Peninsula Rape Suspect Accused Of Extortion, Other Crimes

SAN MATEO, CA — San Mateo police have arrested a Daly City man accused of multiple sexual crimes against a woman who brought the allegations to the authorities on Tuesday.

In a news release Friday, investigators identified the man accused as Rodrigo Soto Palacios, 22, of Daly City. In late August, the victim told police she met Soto more than a year ago, and he began threatening to post nude photographs of her on social media if she did not agree to his demands.

The woman told detectives she met Soto in San Mateo on Aug. 28, where he pulled out a gun and forced her to perform sexual acts while making threats against her and her family's lives and demanding money.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau obtained a search warrant and seized a pistol with no serial number from the glove box of a car Soto had been driving, officials said. He was arrested Thursday without incident in San Francisco.

Soto was booked into jail on suspicion of multiple crimes, including rape by force or fear, extortion, stalking and making criminal threats. Police ask anyone with information related to the case to contact detectives at 650-522-7654 or via e-mail.

Anyone who has experienced or been impacted by sexual assault can get support from the Rape Trauma Services Crisis Line at 650-692-7273.