UC Santa Barbara Police Chief Speaks Out about High Profile Rape Case Arrest

Two years after a violent rape on the UC Santa Barbara campus, an arrest has been made and the Chief of Police Dustin Olson is speaking out about the investigation.

The suspect caught was 21 year old Daniel Chen who lives in Alameda County. Chen was recently arrested on a felony drug charge. “We learned that the suspect had been matched with physical evidence found at the (UCSB) crime scene,”said Olson.

Chen is a former UCSB student.

The female victim was taken from the Isla Vista area in February of 2014, to an over grown area of the campus near the track. Lighting there was said to be limited. She was raped for hours and beaten before escaping to her apartment and getting emergency help.

Investigators say possibly three suspects are involved.

Police Chief Dustin Olson said many agencies helped with the investigation, the collection of evidence and the effort to find those responsible. “Most major crimes and particularly with this case from the minute we found out, or notified of the incident it was a multi agency investigation, ” said Olson.

Among those agencies were the FBI, Department of Justice and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.

Chen is now in the Santa Barbara County Jail facing four charges including rape by means of force, battery and false imprisonment. He is due in court later this month.

“I continue to ask and plead with the public if anyone has information related to the incident to the gentleman in custody we need your help,” said Olson who calls the investigation on going and active.

As for the overall safety of the campus after this crime and the other high profile incidents over the last two years, Olson says more officers are on patrol and the main UCSB campus along with campus controlled areas nearby are monitored around the clock.

“We work extremely close with the Sheriff’s department particularly around the Isla Vista Foot Patrol I think it is safer than its ever been so I would tell parents,your son or daughter ares safe here,” he said.

Recently a lawsuit linked to this case was filed against the UC Regents on behalf of the unnamed victim. It alleges a lack of maintenance on the site where the crime took place, and other issues related to the investigation.

(more details and video will be added later today)