People v. Rones CA1/3

BACKGROUND

A Santa Rosa police officer was checking on a local motel room after the staff reported seeing several people coming and going from the room. Rones was there with five women. After brief interaction with some of the women the officer suspected that they were involved in prostitution. A check indicated that Rones had an outstanding warrant from Pennsylvania for prostitution-related charges.

1 It was later discovered that two of the women had recently come to California after meeting Rones over the internet. They both came thinking Rones would get them work as exotic dancers, but once they arrived they learned that he was directing a prostitution ring and they became a part of it. The women paid Rones all the money they got from men for sex, and each had a turn sleeping and having sex with Rones on a regular basis. The women participated in the prostitution and slept with Rones because they were afraid of him and he could be violent with them. Rones was charged in an information with two counts of rape by force or fear in violation of Penal Code section 261, subdivision (a)(2),1 two counts of making criminal threats in violation of section 422, subdivision (a), two…