Roseville Men Arrested on Rape and Kidnapping Charges

Roseville, Calif.- Around 7 p.m. February 23, in the area of Riverside Avenue and Cirby Way, an adult woman accepted a ride from two men she didn’t know. Instead of taking her home, the men drove her to a parking lot near Douglas Boulevard and Sunrise Avenue and sexually assaulted her, then left her and drove away.

While officers were talking to the victim, another officer stopped a suspected drunk driver in the area of 4th Street and B Street, and realized that the driver and passenger matched the description of the sexual assault suspects.

Suspicion of rape, kidnapping charges

After an investigation, officers arrested Fermin Gomez-Puac, 36, and Victor Jancer Sautizo, 24, both of Roseville, on suspicion of rape, kidnapping and other related charges. Both are being held without bail in the Placer County Jail.

This was a terrifying experience, and our hearts go out to the victim. Such sexual assaults by strangers are rare.

According to National Institute of Justice studies, in 83 percent of rapes, the victim knows her attacker, and in most cases, the attacker is the victim’s current or former intimate partner. (In our experience, and our local rape crisis counselors agree, stranger rapes are even less common in our area than the national average.)

While we should heed Mom’s advice and not accept rides from strangers, it’s also very important to talk to our children and each other about healthy, safe relationships and safe social encounters. Our local domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center, Stand Up Placer, is available 24 hours a day to offer advice, support and resources to victims or the friends or family members of victims. Their 24-hour toll free number is (800) 575-5352, and you can call anonymously.