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Rapist Arrested
updated: Jul 11, 2012, 8:29 AM
Source: Santa Barbara Police Department
On February 25, 2012 a 24-year old woman reported to Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department
deputies in Isla Vista that she had been raped while intoxicated hours earlier in the City of Santa
Barbara. A report was taken and forwarded to the Santa Barbara Police Department for investigative
follow-up. Crimes Against Persons Detective Brian Larson was assigned the case and over the course of
the next month he determined that the suspect was Jerry Providence Bonhomme, age 30, of Santa
Barbara.
Detective Larson's investigation determined that the victim met Bonhomme at Eos Lounge at 500
Anacapa Street. The victim, who was very intoxicated, was taken by Bonhomme to his home at 3060
Paseo Tranquillo. After vomiting she passed out on his bed, only to awaken to find that she was
partially disrobed and being sexually assaulted. The victim ordered Bonhomme to stop, which he
initially did. She was terrified, however too intoxicated to flee. She pretended to fall asleep, however
when she became fearful that she was about to be raped again she mustered the strength to stand and
exit Bonhomme's room, shouting, which alerted his roommate. Bonhomme then drove the victim back
to where her vehicle was parked downtown. Once home in Isla Vista the victim reported the rape
immediately.
With the assistance of Eos Lounge staff Detective Larson reviewed security footage from the night of the
incident and was able to identify the suspect as Bonhomme, a felony probationer. On March 30, 2012
Detective Larson arrested Bonhomme at SBPD. Bonhomme was booked at Santa Barbara County Jail for
rape of an intoxicated victim, sexual penetration with a foreign object of an intoxicated victim (digital
penetration), and use of a controlled substance (cocaine). His bail amount was $100,000.00.
During the course of this investigation Detective Larson received information and interviewed other
victims who stated that they had been sexually assaulted by Bonhomme. One instance occurred on the
night of December 20, 2011 and the following morning. The victim, a 32-year old woman, had been at
a party with her boyfriend on 1900 Grand Avenue. Neither had a car, so they subsequently accepted a
ride home from the party from Bonhomme. The victim next remembered waking up on Bonhomme's
bed to the realization that someone was having sex with her. She initially assumed it was her boyfriend,
however to her horror and surprise realized that it was Bonhomme who was assaulting her while her
boyfriend was passed out on the bed beside her. The victim stopped the assault and woke her
boyfriend. Still without transportation, the victim and her boyfriend had to rely on Bonhomme to take
them home.
The victim initially considered reporting this incident to police, however was pressured to not do so by
mutual friends of her and Bonhomme. Once Bonhomme had been arrested for rape on the previously
mentioned case, this victim decided to come forward with the details of her case. On June 28, 2012
Detective Larson contacted Bonhomme, who was in custody at Santa Barbara County Jail, and arrested
him for rape of a victim unconscious of the nature of the act, with a bail amount of $100,000.00.
Another instance occurred on or about December 17, 2009 involving a 33-year old female victim. This
victim similarly felt reluctant to report the incident to police since the allegation was poorly received by
mutual friends of her and Bonhomme. However, after realizing that other women with similar accounts
of being assaulted by Bonhomme were now coming forward, she felt safe to report the crime and to
seek prosecution.
In this case the victim had been partying with Bonhomme and mutual friends at Baja Sharkeez at 416
State Street. After leaving Baja Sharkeez they attended an after-party at a residence in Carpinteria until
4:00 a.m. and then went to a friend's house on 1300 Harmon Street. There the victim passed out on a
bed and awoke to find herself partially disrobed and being sexually assaulted by Bonhomme. Shocked,
the victim shoved Bonhomme away from her and he stopped the assault. On July 3, 2012 Detective
Larson arrested Bonhomme, who was still in custody, for rape of a victim unconscious of the nature of
the act and for sexual battery, with a bail amount of $100,000.00.
All of the victims in these cases have been put in contact with advocates from Santa Barbara Rape Crisis.
Additional cases against Bonhomme are still being investigated. Any additional victims are encouraged
to come forward and to seek services available to survivors of sexual assault. Anyone with knowledge
of these crimes is being asked to contact SBPD Detective Brian Larson at (805) 897-2345 or
blarson@sbpd.com.
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