Serial Rapist From Napa Receives Multiple Life Sentences

NAPA, CA — The Napa County District Attorney's Office announced the sentencing Wednesday of Santiago Torres Mendez Jr., 31, of Napa, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for multiple sex crimes he committed involving five victims— some under the age of 18—spanning Napa, Sacramento and Humboldt counties.

In addition to life without the possibility of parole, Napa County Superior Court Judge Elia Ortiz sentenced Mendez to consecutive sentences of 215 years to life in prison and an additional 14 years during a Wednesday morning hearing attended by several of his victims.

Wednesday’s sentencing followed a mid-November trial in which a Napa jury convicted Mendez of six counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping, three counts of forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object, and four counts of felony assault.

The jury additionally found true the special allegations of aggravated kidnapping, great bodily injury, minor victims and multiple victims. Jurors also found that the defendant’s conduct showed planning, sophistication, and professionalism, that the victims were vulnerable, and that he took advantage of a position of trust. The defendant engaged in violent conduct that indicates a serious danger to society, jurors also found.

The trial lasted approximately two and a half weeks and featured numerous witnesses and pieces of evidence. Mendez was convicted of raping four victims and assaulting a fifth victim with the intent to rape.

The Napa County crimes that led to the defendant’s arrest occurred April 28, 2021. During the early morning hours, Mendez— 6 feet tall and 430 pounds —drove his 18-year-old victim to a remote part of Napa County and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness.

When she regained consciousness, Mendez was forcibly raping her on the side of the road. Mendez continued to sexually assault her both outside and inside the car until she was able to escape and call the police, prosecutors said.

Napa County Sheriff’s deputies responded. They helped the woman and took Mendez into custody.

Mendez has remained in custody at Napa County jail since his arrest.

During the ensuing investigation, detectives discovered at least four other victims were sexually assaulted by Mendez—resulting in additional charges.

Napa County Deputy District Attorneys Kristen Orlando and Michelle Roberts prosecuted the case.

"This sentence ensures that Santiago Torres Mendez Jr. will never again harm another person or endanger our community," DDA Orlando said. "His crimes were calculated, violent, and left a lasting impact on the lives of his victims. We will not tolerate such predatory behavior in our community and remain committed to holding offenders accountable for their actions."

DDA Roberts said the defendant's actions were "heinous, premeditated, and demonstrated a complete disregard for human dignity."

"We stand with the survivors who bravely shared their stories and deeply value the collective efforts that ensured justice was served in this case," Roberts said.