BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Long before he allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted a woman walking alone Monday night on Ming Avenue, Sergio Venegas achieved infamy as one of the most notorious rapists in Kern County history.
In 1992 Venegas, labeled the “Supermarket Rapist,” became the first person convicted in Kern County through the use of DNA evidence for a 1989 rape at Bakersfield’s Red Lion Inn.
DNA testing revealed there was a 1-in-32,000 chance someone other than Venegas committed the crime. Former District Attorney Lisa Green prosecuted the case.
The conviction was overturned on appeal because the FBI made a mistake in its calculations, but evidence was retested and prosecutors retried Venegas in 1999, securing another conviction.
Venegas was sentenced to 56 years in prison but only had to serve half that time under sentencing guidelines. He was released in July.
Venegas was suspected but never charged in five rapes that occurred in 1988 and 1989 where women were attacked while walking alone in grocery store parking lots.
Monday’s assault
A woman walking by herself in the 4600 block of Ming Avenue was grabbed by a man who pulled her to a secluded location, where he sexually assaulted her at knifepoint, police said.
Officers arrested Venegas the following day and found him in possession of property belonging to the woman, police said.
Venegas, 58, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of kidnapping to commit robbery or rape, assault with intent to commit a sex act, robbery and resisting arrest.
1989 case
Shortly before noon on Nov. 2, 1989, a woman returned to her room at the Red Lion Inn with an armful of items. She placed a few things on the hallway floor, unlocked the door and entered.
When she returned to the door, a man pushed his way into the room, according to court filings. He told her he had a knife and to avert her eyes.
The man raped her and bound and gagged her, the filings say. He took money from her purse and left around 2 p.m.
The woman managed to work the gag free and call for help, and motel employees called police.
Venegas had been at the Red Lion Inn that day applying for a job. A clerk met with him and told him to wait while she gave new employees a tour.
As the clerk walked around the building, she saw Venegas “in a remote part of the motel, far from the personnel office” but near the victim’s room, the filings say.
DNA evidence was obtained from the woman and police obtained a search warrant to get a blood sample from Venegas.
Jurors deliberated fewer than two hours before finding him guilty on Nov. 16, 1992.
