Man arrested after minor reports rape

Deepa Bharath

Police arrested a 30-year-old man Thursday on suspicion of sexually

assaulting a teenager when she was unconscious after a night of

drinking, officials said.

Christopher James Mack reportedly met the 15-year-old victim and

her friend near the San Clemente Pier on Saturday night, Costa Mesa

Det. Lt. Tom Curtis said. The girl is not being identified because

she is a minor and a victim in a sexual assault case.

Curtis said the girls accompanied Mack to various locations where

they drank alcohol. One of the girls then left the group, leaving

Mack alone with the 15-year-old.

“At about 3 a.m. Sunday morning, [Mack] told the girl he would

take her home,” he said. “The girl said she was in his car and passed

out from the alcohol intoxication.”

When she woke up about six hours later, she found herself next to

Mack on a bed, Curtis said.

“She had reason to believe that she had been sexually assaulted

without her knowledge,” he said. The girl reported the alleged crime

later Sunday. Curtis said there are conflicting reports about how she

got back home. He said the incident reportedly happened in Costa

Mesa.

Based on her complaint and her description of Mack, police

arrested him at the corner of Villa Way and 32nd Street in Newport

Beach, he said. Curtis said Mack declined to tell police where he

lived. He said the victim is not a Newport-Mesa resident, but lives

in Orange County.

Mack is being held in Costa Mesa city jail in lieu of a $50,000

bail. He was arrested on suspicion of having sex with a minor, raping

an unconscious victim, possessing a switchblade or knife and

tattooing the victim. It is illegal for anyone to tattoo a minor

without parental consent, Curtis said.

“[Mack] claimed to be a tattoo artist, and the girl had no

parental consent,” he said.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.