Sexual Assault Charges: Livermore Man Denies 1997 Rapes

LIVERMORE, CA — The Livermore man charged with two violent sexual assault cases from 1997 pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning in Alameda County Superior Court, according to the District Attorney's Office. Gregory Paul Vien, 60, was arrested Nov. 5 after police surveilling him collected his DNA off of a plastic spoon and matched it to a DNA profile that was built based on evidence collected at the 1997 crime scenes.

The Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Vien with five felony counts, including three counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object, and two counts of forcible oral copulation, according to a complaint filed in court on Nov. 4. Prosecutors have also filed multiple special allegations, which can be tacked on to charges to enhance punishment.

Vien is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail, county records show.

The Livermore Police Department said earlier this week in a statement that it named Vien as the man who committed two brutal assaults committed in May and September 1997. He is also suspected in three similar, unsolved, sexual assaults that occurred in the city between 1995 to 1997, police said.

Vien is accused of attacking a 41-year old woman who was walking home from the Union City BART station in May 1997. He allegedly dragged her to a nearby field and violently sexually assaulted her. He is also accused of attacking and sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman in September 1997 as she was out for an evening walk at Livermore High School.

Vien's next court date is set for December 18.

Anyone who believes they may have additional information is asked to contact Livermore Police Department Sgt. Steve Goard at 925-580-9585 or sgoard@cityoflivermore.net.

Read the DA's full complaint here.