Santa Barbara Man Sentenced to Prison for Rape

A man convicted in July on two rape charges was sentenced Tuesday. 33-year-old Jerry Providence Bonhomme was sentenced to 19 years in state prison for raping two different women.

Bonhomme was said to have met women who were drunk at parties or bars and offered to take them home.

However, instead of driving them to their house, he would bring them back to his home, on the 3000 block of Paseo Tranquillo in Santa Barbara. That’s where authorities said the women would assaulted.

Judge Frank Ochoa presided over Tuesday’s sentencing. “In my 32 years on the bench, I have never seen a more sophisticated manipulation of a position of trust and friendship to avail persons into victimization,” said Judge Ochoa. “I cannot give you enough time for what you did to these [victims].”

“With this sentence, a serial rapist is out of the public and away from women for the maximum allowable time under the law,” added Senior Deputy District Attorney Paula Waldman.

Bohamme must register as a sex offender and pay restitution costs in addition to his 19 year prison sentence.