Verdict Announced In 'Vicious' Assault Of Napa Teen By Concord Man

NAPA VALLEY, CA —A jury has found a Concord man guilty in the 2022 sexual assault of a Napa teen that prosecutors asked be considered during sentencing for aggravating factors.

Ariel Vazferreira, 33, of Concord, was tried for the forcible rape of a minor, forcible oral copulation of a minor, forcible sodomy of a minor, and sexual battery by restraint.

On Monday, jurors found him guilty on all four counts.

During the trial, the victim testified that on Aug. 28, 2022, when she was 16 years old, the defendant went to her Napa home while her parents were away and asked how long they would be gone. The defendant then proceeded to sexually assault her. After the assault, Vazferreira left the home shortly before the victim’s parents returned, according to court records. He was on probation in Contra Costa County at the time, according to records.

The jury did not reach a unanimous decision on additional special allegations connected to the assault charged by Deputy District Attorney Michelle Roberts, including that the crimes involved violence, cruelty, viciousness or callousness; a vulnerable victim; planning, sophistication, or professionalism; and violent conduct.

The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 33 years in state prison. Sentencing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, in Dept. 1 of the Napa County Superior Court.