must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors and Quintas’ defense negotiated the plea considering the wishes of the victims, the D.A.’s office said.

lauren.williams@latimes.com

Twitter: @lawilliams30