A man found guilty of stalking and raping an Orange County woman he met via an online dating service was recently sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison.

The 54-year-old Oregon man, who initially began communicating with the woman online in 2003, came to Orange County in 2007 to meet her for the first time.  According to prosecutors, after dinner, the man lured the woman inside a hotel by promising her flowers and then sexually assaulted her. 

The victim did not report the rape for the next year and a half during which time the man stalked her through phone calls, emails and unexpected visits to her residence.  It was after the man was arrested and charged with stalking that the victim reported the rape.

At sentencing, the man continued to deny the charges claiming he was suffering from a delusional disorder.