Honorio Meliton Fidal sentenced to 20 years in prison for string of 2023 sexual assaults

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – On Friday, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office announced that 35-year-old Honorio Meliton Fidal has been sentenced to 20 years in state prison for crimes related to three 2023 sexual assaults on three different women.

Fidal was sentenced for the following charges:

• PC 261(a)(3)-Rape by Intoxication
• PC 261(a)(2)-Forcible Rape
• PC 286(c)(2)(A)-Forcible Sodomy
• PC 289(d)(1)-Sexual Penetration of an Unconscious Person

On Jan. 23, 2023, Fidal found a woman, only identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1, sleeping in a park and he then raped the sleeping woman and left the area stated a press release from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

When Jane Doe 1 woke up, she physically felt that she had been raped while asleep and contacted local police detailed the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Although she could not identify her attacker, Jane Doe 1 did cooperate with the investigation by allowing a sexual assault medical examination and the DNA collected during that examination was sent to the Department of Justice Crime Laboratory for analysis explained the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

On Feb. 26, 2023, a woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 2, was walking home when she was accosted by a man who forced her to walk to a secluded area where he forcibly raped and sodomized her stated the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Jane Doe 2 contacted law enforcement as soon as she was safe and also participated in a sexual assault medical examination which was also sent to the Justice Crime Laboratory for analysis detailed the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

On May 21, 2023, a woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 3, was sleeping on the street with her dog when she awoke to find Fidal putting his fingers inside of her labia stated the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

According to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office, Jane Doe 3 pushed Fidal away and her dog began to attack him and during the struggle, Fidal dropped his cell phone before running away.

Fidal attempted to retrieve his cell phone, but Jane Doe 3 was able to fight him off while keeping the cell phone and escaping to safety explained the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

A Good Samaritan contacted law enforcement on her behalf and while Jane Doe 3 did not know Fidal, she gave his cell phone to investigators shared the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Detective Adam Mik was assigned to all three cases and the male DNA identified from the sexual assault medical examinations for Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 confirmed the same man had assaulted both women and that information was uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation detailed the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Fidal had previously been convicted of a felony and, as a result of that prior conviction, his DNA was already in the Combined DNA Index System and that match to the sexual assaults on Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 was confirmed in November of 2023, shared the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Meanwhile, a search warrant for the recovered cell phone included an email account that included the name "Honorio Meliton" and on Nov. 22, 2023, Fidal was arrested in connection with the string of sexual assaults explained the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office.

Fidal admitted to assaulting all three woman during questioning stated the Santa Barbra County District Attorney's Office.

According to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office, without the courage of the sexual assault survivors to report the crimes, the DNA evidence recovered after medical examinations, and the determination of law enforcement personnel, Fidal may not have been held accountable for his actions.

"This case is a powerful example of how collaboration, the bravery of survivors, and the unwavering
commitment of law enforcement can bring a perpetrator to justice," said Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch.