Canoga Park Rapist Receives 32-Year Term

A Canoga Park man convicted of raping a 20-year-old woman in her apartment before two of her friends was sentenced Tuesday in Van Nuys Superior Court to 32 years in prison.

Stephen Arnold, 32, also known as James Mack, had also been found guilty earlier this month of forcible oral copulation, unlawful sex by fear, burglary and attempted robbery.

Superior Court Judge Michael J. Farrell added five years to Arnold’s sentence because of prior robbery convictions in New York City. The 32-year sentence was less than the maximum 40 years sought by Deputy Dist. Atty. Teri M. Hutchison, but more than the minimum 22 years sought by Deputy Public Defender Michael Gottlieb.

The case attracted attention because Arnold committed the crime three days after he was set free after being arrested for another rape. In the earlier incident, prosecutors decided that they lacked sufficient evidence and that the victim’s reliability was tarnished because of a lengthy prostitution record.

Hutchison tried to refile a charge against Arnold for the earlier rape charge, but it was dismissed after the woman could not be found in time to testify.

Arnold was convicted of breaking into a Canoga Park apartment on July 12, after asking whether he could use a telephone there. The woman who lived in the apartment and two male friends testified that Arnold pushed his way inside, threatening them with what they thought was a shotgun, but later turned out to be a pellet gun.

Arnold ordered the three to lie face down on the floor and demanded money, they said. He then sexually assaulted the woman in front of her two friends, who had been visiting her, they testified.

A neighbor who heard Arnold force his way inside called police, who arrested him as he climbed out a bedroom window.

The victims were present for the sentencing, but did not speak during the court proceedings and declined comment outside the courtroom.

However, Hutchison said she and the victims were satisfied with the sentence. “That’s at least 16 years of women not getting raped by him,” she said, referring to the length of time before Arnold becomes eligible for parole.