Pacifica Man Accused Of Date Raping 15 Men To Learn Fate

PACIFICA, CA — A Pacifica man is expected to be sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting his victims by knocking them unconscious with a date rape drug and other drugs, San Mateo County prosecutors said Friday. Joseph Courtney, 33, pleaded no contest to 14 felony sexual assaults and will not be eligible for early parole.

Six of the felonies were deemed to be violent felonies, according to prosecutors.

On more than one occasion, Courtney met with victims who agreed to sex at Courtney's home. Prosecutors said he drugged the victims with a date rape drug and other drugs to knock them unconscious after which he and other male associates had sex with them.

On one occasion, Courtney showed a victim a video recording of the assault.

Courtney's attorney Steven Chase said that his client may be addicted to sex. Chase said that everyone who met with Courtney knew they were going to do drugs and have sex. But some of the victims thought they were given too much drugs, Chase said.

He said it's unlikely that Courtney had sex with the victims while they were unconscious.

"He is kind," Chase said. "If you met him, you would go, 'This is the guy who was charged with all this?'"

"Courtney decided to enter a plea because if he lost a jury trial he might have spent the rest of his life in prison, according to Chase.

Chase said he believes that it's very difficult to find a jury who will presume innocence before a person is found guilty of a sex crime. Chase called the 30-year sentence Courtney is facing a compromise between the defense and prosecutors.

Courtney is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He remains in custody on $10 million bail, according to prosecutors.

— By Bay City News Service / Image via San Mateo County Sheriff's Office