A man suspected of sexually assaulting a mentally disabled 18-year-old woman aboard a Metro bus was charged Wednesday with rape and other counts.
Kerry Trotter, 20, pleaded not guilty to one count each of forcible rape and rape of an incompetent person and two counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object.
He was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of $285,000 bail pending his next appearance Nov. 21 at the Airport Branch Courthouse in Los Angeles.
Trotter, who is on probation for grand theft, faces more than 20 years in prison, if convicted, according to the district attorney’s office.
Trotter was arrested around 6:30 a.m. Friday at a home in the 1400 block of West 99th Street, near Normandie Avenue, in South Los Angeles, according to Sgt. Dan Scott of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
He allegedly raped the woman, who has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old, at 5:10 p.m. Nov. 7.
Sheriff’s detectives said the woman and suspect boarded the bus at the same time at La Cienega and Jefferson boulevards, and he allegedly followed her to the rear of the bus and sexually assaulted her.
Trotter got off the bus at Sepulveda Boulevard and Slauson Avenue in Culver City, and the alleged victim reported the assault to the bus driver, who contacted authorities. Metro officials said In contrast to initial reports of only one other person on the bus, surveillance video showed that about four or five others people were on the bus when the assault occurred.
