Serial rapist who targeted sex workers gets 15 years behind bars

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A serial rapist convicted of carrying out a spree of sexual assaults has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

Anmol Prasad, 35, of Lathrop, was sentenced on Nov. 5 for the sexual assaults against five women which occurred between 2015-2016. 

Investigators said Prasad would target women who posted ads for prostitution online and his crimes spanned from the Bay Area and further north to Oregon and Washington. 

The first case happened on May 3, 2015 in Washington. It involved a 25-year-old woman who told police Prasad had solicited her services after she posted an ad online. 

Prasad worked as a long-haul driver at the time of the incident. He and the woman agreed to meet near a Walmart inside his semi-truck where the two had sex in exchange for money, investigators said.

Following the acts, Prasad brandished a knife and began swinging it at the victim. At knifepoint, Prasad ordered the victim to undress and forced her to perform multiple sexual acts on him. 

During the incident, the woman suffered knife wounds to her arm that required stitches. Cell phone and DNA evidence linked Prasad to the rape.

In another incident on October 14, 2015, he slashed a 19-year-old with a knife and robbed her in Castro Valley. Police said the survivor was working as a prostitute in Oakland and was picked up by Prasad after they agreed to engage in sexual activities. 

Prasad drove to a Wells Fargo Bank in Castro Valley and withdrew cash from the ATM. After returning to the vehicle and giving the woman $300 cash, Prasad pulled out a knife and held it to the woman's throat. 

The woman put her hand up to protect herself and Prasad cut her with the knife. After that, he robbed the woman of the $300 he had given her and the $40 she already had. He was eventually arrested but released on bail in February 2016. 

Authorities said three months later he targeted a 20-year-old woman in Fremont on May 2, 2016. Prasad contacted the woman who had posted an ad for prostitution on the internet. Through text messages, the two arranged to meet in front of a 7-11 store located in Fremont. 

Once the woman arrived, she entered Prasad’s vehicle. Prasad drove out of the area, parked and began to negotiate the sex act. During their contact, Prasad became angry and physically restrained the woman from leaving his vehicle. As the woman tried to leave, Prasad grabbed a tire iron and began to hit the woman in her head. 

Prasad moved into the driver’s seat of his vehicle drove off. The woman eventually jumped from the moving vehicle that was traveling at 40 mph to escape. 

She sustained injuries all over her body and was treated at a trauma center.

Prasad pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with intent to commit rape and one count of forced sexual assault. He also pleaded guilty to being in possession of a weapon during two attacks and committing an attack while out on bail. 

Investigators believe there may be additional victims of similar crimes committed by Prasad who have not been contacted or who may be too afraid to come forward.