Man charged with raping a woman in downtown Huntington Beach; more possible victims sought

By Hannah FryStaff Writer

May 16, 2018 2:55 PM PT

Detectives are seeking additional possible victims of a man who authorities say raped a 50-year-old woman in downtown Huntington Beach on May 5

Police said the man, whom the woman hadn’t met before, was driving a white 2003 Toyota Echo.

For the record:

2:55 p.m. May 16, 2018A previous version of this article stated the victim had been drugged. In fact, the victim was intoxicated at the time of the assault, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

After being assaulted, the woman, who authorities say was intoxicated at the time, went to a nearby home for help, and the man fled before officers arrived, authorities said. Police did not elaborate on details of the attack.

Kyle Ryan, 34, of Santa Ana was arrested Friday in the case and faces charges of oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance, rape, rape by use of drugs, forcible oral copulation, sodomy by force, sodomy by anesthesia or controlled substance and false imprisonment, all felonies, according to Orange County Superior Court records.

If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 61 years and four months in state prison and lifetime registration as a sex offender, according to prosecutors.

Ryan, who is listed in jail records as unemployed, was booked into Orange County Jail in Santa Ana with bail set at $3 million. He is expected to be arraigned June 1, court records show.

Detectives ask that anyone with information about the case call the Huntington Beach Police Department hotline at (714) 375-5066. Anonymous calls can be made to the WeTip Anonymous Crime Reporting Hotline at (800) 78-CRIME (782-7463).

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN

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Hannah Fry

Hannah Fry covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Times. She most recently covered Orange County for The Times and has written extensively about criminal trials, housing, politics and government. In 2020, Fry was part of the team that was a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of a boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Santa Barbara. Fry came to The Times from the Daily Pilot, where she covered coastal cities, education and crime. An Orange County native, Fry started her career as an intern at the Orange County Register.

More on this Subject

For the record:

2:55 p.m. May 16, 2018: A previous version of this article stated the victim had been drugged. In fact, the victim was intoxicated at the time of the assault, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.