San Luis Obispo County man sentenced for violent sex crimes

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. -- Arthur Tiofilo Rocha, 43, has been sentenced to serve 50 years-to-life in prison for multiple violent sex crimes.

San Luis Obispo District Attorney Dan Dow announced Wednesday this sentence was based on Rocha's conviction of four violent felony sex crimes committed against three women in San Luis Obispo in 2018.

On July 8, 2018, Arthur Tiofilo Rocha broke into a San Luis Obispo apartment in the middle of the night, put a knife to the female resident’s throat, forcibly raped and orally copulated her. 

Five days later, he broke into a different apartment during the night and attempted to rape two young women while brandishing a knife, but they were able to successfully fight him to stop the sexual abuse.  

During the sentencing hearing, one of the victim survivors read a statement to the judge describing how the crimes have affected her.

For a copy of the charging document, click here.

For the full press release from the DA's Office, click here.