DATE: November 16, 2023

CASE: Octavian Joseph (Case #19FE022501)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney Scott Schweibish, Adult Sexual Assault Prosecution

Octavian Joseph was convicted by a jury of sexually assaulting five unrelated women at different times and under different circumstances in 2019.  Convictions include eight counts of forcible oral copulation, five counts of rape, attempted rape, two counts of false imprisonment and two counts of aggravated kidnapping.  The jury also found true aggravating factors that there was more than one victim; two of the victims were kidnapped; and the kidnapping resulted in a substantial increase in physical and psychological harm.

Between February 2019 and December 2019, Octavian Joseph forced five separate victims to perform oral sex on him, raped three of the victims, attempted to rape one of the victims and committed these crimes by kidnapping or holding the victims against their will.  Some of the assaults were committed repeatedly on the same victim over periods of time.  Joseph terrorized his victims and used physical force including slapping, punching and grabbing the victims’ hair. One victim escaped him from a moving car. In the December 2019 assault, the victim was pulled over by law enforcement with Joseph in the car.  She was able to report the crimes and Joseph was arrested.  Subsequent Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFE) were conducted and resulted in DNA confirmations linking these cases together by Joseph’s DNA.

Joseph faces a maximum sentence of 366 years and 8 months to life in prison.  Sentencing is set for January 19, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in Department 40 before the Honorable Steve White.