Police: All Suspects Caught In Beach Area Sexual Assault Case

SAN DIEGO -- Three more suspects were arrested Friday in the robbery of four teenage college students and the rape of two of them at a Mission Beach apartment last weekend.

With the arrests, San Diego police said they believe they have captured those primarily responsible for the crime.

Several other suspects believed to be peripherally involved in the home invasion or a nearby street robbery are expected to be arrested soon, San Diego Police Department Chief William Lansdowne said at a news conference.

"We believe we know who they are," Lansdowne said.

Last night, investigators contacted Donald Duante Smith, 19, by telephone and arranged for his surrender, according to SDPD Detective Gary Hassen.

Officers took Smith into custody at a fast-food restaurant at Woodman Street and Paradise Valley Road in the Bay Terraces area about 12:30 a.m., Hassen said.

Multiple counts of rape and robbery, and an allegation that the rape falls under California's one-strike rape law, providing for 25 years to life imprisonment, were filed against Smith, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said at the news conference.

Smith is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in San Diego Superior Court, Dumanis said.

A 31-year-old man was taken into custody around 10:45 a.m. when he left a residence under surveillance on Streamview Boulevard, Lt. Vincent Villalvazo said.

An 18-year-old man called police in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Ariz., and turned himself in, Villalvazo said.

Yesterday, a juvenile was arrested in connection with the crime, which took place in the 700 block of San Fernando Place early Sunday.

Dumanis said she will petition the juvenile courts to have the minor tried as an adult.

Threatening the victims with guns, four masked intruders stole cash, credit cards, cell phones and electronics from two 19-year-old men and two 18- year-old women, then sexually assaulted the females.

One of the students lived at the apartment, and the other three were visitors.

"The response by the police was outstanding and immediate," Mayor Jerry Sanders said at the news conference.

The dedication of sworn officers and civilian staff at the police department, in conjunction with the D.A.'s Office and Mission Beach residents, made the relatively quick arrests possible, he said.

Lansdowne said officers already in Mission Beach because of a street robbery stopped and interviewed people immediately after the home invasion, leading to the case being solved.

The pressure was so high on the suspects that they had no choice but to turn themselves in, Villalvazo said.

"Flat-out, this was great police work," said City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, who represents Mission Beach.

City officials held community meetings in the neighborhood this week to address residents' questions and concerns about the case.

City Attorney Michael Aguirre said the neighborhood was getting heightened security measures, such as additional lighting and newly formed neighborhood watch groups.

Sanders pointed out that violent crime in Mission Beach is down from 62 incidents in the first three quarters of last year to 46 in the same time period this year.